City of Basketball Love

Austin Petolillo (@AustinPSports)

--

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- A PIAA Class 4A semifinal between Imhotep Charter and Greater Nanticoke began in a raucous atmosphere, but by the second half, the partisan crowd of Nanticoke supports found themselves without much to be cheering.

But there sure was one moment in particular that brought the bleachers at Freedom High School back to life, if only for a brief second.

Midway through the third quarter, Russell had a steal and not a single Nanticoke defender was in sight. The 5-foot-11 guard went up for a one-handed slam, only to have the ball pop out of the hoop and out of bounds.

The crowd went nuts.

“I normally dunk that but my legs were worn out,” a smiling Russell said afterwards. “The crowd reaction didn’t bother me because we were up by so much that I could have a laugh about it.”

With Imhotep’s significant advantage in the size, talent and athletic categories, Greater Nanticoke was already in for a tough challenge in a PIAA Class 4A semifinal game at Freedom High School in Bethlehem PA.

Then the Panthers came out shooting, and the Trojans didn't stand a chance.

Imhotep came out firing on all cylinders on Tuesday night, coasting to a 60-23 blowout victory over the Trojans 60-23 advancing to the PIAA 4A Championship game at the GIANT Center on Saturday.

It’s the first trip to Hershey since 2013 for Imhotep, which captured the old AAA title a year after winning the AA crowd in 2012; the Panthers also won it all in 2009 and 2011, going 4-for-4 in their state championship appearances.

Russell, a Rhode Island commit led the way with 22 points, four assists and two rebounds against the Trojans. Junior guard Bernard Lightsey joined him in double figures with 10 points, including a trio of 3-pointers.

South Carolina-bound guard David Beatty scored only four points and only grabbed three rebounds but he was a lockdown defender the whole game.

Imhotep (30-2) was up 15-8 after one quarter, but shot out to a 39-15 lead at half, then held Nanticoke (21-8) to just two points in the third quarter to surge out to a 57-17 advantage.

The entire fourth quarter was played with a running clock due to the mercy rule, moving the No. 6 ranked high school team in the entire country (per USA Today) just one win away from their goal; a state title.

“It’s special,” Imhotep head coach Andre Noble said. “The year before Daron came here was the last time we went and he has not been to the championship game as a player so this was great for him to get to do it.

“It’s a great feeling right now and I waited four years for this one moment,” Russell said. “I watched teams before me get there and I just never got there myself so for me to actually get there it’s amazing.”

That Imhotep will be playing for a state championship on Saturday -- against District 10 champ Strong Vincent, which downed Quaker Valley in the other 4A semifinal on Tuesday night -- surprises no one, as the Panthers

They’ve been driven the last few seasons by Russell, a dynamic lead guard with a scoring touch similar to one of the best ever to play in Philadelphia: Allen Iverson. Slender and speedy like the former 76ers star, Russell has made a name for himself for his ability to get the ball into the hoop, no matter how much he has to throw his body around.

“Daron was not a household name as an eighth grader but he’s worked super hard,” Noble said. “He’s our all-time leading scorer, all-time leader in assists and steals and one of the best guys in the state and I think that’s because of the work that he’s put in at Imhotep.”

Russell’s days as an Imhotep player are numbered, but judging by this particular performance, he was not ready to say goodbye to his illustrious high school career.

“I love it,” he said. “It makes me step my level of play up, it forces you to value every possession knowing that it could be my last game so I love these win-or-go-home type of games.”

The only thing missing from Russell’s Imhotep career is that state championship title.

“I tease him all the time, I always say ‘all the really good players got a state title.’” Noble said. “Hopefully on Saturday he can solidify his position as one of the greatest Imhotep players ever.

“He’s already an all-time great but a ring would be icing on the cake.”