Abington and Pennridge were winners and advanced to Tuesday’s District 1 6A semifinals at Temple University. Cheltenham also kept its season alive. Abington/PV photos courtesy of Geanine Jamison. Pennridge/Norristown photos courtesy of Kim Supko, and PW/Conestoga photos courtesy of Larry Small. Check back for galleries of all three games.
#1-1 Abington 53, Perkiomen Valley 37
There's always an adjustment when a player makes the jump from lead jayvee player to varsity supporting player.
Abington junior Manir Waller went through all the phases during the regular season, at times struggling to find his place on a veteran, established roster. His teammates saw the ability Waller has, so they just continued to help and encourage the wing.
That patience has paid off and Waller's found his role as a defensive dynamo. A whirl of energy, Waller – who had three steals – was a key part of a lockdown effort by Abington's defense that proved to be the difference in a methodical District I quarterfinal game.
"It was just us locking in," Waller said. "Coach told me to be aggressive in that zone once again. I tried to stay long, be aggressive as always and try not to give them shots they knew they could hit."
Waller, who's been terrific defensively the past few weeks, scored six of his eight points in the second half. The junior's best play came when he chased down an errant pass by PV, stepped around a defender under the rim and scored in front of Abington's student section.
Perkiomen Valley does a lot things very well, but the Vikings best asset may be their ability to dictate the pace of the game regardless of opponent. PV had played its pace to perfection in topping Cheltenham in the second round, but the Ghosts weren't planning to go the slow route.
But, no matter what they did, the Ghosts couldn't get the game sped up. What Abington hoped would be a game in the 70s turned into a grindhouse of long possessions and dueling defenses.
"They do a good job, that's a tough team to play against and coach against," Ghosts coach Charles Grasty said. "They're well-coached, they know what they can do and (PV coach Mike Poysden) gets the most out of those guys. I'm sure he loves coaching that team because they're good."
The Vikings were able to work through their offense against Abington's man defense and the Ghosts' 2-3 zone while Perkiomen Valley's defensive effort focused on keeping Eric Dixon's impact minimal. Dixon was shadowed by at least two Vikings all game, while PV's zone also kept Lucas Monroe from getting to the basket.
Instead of forcing the issue, the Ghosts just worked their own offense and Maurice Henry and Darious Brown stepped up to hit some early shots.
Still, Abington only led 23-21 at the half and the Ghosts knew they had to do something to speed the Vikings up. Abington found a way, even if it didn't necessarily show in the pace of play or number of possessions.
"We went over it in practice, we knew that was their type of play style," Waller said. "We stayed patient, rotated and stayed solid throughout the entire defensive possession."
With Waller at the top of a 1-3-1 zone, the Ghosts got Perkiomen Valley out of sorts with the Vikings committing turnovers and taking shots out of their usual flow throughout the second half.
"We understood very well the longer we let them stick around, we'd have to play defense even longer," Dixon said. "I think we tried to key on playing intense defense for that one possession, then get a good look on offense and try to get the game moving a little faster."
The Vikings didn't score their first points of the second half until the 2:40 mark of the third quarter and they went nearly five minutes in the fourth without a point.
Dixon, despite being limited, made the most of his touches. The Villanova recruit tied for the scoring lead with 17 points and shot 5-of-6 from the floor, making all five of his attempts inside the arc.
A thunderous dunk from the senior in the fourth quarter put Abington up 46-29.
"We had to stay patient and trust what we worked on in practice," Dixon said. "We feel like we're versatile enough to play different styles, we can get up and down or we can slow it down a little bit and we showed our patience tonight."
The Ghosts – who averaged 72.5 points a game entering Friday’s contest – connected on 18-of-35 shots from the floor (51.4 percent).
Friday's win sends Abington to Temple for the third straight season and their sixth district semifinal in eight years. The two-time defending District I 6A champion, the Ghosts – who have won 23 games in a row – will face No. 4 Pennridge in Tuesday's semifinals at 7:30 p.m.
"The whole community comes down to support us," Dixon said. "Kids take off work, my parents come down, my whole family comes in from out of town. It's a fun experience and we're going down there to try and win a third in a row."
Grasty lauded his team's defensive effort and felt like his players were able to raise their level of play in the second half. The Ghosts coaching staff has great trust in its players and that trust is part of the reason Abington has established itself as one of the top programs in District I.
