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By Scott Huff
The second round PIAA District One playoff game came down to the final frantic seconds, and when the final horn sounded Neshaminy (18-6) held off Wissahickon (18-6), 45-44.
“It was a great high school basketball game,” said Neshaminy head coach Jerry Devine. “Both teams made runs, and both teams showed resiliency.”
“Any loss is tough, but some are tougher than others,” said Wissahickon head coach Kyle Wilson. “I feel really badly for the players. There were any number of things that could have won the game for us.”
The ending of the game was intense.
Wissahickon led 44-42 in the waning moments and fouled Redskin sophomore Ryan Arcidiacono. Arcidiacono made the first free throw to slice the lead to 44-43 but missed the second.
Neshaminy’s Dwight Williams gathered in the critical offensive rebound and was fouled with 3.7 seconds left in the game. He made both to give the Skins the 45-44 lead – and a last gasp effort by Wissahickon failed and the game was over.
“If we secure that rebound, we win the game,” said Wilson. “But we had our opportunities early, and we didn’t take full advantage of them.”
Wissahickon led at the end of the first period – 12-4. Arcidiacono was in early foul trouble and played very limited time in the entire first half.
“The key to the game, I thought, was that we played the first half pretty much with Ryan, but played great defense and gave them only 16 points,” said Devine. “We came out in the third quarter and made our run, but they came back in the fourth period.”
Neshaminy scored 22 third period points to take the lead @ 34-31.
It almost didn’t hold up.
Mike McGarry and Tyler Katz emerged as the leading scorers for the Redskins with 12 points each, while Arcidiacono added 10 points and Williams scored seven points.
Jordan Reed scored a game-high 14 points for Wissahickon, while Jack O’Neill also scored in double figures with 12 points.
“I thought that Jordan Reed played an outstanding game,” said Wilson. “Everyone talks about Arc – and they should – but Jordan Reed is a pretty darn good sophomore as well.”
The win thrusts Neshaminy – the #7 seed - into a PIAA District One quarterfinal game with Penn Wood – the #2 seed. The Patriots rallied late to upend Bensalem – the #15 seed – 56-55. The site, time, and date will be determined.
“Every team now is a very good team,” said Devine. “And Penn Wood is one of the best in the state.”
The loss jettisons Wissahickon into the battle for the #9 berth from District One in the state playoffs. The Trojans will host Bensalem – time and date to be determined.
“We still have a chance,” said Wilson. “But we have to take care of business.”
Neshaminy-Wissahickon box score
Wissahickon 12 4 15 13 - 44
Neshaminy 4 8 22 11 - 45
Wissahickon (44): Jordan Reed 14; Jack O’Neill 12; Tom Sweeney 9; Michael Bundy 7; Kevin Hammond 2.
Neshaminy (45): Tyler Katz 12; Ryan Arcidiacono 10; Mike McGarry 12; Dwight Williams 7; Steve Warhola 4.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (23-1) played a terrific second quarter in its 58-51 second round PIAA District One Quad-A game with Upper Dublin (15-8).
“We played a very good second quarter and a very poor third quarter,” said Plymouth Whitemarsh head coach Jim Donofrio. “We looked very frustrated at times, and things didn’t go well for us.
“Sometimes the basketball gods are not good to you,” added Donofrio. “We missed some wide open layups and we shot only 12-for-30 (35 percent) from the free throw line.”
“It was a good battle, a good high school basketball game,” said Upper Dublin head coach Josh Adelman. “We got it to within striking distance in the second half, and we hung with them most of the game.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh was led in scoring by senior guard Whis Grant with 19 points, which included a trio of 3-pointers. C.J. Aiken added 17 points for the winners.
Jamil Brown led Upper Dublin with a game-high 25 points, while James Newman added 14 points for the Cardinals.
“Jamil Brown is a scorer, and scorers always seem to get their points,” said Donofrio. “We wanted to limit what the rest of the team scored against us.”
