Central Bucks West and Norristown earned wins in the opening round of the state tournament. To view photos of the Abington/Central Dauphin and Wissahickon/Easton games, please visit the Photo Gallery.
By Scott Huff
The bottom line in the PIAA Quad-A state basketball tournament is simple – win.
And for both Central Bucks West (23-5) and Norristown (20-8) the bottom line was achieved as the Bucks and Eagles captured somewhat surprising victories in the opening round of the tournament. CB West [District 1–8 seed] made the short trip to Archbishop Ryan High School in Philadelphia and stunned District 12 champion St. Joe Prep (21-6) – 48-44, while Norristown [1-5] made the not-so-short trip to Milton Hershey High School and raced to an 87-78 victory over [3-3] William Penn (24-6).
Norristown will now advance to the second round of the tournament on Wednesday (3/14/12) and has the unenviable task of playing unbeaten [1-1] Chester (28-0). The site of that game could be Coatesville but has not yet been decided. CB West will advance to a second round contest on Wednesday against [3-5] Central Dauphin (27-2).
And for Wissahickon (22-6), Abington, (20-8) and Souderton (20-8), the bottom line could not be accomplished as the Trojans, Ghosts, and Indians all suffered state tournament knockout blows in the first round. Wissahickon lost a heartbreaking 49-43 double overtime loss to [11-3] Easton (21-7); Abington competed but lost to [3-5] Central Dauphin (27-2) – 52-45; and Souderton fell to District Four champion Williamsport (18-8) – 65-51.
The 2011-2012 basketball season is now in the scholastic hoop history books for Wissahickon, Abington, and Souderton. And despite the losses in the state tournament, the Trojans, Ghosts, and Indians all had extremely successful seasons.
The Bucks Don’t Stop Here
Central Bucks West stumbled into the PIAA Quad-A state tournament having lost three straight District One playoff games, but the Bucks kicked some butt in their 48-44 victory over the District 12 champion St. Joe Prep Hawks in the opening round of the state tournament.
“The key to us winning the game was holding them to just 16 points in the first half,” said Central Bucks West head coach Adam Sherman as West held a 28-16 lead at intermission. “We had five players on the floor all playing good defensively. We had very few breakdowns, and we got them to play a little out of their norm.
“We were able to get the ball down low to Tyler (Schechter) and get some key baskets,” added Sherman of his senior who led the Bucks with 14 points. “But the key was the way we played great team defense.”
Central Bucks West ‘limited’ Hawk guard Stephen Vasturia to a game-high 22 points. Vasturia will play his collegiate basketball next season at the University of Notre Dame.
“This was a true team win – everyone who got on the floor contributed to the win,” said Sherman. “We had a tough stretch with the losses, but were able to get in a full week of practice and were able to regroup.
“Now we move on to play Central Dauphin,” added Sherman. “They have a division one player (Devin Thomas – Wake Forest), and we are going to have to prepare well to beat them.”
CB West may not have a D-1 player on its roster, but the D-1 player on the Prep did not guarantee a victory. It still remains very much a team game, and it will be the Bucks who will take that bus ride next Wednesday.
Central Bucks West Bucks 15 13 7 13 - 48
St. Joe Prep Hawks 10 6 11 17 - 44
Central Bucks West: Tyler Schechter 14; Derek Dyer 9; Shane Kellar 8; Jack Rogers 5; Jared Kelly 5; Sherrod Higginbotham 4; and Sam Lis 3. Total – 48.
St. Joe Prep: Stephen Vasturia 22; Tom Stewart 8; Gene Williams 7; Kyle Thompson 4; and PJ Kelly 3. Total – 44.
Eagles Soar To Playoff Victory
Norristown has a storied history of teams that can surge up and down the floor at a frenetic pace, but the 2011-2012 Eagles have not been that team – until their first round game with William Penn. Norristown jetted up and down the hardwood and scored a very uncharacteristic 87-78 victory over the Bearcats.
“William Penn is a team that likes to run, and to be honest, that fit into our style,” said Norristown head coach Michael Evans. “Our players like to play with that tempo, and both teams got into the flow of the game very early.
“We haven’t played many teams that want to run like this team liked to run,” added Evans. “We maybe wanted to slow the game down some, but we were comfortable with the pace. Actually, I thought we had better legs than them in the fourth quarter.”
Norristown – which defeated Souderton by a pedestrian 42-36 score to earn the fifth seed from District One – had five players reach double figures. Jahbri Hargrove collected a game-high 23 points and hauled in 16 rebounds; BJ Gordon had 17 points and four steals; Samir Bey tallied 15 points and had 12 rebounds; Luke Kelley ran the offense and collected 11 points; and Marquis Bryant finshed with 11 points and four blocked shots.
“I think that this was the best game that Jahbri has ever played,” said Evans. “And Samir did a great job of controlling what we wanted to do out there. He was able to penetrate and he got us some good looks at the basket.”
Norristown will take its act into the second round with a return match with powerful Chester. The Clippers played the Eagles in the second round of District One play and spanked Norristown 81-31.
“We know what we’re getting into with Chester,” said Evans. “And I know we don’t want to try and run the floor like we did tonight.”
