City of Basketball Love

Tyler Sandora (@Tyler_Sandora)
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Central Dauphin East basketball has not had the most ideal season.

“We’ve had lots of close losses,” CD East coach Don Ross said.

All 10 of the Panthers’ losses were by 12 points or less, though, and after clinching the sixth and final spot out of District 3’s 6A bracket to qualify for the state tournament, earning them a matchup against a strong Abington side in the first round.

Coming into the state tournament, the Ghosts were considered a favorite to win the title.

The Panthers from the Mid-Penn conference had something to say about that.

CD East was able to pull through in overtime, defeating Abington 64-63 in front of a Ghost-heavy cheering section at Bensalem High School on Saturday afternoon.

Trailing by as many as 14 points in the second half, the Panthers brought out their full court press, forcing the Ghosts into eight fourth quarter turnovers, closing the gap and eventually leading with 1:47 left in the fourth quarter.

“We’ve been here before, down multiple times (by) double digits,” Ross said. “I’m glad we were only down 10, because that is a good basketball team.”

Abington junior Robbie Heath was then able to sink a floater as time expired to tie the game and send it into overtime.

In the extra period, Ghost sophomore Eric Dixon scored four points, and CD East responded with a few more buckets, taking the lead by one in the final minute.

On the ensuing possession, Heath missed two free throws with 5.3 seconds left. Brennen Jackson was then fouled after grabbing the rebound. He then missed two at the stripe and Lucas Monroe threw up a prayer for Abington from half-court, but it didn’t fall and the CD East crowd erupted as the team celebrated the win.  

CD East was led by a pair of senior guards, Evan Chandler and 5-foot-4 sharpshooter Justin Henry, who finished with 17 points apiece. Both were disruptive in the front of the full court trap.

Being the smallest player on the court doesn’t faze Henry, as he took three charges and sacrificed his body multiple times for loose balls. He hit four 3-pointers, including a crucial long ball in overtime to swing momentum back to CD East’s side.

“My teammates found me when I was open and I hit my shots today,” he said.

Manning the paint for the Panthers was the 6-foot-9 senior Jackson, scoring 10 points and securing 13 rebounds. Jackson picked up his fourth foul in the middle of the fourth quarter, forcing the Panthers to speed up the game and get out in transition more often.

Dixon, who finished the game with a game high 31 points and 12 rebounds was a problem for CD East the whole game, finishing with both hands around the rim, and eliminating the Panthers ability to grab offensive rebounds.

Abington was having some trouble entering the ball into the post for Dixon, as CD East double-teamed him and forced the guards to take the majority of the shots.

“Dixon is a man amongst boys, but we want the ball more and we denied him,” Chandler said. “We had effort, we’re both athletic and we wanted it more.”

This game meant much more than a spot in the second round of the state tournament.

“I’m really happy for the school, program, and community,” Ross said. “10 years from now people are going to look back at these guys as the ones who opened the doors to the success of our program.”

CD East will take on Archbishop Ryan in the second round of the state tournament, after the Catholic League squad defeated Parkland in the first round.

Abington won the District 1 championship and then dropped its first game in the state tournament, just as it did in 2015. Last year, the Ghosts lost in the first round of districts to Upper Dublin.

“We need to come back stronger next year,” Dixon said. “I feel bad for my seniors, we’re all best friends off the court.”

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Class 2A First Round: (1-1) Church Farm vs. (12-2) Constitution

Losing in the final four of states a year ago, Constitution high school had one goal coming into this year's state tournament.

Win the championship.

With a plethora of quick athletic guards and some solid frontline talent, the Generals from District 12 took the first step in returning to this year's PIAA 2A state final four, defeating Church Farm School 53-49 on Saturday night.

Constitution came out firing, thanks to the play of athletic senior big man senior Maurice Waters and junior guard Raquan West.

Playing without star guard Tamir Green, Leeron Wills-Worthy, and Youssef Diabite, for a reason coach Rob Moore did not want to disclose, Constitution relied heavily on the play of West (17 points), Waters (13) Jamaal Brown, and recent Archbishop Carroll transfer Jahmir Williams.

Constitution was able to contain their 27-21 halftime lead with fast breaks and 3-pointers in the second half, before ultimately pulling away late in the fourth.

For Church Farm, senior guard James Lawton led the way with 10 points, four of which came on backdoor cuts in the half-court offense.

Also for the Griffins, Augustus Veniukivicius and Jon Bol Ajak added nine and eight points, respectively.

Constitution will face District 2 champ Holy Cross (20-7) in the second round next Wednesday at a location and time TBD.