"I told the guys in the locker room, it doesn't get old and when you go down to Temple – it's for a purpose," Grasty said. "We're trying to get to the championship game. It means you have a chance to compete for a championship when you play at Temple. It's not a regular season game, you can't schedule a game down there, you have to get there."
Perkiomen Valley 14-7-5-11 37
Abington 15-8-11-19 53
Perkiomen Valley (37) – Parks 2 0-0 4, Hansen 1 0-0 2, Stretchay 6 2-2 17, I Streeper 1 1-2 3, Krause 3 0-0 9, Streeper 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 14 3-4 37.
Abington (53) – Manir Waller 4 0-0 8, Maurice Henry 3 0-0 8, Darious Brown 2 2-2 7, Lucas Monroe 3 3-5 10, Eric Dixon 5 7-8 17, Jack Moynihan 1 0-1 3; TOTALS 18 12-16 53.
3-point goals: Abington
Pennridge 51, Norristown 36
Norristown tried everything it could to stop Sean Yoder.
Double teams.
Triple teams.
Heck, he even banged heads with an Eagles defender and had to leave the game briefly in the third quarter to have the cut looked at. Pennridge trainers wrapped his head with tape, but Yoder didn’t like the feel of it, tore the tape off, and went back out and dominated.
Oh, his team also won the game – a PIAA District One Class 6A quarterfinal on Friday night – and he became Pennridge’s all-time leading scorer to boot, passing Danny Long.
“It’s hard to describe how much Sean Yoder means to this team,” veteran Pennridge head coach Dean Behrens said.“He does everything out there and is just a great leader and a great young man. Sean is just phenomenal.”
The win moved the fourth-seeded Rams (22-3) into Tuesday’s district semifinals against top-seeded Abington at Temple University (7:30 p.m.) for the first time in school history.”
“It’s just an unbelievable feeling to be going to Temple to play in the semifinals,” Behrens said. “I’ve been here a long time and it’s never happened. It’s just a tribute to all of the hard work this team has put in.”
The Ghosts, who handed the Rams two of their three losses including a 62-52 defeat earlier this month in the Suburban One League Tournament, defeated Perkiomen Valley 53-37 in another quarterfinal Friday night.
But, as for their quarterfinal win, the Rams came out roaring.
They grabbed an early lead and never lost it.
They led by a half-dozen points after one quarter (18-12) and were up by 13 midway through the second quarter as the Eagles couldn’t find the basket.
Norristown did draw to within six late in the third quarter and early in the fourth quarter at 42-36, but then Yoder and his teammates had had enough.
The United States Naval Academy-commit scored on a nifty drive to the basket with just over three minutes remaining to put the hosts up 46-36. The basket finished the scoring for Yoder and also finished the Eagles, who would not score again.
In fact, Norristown managed just four points over the final eight minutes.
“Our defense was really good and the kids just clamped down on a really good team,” Behrens said.“To hold that team to 36 points is really saying something. They keep coming at you and coming at you, but our guys were ready.”
Yoder – who connected on three three-pointers and 5-of-6 at the foul line – finished with a game-high 26 points.
Senior Jon Post, with 10 points, was the only other Pennridge player in double figures.
“Jon Post really came up big for us,” Behrens said. “He’s inside battling all the time in a game that had a ton of contact both ways.
“Jon’s in there giving everything he has as are all the kids. This is a special team and this is a special night for Pennridge basketball.”
Norristown 12-10-10-4 36
Pennridge 18-13-11-9 51
Norristown (36) – Marcus Sanford 1 0-0 2, Tyler Lyons 5 0-0 12, Xavier Edwards 1 2-2 4, Nizer Kinney 2 0-0 6, Mickeel Allen 5 2-4 12; TOTALS 14 4-6 36.
Pennridge (51) – Sean Yoder 9 5-6 26, Luke Yoder 2 0-0 4, Jon Post 3 4-5 10, John Dominic 3 0-0 7, Trent Fisher 2 0-0 4; TOTALS 23 9-11 51.
3-point goals: Norristown – Tyler Lyons 2, Nizer Kinney 2; Pennridge – Sean Yoder 3, John Dominic.
District 1 6A Playback Games
#1-9 Cheltenham 51, #1-17 Downingtown West 49
This one didn’t come easily.
The Panthers – who trailed by seven at the intermission – needed a gutsy second-half comeback to eke out a win that kept their quest for a state playoff berth alive.
