LVC sweeps the competition at the 2010 VIA Basketball Classic at Northampton Community College Sunday!

By Keith Groller

OF THE MORNING CALL

Rutgers University has put a full ride on the table for Carly Gallagher to play soccer.

But she admits ''it's up in the air right now'' as to whether or not she'll accept the scholarship offer.

''Basketball is my true love,'' the East Stroudsburg South star athlete admitted.

And that love was on full display Sunday afternoon at Northampton Community College in the 35th annual Via All-Star Basketball Classic.

In what could be her last basketball game in an organized setting, Gallagher scored an event-best 44 points.

Her Mountain Valley Conference all-star team lost to the Lehigh Valley Conference East squad 91-83, but her offensive performance was one of the highlights during Via's four-game extravaganza called ''Super Sunday.''

The LVC West teams swept their games against the Colonial League with the girls winning 84-39 and the boys rolling 108-88. The LVC East boys completed a four-game sweep for the league with a 129-116 win over the Mountain Valley Conference in a game that featured 142 points in the second half alone.

There was plenty of offense in each game -- in fact, Pocono Mountain's East Kyheim Hall scored 37 points, also in a losing cause -- but no individual performance was as good as Gallagher's. She scored 24 points and had four 3-pointers in the first half alone.

The contests were played with two 20-minute halves, like a college game.

''I haven't been struggling with my shot lately, but I felt real good today,'' Gallagher said. ''I really loved playing in this game. I love competing against the Lehigh Valley Conference girls. Any time you play any of them, it's very competitive. I would have liked to win, but it was good to get to show my ability.''

Gallagher finished with more than 1,700 points in her high school career and was the Mountain Valley Conference and Via player of the year.

If she plays basketball in college, she will likely do it at the Division II level. She is considering Millersville, Shippensburg, West Chester and East Stroudsburg, with Millersville the front-runner.

While Gallagher had the most points in her game, Bethlehem Catholic's Andrea Veres had the key points.

Veres, who had a team-high 17 points, made a steal and layup and then hit a 3-pointer off another turnover for LVC East as East broke a 79-all tie and outscored the MVC 14-4 over the final 21/2 minutes.

Most of the other games weren't as close, but were still an enjoyable experience for the participants.

Parkland senior Ryan Carlon was just happy to be back out there.

His season was cut short by a dislocated shoulder suffered in a game against Freedom on Jan. 22.

He was healthy enough on Sunday to score a team-high 21 points for the LVC West, including five 3-pointers.

''This was a great time and a lot of fun to play with the same guys you play against all year,'' said Carlon, who will attend Syracuse. ''It was nice to be back out there after my injury. Your whole high school career goes by so quickly, but it was still a good ride.''

The biggest winners of the day were Via of the Lehigh Valley, the organization devoted to assisting people with disabilities, and a group of Special Olympics players who to show off what they can do in a special game.

Many of them participated in a clinic held last weekend by Hall of Fame coach Traci Cyr.

''Having that clinic last week and the little game we had today gives the high school kids a better understanding of why they're playing in this event and what Via is all about,'' said Cyr, who is the mother of an autistic child. ''We had about 30 kids at the clinic and about 20 of the all-star players helping out That was really great to see. We're just trying to figure out ways to add to this event.''

And, as long as the event continues, Northampton Community College would like to be the host.

''From our college's standpoint, it's great to show people from the high school community what we have here,'' NCC athletic director Troy Tucker said. ''Many of them are surprised. So many people have never been here before. Â… at least to our new gym. People have a certain image of what a community college looks like, but we change that perception when they come here. We've got great, first-class facilities and provide a great venue. So really, we feel as though it's the perfect marriage.''

LVC EAST GIRLS 91, MVC GIRLS 83

MOUNTAIN VALLEY (83)
King 0 0-0 0, Rimeby 0-0 0-0 0, Kessel 0-0 0-0 0, Guerre 3 1-2 7, Smith 2 6-8 10, Gallagher 15 9-13 44, Booth 0-0 0-0 0, Fuss 1 0-2 2, McKillop 6 1-2 13, Cardiello 2 3-3 7, Campbell 0 0-0 0. Totals 29 20-32 83.
LVC EAST GIRLS (91)
Serratelli 4 2-2 11, Hann 1 0-0 3, Noack 0 0-0 0, Whipple 0 2-2 2, Veres 6 3-4 17, Calabrese 1 4-6 7, Wendt 0 4-4 4, Repasch 5 2-7 12, Blair 3 3-4 9, Neel 5 1-1 11, Grant 4 2-2 12, Andrews 0 0-0 0, Bonenberger 1 0-0 3. Totals 38 23-32 .
Mountain Valley -- 40 - 43 -- 83
LVC East Girls -- 40 - 51 -- 91
3-pointers: MVC: Gallagher 5. LVC East: Grant 2, Serratelli, Bonenberger, Hann.

