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Plymouth Whitemarsh gets 'wake up call' in win vs. Haverford School

01/20/2018, 11:30pm EST
By Owen McCue

Ish Horn (above) scored 19 points, including 13 in the first quarter in PW's win. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue)
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A punch in the face.

That’s how Ish Horn described Plymouth Whitemarsh’s first quarter against the Haverford School on Saturday.

The Colonials came into the game with 13 wins in 13 games, winning by an average of 35 points per game in their last six contests.

They scored just three points in the game’s first eight minutes, falling behind by 18. A spectator in the stands had to ask someone near him: “This team was supposed to be undefeated, right? What did they not play any games?”

“We were embarrassed,” Horn said. “It was embarrassing. Coach got on us bad at halftime. We had to wake up.”

Plymouth Whitemarsh coach Jim Donofrio said the Colonials didn’t make a big change. Instead, it was little things that made the difference in a 63-56 come from behind, come from way behind, victory that moved PW to 14-0 this season.

Rather than sagging five feet off Haverford’s players, PW played in your face defense. Rather than setting up their trap in the frontcourt, the Colonials extended it past the halfcourt line and into the backcourt.

The Colonials won the next three quarters after the first, taking the second by 11, the third by one and finally the fourth by 13. After six straight wins of 20 or more points, Plymouth Whitemarsh realized it had a little more to give.

“It’s a little bit of a facade,” Donofrio said. “The kids think they’re grinding and playing hard, but they weren’t. It’s human nature. You win games by 25, 30, 35, you think this thing’s easy. It’s not easy...So what a great game for us to be able to have that opportunity to have that wake up call in the face. You actually have two more gears, and you don’t care to go to them.”

Despite an increase in energy and intensity, Plymouth Whitemarsh still had trouble chipping away at Haverford’s lead late into the third quarter. Led by junior forward Christian Ray, who finished with 18, and senior guard Kharon Randolph, who finished with 14, the Fords still led by double digits past the midway point of the third.

The Colonials needed someone to take over, and Horn was the one to rise to the occasion, dominating the last 10 minutes of the game. He scored the last two buckets of the third quarter and added two more early in the fourth to close the gap to one as PW went on a 9-0 run. He drilled a three to give Plymouth Whitemarsh its first lead with 3:41 left in the fourth quarter.

The Fords’ retook the lead, but Horn put the Colonials back in front with 1:21 left. After Ahim Williams scored, Horn stole the ball and made two free throws with 43.5 seconds left to give PW a six-point lead. Horn had just two points at halftime but finished with 19, including 13 fourth-quarter points.

“That’s a hero game you tell the kids,” Donofrio said. “And not a selfish hero. Somebody’s gotta raise it, and Ish was that guy today offensively.”

Plymouth Whitemarsh should have another challenge on Tuesday when it takes on Wissahickon at home. The Colonials won a meeting earlier in the season, 67-66.

Before Saturday’s battle, Plymouth Whitemarsh’s last real test came on Dec. 28 against Bonner-Prendergast, when the Colonials survived the Friars in double overtime. PW had chances in regulation and overtime to seal up the victory, but late buckets by Bonner in each period extended the game.

Saturday’s game against Haverford was another chance to learn how to win close games.

“They weren’t trying to go away neither, but we closed out much better than we did at Bonner,” Horn said.


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