Holy Family Hoops Making Noise In CACC

By Matt Leon

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- The Holy Family University men's basketball team is once again proving to be one of the top teams in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference this season.

The Division II Tigers are 11-4 overall and with a 6-1 CACC mark, the Tigers are alone in first place in the conference's South Division.

R.C. Kehoe is in his fourth season as head coach at Holy Family and success is nothing new for him. He led the Tigers to the 2012-13 CACC South regular season title and last season his Tigers went 21-10, advancing all the way to the conference title game, before losing to Philadelphia University by a point. Kehoe talks about the key for this year's squad.

"Our balance," Kehoe tells KYW Newsradio. "In years past, one or two players have really carried us and got us off to a great start in my time here at Holy Family. We've been on the uptick, each year we've gotten a little bit better. This year is our most balanced team."

Listen to the entire interview with R.C. Kehoe:

While balance is a big key, Kehoe says they do have one player who has emerged as critical piece to their puzzle.

"We've really been led by a transfer, Reggie Charles," Kehoe says, "who came from Shippensburg, sat out last season due to the fact that we had three senior guards. He has stepped right in and hasn't missed a beat."

Charles, a redshirt junior who played his high school ball at Father Judge, leads the Tigers in scoring at 16.7 ppg and also paces the squad in assists with 72. Two other players are averaging double figure points for Holy Family: junior forward Isaiah Gans adds 14.2 ppg while junior swingman Marvin Crawford chips in 12.2 a contest.

The Tigers also play some pretty good defense, holding opponents to 39% shooting from the field.

There is still a lot of basketball to play this season and, while the Tigers have proven to be a force, Kehoe says there is still work to do.

"We must find a consistency offensively and focus-wise," Kehoe says. "We had probably the worst loss in our four years here at Holy Family this past Saturday, and it's no knock on the other team, it had to do with the way that we handled ourselves at the end of the game. And it's a loss that stuck with us and I think it was a little bit of an empty feeling going into (Wednesday) night against Goldey-Beacom and I think that's why the game turned out the way it did (Holy Family won 97-77). We can't have a step back and then want to fight to take two step forwards. We must continue to play consistently offensively but also we must continue to focus. Because if we do focus, we are talented enough to win every game we play in. But when we don't focus, anybody can beat us."

The Tigers return to the court on Sunday when they travel for a non-conference game at West Chester.

You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.

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