Kingsway rolls by Clearview

Kingsway sophomore point guard Rondell Gilmore only knows how to play at one speed, so it didn't matter that last night's Tri-County Royal Division game with Clearview was well in hand with under four minutes remaining.

The Dragons were leading 64-41 in an eventual 69-48 win over Clearview, but Gilmore just couldn't go through the motions.

So he tried to take a charge and got the worst of the encounter with Clearview's Brian Burke, who also lay on the ground for a few moments.

Gilmore eventually got up and went to the bench. Afterwards he departed the gym with an icepack on his achy back.

"I keep playing hard until the last whistle," said Gilmore, who scored 10 points.

Actually Gilmore has brought a football player's mentality to basketball. That's because he's a heck of a football player, the starting quarterback and brother of former Kingsway and Purdue University star Dorien Bryant.

So is he a football player competing in basketball or the other way around?

"I'm both," Gilmore said, smiling. "When it's football season I am a football player and basketball season, I'm a basketball player."

Last night Kingsway improved to 9-4 overall and 5-2 in the Royal Division while also clinching a Group 3 playoff berth.

Gilmore's development will be a key down the stretch, both in the Royal Division and Group 3 playoffs.

Last year he came off the bench and this season he has been the starting point guard, growing into the job each game.

"He makes a lot of things happen," Kingsway coach George Passante said. "He is learning and making much better decisions on the court and that comes from experience."

Passante, who is in his fifth year, also likes the toughness that Gilmore brings to a team that certainly isn't lacking in that department.

According to Passante, Gilmore leads the teams in taking charges, with the number around 15.

"He's a tough kid," Passante said.

Clearview (4-10, 0-8) lost to Kingsway, 52-50 earlier this season and also had a prestige win last week over Collingswood.

So the Dragons weren't taking the Pioneers lightly. After leading 11-10 following the first quarter, Kingsway used a 22-7 second quarter to run away from the Pioneers.

Nobody can run away from any opponent like Gilmore, who has blazing speed. One time on the court he made a dazzling drive to the basket, slithering between defenders and laying it in.

With each effort he is showing how comfortable he feels on the court even though he wasn't very comfortable walking out of the locker room.

"It was a nasty spill," Gilmore said. "But I will be all right."

As long as Gilmore is directing the team, so apparently will Kingsway.

Clearview 10 7 12 19 - 48

Kingsway 11 22 14 22 - 69

C: Kevin Burke 11, George Eisenhart 1, Kyle Holcombe 4, Josh Quinones 11, Brian Burke 7, Chad Gravinese 10, Andrew Bodine 4.

K: Rondel Gilmore 10, Ryan Juhring 14, T.J. Pratt 9, Tom Dickson 2, Stephen Pigford 8, Jared Flynn 3, Julian Drumgode 7, Mike Powers 14, Kyle Grigsby 2.