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By Josh Verlin

Tonight’s destination was the Haverford High School gymnasium, as the Fords hosted Conestoga in a Central League matchup. A slow offensive start had Haverford down four at the break, but a stout second-half defensive effort paved the way for the home squad to stay unbeaten earlier in the year thanks to a 41-31 victory.

I’ll have a story on the Fords’ hot start up in the next few days, but below is a quick report featuring some notes and stats on the game, as well as a photo gallery at the end.

There’s no doubt who was the best player on the floor. When junior wing guard John Seidman was out for most of the second quarter after picking up two first-half offensive fouls, the Fords’ offense struggled to get much going, failing to score a point in the final four-plus minutes of the half. But Seidman was out there the whole second half, and he made all the difference. The 6-2 guard isn’t real bouncy or flashy, but he’s productive, and there was a reason Conestoga double-teamed him whenever he had the ball. Seidman finished with 13 of his 15 points in the second half, grabbing 11 rebounds (two offensive) along with four assists, two blocks, and a steal. Seidman’s a true plugger, getting a few buckets off his own misses and taking advantage of driving lanes to get to the hoop, where he’s an adept finisher with both hands.

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By Matthew DeGeorge

In a lot of aspects of the game, the Christian Academy did what it wanted in the first quarter Friday night.

The Crusaders bullied visiting Delco Christian on the boards. They created turnovers. They got quality shots aplenty from the field. But still the teams were deadlocked at 10 after eight minutes of play, thanks to a sluggish shooting start.

The message after that first period was to keep at it, with Grant Sareyka’s shot and Isaiah Mitchell’s defense taking the lead at each end of the floor.

It proved to be a sound plan.

Sareyka poured in a career-high 29 points, and Mitchell kept the defensive intensity high with a double-double to lead TCA to a 66-55 win over their Bicentennial League rivals.

“It’s pretty tough not to get frustrated,” Mitchell said of the ghastly 5-for-23 shooting performance in the first quarter. “But for us, we’re a defensive team. We just try to keep playing defense, keep getting out on the break. It doesn’t matter how many shots we miss. Just keep playing defense. That’s our motto.”

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Tyler Seward had 10 of his 12 points in the second half, and MJ Atkins had six of his eight points in the fourth quarter as the Haverford School downed the Phelps School, 66-55 in a nonleague boys basketball game.

Zach Genther added a season-high 14 points, and Christian Clover had his first 20-point game of the year for the Fords (3-3), who outscored the Lions, 16-9 in the third.

In other nonleague action:

Cardinal O’Hara 71, Chichester 49 >> Adrian Irving scored 13 points, Te Dinkins added 10 and and Solo Bambara had eight for the Lions (2-1).

Ant Purnell and Jameel Burton had seven points apiece for O’Hara, which lead by 10 at the half and never looked back.

Jesuit Prep 69, Bonner-Prendergast 60 >> Big man Christion Johnson led the way with 14 points, and Tyreese Watson scored 13 points including a pair of triples as the Friars (2-1) suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of the visitors from Texas.

Donovan Rodriguez had 12 points for Bonner-Prendergast, which only trailed by two heading into the final quarter.

(click on this link for more game stories and scores)

By Owen McCue

The past two Pennsylvania Independent Schools champions met up Wednesday afternoon at Hill School, but many of the faces that guided those squads were missing.

While 2018 champion Hill School and 2019 champ Haverford School both have returning experience from those title teams — notably brothers Caleb and Gabe Dorsey for Hill and Jameel Brown, Christian Clover and Tyler Seward for Haverford — both squads are relying on a group of inexperienced players around them as they try to get back to the top of Pennsylvania’s prep hoops programs.

Led by 17 points from Daniel Nixon and a stout defensive effort, Hill (4-2) showed it’s a step ahead at the moment, locking down Haverford (3-2) in the fourth quarter for a 56-45 victory. It was just the third loss in the past year and a half for the Fords, two of which have come at the hands of the Blues, the other defeat coming in the 2018 title game.

“We just grinded it out on defense,” Hill School senior Caleb Dorsey said. “We hit shots down the stretch, got to the foul line, and I think that’s how we were able to finish the game.”

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The Christian Academy raced out to a big lead in the first quarter and never looked back in an 81-43 trouncing of MaST Charter in Bicentennial League action.

