PW defeated Simon Gratz 52-43 to earn a spot in the PIAA Quad-A semifinals on Wednesday.
By Scott Huff
Philadelphia – “We want Roman! We want Roman!!”
The Plymouth Whitemarsh fans began the chant late in the fourth period when the Colonials finally took charge of their PIAA Quad-A quarterfinal game against Simon Gratz. And those fans weren’t the only ones who wanted the defending state champions Cahillites after PW captured its 52-43 victory over the Bulldogs in a played game in the antique gym at Archbishop Ryan High School.
Roman Catholic – which rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat Parkland 73-60 in a quarterfinal game – will face off with Plymouth Whitemarsh next Tuesday (3/15) in the semifinals at a site and time to be determined.
“Sure we would like to play Roman,” said Plymouth Whitemarsh head coach Jim Donofrio. “We could have stumbled here today, but these players always believe that we are going to win the game.”
“Of course we want to play Roman,” said senior guard Oakley Spencer who scored 11 points for the winners. “We will go into the game prepared – we won’t be scared.”
“We want Roman,” said senior guard Xzavier Malone, who struggled from the field but still managed to score a game-high 21 points. “This is playoff time – and we need to win games.”
The district champion Colonials had their hands full with the feisty [12-3] Bulldogs from the Philadelphia Public League.
“Gratz is a typical Public League team,” said Malone, who transferred to PW from Martin Luther King High School. “They are a gritty team that plays with toughness and heart.”
“Gratz is a dangerous team to play – especially if you are the favorite,” said Donofrio. “They are Philly tough with a huge tradition of winning. And when they are the underdog, they really have nothing to lose.”
The game had a few momentum swings that kept it competitive throughout.
The Colonials began the game as if they were going to run away with the outcome. PW led 17-8 at the close of the first period as Malone hit a pair of 3-pointers and both Michael Lotito and Davon Burrell each had four points in the quarter.
The offensive pendulum swung the other direction in the second period. The Colonials were scoreless over the first four minutes and managed just five points in the quarter. Malone – who connected on his first two shots in the first period – finished a sub-par first half, shooting just 2-for-9.
Malone missed his first four shots of the third period as the Bulldogs clawed back to 22-21. And the gifted Rider-bound tri-captain found himself with a rare appearance on the PW bench.
“I just told him to look at me and realize that we have to trust the rest of the players on the team,” said Donofrio. “He didn’t get the clean looks in this game that he had gotten in other games. Gratz knows him – and they weren’t going to give him anything.”
Malone soon returned to the game – and both he and Spencer scored all the points in a 9-0 run in the final two minutes to make the game more comfortable for PW.
Gratz, though, refused to go away. With 4:09 left in the game the Bulldogs were down just three (38-35) and with 2:02 left Gratz trailed by just four (43-39). PW scored eight points in the final 2:35 from the free throw line to seal the deal as the final Colonial basket came on a gorgeous drive by Spencer with 1:30 remaining.
Malone – who finished the afternoon with an un-Xzavier Malone like 4-16 from the field – was clutch from the charity stripe, connecting on 10-12 from the line.
“The shots weren’t falling,” admitted Malone. “But I thought we still kept our composure.”
“It’s all about getting wins,” said Spencer. “If we want to win a state championship, we just have to continue winning games.”
“At this time of year, it really becomes a player’s game,” said Donofrio. “We can prepare them all we want – but they still have to go out there and play the game.
“This group plays with the confidence of youth,” added Donofrio. “We have come a long way.”
And that journey will take them to the PIAA Quad-A semifinals and a date with the defending state champion on Tuesday.
Everyone in the Plymouth Whitemarsh bleachers – everyone on the floor for the Colonials – as well as on the PW bench - wanted Roman. And now they got them.
Simon Gratz Bulldogs 8 7 10 18 * 43
Plymouth Whitemarsh 17 5 10 20 * 52
SG: Tyriek Merideth 12, Jamal Goode 7, Harvey Lath 6, JJ Eden 6, Kevin Tillgman 4, Rashon Johnson 4, Nasir Campbell 2, Khnif Brown 2.
PW: Xzavier Malone 21, Oakley Spencer 11, Kevin Ashenfelter 7, Michael Lotito 6, Davon Burrell 4, Ahmad Williams 3.
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