LVC EAST BOYS 129, MVC BOYS 116

LVC EAST BOYS (129)
Prater 4 2-2 10, Knouse 7 0-0 17, Holland 5 0-0 13, Parker 6 0-0 12, Pankey 2 2-2 6, Blount 2 1-2 6, Stevko 6 0-0 18, Hash 9 1-1 22, Wilk 1-1-2-3, Payano 3 2-2 10, West 5 0-0 10, Coccia 1 0-0 2. Totals 51 9-11 129.
MVC BOYS (116)
Douglas 2 0-0 6, Lepre 5 0-0 11, Markley 1 0-0 2, O'Neill 0 0-0 0, Howard 3 1-2 8, Stone 0 0-2 0, Mullen 5 1-2 11, Poorman 9 2-2 24, Hall 14 5-8 37; Kregeloh 0-0-0-0, Hills 8 1-2 17. Totals 47 10-18 116.
LVC East Boys -- 55 - 74 -- 129
MVC Boys -- 48 - 68 -- 116
3-pointers: LVC East: Stevko 6, Knouse 3, Holland 3, Hash 3, Payano 2, Blount. MVC: Poorman 4, Hall 4, Douglas 2, Lepre, Howard.

LVC WEST GIRLS 84, COLONIAL LEAGUE GIRLS 39

LVC WEST GIRLS (84)
Brown 3 0-0 6, Huber 4 1-2 9, Haines 2 0-0 4, Johnson 1 0-0 3, Thomas 2 0-2 4, Maldonado 4 4-4 12, Nosovitch 5 1-1 12, Pleasant 3 1-2 8, Diaz 4 1-1 9, Cintron 2 5-6 9, Schafer 2 0-0 4, Mitton 2 0-0 4. Totals 37 13-18 84.
COLONIAL LEAGUE GIRLS (39)
Young 1 1-2 3, Zanette 1 0-2 2, Amber 2 1-3 6, Stocks 1 0-0 2, Spirk 1 0-0 2, Ashworth 0 6-6 6, Hrebik 6 0-0 13, McDonald 1 0-0 3, Bercier 0 0-0 0, Baab 0 2-2 2. Totals 13 10-13 39.
LVC West Girls -- 42 - 42 -- 84
Colonial League Girls -- 19 - 20 -- 39
3-pointers: LVC West: Johnson, Nosovitch, Pleasant. Colonial: McDonald, Amber, Hrebik.

LVC WEST BOYS 108, COLONIAL LEAGUE BOYS 88

COLONIAL LEAGUE BOYS (88)
Diaz 3 0-0 9, Salerno 3 0-0 7, Oxley 0 0-0 0, Parr 3 1-2 9 Berger 6 0-0 12, Case 6 3-4 16, Giangiobbe 3 1-2 7, Hess 3 1-1 7, Kohler 6 0-0 12, Pappas 2 0-0 4, Biegley 2 1-2 5. Totals 37 7-11 88.
LVC WEST BOYS (108)
Hollenbach 1 3-4 5, Astacio 1 1-2 3, Greene 0 0-0 0, Campbell 4 1-2 12, Palencar 5 0-0 14, Williams 4 3-4 11, Beldo 3 3-4 9, Carlon 7 2-3 21, Pammer 2 3-5 8, Bet 2 0-0 5, Brown 9 1-1 20. Totals 23 17-25 108.
Colonial League Boys -- 32 - 56 -- 88
LVC West Boys -- 46 - 62 -- 108
3-pointers: CL: Diaz 3, Parr 2, Salerno, Case. LVC: Carlon 5, Palencar 4, Campbell 3, Pammer, Bet, Brown.

keith.groller@mcall.com, 610-820-6740