Lower Merion’s Demetrius Lilley goes in for a slam in the fourth quarter of the Central League final Radnor Monday night. Lilley scored 20 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in a 58-49 Lower Merion win. (Pete Bannan/MediaNews Group)
By Matthew DeGeorge
The change in numbers felt right for Demetrius Lilley. He had come to love No. 35, chosen in part because it was one of the few in the Lower Merion storage closet that would fit his 6-10 frame. But when principal Sean Hughes died in a car accident in November, and a grieving Lower Merion community sought ways to memorialize their beloved principal, Lilley knew how he wanted to do that.
Instead of 35, the Penn State commit would don No. 14, for the 14 years that Hughes spent as principal, an on-court counterpoint to the “Hughes 14” warmups shirts and the shirseys coaches would sport on the sidelines.
Another change in number beckoned for Lilley Monday night, for a much less profound reason. But the sense of purpose behind his performance remained unflinching.
Wearing No. 25, the Aces blood jersey after a first-half cut on his wrist, Lilley scored 20 points and 17 rebounds, hauling top-seeded Lower Merion to a 59-49 win over a game Radnor in the Central League final at Ridley High School.
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Webmaster’s note: Listen to our interview with Lilley at the end of Lower Merion’s victory. Listen on our archive below at the 1:31:10 mark.
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