By Steve Moore
West Chester Rustin senior forward Tajir Asparagus has been a four-year starter for the Golden Knights boys basketball team.
Wednesday night, Asparagus was playing his last home game on his home floor. And he made it count.
The senior led the Golden Knights to a tough, 56-52 win over Penn Wood that put the Golden Knights into the PIAA Class 5A playoffs, and ended the Patriots’ season.
Asparagus had 16 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks and two assists as he and superb freshman IV Pettit, who led Rustin with 21 points, combined to better Patriots (16-10) senior Devante Smith, who led all scorers with 22 points. Penn Wood turned the ball over 16 times, with three of those coming in the decisive fourth quarter.
“Taj is a four-year starter and he is a leader of this team,” West Chester Rustin coach Keith Cochran said. “He was playing his last home game and he came up big for us. I expect that from him because he is that kind of player and a leader on this team. IV was big again and he hit 10 of 11 from the free throw line and he and Taj and the rest the guys closed out the game well. This is the first step for us.”