Northampton head boys' basketball coach Coy Stampone continues to be pleased with the ongoing progress of his team as they take steps toward their upcoming season.

The Konkrete Kids recently participated in the annual and prestigious Stellar Tournament, one that draws recognized programs from the greater Lehigh and Delaware Valleys.

Northampton advanced into Sunday's play after a big win over perennial power Allentown Central Catholic before they were eliminated by Easton in a six-point loss. Overall, the Kids had a 3-2 record. They had wins against Phillipsburg, Boyertown, and Central Catholic, while the Kids suffered defeats to Cedar Crest and Easton.

It again proved to be a good barometer for the Kids.

"We had a good tournament," said Stampone, who will begin his third season at the helm this winter. "The kids worked very hard and they didn't back down. We had a number of good tests here and I believe we have continued to develop good chemistry with this group."

Stampone noted how his club's scoring was equally distributed and balanced throughout the tournament. Senior Garrett Oplinger, freshman Aidan Elwood, and sophomore Morgan Heffelfinger were the Kids' leading scorers.

"It's good to see us have balanced scoring," added Stampone. "Garrett (Oplinger) was getting a lot of looks and interest from Division III college coaches who were there, and he (Oplinger) has really improved his game this summer.

"Morgan (Heffelfinger) is a rising star for us and we look for him to help us in the winter. Aidan (Elwood) has been doing a great job for us and he is one of several impressive freshmen for us.

"Overall, everyone has been working hard."

Stampone is looking forward to his team participating in the upcoming SportFest tournament this weekend in which they are in a pool with Ben Franklin (Philadelphia), Reading, and Saucon Valley.

"That will also be a good test for us," noted Stampone of Sportsfest. "Our guys really seem to be coming together. We just need to keep playing well and hope we can carry this forward toward the season."