Penncrest’s Ben Stanton hits a 3-pointer against the defense of Lower Merion in a game in 2020. (Pete Bannan/MediaNews Group)
By Matthew DeGeorge
Penncrest’s plan of attack against Strath Haven Tuesday didn’t originally star Jimmy Cage.
Then again, it also didn’t include being down 10 points straight out of the gate, being without two starters by coach’s decision or fielding a lineup of four juniors, two in their first varsity starts. For all that didn’t go to plan, Cage’s smothering defense more than made up for it.
Cage was the key to Penncrest deploying a clinical box-and-1 defense to nullify Strath Haven’s Luke Edwards much of the way, helping the Lions rally for a 54-53 Central League win.
With Cage as his shadow, Edwards went from six points in the first quarter to three field-goal attempts in the final three frames combined. He tallied a team-high 17 points, including a 27-foot 3-pointer with 15 seconds left to tie the game at 53. But on balance, Cage succeeded in making it a 4-on-4 game, face-guarding Edwards out of it.
(click on this link for the full story and other game scores)