“Downingtown West is a very good team,” coach Patrick Fleury said. “They came out very strong. In the second quarter, (Downingtown West’s) Cam McCole definitely got going and was able to separate the teams at halftime.”
The Whippets, who led 14-10 after one quarter, took a 30-23 lead into halftime. Things changed in a hurry in a third quarter that saw the Panthers go on a 16-7 tear to go into the final quarter with a 39-37 advantage. It was still anyone’s game coming down the home stretch.
“We were jockeying for position – it was going back and forth really until the last 43 seconds,” Fleury said.
With the Panthers clinging to a 49-48 lead and the Whippets with the ball, Brandon Scott came up with the game’s biggest defensive play.
“Brandon Scott switched onto Naseem Roberson, who then kicked it to McCole, who drove past Jaelen McGlone, who was able to get a hand on the ball. Scott got the steal, started the break and passed to (Jahree) Harrison, who made the layup.
“Just (Scott’s) all-around game – a lot of the things he did sparked our run. We were a little bit flat. When he came in, he gave us an amazing spark defensively, on the glass and also getting to the basket. Brandon was definitely intricate in jumpstarting us tonight in the second quarter and carried us pretty much throughout the game.”
Harrison’s bucket gave the Panthers a 51-48 lead. The Panthers had a chance to put the game away but missed the front end of a one-and-one and – after coming up with the offensive rebound – misfiring on two more foul shots with nine seconds remaining.
With two seconds on the scoreboard clock, the Panthers were whistled for a foul that prevented the Whippets from taking a three to knot the score. The Whippets buried the first foul shot and – after at timeout – missed the second intentionally but couldn’t convert the miss into points.
Tim Myarick, Jalen Mickens and Jaelen McGlone all had eight points to lead a balanced Panther attack. McGlone also had four steals and Myarick had two. Harrison had seven points and seven assists. Kyin Healey had six points, six rebounds, two blocks and one steal. Scott shared the team lead with four steals to go along with four points.
“It was a total team effort for us,” Fleury said. “No one was in double figures, but across the board, everyone was involved. We’re a very strong team when that is the case.
“When there was a lapse in energy, we were able to defensively close possessions, especially in the first three quarters which allowed us to push forward in the end. Being on their home floor playing for their families, communities and their friends, most importantly, I think they were able to dig deeper and find another gear and then were able to sustain their lead despite the fact that we didn’t shoot free throws well tonight.
“We did leave a good amount of points on the board, but other than that, I think it was a strong collective effort. Hopefully, the guys take credit for bringing out a win in front of their home crowd. I was happy to be a part of it and watch it happen.”
Friday’s win came on the heels of a disappointing 43-36 loss to Perk Valley in Tuesday’s second round.
“I think all teams that are in the playoffs think that their team – on any given night – can be the best team, and that isn’t any different on our end,” Fleury said. “As long as the guys stay together and make plays for one another, I think it gives us an opportunity in all games to be in the game as long as we stay patient.”
Cheltenham (17-8, 12-2 SOL) will host 13th-seeded Spring-Ford in a high stakes playback game Tuesday. The winner will earn a coveted state berth, and the loser will go home.
Downingtown West 14-16-7-12 49
Cheltenham 10-13-16-12 51
Downingtown West (49) – Anthony Spann 1, Naseem Roberson 6, Sean Kaiser 3, Hunter Blair 5, Cam McCole 17, Will Howard 17.
Cheltenham (51) – Zahree Harrison 7, Jalen Mickens 8, Tim Myarick 8, Justin Moore 4, Brandon Scott 4, Jaelen McGlone 8, Mike McClain 3, Sean Emfinger 5, Kyin Healey 6.
1-13 Spring-Ford 59, #1-21 Central Bucks West 57
The Bucks trailed by five at halftime but used a 22-13 third quarter to go on top 43-36 heading into the final frame. That lead turned out to be anything but secure as the host Rams closed out the game with a 23-14 tear to hand the Bucks a heartbreaking loss that brought an end to their season.
Jack Mulhearn’s 16 points – which included three three-pointers – led the Bucks. He also had three rebounds. Jack Neri added 13 points and four rebounds. Owen Haney had a pair of threes and 10 points. Mika Munari added eight points and three assists while Reed Zerweck had six points.
Central Bucks West closed out its season with a 12-13 record (6-6 SOL).