Norristown Eagles 18 17 23 29 - 87
William Penn Bearcats 13 24 17 24 - 78
Norristown: Jahbri Hargrove 23; BJ Gordon 17; Samir Bey 15; Luke Kelley 14; Marquis Bryant 11; Jahad York 3; Richard Bouknight 3; Chris Evans 1. – Total – 87.
William Penn: DeJian Williams 22; Collin Smith 17; Na’Shon DeShields 14; Tavon Palmer 12; Kaiden Wilson 8; Tom Fountain 3; and David Gasiano 2. Total – 78.
Trojans Drop Heartbreaker in Double OT
Wissahickon had to overcome huge chunks of missing playing time from its two best players – seniors Jordan Reed and Tanoh Kpassagnon – as the Trojans had both players on the bench with early foul trouble. Wissahickon remained competitive with Easton and forced not one but two overtimes but could not make the plays at the end of regulation or the overtimes in its 49-43 season-ending setback.
“The climate of the game changed at the beginning with both of them on the bench,” said Wissahickon head coach Kyle Wilson. “It was tough for us – we really didn’t seem to play with a rhythm – and we started to press at little.
“We became too much of a perimeter team, and that isn’t us,” added Wilson in reference to the 6-8 Kpassagnon and the 6-4 Reed. “We settled for far too many jump shots.”
The game was played before a raucous crowd at William Tennent High School, and that crowd was treated to a pair of overtime periods. Reed finished his fine career with the Trojans with a team-high 14 points, while sophomore Chase Wilson added 10 points.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the way we played this season,” said Wilson. “We accomplished quite a lot, but this was a tough way to go out. I don’t like to complain, but….”
Wilson stopped short of completing that sentence, and his Trojans were stopped short of a second round state playoff game.
Wissahickon Trojans 9 9 7 13 2 3 - 43
Easton Rovers 6 11 11 10 2 9 - 49
Wissahickon: Jordan Reed 14; Chase Wilson 10; Kyle Garrett 7; Tanoh Kpassagnon 6; Chris Vila 2; Jesse Hunsicker 2; Gordon Bentley 2. Total – 43.
Easton: Lincoln Holley 17; DeVante Queen 15; James Middleton 4; Erik Oakley 4; Chris Jackson 3; Noel Hightower 2; Ezra Gaines 2; Francisco Batisa 2. Total – 49.
Abington Gives Up the Ghost
Abington knew all about Central Dauphin 6-foot, 9-inch senior – Wake Forest recruit - Devin Thomas before the game. The Ghosts got to know a lot more about him after Thomas scored 25 points and collected 18 rebounds in the Rams 52-45 victory.
“He was bigger and a little stronger than our guys, but it takes five guys to make a team,” said Abington head coach Charles Grasty. “We wanted to be able to collapse a zone around him, but we had to play man once they got the lead.
“We made our run, took the lead in the third quarter, but they fought through it,” added Grasty. “We won’t back down from anyone, and we had our chances tonight. We got revved up and made some good plays, but we also made some critical mistakes. But that’s how we play – with emotion.”
Abington seemed to have some difficulty with the pace of the game and struggled to get into a flow offensively. The Ghosts had been one of the finest teams in the area in dictating pace, but the game seemed disjointed at times.
Abington will lose only one starter from this season’s state tournament team – senior Chris Ruhl. Standout players Anthony Durham, Jordan Simmons, Jiere Morrisey, Matt Penecale, Mike Griffin, and Anthony Lee will all return next season.
“We played our hearts out,” said Durham who finished with a team-high 12 points. “A lot of people at the beginning of the season didn’t think we could be a playoff team, but we proved that as a young team we could play with anyone.”
“If you told me at the beginning of the season that we would go to states, I would be satisfied with that,” said Grasty. “I’m not at all disappointed with this basketball team.”
Abington Ghosts 9 10 12 14 - 45
Central Dauphin Rams 15 9 9 19 - 52
Abington: Anthony Durham 12; Jordan Simmons 11; Jiere Morrisey 6; Matt Penecale 4; Mike Griffin 3; Kendall Stewart 3; Anthony Lee 2; and Chris Ruhl 2. Total – 45.
Central Dauphin: Devin Thomas 25; Brian Laird 10; Ryan Beavher 7; Zayd Issah 6; Nick Seefelot 3; and Austin Mertz 1. Total – 52.
Souderton Shown The Exit Door
Souderton saw its season come to a close as the Indians could not come up with enough big plays to defeat Williamsport – 65-51. The game was played three hours west of Souderton at Montoursville High School.
“Williamsport is very athletic, tough, and disciplined,” said Souderton head coach Dennis Stanton. “It seemed like every time we made a mistake – a missed shot or a turnover – they capitalized on every one of them. To honest, it wasn’t one of our better games.
“The hardest thing about this loss is that the season is over,” added Stanton. “I have a great relationship with the seven seniors that are on this team, and the loss stings because they want to keep on playing. But we have to remember that the season was a success.”
Souderton Indians 10 14 12 15 - 51
Williamsport Millionaires 13 15 19 18 - 65
Souderton: Luke Moyer 16; Ryan Connolly 10; Mark Wonderling 9; Ry Yazallinas 8; John Kanas 4; Scott O’Hara 2; and Brendan Wagner 2. Totals – 51.
Williamsport: Washington 20; Thomas 19; Kinley 11; Stelly 7; Keough 4; Dowling 2, and Dinkins 2. Total – 61.
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