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By Bob Grotz

Drained from one of the biggest tests of this coronavirus-abbreviated basketball season, Keith Taylor took a big gulp of air.

Chester High needed five quarters, including the overtime to oust Crestwood, 58-52, in the quarterfinal round of the PIAA Class 5A playoffs Friday at Ninth and Barclay.

The Clippers’ coach poured every last drop of himself into the state quarterfinal victory over the District 2 champion, a game in which his team rallied from an almost insurmountable six-point deficit with less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation to force the extra session.

Great game?

“Definitely, to watch,” Taylor said. “But coaching that, man, that’s definitely heart attack material. They gave us everything they had.”

The only team standing between the Clippers (14-1) and the school’s 19th trip to a state final is District 12 rep Archbishop Ryan, a 68-50 winner over Bangor in the other quarterfinal game in the East.

The Raiders (10-5) have momentum after losses earlier this season to Archbishop Carroll (70-58), Roman Catholic (70-58), and twice versus Archbishop Wood (71-66, 77-47).

Taylor didn’t need the scouting report in hand to state the obvious about the state semifinal showdown Monday night at the Clip Joint (7 p.m.).

By Bob Grotz

There’s not much you can say about Springfield’s bruising 29-24 victory over Abington Heights in the PIAA Class 5A state quarterfinals Saturday beyond the obvious: it’s going to leave some marks.

The Cougars couldn’t make shots, and neither could the Comets.

Cougars coach Ky McNichol was running out of things to tell her girls during the timeouts.

“We just told them to keep shooting shots, they’re eventually going to fall,” McNichol said. “They never did. But they just kept grinding and grinding and playing defense and then knocking down foul shots when they needed to. And getting defensive stops when they needed to.”

There were no field goals for either team – repeat, zero … as in, nada – in the all-important final frame. Subsequently, a trip to the state semifinals opposite Cardinal O’Hara was earned via an eight-minute foul-shooting effort for the Cougars.

Beyond their defense, that’s what the Cougars do best, and they sank eight of 12 in the frame, none bigger than two swishes by co-captain Alexa Abbonizio to break a tie and give the Cougars the lead for good.

(click on this link for the full story)

By Matt Smith

Cardinal O’Hara junior Sydni Scott and Bethlehem Catholic junior Kourtney Wilson go way back.

Both outstanding two-way guards for their respective teams, Scott and Wilson forged their friendship years ago in AAU basketball for the Philadelphia Belles.

After Scott helped O’Hara to a 64-55 victory Saturday in the PIAA Class 5A quarterfinal round, members of Wilson’s family met with her to offer their congratulations and say hello. The Wilson family mentioned how they consider Scott a member of their own.

Scott knew she couldn’t let her relationship with Wilson cloud her primary focus Saturday. She had a job to do.

“I was motivated to play against her, but even my coaches said, don’t make it a Kourtney and Sydni game,” said Scott, who produced 10 of her 14 points in the second half. The All-Delco player added four assists and two steals.

Wilson carried the Golden Hawks with a game-high 25 points.

(click on this link for the full story)

By Bob Grotz

Down three points with 10.5 seconds left in regulation and the season on the line, Chester High had upstart Crestwood High right where it wanted it Friday night.

That would be freshman Kyree Womack at the free throw line shooting three after getting fouled attempting a desperation trey in the PIAA Class 5A quarterfinal at the Clip Joint.

Now, the Clippers weren’t exactly cashing in at the free throw line on this night. They missed almost as many as they made. One look at the box score and you knew coach Keith Taylor was going to tear every last hair out of his head lamenting, if we only made just two more here, just one more here, and another here.

“He makes all of his foul shots at practice,” said Karell Watkins, who contributed 19 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot. “We’ve got to make foul shots before we leave practice and he always sends us home. If he makes them, we go home.”

On this night, it would be the Comets going home disappointed because of Womack, who calmly went swish, double-doink and in, and on the third shot, gently off the iron with a kiss of the backboard, tying the game. That enabled the Clippers to prevail in overtime, 58-52.

(click on the link for the full story)

By Matt Smith

Archbishop Carroll had one hot quarter and three not-so-good ones Friday night.

Ultimately, the inconsistency on offense resulted in a season-ending loss in the PIAA Class 6A quarterfinal round at Nazareth Area.

The Patriots were shut out in the final stanza and dropped a 50-35 decision to the District 11 champion Blue Eagles (17-1).

Carroll seemed to get a late start in pregame warm-ups. There were roughly 12 minutes left on the pre-game clock before the Patriots rushed out onto the floor to get their work in, while Nazareth had spent the last 15-plus minutes in shootaround.

Not to make any excuses for the Patriots, who were forced to move up to the highest classification in the state this year, but they were cold in the early going.

Karli Dougherty, one of Carroll’s senior leaders, said the Patriots were ready to go, but perhaps they were feeling the pressure of playing an excellent team that had the home advantage.

“We were really prepared, but we were nervous,” said Dougherty, who produced four points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. “We were a little bit nervous like anyone would be. I mean, we’re going in states, so who wouldn’t be a little bit nervous? If you lose, you’re done. Yeah, we definitely did have a slow start, but we definitely turned it around.”

(click on this link for the full story)

By Terry Thomas

The Chester Clippers (13-1) needed an additional 4 minutes of play to earn a trip to the Semi-finals with a come from behind 58-52 win over the Crestwood Comets (17-2).Chester will host the Semi-finals game against District-12 Champion, Archbishop Ryan on Monday, March 22nd with a 7:00 pm tip-off.