Lower Merion’s Demetrius Lilley, right, drives past Abington’s Caleb Baker during a District 1 Class 6A playoff game last year. (Owen McCue – MediaNews Group)
By Matthew DeGeorge
A little sheepishly, Demetrius Lilley admits that blocking shots isn’t really his thing. For his imposing 6-foot-9 frame, he’s still growing into his athleticism.
“Years ago, I could not block a shot for nothing,” the Lower Merion big man said. “In practice, we practice the wall up, so that’s helped me get better in the game. So I can block shots now.”
In Lilley’s position, camped in the low post at the center of Lower Merion’s defense, the only time he gets recognition on the stat sheet is when he fills up a boxscore or manages to get a hand on a shot. That may get the crowd riled up, but Lilley takes just as much pride in the myriad non-plays, the missed shots that owe to the very thought of him in the lane.
It doesn’t hurt that Lilley is pretty proficient when he does get his hands on the ball.
Lilley scored 25 points to go with 21 rebounds, three blocks and a slew of shots altered or deterred Tuesday night as the Aces topped Haverford, 58-47, in a battle of one-loss Central League teams.
“A block doesn’t really matter, but just knowing that I can change a shot, that matters,” Lilley said. “And it helps my team.”
(click on this link for the full story and more game scores)