Central Bucks West 9-12-22-14 57
Spring-Ford 13-13-10-23 59
Central Bucks West (57) – Connor Briece 0 2-2 2; Jack Mulhearn 5 3-3 16; Mika Munari 3 2-4 8; Jack Neri 6 0-0 13; Reed Zerweck 3 0-0 6; Owen Haney 4 0-0 10; Danny Miller 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 22 7-9 57.
Spring-Ford (59) – Michael Fitzgerald 1 1-2 4; Tyler Scilingo 1 2-2 5; Ryan Hagan 3 0-0 8; Patrick Kovaleski 3 0-0 8; Robert Robeck 4 0-1 8; Zack Skrocki 1 0-0 2; Noah Baker 8 8-9 24; TOTALS 21 11-14 59.
3-point goals: CBW – Jack Mulhearn 3, Owen Haney 2, Jack Neri; SF – Ryan Hagan 2, Patrick Kovaleski 2, Tyler Scilingo, Michael Fitzgerald.
#1-14 Conestoga 80, #1-11 Plymouth Whitemarsh 72
Seventy-two points is enough to win on most nights, but this wasn’t most nights. The visiting Pioneers connected on 10 three-pointers – six in a first quarter that saw them open up a 26-9 lead. At halftime, 
Conestoga led 41-27, and it was an uphill batter for the Colonials, who still trail 58-44 heading into the final quarter. They outscored the Pioneers 25-11 in the final eight minutes, but it wasn’t enough.
The loss overshadowed the glittering 29-point effort of Caelin Peters, who scored nine points in the second quarter and 12 in the first half. He buried four three-pointers in the second half – three in a fourth quarter that saw Peters erupt for 14 points. Anthony Straface added 16 points – 13 in the second half. Naheem McLeod added 11 points.
Milton Robinson’s 28 points – which included four threes – led the Pioneers.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (10-4 SOL) closed out its season with a 15-10 record.
Conestoga 26-15-17-11 80
Plymouth Whitemarsh 9-18-17-25 72
Conestoga (80) – Shane Scott 1 1-2 3; Milton Robinson 9 6-7 28; Brooks Rush 4 0-0 8; Zach Lezanic 5 1-2 14; Evan Medley 3 2-2 8; Connor Steele 4 1-1 12; Wes Brace 1 2-2 5; Scott Martin 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 27-13-16 80.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (72) – Anthony Straface 4 6-8 16; Caelin Peters 10 4-5 29; Naheem McLeod 5 1-2 11; Kyree Pendleton 1 2-2 4; Luke Dicciano 1 0-2 2; Mark Kalala 2 0-0 4; Jason Cherry 1 1-2 3; TOTALS 25 16-23 72.
#1-18 Downingtown East 61, #1-10 Central Bucks South 50
It was an uphill battle all night for the host Titans, who trailed 26-22 at the intermission and still found themselves staring at a five-point deficit heading into the final quarter. The Cougars put an exclamation point on the win by outscoring the Titans 24-18 in the final quarter.
Ian McCaw’s 12 point-effort led the Titans while Alex Dietz added 10 points. Cole Prezelski chipped in six points.
Andrew King did most of the damage for the Cougars with game-high 27 points, which included six three-pointers. King set the tone for the game with three three-pointers in an opening quarter that saw Downingtown East open up a 17-10 lead. By halftime he had 14 points, and he added 13 more in the second half.
Central Bucks South closed out its season with a 17-8 record (8-4 SOL).
Downingtown East 17-9-11-24 61
Central Bucks South 10-12-10-18 50
Downingtown East (61) – Andres Mugica 2 4-6 8; David Owsik 1 2-2 5; Adarsh Subramanian 0 1-2 1; Jack Riley 0 0-1 0; Dylan Rowe 4 2-2 10; Andrew King 10 1-1 27; TOTALS 20 14-19 61.
Central Bucks East (50) – Cole Prezelski 3 0-1 6; Brady Prezelski 2 0-0 5; Brock D’Aulerio 0 1-3 1; Alex Diet 3 4-6 10; Mark Kannengieszer 1 2-2 4; Tommy Kuypers 4 0-0 8; Ian McCaw 4 4-4 12; Michael Farley 2 0-0 4; TOTALS 19 11-16 50.
3-point goals: DE – Andrew King 6, David Owsik; CBS – Brady Prezelski.
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