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By Josh Verlin

Save just enough time, Jack Concannon implored his Bonner-Prendergast squad, for one final shot. No more.

The Friars’ coach was upset at the way his team had handled the end of the first half in a big-time Catholic League matchup against St. Joseph’s Prep, when a too-early shot allowed the Hawks to get a pair of free-throws just before the teams hit the locker rooms.

In a tie game, with first place in the PCL on the line, Concannon wanted to make sure that the Prep didn’t have any chance to win it in regulation, as his Friars held possession with 22 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Isaiah Wong, the Friars’ star junior guard, was going to have the ball in his hands.

Wong did indeed let the clock drain down well beyond 10 seconds before making his move from the right wing. But his pull-up jumper from the top of the key hit the iron with a couple seconds still on the clock — just enough time for his teammate, Ajiri Johnson, to slam home the miss and deliver a 63-61 win for the Friars.

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By Michael Bullock

CLASS 6A

Speedy Morris capped a tremendous celebration Friday at St. Joseph’s Prep, where the 75-year-old head coach pocketed career victory No. 1,000 as the Hawks turned back Philly Catholic League foe Lansdale Catholic 65-42. Darius Kinnel paced the Prep with 18 points, including the 1,000th of his career. … Daivon Stephens dropped in 21 points and Corey Fulton added 19 as No. 8 Penn Hills held off Woodland Hills 68-60 in a WPIAL Section 3 scrap on Friday night. More news came after the game, when writers from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review were told Penn Hills head coach Dan DeRose and Indians players were unavailable for comment. … From the hard-to-believe category: Cedar Crest and Manheim Twp. both needed four overtimes on Friday night to defeat Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 rivals Lebanon and Warwick, respectively.

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By Matthew DeGeorge

Chester needed every bit of Michael Smith’s career-best outing Saturday.

Smith scored 31 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter and five in overtime, as Chester outlasted Bartram, 70-62.

Smith’s career-high helped spur a comeback via a 23-13 Chester edge in the fourth, going 6-for-6 from the line down the stretch. Brian Randolph, who registered a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds, hit a 3-pointer to open the extra session, then Smith was 5-for-6 from the line in OT to clinch the victory.

Zahmir Carroll, who scored six points, tied the game with 37.6 seconds left on a jumper for the Clippers (5-5), who have won four straight.

In other nonleague action:

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By Matthew DeGeorge

When Haverford School’s Christian Ray saw the Inter-Ac League schedule for the first time, his eyes fell to Week 1.In a span of four days, the Fords and their robust title aspirations would get a shot at both of last season’s co-champions. Ray, a junior forward, rose to the occasion Tuesday in a 14-point victory at Germantown Academy. And he had no intention of allowing Friday’s shot at rivalry-laced vengeance pass without similar devotion.

Ray poured in 16 points by halftime as the only reliable font of offense for either side, finishing with 21 points and 11 rebounds in a 65-40 dispatching of Episcopal Academy in a foul-strewn quagmire.

While it wasn’t easy on the eyes, it’s the misshapen brick of an effort that paves the road to titles. When Ray factored in the tinge of revenge — Episcopal beat Haverford on its home floor last year to secure the inside line at a title shot and deny the Fords theirs — there was no doubt he’d be ready.

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By Ari Glazier

Archbishop Carroll senior Keyon Butler describes himself as a “second half guy”.

“When the game needs that energy that’s the boost I’m gonna give our team to get over the hump,” Butler said. “I know sometimes we might lack a little energy, confidence, that’s what I’m here for.”

The 6-foot-4 forward’s late game boost was a saving grace for the Patriots on Friday night when they were locked in a tie game with La Salle on the road with 55 seconds to play. Butler went to the line shooting one-and-one. He sunk both.

Twenty-five seconds later. Butler drove to the lane, pump faked and shot, drawing a healthy amount of contact. After a brief discussion, the referees ruled a goal tend and a foul. Butler completed the three-point play at the line, putting Carroll up by five.

The Patriots held on to the lead and beat La Salle, 57-54. Butler scored seven of his 11 points in the fourth quarter to go along with four rebounds, an assist and a steal.

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By Steve Sherman

Conwell-Egan Catholic (CEC) fell behind 15-6 midway through the first period of its boys basketball battle with Philadelphia Catholic League (PCL) rival Cardinal O’Hara Friday night (Jan. 12) on the Eagles’ home court.That was OK. Egan has senior Eric Esposito on its side. The 6-6 senior canned three 3-pointers before time elapsed in the first period, giving the Eagles a 19-17 edge heading into the second quarter.

With 6:42 to go in the fourth quarter and Egan trailing 55-52, however, Esposito drew his fourth foul and had to sit. And the Eagles are just not the same team without their lanky center on the court.

With Esposito on the bench, that opened up the lane for O’Hara senior Antwuan Butler. He canned four field goals in the final frame and tallied a game-high 22 points, helping the visiting Lions escape Wistar Road with a 70-69 triumph.

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