By Nick DeLorenzo, Temple University Intern
Just days after extending its season in late-game, thrilling fashion over Bensalem, it’s only fitting that Council Rock North would take it down to the wire yet again in the district playoff’s final playback game versus Upper Dublin on Saturday.
Though not quite as much of a nail-biter as their previous game, the Indians were able to hold off a fourth quarter surge by the Cardinals and hold on for a 39-33 win, earning the 9th seed in the upcoming state playoffs.
Both teams started the game ice cold, combining for just seven points in the first 6:45 of the game, but a late push gave the Indians a 9-8 lead after the first quarter.
The shooting struggles continued into the second quarter, but Rock North was able to keep the pace of the game to its liking, milking many seconds off the clock with every possession and grabbing several offensive rebounds while keeping Upper Dublin’s possessions to a minimum.
As a result, the Indians went into the half up 19-17.
Rock North continued to keep pace throughout the third quarter, but early in the fourth, Upper Dublin’s Jamil Brown threw down a monster dunk in transition, posterizing an Indian player in the process and drawing a foul. The play brought the Cardinal faithful to their feet while leaving the Indians’ fans in disbelief. He completed the 3-point to pull Upper Dublin within one, 30-29.
After Charlie Anastasi went 1-for-2 from the line for Rock North, John Decamara answered with a pair of free throws to tie it up, and with 5:27 left in the game, Brown hit a jumper, giving Upper Dublin its first lead since the second quarter (33-31).
But those would be the last points Upper Dublin would score as Rock North turned up the defensive intensity, hit its free throws, and pulled out the victory.
Council Rock head coach Derek Wright told his team before the game that they needed to play physical ‘North basketball’ if they wanted to stay alive.
“That's what we wanted,” Wright said. “We obviously felt we could have scored more points, but we needed to be physical, which in a hard-fought game you need."
"Give Upper Dublin credit,” he continued. “They wanted it. Our guys fought hard though. They made all the 50-50 plays that we talk about -- loose balls that could go one way or the other or rebounds that go one way or the other. We seemed to get them when we needed them."
Senior Andrew Stress led the way for the Indians with 12 points, including three 3-pointers. Two of those three’s came in the final minute of the second quarter, catapulting his team to a 19-17 halftime lead.
Arron Goodman and Charlie Anastasi each added eight points, while Goodman contributed big time on the glass with a manly 19 rebounds.
Goodman went into the game knowing the importance of team rebounding and limiting the second-chance opportunities for Upper Dublin’s star scorer Brown.
“We knew we had to hold them to one (shot) – that was the huge thing," Goodman said. "We wanted to get quick rebounds and quick outlets."
Brown led all scorers with 14 points, a far cry from the 37-point outburst he had against Rock North back in December. James Newman scored 13 points and John Decamara added six. Thanks in part to cold shooting as well as Rock North’s sound defense, no other players netted points for Upper Dublin.
After making it out of the play-back bracket in a series of win-or-go-home games to make the state playoffs, Wright credits his team’s strong will to continue its season as a huge reason for its success thus far, something straight X’s and O’s can’t teach.
"They don't want this season to end,” the Indians’ coach said. “They want it -- it's that simple. We gutted it out the other night, and we gutted it out again today. We made all the right plays at the end in terms of the hustle plays. They want to keep playing."
“There are not many second chances in life, [but] you get one of these once in a while,” Goodman added. “We didn't played a great game against Chester, but we got a win before which earned us a second chance to go to states. We deserve it. ”
Rock North will continue its do-or-die streak when states begin on Tuesday. The Indians will host the loser of the Hazelton/Scranton contest in a play-in game.
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 39, UPPER DUBLIN 33
Council Rock North 9 10 11 9-39
Upper Dublin 8 9 9 7-33
Council Rock North (39) -- Morgan 0 2-2 2; Raymon 1 0-0 2; Goodman 3 2-4 8; Anastasi 2 3-4 8; Filer 0 2-4 2; Stress 4 1-4 12; Bostain 1 0-0 2; McClosky 1 0-0 3. 12 10-18 39.
Upper Dublin (33) -- Newman 6 0-0 13; Jamil Brown 5 2-3 14; Decamara 1 3-5 6. TOTALS 14 5-8 33.
Three Pointers -- CR-N: Stress 3, Anastasi, McClosky; UD: Newman, Brown 2, Decamara
WEST CHESTER RUSTIN 49, SOUDERTON 46
Second chance opportunities and cold shooting doomed Souderton in its third place consolation round game against West Chester Rustin on Saturday at Norristown High School.
