Author: delcohoops

‘Crazy’ finish doesn’t go Bonner & Prendergast’s way in PIAA Class 5A semifinals

Bonner & Prendie’s Isaiah Wong is fouled by Abington Heights George Tinsley in the fourth quarter of a PIAA Class 5A semifinal. Abington Heights won in overtime, 56-51, to go to the state championship in Hershey. Photo by PETE BANNAN-DIGITAL FIRST

By Matt DeGeorge

You couldn’t make up the ending.

Either ending, for that matter.

Bottom line is it just didn’t work out Monday night for Bonner & Prendergast, which battled to overtime before surrendering a 56-51 decision to Abington Heights in their PIAA Class 5A state semifinal at Freedom High.

The Friars got two chances to create a miracle finish thanks to a ridiculous flurry at the final buzzer. When the dust settled, the officials put one second back on the clock and the Friars, down three points, had four chances to win it right there. Michael Perretta made three of the free throws to force overtime.

“I’ve been a part of some crazy stuff,” Friars coach Jack Concannon said. “Maybe one other (ending) was crazier. But I don’t know, what can I say? That was crazy.”

The Comets led, 48-45, when the final buzzer sounded. Fans threw the ceremonial Hershey kisses on the court to celebrate a trip to the state final in Hershey, and players came off the bench to join them.

Perretta and Concannon knew better.

(click on this link for the full story)

Webmaster’s note: The Abington Heights vs Bonner-Prendergast game was our Game-of-the-Week and can be heard on our Archives link by clicking on the player below:

Abington Heights beats Bonner-Prendie in a bizarre overtime thriller to advance to PIAA state title game


Game images above ©2018 Cain Images

By Aaron Carter

With about 5 seconds left, the public-address announcer asked spectators to stay off the court at the conclusion of the game.

In fairness to the Abington Heights crowd that packed Freedom High School for the PIAA Class 5A boys’ semifinals, he didn’t say anything about not throwing things onto the court.

It appeared the Comets would prevail in regulation, leading Bonner-Prendergast by three points with seconds remaining.

 Chaos prevailed instead, and kisses were the culprit.

The District 2 top-seeded Comets eventually won, 56-51, in overtime. But after Michael Perretta rebounded Isaiah Wong’s desperate three-pointer in regulation and flung it over his head, Abington Heights fans threw Hershey kisses onto the court.

The problem — besides the cliche kisses — was that a referee had called a foul before the horn blared.

Several players from Abington Heights, assuming the game was over, also ran onto the court.

In the aftermath, officials called a “bench technical foul” for the chucked chocolate.

(click on this link for the full story)

Webmaster’s note: The Abington Heights vs Bonner-Prendergast game was our Game-of-the-Week and can be heard on our Archives link by clicking on the player below:

Abington Heights tops Bonner-Prendergast in wild overtime win

Jackson Danzig (above) had 15 points and four rebounds. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

By Josh Verlin

They were almost the Kisses of Death.

Instead, Abington Heights found a second life, and a spot in the state championship game.

The Comets looked like they were ready to dispatch Bonner-Prendergast in regulation of their PIAA Class 5A quarterfinal matchup, with a potential game-tying shot by the Friars finding iron as the buzzer sounded inside Freedom High School up in the Lehigh Valley. But a late foul call — and a shower of Hershey’s famous, aluminum-foil-coated chocolates — allowed Bonner to extend the game four extra minutes.

Instead of folding at their misfortune, the Abington Heights players steeled themselves and controlled overtime just like they had the entire second half, advancing the program into the state championships for the first time ever after a 56-51 overtime win.

(click on this link for the full story)

Webmaster’s note: The Abington Heights vs Bonner-Prendergast game was our Game-of-the-Week and can be heard on our Archives link by clicking on the player below:

Nealon’s defense helps kiss Bonner & Prendie goodbye

Abington Heights players picking up the Hershey kisses that were prematurely thrown onto the court causing the Comets to take a bench technical and forcing overtime. Photo by: Digital First Media/Pete Bannan

By Matthew DeGeorge

 Chalk it up to the delirium of the moment — to his proximity to mounds of Hershey kisses banked courtside like freshly-cleared snow — that caused Jack Nealon to veer from one extreme to another.

He was difficult to pick out of the crowd at Freedom High School Monday night, not just for the throngs of Abington Heights faithful streaming from the stands, their premature excitement turned briefly to rage then elated relief. The Comets’ mop-haired junior guard was out of the niche he’d inhabited for 36 game minutes, with Bonner & Prendergast’s Isaiah Wong unfailingly in his shadow.

