By Matthew DeGeorge
Zaiyin Keys tried to contain his grin as he fielded questions. Maz Sayed dropped all pretense of anything but elation, smiling ear-to-ear throughout.
Sayed had seen enough to understand, perhaps better than his teammate, just what transpired at Penncrest’s Kaufman Gymnasium. Twice in his career, including as a freshman at this very gym, Sayed had seen Chichester’s boys basketball team stumble at their first District 1 hurdle.
Sometimes the games were close, something not so much. But four times in five years, Clyde Jones’ Eagles had reached the first round of the postseason and progressed no further.
Keys and Sayed played starring roles in ending that futility Friday night.
Sayed scored 17 points, and Keys paired with Eddie Swinton to clamp down on Penncrest’s Saahir Lee as No. 12 Chichester upended No. 5 Penncrest, 50-43, in the first round of the District 1 Class 5A playoffs.
“This feeling is amazing,” Sayed said. “It’s the first playoff win since, I don’t even know how long. I’m just very excited for my teammates.”