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By Samuel Stewart

Their motto rings out for all to hear on the first song of their pregame track.

Now, in the word’s of musician Drake, Ridley is going “back-to-back.”

Brett Foster turned in another monster performance, finishing with a game-high 20 points while Ridley utilized another momentous fourth quarter to pull away with a 54-50 victory over visiting Spring-Ford in the District 1-AAAA quarterfinals Friday night.

“It’s a great feeling (getting to the district semifinals two years in a row),” Foster said. “That was our goal when the season started and we’re glad we can get the job done in front of all these fans. They gave us all the energy we needed to pull out the win.”

Ridley will face Chester (49-33 winners over Central Bucks East) in the district semifinals Tuesday at Temple University’s Liacouras Center at 7:30 p.m. Friday night’s win marked just the third time in program history that the Green Raiders have advanced to the district’s Final Four, having only done so last season and in 2003-2004.

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By Matt Smith

Ryan Bollinger exudes a quiet confidence when he’s on the basketball court.

The Ridley senior doesn’t need to say much, he just lets his play do the talking.

Bollinger’s quick wrist was a destructive force in the fourth quarter of Ridley’s 54-50 victory over No. 12 Spring-Ford in the quarterfinal round of the District One Class AAAA tournament Friday night.

The fourth-seeded Green Raiders advance to the district semifinals for the second consecutive year. A showdown Tuesday night with No. 9 Chester at Temple’s Liacouras Center awaits.

If it wasn’t for Bollinger’s cool delivery from beyond the arc, who knows if the Green Raiders survive the Rams, who returned from the dead after a woeful start. The visitors stormed back from a 17-2, second-quarter deficit, eventually grabbing a pair of short-lived, one-point leads in the final stanza. And the only reason they couldn’t build on their advantage was because of guys like Bollinger, who came through in the clutch.

Bollinger’s first 3-pointer of the fourth quarter gave Ridley (25-1) the lead to stay. Liam Thompson swished one from long distance moments later, and Bollinger’s second trey with 2:20 to go was the dagger.

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By Anthony Dabbundo

Despite dominating a short-handed Phoenixville team 90-63 earlier this season, Academy Park knew it wouldn’t have it as easy this time around with both teams fighting for their state playoff lives.

With Phoenixville star senior Christian Kelly–who led the PAC-10 with 23.8 points per game–back in the lineup, the Phantoms had enough firepower to match the Knights offensively. Kelly, who missed the first meeting on January 16 due to a hand injury, was back to extend his high school career for at least one more game.

“We knew that with Kelly playing it would be a totally different game, so we actually watched more tape of their other games to get ready,” Academy Park coach Allen Brydges said.

Despite 30 points from Kelly, Academy Park moved one step closer to the PIAA state tournament thanks to 20 points from senior guard Jawan Collins in the Knights’ 71-58 win.

After the first quarter where Academy Park shot just 6-of-16 (37.5 percent) from the field, the Knights used their press and ball movement to generate easy looks in the paint and wear down their PAC-10 counterparts.

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By Josh Verlin

Ever since his team got out to a hot start against J.P. McCaskey and cruised to a victory over the central Pa. powerhouse back in December, Lower Merion head coach Gregg Downer has been waiting to see his team play a complete 32 minutes.

His Aces couldn’t have picked a better time to finally put it all together than facing Central League archrival Conestoga in the District 1 AAAA quarterfinals.

Fueled by dreams of a semifinal at Temple University and two earlier defeats at the hands of the Pioneers, Lower Merion came out with its best start of the season and cruised to a 68-45 win in front of a packed house at Kobe Bryant Gymnasium.

“It feels crazy, going into the season nobody thought that we had a chance to make it here,” senior guard K.J. Helton said in a jubilant Aces locker room afterwards. “Proved a lot of doubters wrong, it feels great.”

Lower Merion, the No. 11 seed in the tournament, advances to the semifinals to take on No. 2 seed Plymouth Whitemarsh.

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Conner Delaney hit the back end of a two-shot foul with five seconds left to seal Episcopal Academy’s 61-59 victory over Solebury School in the opening round of the PAISAA Tournament.
The fourth-seeded Churchmen (18-6) host the winner of Friday’s match between No. 5 Haverford School and No. 12 Friends’ Central in the quarterfinals Saturday. Game time is 4 p.m.
Nick Alikakos led the way for EA with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Delaney finished with 17 points and four assists. Matt Woods chipped in with 13 points and Jermaine Rhoden hit a big layup in the fourth quarter to give the Churchmen a five-point lead.