Penncrest’s Tyler Norwood, left, puts up a shot over the Upper Merion defense in the District 1 Class 5A final at Villanova Saturday. Norwood scored 26 of Penncrest’s 39 points that night in capturing a first district title since 1969. (Digital First Media/Pete Bannan)
By Matthew De George
As his Penncrest teammates formed the chaotic beginnings of a receiving line at the Pavilion, Tyler Norwood had just one thing on his mind.
He’d just been tugged out of the stands, choosing a different celebratory tack than his mates at the horn of the District 1 Class 5A final. While they poured into the student section at the far end of Villanova’s arena, coach Mike Doyle included, Norwood peeled off, squeezed through a gap in the media tables along the sideline and ascended 10 rows to the waiting arms of his family.
Back on the floor, as Upper Merion lamentingly awaited silver medals, Norwood did what he always does on the hardwood. He found a basketball, and in the moment of uncertainty where fans milled about waiting for an announcement of what would occur next, Norwood followed his usual compass, practicing a few underhanded layups.
“It is my happy place,” Norwood said this week. “I practice what I love to do best: Shoot. And I shoot and I shoot and I shoot.”
You get the sense Norwood would go on … if there wasn’t a basket somewhere calling his name. That Norwood scored 26 points in his team’s 39-37, come-from-behind win for the program’s first district title since 1969 didn’t tire him in the least. Instead, with a larger audience than usual, the junior guard did what he seems innately programmed to in front of a hoop.
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Stuffing the stat sheet in the final game of his splendid high school career, Walker scored 22 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished out three assists and registered four steals as Reading downed Pine-Richland 64-60 in the PIAA’s Class 6A championship game before a record crowd that spent the night hooting and hollering.