Grant Sareyka poured in a game-high 21 points for the Crusaders, who enjoyed a 24-3 advantage after eight minutes.

Dom Jones tossed in 12 points and Isaiah Mitchell also reached double digits in scoring with 10 points.

In nonleague action:

Upper Darby 62, Wissahickon 58 >> The Royals (3-1) outscored the Trojans 24-7 in the fourth quarter to pull out a come-from-behind victory.

CJ Dabbs led four players in double figures with 14 points. Onyekachi Nzeh added 13 points and Shareef Jones dumped in 12. Iyan Joshuasville checked in with 11 points.

Hill School 56, Haverford School 45 >> The Fords stayed within striking distance in the second half, but couldn’t close the gap.

Christian Clover tallied 15 points for Haverford, while Tyler Seward chipped in with 10.

By Matt DeGeorge

Down three points with 14.4 seconds left in regulation Tuesday night, there was no doubt as to whose hands Ridley would find with the ball on the inbounds pass.

Trailing by one with 13.1 seconds left in overtime — then again after an offensive rebound with 3.2 seconds left — the intended destination for Upper Darby was far less certain.

That difference, in the hot hand Ridley could rely on and the absence of one for Upper Darby, spelled the difference.

Malachi Williams, who tied the game late in regulation with a left-handed runner off glass, won it in overtime by banking home a 3-pointer as Ridley topped the Royals, 64-62, in a wild Central League opener for both teams.

There was no question that Williams would find the ball when Ridley inbounded it late in regulation, trailing 54-52. He came off a screen behind the arc and made a bee line for the hoop, getting his lay-in to go behind the outstretched arms of two help defenders.

Webmaster’s note:  Our December 19th Game-of-the-Week will feature Upper Darby vs Garnet Valley.

(click on this link for more game stories and scores)

By Matthew DeGeorge

 For three quarters Saturday, Sun Valley executed its defensive game plan mostly to perfection.

The Vanguards’ gadget defenses bottled up Haverford leading scorer John Seidman. Their conscientious close-outs of shooters limited the Fords to three makes on 21 attempts beyond the arc. It was exactly what coach Steve Maloney drew up.

So when a different Seidman stepped up to torch the Vanguards in the fourth, there was little Maloney could do but tip his cap.

Younger brother Googie Seidman, a freshman, buried three 3-pointers in the final quarter as the Fords rallied to a 52-45 win in the final of the Vanguard Tip-Off Tournament.

The younger Seidman fueled a 19-2 run for the Fords, who trailed 28-23 midway through the third. His first two triples came off feeds from John, designed plays for the freshman to pop behind the arc opposite the ball screen John dribbled through.

(click on this link for more game stories and scores)

By Matthew DeGeorge

A halftime deficit didn’t sit well with Karell Watkins Saturday.

Watkins scored 17 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, to go with 12 rebounds as Chester rallied past McCaskey, 54-46, at the Fred Pickett Classic.

Rahmee Gilbert and Akeem Taylor added 11 points each for the Clippers in their opener.

Also at the Fred Pickett Classic:

Archbishop Carroll 48, Pennsbury 34 >> Missing players due to SATs was no problem for Carroll Saturday. Anquan Hill scored 21 points to go with 10 rebounds and five blocks. Caleb Carter stepped up with 13 points, and John Camden added eight for the Patriots (1-0), who were missing three regulars.

At the Media Tip-Off:

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By Matthew DeGeorge

Colin Chambers hit all six of his field goals from beyond the three-point arc to help Episcopal Academy get off to a big lead then cruise past Shipley School 68-47 Friday in an Inter-Ac League contest.

Malcolm Folk added 15 points for the Churchmen, who bolted to a 20-9 lead after one quarter and never lost a dominant edge the rest of the way. Sam Malloy added seven points.

In other nonleague games:

Radnor 63, Palumbo 47 >> Lewis Robinson stood tall for 30 points and Jack D’Entremont added 16 points to do the bulk of the damage for the Raiders. Ibrahim Kane scored nine points to lead Palumbo Academy.

Marple Newtown 60, Neshaminy 49 >> Ben Davis had seven of his team-high 17 points in the first quarter, and Joey Pettinelli added 11 points as the Tigers got off to a winning star.

Upper Darby 46, Council Rock South 44 >> Mo Kante scored 13 points, and Shareef Jones added 12 points as the Royals opened with a win.

In the Don McBride Classic:

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