Chichester’s Akhir Keys, left in this January game against Academy Park, hit the key three-pointer in the Eagles’ win over Chester Tuesday night. (Pete Bannan – MediaNews Group)
By Matthew DeGeorge
Chichester’s boys basketball team arrived at the Fred Pickett Memorial Gymnasium Tuesday evening with its share of the Del Val Championship secure, and with its postseason fate secure, no matter what transpired over the next 32 minutes. Both were statements that their hosts couldn’t make.
But the Eagles also knew a few more facts – the 30-plus years since they’d last beaten Chester, the 70-some consecutive losses, the big 0 in the win column at Chester all-time in a series (can you really call it a rivalry?) dating back more than a half-century. Finishing the regular season that way – with an outright title, with a bit of history, and maybe with an unthinkable finger in the eye to Chester’s playoff hopes – was the only way a special senior class could envision it ending.
Akhir Keys’ corner 3-pointer with 12.7 seconds left and some dogged defense to repel three Chester chances to win it earned Chichester a 55-54 win and the outright title.
It’s the first time Chichester (18-3, 6-1) has won the Del Val since 1993 and just its sixth crown overall. The Eagles beat Chester for the first time since 1986-87, ending a string of 73 consecutive losses. In the process, they may have dealt a fatal blow to Chester’s chances of making the District 1 Class 6A playoffs.