Bucks County Courier Times sportswriter Kevin Cooney, Intelligencer sportswriter Dom Cosentino and former Pennsbury coach Frank Sciolla talk district basketball. Check out the video at the following link: http://www.phillyburbs.com/sports/basketball/youtube_9a1813e8-460b-11e0-8d51-00127992bc8b.html. Both of Friday night’s district title games at Villanova University – CR North versus Mount St. Joseph in the girls’ game and CR North vs. Chester in the boys’ game – will be broadcast live on WBCB 1490 AM, beginning at 7 p.m.
By Scott Huff
The Suburban One League will send five or six teams to the upcoming PIAA Quad-A state tournament. The results on Friday will determine if Council Rock North can win a coveted District One title – and if North Penn can secure the ninth and final state playoff position.Plymouth Whitemarsh, Neshaminy, Norristown, and Bensalem will join CR North – and possibly North Penn - in the state playoffs. The results of the Friday games will determine where those final state playoff destinations will be and where area fans can book reservations.
Good luck.
PIAA Quad-A District One Finals
# 2 Council Rock North Indians (25-1) vs. # 1 Chester Clippers (25-1)
@ Villanova University – Friday 9 pm
Winner is District Champ and # 1 district seed – loser in the # 2 district seed
Road To The Finals:
Council Rock North opened district play with a 43-28 victory over # 31 Great Valley and followed with a 50-44 win over # 15 Wissahickon. The Indians advanced to the semifinals with a 56-55 double overtime victory over # 7 Norristown. Council Rock North gained its invitation to the district finals with a 58-50 victory over defending PIAA state champion # 3 Plymouth Whitemarsh. In the win over the Colonials, Arron Goodman was impressive with 19 points and 15 rebounds. Point guard Aaron Morgan collected 12 points, while John Raymon was tough off the boards and added 10 points for Rock North.
Chester opened district play with a 70-36 thumping of # 32 Perkiomen Valley and followed with a 72-48 destruction of # 17 Springfield Delco. The Clippers advanced to the semifinal with an easy 67-39 victory over # 9 Bensalem. Chester gained its invitation to the district finals with a 77-67 victory over # 5 Neshaminy. In the win over the Redskins, Erikk Wright scored a game-high 20 points. Darius Robinson scored 14 points for the Clippers, while DeQuann Walker and Maurice Nelson each scored 13 points.
Players To Watch:
Council Rock North: Arron Goodman, Aaron Morgan, Charlie Anastasi, John Raymon, Hunter Stevens, and Jordan Chernin.
Chester: Maurice Nelson, Erikk Wright, DeQuann Walker, Darius Robinson, Lamon Church, and Rondae Jefferson.
Council Rock head coach Derek Wright says: “Chester takes great pride in its program and has a great deal of depth and athleticism. They have excellent perimeter players, but can also score inside. The key for us in this game will to be able to protect and the ball offensively and rebound both on the offensive and defensive boards.”
Prediction: Council Rock North has a very impressive resume in winning 25 of 26 games this season, but for some reason has not gained the total respect it so richly deserves. Arron Goodman did not back away from the challenge of playing 6-foot, 7-inch Jaylen Bond in the district semifinal against Plymouth Whitemarsh with a stunning 19-point,15-rebound performance, and if he matches that performance against Chester, the Indians have a shot. Rock North point guard Aaron Morgan never seems to have an off day and has been spectacular in the Indians’ playoff run. Chester is – well – Chester. The Clippers are extremely talented, extremely deep, and extremely difficult to beat. Chester has earned its # 1 seed in the district tournament, but the Clippers looked vulnerable in its game with Neshaminy. I liked PW against CR North in the semis and I was wrong – I could be very wrong again. Chester 65 – Council Rock North 60.
# 5 Neshaminy Redskins (20-5) @ # 3 Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials (21-5)
Friday - 7 pm
Winner is the # 3 district seed – loser is the # 4 district seed
Playoff Road:
Neshaminy opened district play with a 55-43 win over # 28 Central Bucks East and followed with a 60-36 rout of # 12 Glen Mills. The Redskins earned its trip to the district semifinals with a 64-61 victory over # 13 Lower Merion. Neshaminy lost in that semifinal tilt to # 1 Chester – 77-67. Ryan Arcidiacono led the Skins with 20 points, while Michael McGarry and Dwight Williams each scored in twin digits with 13 points.
Plymouth Whitemarsh opened its district play with a 78-42 demolition of # 30 Interboro and followed with a 50-27 rout of # 14 Pennridge. The Colonials earned their trip to Villanova in the semifinals with a 63-47 victory over # 6 West Chester Rustin. PW lost its semifinal contest to # 2 Council Rock North – 58-50. Marcus Badger led PW in scoring in the CR North game with 15 points, while Stephon Baker added 14 points. Jaylen Bond scored 11 points before fouling out.
