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.