“It was very fun. It was a challenge,” Nealon said, the non sequitur intact. “I had to step up and take it and it was an experience. When I’m older, I get to say I got to guard a Division I player, so it’s pretty fun.”

Nealon isn’t headed for the armchair in the den to spin tales of glory days past just yet — not, at least, until Abington Heights plays for its first PIAA Class 5A championship, thanks to an astonishing 56-51 overtime win over Bonner. But the tale of the Comets’ triumph rests as much in the undersized guard as the mounds (not Mounds) of candy.

(click on this link for the full story)

Webmaster’s note: The Abington Heights vs Bonner-Prendergast game was our Game-of-the-Week and can be heard on our Archives link by clicking on the player below:

Bonner & Prendie’s bigs awaken, then knock down Allentown C.C.

Photo by: Digital First Media


By Matthew DeGeorge

For the first half Friday night, even as Bonner & Prendergast owned the distinct height advantage, a smaller, scrappier Allentown Central Catholic team held court in the lane.

It might have cost the Vikings plenty of fouls in a physical PIAA Class 5A quarterfinal encounter, but as the teams recessed to their locker room, the Vikings could feel good about the seven combined points allowed to the Friars’ imposing duo of Ajiri Johnson and Tariq Ingraham.

As they regrouped at Reading High School’s Geigle Complex, the Friars talked about renewing the fervor in the paint. When they did it, they finally created space on the scoreboard.

Johnson and Ingraham rebounded for a strong second half, and the finishing of Isaiah Wong at the line ensured that the District 12 champions marched on, 71-61.

“Before the game started, doing the stats, coach told us the game is going to be won inside with the big men. And he was right,” Johnson said. “We needed to get their bigs into foul trouble because they had nobody to guard us down there. They were good offensively, but defensively, they weren’t as strong.”

Bonner & Prendie’s win sends it to Monday’s semifinal against District 2 winner Abington Heights, which ousted Northeastern 76-56 Friday. The winner heads to the final Friday night in Hershey.

(click on this link for the full story)

Milton Hershey tops Carroll to earn trip to state semis

Milton Hershey’s Don’yae Baylor-Carroll scored 23 points in a win against Carroll on Friday night. (Photo: Mark Jordn/CoBL)


By Michael Bullock

As they prepped for their latest all-or-nothing postseason outing, Milton Hershey skipper Mark Zerbe posted a concise message that turned out to be mighty profound.

Sensing the opposition might start quickly and put his surging club in arrears — which they did — Zerbe just wanted his talented yet undersized bunch to maintain their composure and hang in there. He figured his explosive group would have an opportunity to make its own timely run.

Well, Zerbe had everything pretty well pegged.

The early run by the guys on the other bench, as well as the necessity for on-court composure throughout the 32-minute exercise. Even the possibility of his own squad erupting and uncorking a timely run, something that anyone who’s watched the Spartans, knows can happen at any time.

Closing out the contest with a timely salvo that ultimately scuttled the opposition, Milton Hershey motored past Archbishop Carroll 73-65 in a terrific PIAA Class 5A quarterfinal-round encounter before an amped-up gathering Friday night at Garden Spot High School.

Sensing the opposition might start quickly and put his surging club in arrears — which they did — Zerbe just wanted his talented yet undersized bunch to maintain their composure and hang in there. He figured his explosive group would have an opportunity to make its own timely run.

Well, Zerbe had everything pretty well pegged.

The early run by the guys on the other bench, as well as the necessity for on-court composure throughout the 32-minute exercise. Even the possibility of his own squad erupting and uncorking a timely run, something that anyone who’s watched the Spartans, knows can happen at any time.

Closing out the contest with a timely salvo that ultimately scuttled the opposition, Milton Hershey motored past Archbishop Carroll 73-65 in a terrific PIAA Class 5A quarterfinal-round encounter before an amped-up gathering Friday night at Garden Spot High School.

(click on this link for the full story)

 

 

Delcohoops.com celebrates 750,000 hits since 2013


We began this modest endeavor in December, 2013 after operating Havenfootball.net for seven years.  We had the expertise in both web site operations and audio broadcasting and thought we could promote Delaware County high school basketball.  The high school basketball season starts in December and ends in March.  It is simply amazing when you consider the season runs for about 12 weeks and we’re getting about 150,000 hits each season.  Yes, we cover 24 high schools which represent every high school in the county.  We rely on the Daily Times, City of Basketball Love, Philly.com and other web sites in bringing you all the hoops news for these 24 schools. 

Our Game-of-the-Week broadcast has grown and become a staple for high school hoops fans as we try our best to get around to a large variety of schools and bring our listeners the most interesting games.

