Delcohoops.com

By Josh Verlin & Andrew Robinson

The last time Lower Merion and Scranton faced off in the PIAA tournament, it was 2011, when the Aces pulled off an opening-round upset of the Knights, 44-42 in overtime. Gregg Downer’s squad won’t be the underdog this time, coming in with a 26-3 record and a District 1 championship under its belt, not to mention two future Division I players on the roster.

The inside-out play of senior big man Demetrius Lilley (Penn State) and junior Sam Brown has made the Aces a tough guard all season long; teams either have to focus their attention on the 6-9, 235-pound Lilley, who’s an excellent finisher and put-back specialist that can also stretch the floor to the 3-point arc, or Brown and fellow junior Sam Wright, both of whom can light it up from deep. Senior guard Jaylen Shippen and junior Justin Poles give the Aces a pair of dribble-drive specialists, and Downer has a couple other shooters he can throw in the mix as well.

(click on this link for the full story and more PIAA playoff reviews)

By Josh Verlin & Andrew Robinson

Springfield is playing Cardinal O’Hara at Archbishop Carroll with a spot in the PIAA 5A final four at stake.

It’d be really difficult to write a more Delco-centric sentence than that. It’s also just what the county has to look forward to on Wednesday as two of its top programs go toe-to-toe in the quarterfinals.

That both teams have made it this far isn’t a surprise, given the respective programs’ pedigree at the Delco, league, district and state level. Just a year ago, the Lions of O’Hara knocked out the Cougars of Springfield in the contracted 5A tournament’s semifinal round.

Springfield comes in after a close win over Central League rival Marple Newtown while O’Hara had a long ride out to West York but not much trouble dispatching Greencastle-Antrim on Sunday.

(click on this link for the full story and more PIAA playoff reviews)

By Matthew DeGeorge

Ryan Wootten didn’t exactly see his basketball life flash before his eyes Sunday evening. But had the tape rolled as he released the last 3-point attempt of his high school career, it would’ve made for one heck of a film.

The senior guard has powered Garnet Valley’s steady redefinition of what constitutes the best season in program history. From a District 1 tournament home game, to a Central League title and a District 1 Class 6A final, to Sunday’s second round of the PIAA tournament, Wootten has been at the leading edge of the Jags’ growth.

That was too much to occupy his mind as he planted his feet 34 feet from the basket at Bethlehem Freedom High and let fly as the overtime horn sounded. It wouldn’t sink in until some minutes after the shot had clanged the front of the rim, bounced off the backboard and out, giving District 2 champion Scranton a 52-49 overtime win.

Although the Jaguars’ postseason run – from the 24th and final team into districts to the program’s first states win since 1997 – thus ended, the echoes will last much longer than the sound of ball hitting iron at the Joseph J. McIntyre Gymnasium.

(click on this link for the full story)

By Jason Guarente

When they were opponents many years ago, occasionally clashing at a CYO game, a mutual respect developed between Maggie Doogan and Annie Welde. 

Once they were united as teammates at Cardinal O’Hara, their talents grew into something more. They became a force. Two unselfish 6-footers who always seemed to know where the other was going.

Doogan and Welde have a connection that has been building since they first put on the same uniform.

“It was amazing,” Doogan said. “We were still growing into our bodies a little bit as freshmen. As we got older, we kept pushing each other at practice. That chemistry bonded once we got on the court.”

As they inch toward the end of their high school careers, they have a final mission. They want to capture another PIAA championship. O’Hara took the next step by defeating Greencastle-Antrim 57-29 in the Class 5A second round at West York Sunday.

(click on this link for the full story)

By Matt Smith

After Haley Levy underwent back surgery a year ago, her basketball coach was one of the first people she saw when she returned home.

Ryan Wolski was ready to help with anything the Marple Newtown senior needed. It was remembering Wolski’s show of kindness that had Levy in tears after the Tigers lost to Springfield, 45-42, in the second round of the PIAA Class 5A tournament Sunday at Cardinal O’Hara.

“He’s been with us seniors for all four years and he’s always been there for me,” Levy said through a wave of tears. “The day I got home from my surgery, he was there. And he’s always … just a text away, always there within five seconds if we need anything.

“He’s an amazing person.”

To Levy, Wolski is a coach, but is also like a big brother.  After her procedure, Levy was uncertain whether she would be able to return to form on the basketball court. She had a long and arduous rehabilitation process before she could step back on the floor.

(click on this link for the full story)

By Bruce Adams

Penn Wood gave an imposing Cheltenham team a battle for three quarters Sunday before the talented and deep Panthers pulled away for a 66-50 win in the second round of the PIAA Class 6A tournament at Bensalem.

The Patriots, the 10th seed out of District 1, found themselves tied with the Panthers at halftime, thanks in part to senior forward Evan Borward, who worked his way underneath the basket for eight first-half points.

Penn Wood led 40-39 with 16.8 seconds to go in the third after Sahmir Massenburg hit both ends of a one-and-one. But that preceded a 20-1 run by Cheltenham that ended all doubt as to the outcome.

“We expected to be there with Cheltenham. We’re a little upset with how we started the fourth quarter,” Penn Wood coach Matt Lindeman said. “Cheltenham is really good, but we’re proud of how our guys fought and competed.”

Cheltenham forward Justin Savage worked his way underneath for a basket in the closing seconds of the third to give the Panthers a slim 41-40 lead.

Borward led Penn Wood (16-9) with 12 points, followed by Massenburg (10), Murray (9) and Mekhi Shillingford (7).