Boys: Downingtown West survives late Haverford rally

Photo by: Digital First Media/Pete Bannan

By Pete Digiovanni

It is a tried and true mantra of basketball teams in the post season and it is “Survive and Advance.” That could sum up the Downingtown West boys basketball team Tuesday night at Wagner Gymnasium.

The fifth seeded Whippets had complete control of their District 1 6A second round game with Haverford, leading by 17 points after three periods.

But the visiting Fords suddenly got hot from the outside and had a chance to tie the game with three seconds to play but Googie Seidman’s jumper did not fall and Downingtown West survived with a thrilling 45-42 win.

The Whippets will now travel to Central Bucks East on Friday at 7 p.m in the quarterfinal round while Haverford will go into the playback round hoping to qualify for the PIAA 6A tournament.

“I thought our energy was sky high for the first there periods but for some reason it was not as high in the fourth period,” Downingtown West senior center Kelly Bell said. It got really tight at the end and we missed some big free throws but we got out of here with a win and we are going to the state tournament and it is a great feeling to go back two years in a row.”

(click on this link for the full story)