Let’s not forget our loyal sponsors who make all this possible.  Our web site as well as our LIVE broadcasts and the archives are offered completely free of charge.  It costs more than $3000 annually to operate this site and our sponsors pick up every dime!  Please take a look at the right side of our pages and visit these fine businesses and make sure you mention that you saw them on Delcohoops.com.

All of us here at Delcohoops.com are delighted to have such a large audience.  It is a testament to the commitment of high school basketball fans in Delaware County.  We hope you’ve enjoyed reading and listening to our pages and broadcasts as much as we’ve enjoyed bringing them to you!

AJ Hoggard, Archbishop Carroll to be tested in PIAA state quarterfinals

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Archbishop Carroll’s AJ Hoggard (right) tries to grab a loose ball in the first half of Carroll’s state playoff win over Wissahickon on Thursday. Photo by ELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer

By Aaron Carter

The PIAA quarterfinals will have several good matchups involving Philadelphia-area teams.

 The one I look forward to seeing the most is the point guard duel between Archbishop Carroll sophomore AJ Hoggard and Milton Hershey senior Don’yae Baylor-Carroll  on Friday nighty at Garden Spot.

I saw Baylor-Carroll for the first time Tuesday at Reading when he scored 25 points on 9-of-20 shooting in the Spartans’ 69-61 win against Bishop Shanahan.

Baylor-Carroll, likely a sub-6-footer, is a slippery ball handler with a penchant for pull-up jumpers and step-back three-pointers.

Against the Eagles, he hit 5 of 12 attempts from behind the three-point line and added five rebounds and three steals.

The Spartans, however, are a balanced team with senior 6-foot-5 forward Pedro Rodriguez, who, despite several missed layups, also scored 25 points for the District 3 champs on Tuesday.

(click on this link for the full story)

Class A/4A/5A Quarterfinal Preview

 

By CoBL Staff

Here’s a look at Friday’s games featuring area teams, as well as a couple others to watch (district-seed, record in parenthesis):

Class 5A
Bonner-Prendergast (12-1, 24-4) vs. Allentown Central Catholic (11-1, 25-4)

Geigle Complex, Reading, 7:30 PM
Back in the state quarterfinals for the first time since four-time all-state choice Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman was still in ACC duds (2014) and not yet in a Michigan uniform vying for Big Ten and NCAA championships, Dennis Csensits’ Vikings’ needed two overtimes to squeeze past Dallas 61-59 in Tuesday’s second round. Chad Kratzer’s two free throws with 5.7 seconds remaining provided the game-winning points and pushed the East Penn Conference squad another round deeper. Seniors Jay Vaughan and Keeshawn Kellman netted 15 points apiece to lead ACC, while the 6-1 Kratzer wound up with 11. The 6-8 Kellman, headed for prep school, added 10 rebounds. Balanced up and down the lineup — ACC has six players averaging between 7.5 and 12.6 points per outing — these guys will dial it up from deep. Nick Filchner (9.6 ppg), a 6-3 sophomore, has canned a team-high 3-balls, while the 6-0 Vaughan (10.9) has pocketed 58 and 5-10 senior Dat Lambert (12.6) has knocked down 57. Lambert was bugged by foul issues in Tuesday’s second-round skirmish and only netted three points. While Kellman (8.9) works almost exclusively in the paint, ACC’s other perimeter threats include 6-3 senior Jordan McChristian (7.7 ppg/36 treys), 5-10 junior Sam Vaughan (2.0 ppg/15 treys) and Kratzer (7.5 ppg/12 treys). Kevin Kern, a 6-4 senior, lends help inside.

(click on this link for all 7 game reviews)

(OPINION) The PIAA has a sickness

Image result for fox sports williamsport logo

By Todd Barley

For the better part of my adult life I have made a living broadcasting athletics events at every level of competition and all over the country. What I witnessed at CD East last night in a girls basketball playoff game is the single biggest assault on competition in my many years of covering sports.

As you continue to read this, keep in mind this is not an attack up on a student athlete but the system and adult “leaders” who allow these situations to occur.

The Neumann-Goretti girls basketball team is a very talented team with tremendous players. However, how many of those players actually reside within the normal geographic boundaries for a school district?

One player actually played her first game with the Saints last night after enrolling at the school in recent weeks. What is most troubling is the fact she was already playing for Hampton Phoebus High School in Virginia and is the reining Player of the Year for that area according to a local newspaper account.

She left Phoebus with four games remaining to enroll at Neumann-Goretti. According to her mother who is quoted in the same article the school recently accepted her for admission. Mom didn’t wait, sending daughter to Philadelphia for academics. She is also quoted as saying the move was for academics.

The admission timing and academic quotes just don’s pass muster with me for several reasons.

(click on this link for the full story)