Delcohoops.com

By Bob Grotz

A few minutes from the Shady Maple, where the all-you-can-eat smorgasbord can put a smile on the sourest faces, Penncrest was living the basketball dream.

The Lions were doing just about everything right in their second round PIAA Class 5A tournament game with Northeastern. They owned a 16-point lead in the first minute of the fourth quarter at Garden Spot High, dead scoreboard bulbs notwithstanding.
And then it happened.

The Bobcats erupted for 32 points, much of it off full-court trapping pressure, to secure a 63-60 victory and a date with Abington Heights in the quarterfinals.

“We picked a very bad time to play our worst quarter of basketball in two years,” Lions coach Mike Doyle said. “Give them credit. We didn’t do what we normally do. I told our guys during a timeout that this style we were playing against was in our wheelhouse. Teams have tried to speed us out and get us out of comfort zone. And we’ve responded for two years. And we came up eight minutes short.”

The Lions (26-4) lost despite a game-high 27 points by senior Tyler Norwood, who the Bobcats kept away from the ball for a chunk of the final frame. With a few seconds left, the Lions got it to Norwood for a last shot. The 50-footer hit the back of the rim.

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By Bruce Adams

Four days after earning their first PIAA tournament win in program history, Bonner & Prendergast’s boys revealed themselves as viable state contenders via a 93-73 victory over William Penn York in the second round of the PIAA Class 5A tournament Tuesday night at the Geigle Complex.

With the victory, the District 12 champions (24-4) now will face District 11 champs Allentown Central Catholic (25-4) in the state quarterfinals Friday. Allentown CC edged Dallas, the second seed from District 2, 61-59, in double overtime Tuesday.

Against William Penn, the Friars relied on a red-hot second quarter to make the difference, outscoring their opponent 25-10. Speaking of scoring, Bonner & Prendie’s 6-foot-3 junior guard Isaiah Wong followed up his great performance last Friday night against New Oxford (22 points, 12 rebounds, seven steals) with a 32-point effort Tuesday.

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By Michael Bullock

A. J. Hoggard wasn’t worried, nervous or even anxious.

Didn’t matter that Archbishop Carroll’s confident and remarkably talented sophomore guard was standing on the foul line with just a few tense seconds remaining in a single-possession contest that had been see-sawing back and forth for the better part of an hour.

Hoggard was right where he wanted to be under those circumstances.

On the free-throw stripe with the outcome of an all-or-nothing scrap riding on what he did in that particular moment — or didn’t do — with half the gymnasium hooting and hollering at him and the other half nibbling on their fingers and leaving little more than a single knuckle.

“That’s what I live for,” Hoggard admitted. “This is what you live for growing up playing basketball. You want to be put in pressure situations that you can thrive in.

“And tonight I just happened to be in a situation that I love to be in.”

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By COBL Staff

Abington Heights (2-1, 23-3) vs. Chester (1-4, 19-8) at Bethlehem Liberty HS, 8
While these highly successful programs collided in last year’s state quarterfinals at the same locale — Abington Heights utilized just five guys in a 65-60 victory that needed two overtimes to settle — Ken Bianchi’s District 2 champs are heading into Tuesday’s scrap after using a productive third quarter to pull away to a 75-46 triumph over Garden Spot. Jackson Danzig, George Tinsley, Jack Nealon and Corey Perkins combined for 59 points as the Comets booked their seventh straight victory. Tinsley, a 6-5 junior, also stuffed 13 rebounds and nine assists into his crowded stat line. As for Chester, 6-4 soph Karell Watkins hopped off the bench and popped a double-double (20 points/10 rebounds) as Keith Taylor’s Clippers pounded out a 61-47 victory over Martin Luther King. Eight of Watkins’ points arrived in the second quarter, as Chester opened a 23-19 halftime lead. Brian Watkins III chipped in 14 points and Rahmaad DeJarnette added nine as first-year skipper Taylor logged his first state playoff win.

Webmaster’s note: The Abington Heights vs Chester PIAA Round 2 playoff game will be audio broadcast LIVE right here on Delcohoops.com! 

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By Elijah Armold

The first weekend of PIAA basketball action is in the books, and it wasn’t very kind to area teams.

Only two squads remain in the tournament, which is set to begin second-round action Tuesday.

Friday, Kennard-Dale bowed out with a loss to Imhotep Charter in a Class 4-A opener. The Rams took their program to historic heights this season, reaching the state tournament for the first time since 1996. This came after appearing in the York-Adams League tournament for the first time since 2003.

Also Friday, York Country Day couldn’t turn the momentum of erasing a 19-point deficit to capture its third-straight District 3 1-A crown into state-level success. The Greyhounds’ season ended with a loss to Plumstead Christian.

Dallastown wrapped up a hard-luck season, that saw it fight through some key injuries and a slow start, before heating up late in the year to reach the PIAA 6-A tournament. The Wildcats lost to Plymouth-Whitemarsh Saturday.

(click on this link for the full story)

By Corey Sharp

Steve Payne’s driving layup with five seconds remaining in overtime gave the Lower Merion boys’ basketball team an 88-86 triumph Saturday over Manheim Township in the PIAA Class 6A first round.

Payne finished with a game-high 26 points, while Jack Forrest added 16 points. Julian Hairston, Harrison Klevan, and Josh Martin all reached double figures for the Aces. Lower Merion will play Neshaminy on Wednesday.

In other 6A action, Trevor Wall shot 8 of 14 from the field for 21 points as St. Joseph’s Prep topped Northampton, 62-57. Ed Croswell contributed a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Hawks. Aidan Ellwood led all scorers with 28 points for Northampton but was held to just two points in the second half. St. Joseph’s Prep will take on Abington on Wednesday.

Ahmin Williams led a balanced Plymouth Whitemarsh attack with 15 points in a 71-47 victory over Dallastown. Ahmad Williams, Ish Horn, Alan Glover, and Danny Cooper all scored in double figures for the Colonials. Plymouth Whitemarsh will battle Roman Catholic on Wednesday.

Chris Arcidiacono poured in 27 points as Neshaminy knocked off East Stroudsburg, 62-47. Anthony Papeo added 15 points for the Redskins. Neshaminy will battle Lower Merion on Wednesday.

(click on this link for more game stories and scores)