PW and Cheltenham picked up important wins in SOL boys’ basketball action on Saturday.
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 55, ARCHBISHOP WOOD 43
Midway through their gauntlet of Philadelphia Catholic League teams, it’s pretty clear that the Colonials are doing something right.
After beating Archbishop Carroll in a showcase last Saturday, PW added another PCL notch to its belt by taking down the defending Catholic League and 5A state champs at Jefferson University as part of the City Play-By-Play Classic on Saturday. Shorthanded, the Colonials turned to senior guard Ish Horn to carry them in the game's key stretches.
"I told the kids I'm not going to book a schedule I don't think we can compete in," PW coach Jim Donofrio said. "You have a senior-laden team with physically strong guards and a 7-foot-2 guy you have to showcase and if they invite you and you have a chance to play the best teams in the area, then it's a great compliment."
Horn scored a game-high 20 points to pace PW's offense.
PW senior Ahmad Williams did not play, sitting out the game after being ejected from Friday's game against Wissahickon. The absence of the senior, who sets the tone defensively for PW, had a ripple effect on the Colonials' rotation.
"It doesn't matter, the guys all did a nice job stepping up but the mechanics of it are a little bit off when you lose someone like Ahamd," Donofrio said. "He's basically the transmission of the offense, the guy that can play four spots and is a power point guard. To lose that, and the muscle he provides defensively, I was happy with our other guys. The key was, if we were to lose Ahmad, Ish had to do what he did."
Wood was also shorthanded, as the Vikings played without one of their top players in senior guard Tyree Pickron, a Division I recruit. Still, the reigning state champs have a pretty formidable team with two other Division I signees in guard Andrew Funk and forward Karrington Wallace, plus another player expected to sign in 6-foot-11 center Seth Pinkney.
The Vikings' size was a good test not only for PW center Naheem McLeod, but the entire team in general as the Colonials don't see front lines that big too often.
"I was a little worried at the beginning when Alan Glover looks like a 5-foot-8 point guard compared to their size," Donofrio said. "It's not often Naheem sees another seven-foot guy, so it's good for him and I thought (McLeod) performed well."
Playing in front of packed bleachers, Horn wowed the crowd several times with some acrobatic finishes around the rim. The guard seemed to float in the air as he contorted himself and the ball around the waving arms of Wood's forwards on a handful of flashy layups.
After going scoreless in the first period, Horn scored seven points in the second and six in the third as the teams battled back and forth. In the final period, after Wood got within a point, Horn scored on a driving take to the rim then, showing some veteran poise, found guard Jason Paul for a 3-point shot on the team's next possession to put PW up five.
"Ish is coming along and learning the game a little more and not just being a go-guy who puts his head down and knocks people over," Donofrio said. "That's where he was a year ago, which is great if you can get away from people, but a lot of people will take offensive fouls in this world. He's trying to understand that."
Ahmin Williams hit a trio of 3-point shots and scored 12 points while McLeod scored 11 with eight rebounds for PW. Funk led Wood with 17 points but was the only Vikings player in double figures.
PW returns to Jefferson next week as part of the Pete and Jameer Nelson Classic where the Colonials will clash with another PCL team in Bonner-Prendergast, a much-improved squad that also has serious size. The Colonials will finish their PCL tour with a New Year's Eve match-up with defending class 3A state champion Neumann-Goretti at Chestnut Hill College.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 10-13-13-17 55
Archbishop Wood 9-13-12-9 43
PW (55): Ish Horn 20, Ahmin Williams 12, Naheem McLeod 11, Jason Paul 6, Alan Glover 3, Jason Cherry 2,
Danny Cooper 1
AW (43): Funk 17, Phillips 8, Pinkney 7, Shepherd 5, Diggins 4, Wallace 2
CHELTENHAM 62, ARCHBISHOP RYAN 58
Jack Clark had another huge game, leading the Panthers to the come-from-behind win in the West Catholic Holiday Showcase at Drexel University with 24 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Ahmad Bickley added 16 points and seven assists.
The Panthers trailed 33-29 at halftime but outscored Ryan 17-10 in the third quarter. They never looked back.