“Jamil played a great game,” said Adelman. “Considering that he played a lot of the game with a pulled quad and a bad ankle.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh will advance to the PIAA District One Quad-A quarterfinal game against Penncrest. Penncrest advanced with a 49-39 win over Downingtown West.
That game is tentatively scheduled for Friday night at 7:30 pm at Norristown.
Upper Dublin will host Downingtown West in the ‘playback’ tournament for the #9 seed from District One.
“We had an excellent following at PW,” said Adleman. “It will be exciting to host a playoff game before a home crowd.”
The site is Upper Dublin – the time and date have yet to be determined.
Pennsbury (15-9) stunned Coatesville (19-5) at Coatesville 40-39 in overtime.
“It’s good to have a close game once in a while,” joked Pennsbury head coach Frank Sciolla. “It seems like every single game we play come down to the last few plays.
“It is a real honor to play Coatesville with all of their tradition,” added Sciolla. “To play in front of their crowd, and to keep a team that averages 69 points a game to just 39, says a lot about our players.”
Zak Kumor – who scored eight points for the Falcons – scored what proved to be the game winning point with six seconds left on a free throw. Jesse Krasna led PHS with a game-high 15 points.
“We are a team that really won’t blow anyone out,” said Sciolla. “But we are also a team that knows how to execute in a close game.”
The Falcons will fly into the PIAA District One Quad-A quarterfinals – at a site, time, and date to be determined – against West Chester Rustin. Rustin defeated Norristown 66-43 in its second round game.
Council Rock North (19-5) was stunned by visiting Chester (16-7) – 50-42 – in a second round PIAA District One Quad-A playoff game.
“Chester’s speed got us into early trouble,” said Council Rock North head coach Derek Wright. “We turned the ball over – in the halfcourt or on their press. Name the pressure – we didn’t handle it.
“They dictated the tempo, and we were forced to play catch up,” added Wright. “We had our difficulties offensively.”Chester snared a 16-9 first period lead as Maurice Nelson – younger brother of Jameer Nelson – drained four 3-pointers in the first quarter. He finished with a game-high 17 points.
Arron Goodman led the Indians with 11 points. He was the lone Rock North player in twin digits.
Council Rock North will now host Central Bucks South (15-9) – site, time, and date to be determined – to see which Suburban One League team will continue to play for the #9 seed in District One.
CB South lost to Souderton (22-2) – 64-54 – in a second round game played at Souderton. Souderton will now meet Chester in a PIAA District One Quad-A game quarterfinal match.
Norristown (16-8) did not play its ‘A’ game against host West Chester Rustin (21-3) in a second round game PIAA District One game as the Golden Knights bested the Eagles – 66-43.
“We really didn’t play with any energy,” said Norristown head coach Michael Evans. “We forced some turnovers, but we never capitalized on the offensive end.
“We beat this team earlier in the season,” added Evans in reference to the Eagles’ 67-62 win. “They looked like the same team, but we sure didn’t.”
Rustin had a terrific game turned in by Anthony Nash, who had 26 points and 18 rebounds. Cory Blake added 19 points and nine rebounds for the winners.
The best that Norristown could counter with was a meager nine-point scoring effort by senior guard Chris Davis.
The Eagles will now be in the ‘playback’ tournament for the ninth seed in the district.
Norristown will have to travel to meet Coatesville – at Coatesville either on Friday or Saturday. The Red Raiders lost to Pennsbury – 40-39 – last night.
“We talked after the game, and the kids really want to play another game,” said Evans. “I hope they bring that energy to the court against Coatesville.”
Bensalem (14-9) lost a heart breaker to host Penn Wood (20-3) in its second round PIAA District One Quad-A playoff game, 56-55.
Bensalem was leading by 55-45 in the final two minutes, but Penn Wood went on an 11-0 run to steal the victory.
Nick Christian led the Owls with 20 points, while Ivan Flores and Chris McMullin each scored 11 points.
Bensalem will travel to Wissahickon – site, time, and date to be determined – to attempt to reach the state playoffs as the #9 seed from District One.
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