Delcohoops.com

By Kev Hunter

Josh Jones’ long-reaching rebound and putback set North Penn on its fourth-quarter charge.

Moments later, Jones buried a three, and the Knights were digging in.

“That three at the beginning of the fourth quarter was pretty big,” Strath Haven coach Chris Conlan said. “That made it a two-possession game, which, to that point, made it feel like 10 or 12.”

In what was a back-and-forth battle for three quarters, North Penn gained firm control in the fourth and secured a 68-62 victory in the opening round of the District 1-6A Playoffs.

The win sends No. 18 North Penn to No. 2 Conestoga Tuesday night. No. 15 Strath Haven, led by Luke Edwards’ 32 points, finished its season at 8-5.

“We were playing free and like our normal selves,” Jones said of the Knights’ critical push.

Jones poured in 24 points, including nine in the fourth quarter.

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By Jack McCaffery

Their regular season over, their willing or available players down to seven, their challenges still heavy, the Penn Wood girls basketball players recently faced two decisions.

The first was difficult, but they did agree to gather 10 players and enter the PIAA District 1 Class 6A tournament.

The second was not: They would play as hard as possible, once that postseason began.

With those commitments in place Saturday, the 16th-seeded Patriots recovered from a nine-point second-half deficit to eliminate No. 17 Perkiomen Valley, 63-60, in an entertaining struggle capped by three critical Lashanda Smith plays in the final 20 seconds.

With their record at 7-4, the Patriots will travel to 18-0 and top-rated Spring-Ford for a Round of 16 game Tuesday night at 7.

“I think we can go far,” said Smith, who scored 26 points. “Spring-Ford is a good shooting team and they are going to be disciplined. So we’ve got to play at our pace, not at their pace, and keep our heads.”

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By Bruce Adams

Haverford used a second-quarter burst to earn a 56-44 win over  Kennett in the first round of the District 1 Class 6A girls basketball tournament Saturday.

The 13th-seeded Fords (10-5) held No. 20 Kennett scoreless for the first five minutes and limited the visitors to one field goal in the quarter. With its second-quarter burst, Haverford led, 29-15, at halftime.

“I think our intensity level picked up in the second quarter.” Haverford’s Caroline Dotsey said. “I felt like, personally, I was on my toes ready to go.

“I felt like we were able to communicate as a team (defensively) – knowing when to switch, knowing when to stay with our girl. I think we were able to jump to the gaps. I know that if I mess up on something, my team’s right there behind me, ready to pick it up.”

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By Josh Verlin

Drew Stover knows the deal: the Upper Dublin senior is going to face every defense’s best shot. 

That’s what happens when you’re a 6-foot-7, 245-pound forward who can score inside and out; when you’re committed to play on a basketball scholarship at D-II Millersville. When you’ve topped the 40-point mark in a game, even with all that attention. When there’s no doubt you’re the main reason your team is in the district playoffs to begin with.

So as Haverford High threw everything it could at Stover, trying its best to prevent the Cardinals’ big man from catching the ball with any room to maneuver, Stover knew someone needed to step up. Sophomore guard Colin O’Sullivan knew it, too.

“Coming into the playoffs, I knew they were going to be all over Drew, I knew someone had to step up,” O’Sullivan said. “And after I started hitting a few shots in the first half, I was like ‘yeah, it’s going to have to be me.’”

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By Matthew DeGeorge

A year ago, Haverford made a storybook run to the Central League title but couldn’t parlay the momentum of 11 straight wins beyond the second round of the District 1 Class 6A tournament.

This year, after falling in the Central League quarterfinals, the Fords are hoping things reverse in the postseason.

The Fords start their quest Saturday afternoon, the No. 13 seed hosting No. 20 Upper Dublin at 3 p.m.

Last year’s districts run was blighted by an injury to John Seidman, who took control in the Central League playoffs. But the 1,000-point scorer leads a veteran contingent this year.

“It’s tough but we’ve got to move past it,” guard Nick Colucci said after a last-possession loss to Strath Haven last Sunday in the Central League playoffs. “We’ve got to focus on our next opponent. We think we can make a big run in districts, so that’s our focus now.”

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By Matt Smith

Anabel Kreydt’s rise as a varsity starter for undefeated Springfield shouldn’t come as a surprise.

Although she’s only a sophomore, one might say she was born to ball.

Kreydt’s tough defense and rebounding have helped Springfield to a perfect 16-0 record. Her lockdown coverage of Ridley’s top scorers in Thursday’s Central League final played a factor in the Cougars winning, 59-44.

Oh, and Kreydt was effective on the offensive end, too, using her quickness and savvy to cut inside the paint and score on layups. She recorded all 10 of her points in the second half. Kreydt also rebounded well, blocked shots and forced turnovers. You could say she was the unsung hero who did it all Thursday, but she’s been delivering all year for the Cougars.

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