
Marple Newtown’s Owen Mathes putting up a shot in the first quarter Friday over West Chester Rustin’s (24) Ian Schelsinger Jr. defends. (PETE BANNAN – DAILY LOCAL)
By Bob Grotz
It wasn’t a Van Gogh or a Rembrandt, but Marple Newtown certainly delivered Friday in the first round of the District 1 Class 5A playoffs, painting a 57-47 decision over West Chester Rustin.
The Tigers trailed three baskets to nothing when senior Justin “Bones” DiBona said enough is enough with a three-point bomb that woke his teammates and a partisan crowd at Marple Newtown High.
“When that first shot went in, it was just another basketball game,” Tigers coach Sean Spratt said. “We executed the game plan and it just kind of played itself out.”
By the end of the first quarter the seventh-seeded Tigers (14-9) began finding open men. Eric McKee got them within 12-10 entering the second frame with five of his team-high 18 points.
The Tigers never looked back after scoring 10 of the last 12 points in the first half to grab a 24-21 lead at the intermission. Jordan Bochanski, DiBona, McKee and Owen Mathes all had points in the run.