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CLASS 6A
FIRST ROUND
Saturday, March 11
Central Dauphin East 64, Abington 63 (OT)
Archbishop Ryan 77, Parkland 55
Hempfield 62, William Allen 57
Williamsport 59, Penn Wood 41
Perkiomen Valley 57, Roman Catholic 55
Reading 58, North Penn 45
Plymouth-Whitemarsh 80, Lebanon 64
Pocono Mountain West 71, Lower Merion 57
Harrisburg 55, Downingtown 34
Emmaus 68, Cheltenham 67
Abraham Lincoln 66, Conestoga 60
Carlisle 64, Coatesville 56
State College 82, Woodland Hills 71
Butler 51, Canon-McMillan 46
Pine-Richland 83, Latrobe 82
Taylor Allderdice 85, North Hills 61

SECOND ROUND
Wednesday, March 15
Sites and times, TBA
Central Dauphin East (3-6, 17-10) vs. Archbishop Ryan (12-3, 21-5)
Hempfield (3-2, 20-9) vs. Williamsport (4-1, 21-4)
Perkiomen Valley (1-8, 23-6) vs. Reading (3-3, 26-3)
Plymouth-Whitemarsh (1-3, 24-5) vs. Pocono Mountain West (11-1, 23-4)
Harrisburg (3-1, 20-6) vs. Emmaus (11-4, 21-6)
Abraham Lincoln (12-2, 23-5) vs. Carlisle (3-5, 19-8)
State College (6-1, 21-4) vs. Butler (7-2, 18-9)
Pine-Richland (7-1, 25-1) vs. Taylor Allderdice (8-1, 19-8)

~~~

CLASS 4A

FIRST ROUND
Saturday, March 5
West Philadelphia 78, Lancaster Catholic 65
Wilkes-Barre GAR Memorial 72, Selinsgrove 59
Conwell-Egan 81, Saucon Valley 59
Nanticoke 58, Bethlehem Catholic 56
Imhotep Charter 74, Harrisburg Bishop McDevitt 41
Scranton Prep 99, Salisbury 46
Universal Audenried 84, Jim Thorpe 36
Berks Catholic 59, Lewisburg 39
Middletown 71, Danville 56
Johnstown 62, Schuylkill Valley 52
Quaker Valley 76, Harbor Creek 52
Grove City 57, Central Valley 50
New Castle 72, Sharon 38
McGuffey 48, Clearfield 46
Beaver Falls 62, Central Martinsburg 52
Erie Strong Vincent 67, South Fayette 48

SECOND ROUND
Wednesday, March 15
Sites and times, TBA

West Philadelphia (12-4, 14-9) vs. Wilkes-Barre GAR Memorial (2-2, 19-7)
Conwell-Egan (12-2, 10-14)) vs. Nanticoke (2-3, 19-7)
Imhotep Charter (12-1, 27-2) vs. Scranton Prep (2-1, 23-3)
Universal Audenried (12-3, 19-5) vs. Berks Catholic (3-3, 22-7)
Middletown (3-2, 21-5) vs. Johnstown (6-1, 16-10)
Quaker Valley (7-2, 23-3) vs. Grove City (10-2, 20-6)
New Castle (7-1, 24-2) vs. McGuffey (7-5, 19-6)
Beaver Falls (7-4, 13-9) vs. Erie Strong Vincent (10-1, 24-3)

~~~

CLASS 2A
FIRST ROUND
Saturday, March 11

Julia Masterman 70, Marian Catholic 62
Halifax 47, Muncy 42 (OT)
Northeast Bradford 41, Mountain View 38
Math, Civics & Sciences 52, Christopher Dock 35
Constitution 53, Church Farm 49
Scranton Holy Cross 52, Shenandoah Valley 35
Ridgway 54, North Penn-Mansfield 50
Berlin Brothersvalley 66, Purchase Line 62
Sewickley Academy 60, Rocky Grove 47
Altoona Bishop Guilfoyle 36, McConnellsburg 35
Greensburg Central Catholic 66, West Middlesex 53
Coudersport 80, United 45
Johnstown Bishop McCort 65, Jeannette 51
Our Lady of Sacred Heart 61, Cambridge Springs 52
Bishop Canevin 74, Brockway 38
Wilmington 69, Chartiers-Houston 38

SECOND ROUND
Wednesday, March 15
Sites and times, TBA
Julia Masterman (12-3, 21-5) vs. Halifax (3-1, 17-10)
Northeast Bradford (4-2, 16-10) vs. Math, Civics & Sciences (12-1, 19-9)
Constitution (12-2, 16-9) vs. Scranton Holy Cross (2-1, 19-8)
Ridgway (9-3, 22-5) vs. Berlin Brothersvalley (5-1, 17-9) Purchase Line (6-3, 16-9)
Sewickley Academy (7-1, 21-4) vs. Altoona Bishop Guilfoyle (6-2, 18-7)
Greensburg Central Catholic (7-4, 24-1) vs. Coudersport (9-1, 25-0)
Johnstown Bishop McCort (6-1, 22-4) vs. Our Lady of Sacred Heart (7-2, 19-7)
Bishop Canevin (7-3, 20-5) vs. Wilmington (10-1, 19-7)