In the opening half, Rustin held an almost two-to-one advantage under the boards. In the second half, Souderton couldn’t buy a shot.
It all added up to a 49-46 loss for the Indians.
“We have to knock down our shots,” Souderton senior Nate Lewis said. “We didn’t knock down as many shots as we usually do, and we should have boxed out more.
“Basically, we have big guys down low, but we all need to box out. We can’t let the guards from the top come in and rebound too. We have to make sure we do the little things.”
For the second time in as many games, the Indians found themselves facing a team with a decided height advantage.
Lewis – who had 11 points and seven rebounds – measures in at 6-3. Rustin had three players 6-3 or taller in its startling lineup. Cory Blake, who’s listed at 6-4, led the Golden Knights with 17 points and 11 rebounds while Anthony Nash, a 6-5 sophomore, added 14 points and 11 boards.
“It’s tough, but it’s more mental,” Lewis said of facing a taller team. “You just have to not give up, keep giving 100 percent.”
Despite holding a 19-10 rebounding advantage, Rustin took just a 24-23 lead into halftime. A.J. Picard, who led the Indians with 17 points, accounted for 11 of Souderton’s points.
Rustin outscored Souderton 13-8 in the third quarter and took a 37-31 lead into the final quarter. It was a 37-37 game after back-to-back baskets by Lewis, but the Golden Knights responded with a 9-2 run to go on top 47-38 with a minute remaining.
The Indians refused to go down quietly.
Picard completed a three-point play to trim Rustin’s lead to 47-41, and on Rustin’s ensuing possession, Lewis made things happen on the defensive end, deflecting the ball to Picard, who gave it right back to Lewis for a three-point play that made it a 47-44 game with 42 seconds remaining.
Valuable seconds ticked off the clock before Souderton sent Rustin’s Rahmier White to the foul line. The senior guard connected on a pair to extend his team’s lead to 49-44 with 18 seconds remaining. Four seconds later, Picard buried both ends of a one-and-one, and the door was open for a potential tie and overtime when Rustin misfired on two shots from the line with 13 seconds remaining. A three-point shot by the Indians came up short at the buzzer, and Rustin had eked out the win.
Souderton coach Perry Engard admits he would have liked his team’s chances if someone had told him Rustin would only score 49 points.
“They average in the high 60’s, but I’m not really into moral victories at this point,” he said. “I thought the team played hard today. That’s why they were in the game after giving up all those offensive rebounds.
“The shots just didn’t go down. If you would have told me about the rebounds and about the low percentage we’d shoot that it would be a three-point game against Rustin, I’d tell you you’re crazy.”
The Indians will face Roman Catholic – District 12’s third place team – in an opening round state game on Saturday.
“I’m looking forward to states,” Engard said. “I think we can play with anybody in the bracket. We just have to get back to the little things to close it out.”
WEST CHESTER RUSTIN 49, SOUDERTON 46
West Chester Rustin 12 12 13 12-49
Souderton 11 12 8 15-46
West Chester Rustin (49) – Elnaggar 1 0-0 3; Ra.White 2 2-4 6; Ro.White 3 3-6 9; Nash 6 2-3 14; Blake 7 3-4 17; Toney 0 0-0 0; Hazley 0 0-0 0; Butcher 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 19 10-17 49.
Souderton (39) – Bishop 1 0-0 2; Moyer 4 0-0 8; Lewis 5 1-3 11; Picard 6 5-7 17; Connolly 2 2-2 7; Sergio 0 0-0 0; Wonderling 0 1-2 1. TOTALS 18 9-14 46.
3-point goals: WC Rustin – Elnaggar. Souderton – Connolly.
PENNSBURY 47, NESHAMINY 40 (Friday, March 5)
Pennsbury (17-10) defeated Neshaminy (19-8) for the third time this season as the Falcons flew to a 47-40 win over the Redskins.
The victory will make Pennsbury the #5 seed from District One in the upcoming PIAA Quad-A state tournament. The loss will make Neshaminy the #6 seed.
Senior Jesse Krasna led the Falcons with 15 points, while sophomore Kieran Bolger scored 12 points. Jay Jabat also scored in double figures for the winners with 11 points.
Sophomore Ryan Arcidiacono led the Skins in scoring with 15 points. Mike McGarry added 10 points for Neshaminy, while Dwight Williams scored eight points for the Skins.
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