Richard "Tabby" Cunningham has no problem handling the spotlight. Three seasons ago, the unknown point guard stepped into St. John Neumann’s starting lineup and helped the team win the Catholic League basketball championship.
Of course Cunningham wants to win another title — his third — but the Division I prospect also wants to win the attention of college coaches.
So far, they seem to be watching.
Cunningham, an All-City and All-Catholic guard, has received scholarship offers from Siena and Wagner, and several Atlantic 10 schools have the 18-year-old on their radar screens. The list of potential recruiters should continue growing over the next couple of weeks, as the athlete is playing in national Amateur Athletic Union tournaments in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. He is playing on the Hunting Park squad with Neumann teammate Adon El.
With college coaches taking notes in the stands, the tournament is the perfect setting for Division I prospects to showcase their skills.
"Getting a [Division I basketball scholarship] is just something you want to accomplish," said Cunningham, of 21st and Moore streets. "It feels good to know that you are good enough to play on the Division I level."
This is Cunningham’s first season of playing AAU basketball with Hunting Park. The team needed a new starting point guard after losing Mustafa Shakur to the University of Arizona.
Cunningham could have spent his off-season hanging out or practicing in the Neumann gym, but instead he is going the distance to improve his game. The AAU summer showcase tour has also included stops in Washington, D.C., and North Carolina.
"I think playing AAU basketball is definitely something I needed to do," said Cunningham, who picked up the "Tabby" nickname from his mother.
Cunningham already has proven he can compete against the best players in the city. When Neumann needed a leader after star player Cantrell Fletcher went down with a torn ACL, the then-rookie answered the call.
In front of a packed house at Temple University’s Liacouras Center, Cunningham delivered the first of many standout performances. His team-high 19 points were key in Neumann’s 60-59 win over Roman Catholic in the championship game.
In his sophomore year, Cunningham inherited the starting point guard position and led the Pirates in scoring with 13.9 points per game. The First Team All-Catholic and Second Team All-City selection once again stepped up in the playoffs by leading the Pirates’ offense with 21 points in a semifinal win over Cardinal Dougherty and 10 points and four assists in the championship win over Archbishop Ryan.
Winning back-to-back titles created high expectations again last season, but this time, Dougherty defeated Neumann in the semifinals.
Cunningham was also disappointed with his own performance after averaging 8.3 points per game last year.
"My high-school career is going worse than I expected," he said. "I had a pretty bad junior year. I just had one good season.
"I have to try and play like I did sophomore year."
A strong season would help the athlete with those college scouts. And Cunningham is anxious to experience championship euphoria once again.
"I just don’t like losing, especially when you are used to winning," the player said.
Off the court, Cunningham will weigh his options for the 2004 season. Will he head to Siena and play against former Neumann teammate and cousin Robert "Beatie" Taylor, who is a junior at Rider University? Maybe he’ll decide the highly competitive Atlantic 10 Conference is the league for him.
Over the next couple of weeks, Cunningham will start to learn where he ranks among the top Division I prospects in the country. The veteran player realizes that his performance out West is just a small part of what will determine his college basketball future.
"It’s important [to make a strong showing], but you don’t look at it that way because you don’t want to put too much pressure on yourself," he said.
Rookies of the year
When Mike Borelli started the Barry Sluggers’ 14-and-under softball team earlier this year, his goal was to give the girls a chance to compete.
The squad exceeded its coach’s expectations by advancing to Saturday’s Philadelphia Department of Recreation city championship game. The Sluggers lost 7-4 to the Port Richmond-based Leprechauns, but Borelli is still very satisfied with his team and its 13-3 record.
"We did a lot better than I expected," he said. "I just wanted to compete. I am very proud of the season they had."
Trailing 7-0 heading into the sixth inning, the South Philly squad attempted to come back with two runs, and scored another two runs in the seventh. Several Sluggers players made strong contributions. Pitcher Shara Borelli — the coach’s daughter — led the way with a single, double, an RBI and two runs scored. She also struck out six over four innings. Kelly Siderio added two hits, while Nicole Marotta and Sara Kelly each added an RBI.
The Leprechauns shut out the Sluggers in their lone regular-season meeting.
The Sluggers defeated Crispin, 14-7, at Murphy Rec Center last Thursday night to advance to the championship game. Liz Colencecco broke the scoreless tie in the third inning with a three-run homer.
Before heading back to school, Borelli, Catelin Smith, Ashley Pasquarella and Krissy DiStefano will represent the Sluggers in the Aug. 7 city all-star game at Veterans Stadium.
–by Bill Gelman
