Charlie Thornton looking for 3. Photo by Jim Quinn, BQPictures.com
By Matthew DeGeorge
The mantra from the Radnor bench Saturday, as it has been most of the season, was getting to three. Three straight stops, the rallying cry goes, and you can create serious cushion on the scoreboard.
Jackson Hicke being interviewed after Radnor’s win. Listen to the interview on the archive below at the 1:30:00 mark. Photo by Delcohoops.com
In a raucous first quarter of the Central League semifinal against Haverford Saturday afternoon, those stops eluded them. But once the Raptors dutifully ground out one, then two, then three stout defensive possessions in a row, the momentum snowballed … all the way into a Central League final.
Radnor put the clamps on Haverford over the fin
Cooper Mueller looking to score in last night’s Radnor win. Photo by Jim Quinn, BQPictures.com
al three quarters, riding 21 points and 14 rebounds from Jackson Hicke to a 53-38 win.
Second-seeded Radnor (20-2) advances to Monday night’s final against top-seeded Lower Merion. The game is at Ridley at 7:45. The Aces routed No. 4 Conestoga, 55-33, in the other semifinal.
Radnor led, 20-17, after an opening quarter in which both offenses had the run of the gym. But Radnor’s defense adjusted more quickly and more thoroughly to grab the advantage.
“I think we just have to keep talking together, staying together and committing,” point guard Danny Rosenblum said. “We always say, three stops in a row, because our offense really feeds from our defense, and just committing to it is our game plan.”
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