“We weren’t playing with a sense of urgency in the first half,” coach John Timms said. “At halftime, I had a chance to talk to the guys and refocus them on defense, so we came out in the third quarter and held them to 10 points. It was more or less the defensive energy that picked us up in the second half.”
Amir Lewis and Zahree Harrison each added nine points for the Panthers.
“It was important for us to get a win away from Cheltenham,” Timms said. “I think that’s another step for the program – we have to learn how to beat good teams on the road. I was happy that we were able to remain focused.
“We were down at halftime and weren’t really playing well, and we were able to build a double-digit lead by the fourth quarter. I think the guys stuck together and really wanted to win this game.”
Cheltenham (5-1, 2-0 SOL) will take on St. Joseph’s Prep on Friday at the Pete and Jameer Nelson Classic at Jefferson University.
Cheltenham 13-16-17-16 62
Archbishop Ryan 15-18-10-15 58
Cheltenham (62) – Jack Clark 24, Amir Lewis 9, Zahree Harrison 9, Ahmad Bickley 16, Tim Myarick 2, Kyin Healey 2.
Archbishop Ryan (58) – Amin Bryant 7, Ja’quill Stone 12, Colin Reed 12, Taleeq Robbins 15, Anthony Woodard 2, Mekhi Lang 2, Brendan Scanlon 2, Kyier Smith 2.
NEUMANN-GORETTI 70, ABINGTON 60
In a battle of area heavyweights at Saturday’s Play-by-Play Classic at Thomas Jefferson University, it was Neumann-Goretti turning a three-point halftime lead into a commanding 51-37 lead heading into the final quarter.
The Ghosts struggled from the floor, connecting on 21-of-56 shots (37.5 percent). They were just 3-for-13 from beyond the arc, and after connecting on both their attempts in the first quarter, they made just 1-of-11 the rest of the way. The Ghosts were 15-of-27 at the foul line (55.5 percent), and their foul shooting followed a similar pattern as they connected on 8-of-9 in the first half but were just 7-of-18 in the second half.
Throw in the fact that the Ghosts committed 15 turnovers after averaging six-and-a-half per game in their first four contests, and it’s easy to understand why they struggled.
Junior Eric Dixon once again put up big numbers for the Ghosts, finishing with 26 points – 21 in the second half – and 12 rebounds. Lucas Monroe added 16, and Robbie Heath had 12 points for the Ghosts.
Neumann-Goretti buried 10 three-pointers, one more than they converted from two-point range. The Saints were 22-of-37 at the foul line.
Abington (4-1, 2-0 SOL) will face Archbishop Carroll at the Pete and Jameer Nelson Classic at Jefferson University next Friday.
Abington 10-16-11-23 60
Neumann-Goretti 12-17-22-19 70
Abington (60) – Eric Dixon 26, Robbie Heath 12, Lucas Monroe 16, Darius Brown 3, Brandon Coffman 1, J.P. Nolan 2.
Neumann-Goretti (70) – Ings 12, Fair 3, Montague 21, Warren 22, Woodley 4, Smith 1, Littles 7.
BOYERTOWN 54, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 49 (OT)
The Patriots staged a heroic fourth quarter comeback, outscoring their hosts 18-8 in the final frame to force the overtime. The Bears won the game at the foul line, connecting on 10-of-12 from the charity stripe to account for all of their overtime points.
Earlier, the Bears opened up a 20-11 lead after one quarter and still led by nine at halftime (29-20). Not a whole lot changed in the third quarter, and the stage was set for the Patriots’ comeback.
East connected on seven 3-pointers – four by Collin Stein, who scored a team-high 16 points. Kyle Cassidy had a pair of 3-pointers and finished with 13 points while Jesse Rivera added nine points.
The loss was the first of the season for the Patriots.
Central Bucks East (5-1, 2-0 SOL) will return to action on Thursday when the Patriots will face Olentangy (Ohio) in a holiday tournament at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla.
Central Bucks East 11-9-6-18-5 49
Boyertown 20-9-7-8-10 54
Central Bucks East (49) – Ben Markowitz 5, Kyle Cassiy 13, Colln Stein 16, Jesse Rivera 9, Leo Masterson 4, Collin Wright 2.
Central Bucks East (49) – Kapp 21, Thomas 5, Saata 4, Tamasitis 8, Borgmann 8, Kiefer 6, Benning 2.
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