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By Josh Verlin

Lower Merion made its return to the top of the Central League.

And the way the Aces did it left all those in attendance at Marple Newtown HS on Tuesday night thinking that they’ll be heavy favorites to do it again for the next few seasons.

Behind standout performances from a trio of sophomores, Lower Merion stormed past Strath Haven for an 82-60 victory, cutting down the nets as league champions for the first time in three years.

“It’s great — as a sophomore and just getting it for the seniors, feels great,” wing Jack Forrest said.

Forrest (18 points), along with fellow second-year high schoolers Steve Payne (26 points) and Darryl Taylor (14 points), combined for over 70 percent of Lower Merion’s scoring output. A 6-5 wing, Forrest had the most impressive all-around game, chipping in five steals, four assists and three rebounds while knocking down five 3-pointers.

Aside from the opening three minutes, which saw Strath Haven jump out to a 9-3 lead, Lower Merion was in complete control.

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(Webmaster’s note: The Central League Championship game was our Game-of-the-Week and can be heard on our Archives link on the left hand side of the page.)

 

  

By Matthew De George

Arms interlocked, dressed in black t-shirts, Lower Merion presented a united front as the national anthem played Tuesday night at Marple Newtown High School.

“I am a Muslim,” the shirt worn by all members of the Aces boys basketball team read in white script. “I am a refugee. I am an immigrant. I am an American. I am an Ace.”

United in advocating for citizens’ rights in an American climate where they are increasingly under fire, the shirts were a collaborative show of defiance, crystallizing various forms of protest the Aces have displayed in recent weeks.

Once the whistle blew, that unity manifested itself in another form.

Lower Merion shot lights out from the field, running rampant over Strath Haven, 82-60, to claim the Central League title, the first for the powerhouse program since 2014 and evidence that once again the Aces are peaking late.

The t-shirts are more than a statement to the outside world, a peaceful protest of the travel ban from seven Muslim-majority nations enacted in recent weeks via executive order of President Donald Trump; they’re a statement of consensus among a diverse group of players and what they believe in.

“People’s lives are bigger than a ball going through a hoop,” said Najja Walker-X, a senior guard who spearheaded the production of the shirts.

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(Webmaster’s note: The Central League Championship game was our Game-of-the-Week and can be heard on our Archives link on the left hand side of the page.)

 

  

By Matt Smith

Camryn Faith’s reaction after she was fouled in the process of making a layup late in the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s Central League championship game said it all.

She was pumped.

Faith rebounded a miss and dribbled the ball the length of the court. This was her moment. There was no way she would pass it up.

Faith had given the Jaguars a five-point lead over Conestoga with one minute, 12 seconds to go. The game wasn’t over, but Faith’s clutch play felt like a dagger.

“I knew that we needed this win,” said Faith, shrugging her shoulders and playing things coy. “I had to do my best to help. I wanted to give it my all.”

Faith is an excellent lacrosse player who was a key member of the Jaguars’ last two runs to the PIAA championship game. Tuesday night, she came off the bench to ensure the Garnet Valley basketball team’s fourth consecutive Central League crown.

Faith scored eight points and sophomore forward Emily McAteer led all players with 17 as Garnet Valley claimed a 41-36 victory over Conestoga. GV defeated the Pioneers for the second time in four days and the third time this season. The Jaguars (21-2) are 7-0 against the Pioneers (20-4) since the start of last season.

All the  Jags needed was a little Faith.

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(Webmaster’s note: The Central League Championship game was our Game-of-the-Week and can be heard on our Archives link on the left hand side of the page.)

 

Valley Forge Military Academy put 100 points on Calvary Christian in the first round of the BAL playoffs.

That did not bode well for Delco Christian, which had to face the top-seeded Trojans in Tuesday’s quarterfinal round.

Well, the Knights managed to hang in with the Trojans for three of the four quarters. It was the second quarter that proved costly in a 67-50 loss to VFMA.

The Trojans outscored the Knights, 22-7, in the second quarter to take a 37-20 lead into the locker room at halftime. That was enough to send Valley Forge into Thursday’s semifinals against fourth-seeded Holy Ghost Prep, a 52-35 winner over MaST Charter.

Myles Bunyon led VFMA with a game-high 26 points. T.J. Tann returned to the lineup after missing several games with a knee injury and paced DC with 19 points.

By Matthew De George

For four years, John Harrar said Sunday, he’s been waiting for an opportunity like what was before him and his Strath Haven teammates: A Central League title shot, with the bonus of a little retribution against the Conestoga albatross that has plagued the last two resurgent years.

Harrar channeled every ounce of anticipation into a magisterial performance that left the Pioneers floored.

Harrar scored 25 points to go with 17 rebounds, two assists and two blocks as the Panthers controlled Conestoga, 62-54, in the Central League semis at Harriton High School Sunday.

The win moves fourth-seeded Haven (14-9) into Tuesday’s final against Lower Merion, which topped Penncrest, 53-51, in the nightcap. Tipoff at Marple Newtown is 8 p.m.

If Harrar played like a man possessed, then it was history monopolizing his attention. The Panthers lost in overtime to Conestoga this season and by one point in their regular-season meeting last year. At this stage of the Central League playoffs a season ago, the Pioneers clipped a 19-3 Panthers team, 42-40.

