Delcohoops.com

By Terry Toohey

Having to play a game following only one day of preparation can be difficult for any team. Having to play a game against the same team with only one day of preparation can be even more difficult.
For the Bonner & Prendergast Friars, they played West Catholic for the second time in a three-day span. By defeating the Burrs on Sunday in their regular-season finale, the Friars forced a tie with West in the final Philadelphia Catholic League standings. Bonner had three players score in double figures and finished off a strong fourth quarter en route to a 54-49 win to claim the 10th seed in the PCL playoffs.
West Catholic (4-17) trailed by one at halftime before going on a 13-2 run to claim a six-point lead heading into the final quarter. Led by senior John Herndon, who scored 14 points in the second half, the Burrs looked to pull away but the Friars (12-11) stuck to their game plan.
Having changed to a fullcourt press to begin the second half, Bonner’s pressure began to wear down West Catholic. Senior Keith Washington accounted for 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals while fellow senior Christian Lane scored a team-high 15 points to go along with two steals. The Friars held the Burrs scoreless for the first two minutes and put up 24 points in that final quarter.
Washington said the pressure he and his teammates applied seemed to rattle Herndon, who finished with a game-high 19 points.

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Delco Christian did not have much time to rest following its two-game stint in the SuperFan Shootout in Quincy, Ill., over the weekend.

The Knights came home Sunday and were right back at it Monday night against Bristol in the opening round of the Bicentennial League playoffs.

The Warriors, mostly in the form of Deonte Harris, proved to be too much for the Knights as Bristol held on for a 66-64 victory to advance to the quarterfinals against the winner of the game between Church Farm and Valley Forge Military Academy

Harris poured in 33 points to keep the Warriors alive in the tournament. Delco Christian (12-11) cut a 33-26 halftime deficit to 59-58 in the fourth quarter, but it was as close as the Knights would get. Bristol converted a steal into a layup to kill any hopes of a comeback by the Knights.

Devon Hill and Wyatt Harkins led Delco Christian with 17 points apiece. Jordan Parks added 14 points and Brandt Fisher 10.

By Matthew De George

Most times, practice makes perfect on the basketball court for Brett Foster.

But on the instance that the Ridley guard got closest to the rim Monday night at Marple Newtown, he was uncharacteristically off-balance.

“I was too close under the net, so I was kind of falling back,” Foster said, the product of his trip up the ladder neatly snipped and strung around his neck. “So I had to grab the rim to and lean back to cut it.”

Just about every other voyage to the hoop that Foster endeavored in Ridley’s 62-38 demolition of Conestoga in the Central League Championship Game went more smoothly in a tour de force showing to cap a perfect regular season in the league with a second straight championship.

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By Eugene Rapay

For the second straight year, Ridley and Conestoga met for the Central League title game.

And for the second straight time, Ridley took home the trophy.

The Raiders were dominant from start to finish en route to a 62-38 win over the Pioneers.

“It’s not easy to win a league title,” Ridley head coach Mike Snyder said. “We’ve got 12 teams in our league that are very good teams, so anytime we can get an opportunity to win a league title it’s special. It’s not easy to win one. To get two in a row is a testament to the players we’ve had.”

Not only does the win mark the Green Raiders’ successful defense of their championship, but also the finishing touches on their perfect campaign in league play. It was hard enough to come back and win again, let alone do it undefeated.

Thanks to finishing the regular-season undefeated, Ridley was granted a bye into the league’s final while Conestoga had to get past Strath Haven on Saturday for the right to the rematch. The rest made Snyder uneasy going into Monday night.

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By Harry Chaykun

If you had told Garnet Valley girls basketball coach Joe Woods that his senior floor leader, Maddie Ireland, would not get a field goal in the Central League championship game at Marple Newtown High Monday night, he might have expressed more than a little concern.

Ireland finished with seven points, all from the foul line, including six in the fourth period. What made a big difference for the Jaguars in their 53-36 victory over Springfield was the play of sophomore Nicole Barnes, freshmen Brianne Borcky and Emily McAteer, and junior reserve Sydney Fail.

With the win, Garnet Valley (21-3) earned its third consecutive Central League title and will enter the district playoffs as the No. 3 seed. Springfield (18-5), which handed the Jags their lone league loss, is seeded ninth in the Class AAAA district tournament.

Webmaster’s note:  You can listen to this entire game by going to our Game Archives.  Just click on the logo on the left side of this page and listen to the entire game anytime you want.  Our sponsors (listed on the right side of this page) pay for all broadcasting and archive costs!

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By Josh Verlin

Coming into the last two games of the regular season, Bonner-Prendergast’s road was clear.

Two games back of 10th-place West Catholic, holders of the final Catholic League playoff spot, the Friars had to win win both games–and get some help–or their season would be over.

Bonner got the help needed earlier in the weekend, beating winless Bishop McDevitt as West was downed by La Salle on Friday to move within a game of the Burrs. That set up a Sunday showdown with West Catholic, to keep the season going for one more game.

Buoyed by the energy of senior day, the four Friars whose high school careers are winding down didn’t want to say goodbye just yet, leading the way in a 75-60 win over the Burrs.

Keith Washington led the way with 18 points, while forward John Hargraves (11), wing Mike Mercanti (7) and point guard Ryan Germany (4) all chipped in for Bonner in their final home game.

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