By Tom Nash
In order to take a step forward Friday night, Episcopal Academy senior Conner Delaney first needed to take a step back.
A step back in time, that is.
Hill School’s Chase Audige shoots a jump shot against Episcopal Academy in the PAISAA semifinals Friday at Malvern Prep. (Austin Hertzog – Digital First Media)
“I wasn’t having too much fun early on and it showed,” he said. “Once I got things going, it felt like I was playing eighth grade basketball again.”
The Johns Hopkins University commit went on a 15-point surge during the fourth quarter and eventually sealed it in overtime at the free-throw line during Episcopal Academy’s 59-58 win over the Hill School in the semifinal round of the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISAA) playoffs.
Delaney scored 18 of the No. 3 seeded Churchmens’ final 21 points, kick-starting it with a 3-pointer two minutes into the fourth quarter. Even with the Hill defense selling out to put a hand on him, Delaney was locked in from all over the court. He’d finish with a game-high 25 points, that after going scoreless through the first quarter.
“That first 3-pointer went down and I knew I was back on track,” he said. “I got hot at the right time. Coach (Craig Conlin) said I was controlling the game and I think that helped keep me in it.”
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