Six days later, Haven’s season abruptly ended in the first round of the District 1 tournament.

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(Webmaster’s note: The Strath Haven vs Lower Merion Central League Championship game is our Game-of-the-Week and can be heard LIVE Tuesday night. Click on our link on the left side of this page.)

By Zach Drapkin

With 8.4 seconds to go in a tie game, Lower Merion head coach Gregg Downer knew exactly whose number he was going to call.

Having held for the final shot, the Aces put the ball in the hands of senior wing Terrell Jones to break the deadlock with Penncrest and send them to the Central League championship game.

“You try to get your best player the ball in that situation,” Downer said. “He’s our best player and you try to give him the opportunity to make a play.”

After inbounding the ball to point guard Steve Payne, Jones dashed to the left wing, circled back behind Payne to take the dribble-handoff, and darted towards the lane.

He was supposed to take it to the rim, but with a Penncrest defender draped all over him, Jones decided to pull up and, falling backward, let one fly.

“It’s not my first time being around last-second shots, so I felt confident,” Jones said. “Whenever I got an open look, I was going to shoot it.”

The shot flew through the net just as the clock hit zero.

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(Webmaster’s note: The Lower Merion vs Strath Haven Central League Championship game is our Game-of-the-Week and can be heard LIVE Tuesday night. Click on our link on the left side of this page.)

 

By Matt Smith

Katie Mayock was not on the Conestoga team that lost to Springfield in last season’s Central League semifinal.

“There was a huge amount of revenge,” said Mayock, who transferred from Academy of Notre Dame.

Mayock did her part to ensure the Pioneers would not experience a bout of déjà vu Sunday afternoon at Harriton. The 6-4 junior center scored 14 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, dished two assists, had two blocks and made two steals in the Pioneers’ 34-25 victory.

Conestoga (20-3) will play Garnet Valley (20-2), which finished the regular season unbeaten in the Central League, for the championship Tuesday at Marple Newtown. Springfield (19-4) will have to wait more than a week to play its next game in the opening round of the District 1 Class 5A tournament. The Cougars earned the No. 1 seed.

Mayock asserted herself after halftime following a relatively quiet first half. She scored nine points and hauled in seven rebounds in the second half, when the Pioneers outscored the Cougars, 21-11.

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(Webmaster’s note: The Conestoga vs Garnet Valley Central League Championship game is our Game-of-the-Week and can be heard LIVE Tuesday night. Click on our link on the left side of this page.)

By Matthew De George

AJ Hoggard led a balanced attack with 14 points and dealt three assists as Archbishop Carroll closed out the Catholic League boys basketball regular season in dominant fashion Sunday afternoon, rolling to a 68-45 victory at Conwell-Egan.

Colin Daly added a dozen points, Khari Williams contributed 10 points and five rebounds, Justin Anderson checked in with eight points and five boards, and Jesse McPherson was a force in the paint — grabbing seven rebounds and blocking six shots to go along with his six points.

The Patriots (15-7 overall, 7-6 league) will open the PCL playoffs as the No. 7 seed Wednesday when they host No. 10 seed La Salle.

Bonner & Prendergast 74, Cardinal O’Hara 47 >> Justin Gans scored 16, Tymir Cooper netted 13 and Dylan Higgins and Ajiri Johnson added 10 points apiece as the Friars prepped for postseason play with an impressive performance.

Jaye’lyn Peebles led all scorers with 17 points for O’Hara, but it’s Bonner — as the No 8 seed — that will host Wednesday night’s Catholic League opening-round clash with No. 9 seed Conwell-Egan.

By Matthew De George

The District 1 Class 5A boys basketball tournament will feature six Delaware County schools. Somehow, the round of 16 games to be played Wednesday, Feb. 22 won’t include any of those teams encountering each other.

Via the final district power rankings released Sunday, Delco’s representation in 5A is perfectly staggered for teams to avoid each other, while Friday’s opening round of the 6A bracket includes both Delco qualifiers earning home games.
Chester (17-5) is the top seed in 5A and will host Upper Moreland in the first round on Feb. 22. Penncrest (16-6) is third, setting up an all-Central League affair with No. 14 Harriton.

The other four teams hit the road. Ninth-seeded Strath Haven (13-9) visits No. 8 Upper Merion. No. 10 Springfield (13-9) gets No. 7 Holy Ghost Prep. Glen Mills (12-10) ventures to West Chester Rustin as the 12 seed, while No. 13 Academy Park (12-10) meets Bishop Shanahan.

Game times will be made official when the brackets are Monday.

Marple Newtown (10-12) finished 17th, just outside the 16-team field.

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By Delcohoops.com Staff

 

Tuesday, February 14th – Marple Newtown High School – Admission $5.00 

Both championship games will be broadcast LIVE on Delcohoops.com!

6:00  Girl’s  Championship

Conestoga vs Garnet Valley

8:00  Boy’s Championship

Lower Merion vs Strath Haven

If you can’t make the game you can listen to it LIVE right here on Delcohoops.com.  The Girl’s game broadcast will start at 5:45 and the Boy’s game broadcast should start at 7:45.  We will produce them as two different broadcasts.