Chester’s Mahir Johnson, right, drives to the basket with Rustin’s Justin Ammerman in tow. Times Staff/ROBERT J. GURECKI.
By Matt DeGeorge
The last meeting between Chester and West Chester Rustin can be painted with the tired brush of a “tale of two games.”
Luckily for Chester, the game in which they looked like the District One champs they would become three days later lasted for three quarters. The other eight minutes, well, not so much.
When the teams renew acquaintances Saturday afternoon at Coatesville High School for the PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinals, the name of the game for the Clippers (24-5) and Rustin, District One’s fourth-place team, will be adjustments. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
The last time they met, in a District One semifinal Feb. 25, Chester was clearly the better team in registering a 72-56 win. The first half was a tour de force in which the Clippers outscored the Knights 36-20. Rustin went into the locker room even on the scoreboard with just Mahir Johnson, who finished with a game-high 29 points.