For the first time in his three years at the helm, Northampton head boys' basketball coach Coy Stampone and his squad can enjoy the fruits of their labor.

The Konkrete Kids began the week with an overall 2-1 record and have shown signs of taking their game to the next level.

After they suffered a narrow 69-66 defeat to highly touted Pocono Mountain West, the Kids battled and rallied for a 52-48 victory over district semifinalist Blue Mountain a little over 12 hours later.

In the past, a similar situation had been a nightmare for the Kids. Instead, this one left them with an overall 2-1 record and plenty of promise ahead.

"We're 2-1 now, and we have been playing well," said Stampone before his club began play this week. "We had a 10-point lead on Pocono Mountain West before they came back. But we didn't fold and we're right there at the end. That was a big test for us because they are a very good club.

"But our win over Blue Mountain was huge. They (Blue Mountain) are a very good team, too, and have a good coach. They run a more disciplined offense than (Pocono Mountain West) and we saw two different types of clubs overnight.

"That was a big statement win for our kids. We're executing and playing hard right now. We have been gaining confidence. We have a good mix of older and younger guys and it is still working."

Senior Garrett Oplinger is off to a fast start and has been a steady offensive spark. Freshman Aidan Elwood and sophomore Morgan Heffelfinger also have been major contributors and junior transfer Mario Decker has been a major threat.

"We have had some good scoring balance and that has been a big key for us," said Stampone. "We expected a big year from Garrett (Oplinger) and he has been living up to expectations. It is nice to see Elwood and Heffelfinger doing a nice job, and Decker has been a big plus.

"These guys had a big summer and it has carried over."

Overall, Stampone knows his club has matured. The Kids opened the week with East Stroudsburg South Tuesday, and then will meet Parkland Friday and Catasauqua Saturday.

"We have been competitive, and we now know we can compete," he stressed. "We have also had great support from our student body and they continue to come out. We have another big week ahead, and we're looking for a big crowd against Parkland Friday. But then we come back the next day against our arch-rival Catasauqua.

"We have made some big strides and we need to keep going."