Players To Watch:
Neshaminy: Ryan Arcidiacono, Michael McGarry, Dwight Williams, Tyler Katz, Dave Baron, and Charlie Marterella.
Plymouth Whitemarsh: Jaylen Bond, Stephon Baker, Sam Pygatt, Marcus Badger, Brandon Johnson, and Jake Silvers.
Prediction: Neshaminy led powerful Chester at the half, but fell into a trap of running with the Clippers for the entire game – and lost. That is not the game plan to beat the # 1 seed – head coach Jerry Devine tried to convince his team of that – and it was a tough lesson to learn. Plymouth Whitemarsh lost to Neshaminy in the second game of the season, but the Colonials and the Redskins are far removed from that performance. PW had no definitive answer to Rock North in the semifinal affair. The one thing that both the Redskins and Colonials have in common is that they couldn’t beat Council Rock North this season. Honestly, I flipped a coin to pick this one – Plymouth
Whitemarsh 66 – Neshaminy 65.
# 9 Bensalem Owls (19-7) @ # 7 Norristown Eagles (20-5)
Friday – 7 pm
Winner is the # 7 district seed – loser is the # 8 district seed
Playoff Road:
Bensalem opened its district playoff run with a 53-37 win over # 24 Strath Haven and followed with a 36-33 victory over North Penn in the second round to gain the playoff invitation. The Owls followed with a pair of playoff losses to # 1 Chester (67-39) and # 13 Lower Merion (45-44). In the loss to the Aces, sophomore Leo Vincent led Bensalem with 15 points, while Chris McMullin had a double/double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Norristown opened its district playoff run with a 47-41 win over # 26 Ridley and followed with a 67-62 victory over # 10 Coatesville in the second round to gain a state playoff invitation. The Eagles followed with a pair of playoff losses to # 2 Council Rock North (56-55) in double overtime and lost to # 6 West Chester Rustin (57-50). In the loss to the Golden Knights, Aaron Webb and Richard Bouknight led the Birds with 10 points each.
Players To Watch:
Bensalem: Calvin Brown, Leo Vincent, Alex Agyedu, Chris McMullin, and Dovante Newkirk.
Norristown: Rasheed Johnson, Tyreese White, Maleek Williams, Aaron Webb, and Jahquan Hargrove.
Prediction: Both Bensalem and Norristown earned state berths with second round wins, but both have lost a pair of playoff games since gaining states. The Owls did not compete well with Chester, but lost a heartbreaker to Lower Merion. The Eagles did not compete well with West Chester Rustin, but lost a heartbreaker to district finalist – CR North. Bensalem boasts a talented ‘big’ in 6-foot, 8-inch Calvin Brown, while Norristown features electric guards in Aaron Webb and Rasheed Johnson. The loser of this game will go into the state playoffs with a three game losing streak – another coin flip. Norristown 48 – Bensalem 47.
# 8 North Penn Knights (21-5) vs. # 11 Penn Wood Patriots (18-8)
Friday – 7 pm @ Council Rock South
Winner is the # 9 seed – loser GOES HOME
Playoff Road:
North Penn opened its district playoff run with a 49-38 win over # 25 Upper Dublin and followed with a 36-33 loss to # 9 Bensalem. The Knights have battled back to win their next two playoff games in an attempt to win that ninth seed in the state playoffs. North Penn handled # 17 Springfield Delco 60-41 and followed with an impressive 59-43 victory over # 4 Upper Darby. In the win over the Royals, Dexter Shy and Wes Brooks led the Knights with 14 points each, while Matt Possanza (13) and Janeus Somers (10) also scored in twin digits.
Penn Wood opened its district playoff run with a 90-65 win over # 22 Conestoga and followed with a 59-51 loss to # 6 West Chester Rustin. The Patriots – the defending PIAA Quad-A District One champions – won their next two playoff games. Penn Wood ripped # 14 Pennridge 56-32 and followed with a hard fought 63-57 win over # 15 Wissahickon. In the win over the Trojans, Aaron Brown scored a team-high 23 points. Darian Barnes added 13 points for the winners.
Players To Watch:
North Penn: Matt Possanza, Wes Brooks, Sean Brooks, Janeus Somers, and Dexter Shy.
Penn Wood: Darian Barnes, Aaron Brown, Shawn Oakman, Akil Anderson, and Malcom Richardson.
Prediction: North Penn could have packed in its season after the loss to Bensalem, but head coach Ron Hassler has the Knights playing some of their best basketball of the season. The win over Upper Darby was very impressive for the Knights. North Penn gets an extremely difficult match with Penn Wood to remain in the hunt for the final state playoff spot. The Patriots feature one of the premier players in the area in Aaron Brown, and have 6-foot 9-inch Shawn Oakman to contend with off the backboards. The winner of this game will go into the state playoffs with a three game win streak. Penn Wood 68 – North Penn 62.
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