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PCL Semifinals: Cosby-Roundtree's big night sends N-G to its 9th straight PCL final

02/22/2017, 10:30pm EST
By Michael Bullock

Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree went for 19 points and 13 rebounds as Neumann-Goretti made its 9th straight PCL championship. (Photo: Mark Jordan/CoBL)

Michael Bullock (@thebullp_n)
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Surrounded by an effective 1-3-1 zone designed essentially to limit interior touches, Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree figured there were other ways he could make an impact.

Controlling the backboards was one. Redirecting and altering shots from the opposition was another. Providing guidance to teammates throughout the 32-minute exercise.

Yet as much as the 6-9 Neumann-Goretti senior concentrated on other aspects of Wednesday night’s Philadelphia Catholic League semifinal-round scrap before a packed house at The Palestra — particularly for the first 24 minutes or so — his chances to ring up some offensive numbers eventually arrived.

And the big fella made certain he took advantage.

Collecting 13 of his 19 points in the final quarter — along with five of his 13 boards — Cosby-Roundtree’s late eruption sent Neumann-Goretti wheeling into Monday’s PCL title game with a 67-56 victory over two-time reigning champ Roman Catholic.

“I’m excited,” Cosby-Roundtree said of returning to the PCL championship game. “I can’t wait to finally get the chance again. I’m jacked up and ready to get back in the gym and get ready for the next team.”

Up next for Arrigale’s Saints will be a return engagement in Monday night’s final against Archbishop Wood, the lone squad to best N-G (82-73) during the PCL’s regular season.

Wood defeated Archbishop Ryan 75-66 in the back end of The Palestra twinbill.

Cosby-Roundtree also blocked four shots as Carl Arrigale’s remarkably talented Saints (18-6) earned a berth in their ninth consecutive PCL title game.

“I was trying to grab every rebound,” Cosby-Roundtree said. “I wasn’t really thinking about scoring, I was just thinking about how to change the game for my teammates.”

“That’s what senior leaders are supposed to do, I guess,” Arrigale added. “He’s been rock solid for us always. I wouldn’t expect anything less from him.

“That’s one advantage of ours and we didn’t really take advantage of our advantages tonight, but we got through it. Da was really big when we needed him.”

N-G, which also picked up 18 points from Kentucky recruit Quade Green, actually had collared six straight PCL crowns before Roman collected the last two.


Seth Lundy (above) had 20 points in a losing effort for Roman. (Photo: Mark Jordan/CoBL)

Seth Lundy banked 20 points and Allen Betrand chimed in with 19 for Roman (19-5), while Da’Kquan Davis scored all 11 of his points in the fourth quarter.

Matt Griffin’s Cahillites played most of the game without freshman lead guard Lynn Greer III, who apparently tweaked his knee during the pre-game warmups, yet tried to play. Greer wound up checking out of the contest early in the first quarter.

While Wednesday night’s contest was much closer than the regular-season dustup — N-G claimed that encounter 87-53 — Roman kept it tight behind the 1-3-1 zone it unveiled in an effort to slow down Saints bigs Cosby-Roundtree and Marcus Littles.

Although Littles never got going — and Cosby-Roundtree was limited to six points and eight boards in the first half — N-G was unable to shake Griffin’s bunch yet still held a 28-22 lead at the break since Green threw in a deep dart just before the horn.

Spreading the floor — senior Chris Kuhar performed exceptionally well in Greer’s absence — Roman let Betrand and Lundy go to work against N-G’s man defense. And eventually, the Cahillites pulled even at 33-all midway through the third when Kuhar’s bounce pass led to a cutting Lundy jamming home a dunk.

Arrigale promptly called a timeout.

“Sometimes you’ve got to give them a lot of credit,” Arrigale said. “They played very well and made some plays. I thought we’d be better defending those two guys, because we knew how they would play. They’ve been playing downhill a lot and driving the ball.

“I knew they’d try something different, but I was hoping whatever they tried, we could get them out of it and force them to play man — but we never really did. So give them credit,” Arrigale added. “They stayed with it and stayed patient.

“Matt did a great job getting his team ready.”

And when the Saints stepped back on the floor, they immediately unleashed an 8-0 salvo highlighted by Dhymir Montague’s old-school three-point play, Christian Ings’nifty tear  drop and another deep dagger from the dependable Green.

Montague finished with seven points off the bench, two fewer than Ings. N-G also picked up seven points apiece from regulars Mike Millsip and Noah Warren. Emil Moody also played well off the bench, dishing up one of Cosby-Roundtree’s jams.

Roman never caught up.

“We need those guys,” Arrigale stated. “We need something from those guys just to keep the defense honest so [Cosby-Roundtree and Green] can do their thing.
Once the fourth quarter began, the game belonged to Cosby-Roundtree.

In addition to a pair of flushes and a stickback — not one of the Villanova recruit’s field goals came from outside two feet — Cosby-Roundtree pocketed seven of his eight pops from the foul line as the Saints’ cushion grew much more comfortable.

His last two freebies, in fact, had the Saints up 63-54 with less than a minute to go.

“I’ve been working on them to make sure that when playoff time comes I can make free throws,” Cosby-Roundtree said.

“I stay late in the gym just shooting free throws, trying to make some.”

Arrigale paid his frontcourt standout a lofty tribute afterward.

“Most improved player I’ve ever coached,” Arrigale admitted. “From the day he walked in our gym, none of you guys know that guy. He couldn’t run up and down the court without getting exhausted, but the one thing he could always do was catch.

“So I thought we had a chance to get him better, but I had no idea how he’d buy into everything and become this good — and that’s a testament to him. The best part about it is he’s a better person than he is a player.”

Since Cosby-Roundtree has been chasing a PCL championship for quite some time — one in which he’ll likely have played a significant role — he knew how critical it was to come out Wednesday night and turn Roman around.

No payback was on his mind for what happened the past two seasons, all he was concerned about was downing the Cahillites and moving on.

“I felt like this was like every other game,” Cosby-Roundtree said. “Whether it was Roman or Judge, it was just a game that we had to win.”

Now there’s another game in front of them that the Saints feel they have to win — and that’ll be Monday night back here against Wood.

“As far as getting back again, I’m really proud of that more than anything because we have a lot of [newer] kids and a different team, so [it’s a credit to the] consistency of our program,” Arrigale said of making a ninth straight title game.

“Da took us along to the next game,” Arrigale continued. “I’m happy for him that he’s finally going to get another chance.”

Come Monday, expect the big fella to be ready to go.

“I’ve been thinking about it,” Cosby-Roundtree said. “This is our last chance to win a Catholic League title, so I just try to give 120 percent every time.”

While finding ways to impact yet another game.


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