City of Basketball Love

Andrew Robinson (@ADRobinson3)
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NEW HOLLAND — The signs keep getting bigger.

With each step along their trip through the PIAA 6A bracket, the Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials have seen larger and larger signs of support in their roving band of fans. Friday night, the big banner pregame was replaced with an even bigger one at the conclusion of the Colonials' state semifinal against District 3 powerhouse Cedar Crest.

On it, written in alternating red and blue letters, was a simple message.

GO PW. HERSHEY, HERE WE COME.

The Colonials did what they've done all season, which is win, and this time it got them a ticket to the state title game.

Another resilient defensive effort, another total team effort and another helping of clutch plays throughout pushed the Colonials past the Colts 48-35 at Garden Spot High School.

"I think we just rise to the challenge," senior point guard Katilyn Flanagan said. "We never underestimate a team, that's a big thing we harp on. We come in thinking this is the best team we've played every single game so we can get ourselves in that mentality so we can come out strong."

Plymouth Whitemarsh senior Erin Daley holds one of the signs the Colonials' supporters brought with them to Garden Spot. (Photo: Andrew Robinson/CoBL)

Playing in their first state semifinal since 1985, the Colonials led nearly wire-to-wire and did little to hide their excitement at finally reaching the state title game that's eluded this core for three years.

"It's been a little bit like a unicorn," PW coach Dan Dougherty said. "We say every year we want to win a state championship but now that it's actually here it's just surreal. We talked to the kids about it beforehand, no one owes us this, just because of COVID and everything, nobody owed us this, these other teams all wanted to win just as badly.

"The sheer joy at the end of the game and in the locker room there, it's sinking in like 'oh my gosh, we're actually going to Hershey.'"

PW, which was again without senior defensive anchor Jordyn Thomas, faced perhaps its strongest test of the postseason in a Colts team that had knocked off three straight opponents from District 1 or 12 and made a mark hammering the glass. Add in a superb freshman wrecking ball in Olivia Jones and the Colonials knew they had their work cut out for them.

While starting slow had been an issue in the previous two games, it was the total opposite on Friday. Jones scored the first basket of the game, then it was all Colonials for the rest of the first quarter. Lainey Allen scored on a putback, Flanagan hit an outlet to Abby Sharpe for a layup and Erin Daley got a second-chance hoop for a lead PW wouldn't relinquish.

Sharpe, who finished with eight of her 15 in the first, attributed it to the team's shared mentality.

"We're just so close, we really wanted this, so we said before the game let's just play our game," Sharpe said. "We like to play fast, we like to get the ball in transition and I thought we did a really good job rebounding the ball and looking up right away which gave us those fastbreaks, that early lead and great momentum for the rest of the game."

What makes PW's defense so stout is how good the Colonials players are at defending without fouling. Already shorthanded, they would have to navigate some rare foul trouble against the physical Colts to which they again, found a way to adapt.

Daley, who opened up on Jones, was tagged for two personal fouls in the first quarter meaning Flanagan had to take over on the 5-foot-10 freshman. While she had to change assignments, Daley's mentality didn't waver in the slightest.

"It doesn't take away from how aggressive I plan to be, I can guard you 1-v-1 and not foul you all day long, I do it all time so I'm not going out there to play scared," Daley, who posted six points, said. "That would mess up my game because it's such a strong passion of mine."

Anyone needing evidence of that got it with 3:25 left in the first half when Daley slid in and drew an offensive charge on Jones, giving the freshman a second foul. It was a potential gamble, but Daley knew it was the play her team needed her to make.

"I saw my teammate get beat and I decided I was going to slide over and step up," Daley said. "In that moment, I had the confidence - it's either all-in or all-out because you're either stepping up and getting a charge or half-doing it and getting a foul so I just went for it."

Every game has been a challenge in its own way this season. Friday, between the foul trouble and a physical opponent, it forced the Colonials to raise their level.

Allen, who also battled foul trouble but still registered another double-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks, felt it was just the push she and her teammates needed. They all wanted to win for Thomas and if meant Allen had to work a little harder to corral the numerous tipped and deflected rebounds under the basket, she was going to do it.

"Honestly, I'm nervous, I'm a little shaky when I'm defending aggressively but if I'm going to go out, I'm going out strong and I'm going to defend how I normally defend," the senior forward said. "I'm not going to be scared, I don't want to be soft. They were a very physical team which I think was good for us because it builds us.

"They were a tough team and I liked that they were physical because it makes us a stronger team in the long run."

Members of the Whitemarsh Girls Basketball League were in attendance to cheer on Plymouth Whitemarsh. (Photo: Andrew Robinson/CoBL)

Physical might be an understatement. Flanagan also scored 15 and was fouled 10 times, at least the Colts were tagged for fouling her 10 times as she took a fair bit of contact on a couple other drives that could have warranted a whistle. Daley had an ice bag wrapped around her leg and even senior Fiona Gooneratne was sporting a new, tiny cut just above her right eye after the game.

"It shows we're really well-rounded, we can sub in various people and we're still able to keep the integrity," Gooneratne, who played great defense on Cedar Cliff guard Taylor Ferraro, said. "(Angelina) Balcer gave us great minutes off the bench. I think a game like this shows us how versatile we can be.

"Things happen but we keep reminding each other to play through it, play hard, we can't wait or expect the foul call."

A steal and layup by Sharpe with 2:33 left in the third put PW ahead 33-19 to give the Colonials their biggest lead of the game although the Colts would cut it back to nine going into the fourth. An Allen layup off a fantastic dish by Flanagan gave the Colonials a double-digit lead with 6:42 left but their offense went cold for the next three minutes as the Colts cut it down to just seven.

Dougherty called a timeout and told his players to run their go-to man offense, which is based heavily on reads. Daley again figured it was a good opportunity to step in and take one for the team, in this case, one to the basket off a screen.

Her layup broke the drought and after the Colonials got a stop, Flanagan scored on a drive to push the advantage back to 11 heading into the final three minutes.

"I've gotten that specific play a couple times, it's usually with Jordyn but I said to Lainey, 'I'm going to keep it,' we practice it all the time," Daley said. "On the inbound, they were so used to fighting over the screen because they wanted to trap the ball so I knew it would be there and I set it up."

PW closed things out at the line, making 7-of-8 after missing five to start the quarter and with a steal and layup from Flanagan with a minute left. Jones led all scorers with 20 points and the freshman earned plaudits from several of the PW players who were impressed with the maturity of her game already.

Before the season, the Colonials met as a team and set their goals for the year. They weren't afraid to go big, marking down league, SOL, district and state titles as expectations then working as a collective to go out and get them.

"It comes from the confidence we have in each other," Sharpe said. "If someone's in trouble, the next person can step up. Any five of us on the court can do that, if one person's in trouble, we're telling them to just calm down but also that next person, they start looking to be aggressive which just reiterates and comes from the confidence we all have in each other."

Battling knee issues for the last two years, Allen could appreciate as much as anyone the feeling of realization that PW was going to the title game as the final seconds ticked off the clock.

"It's kind of unbelievable," Allen said. "I'm thankful our hard work has paid off, especially senior year going to states, it's unbelievable to me and I'm just so grateful we're all able to experience this."

PW will face District 7 champion Mt. Lebanon, a 41-35 winner over District 3 champion Central Dauphin, in the 6A title game next Saturday at the Giant Center in Hershey. The one thing the Colonials haven't had this postseason is much time to celebrate their wins, so with time off, they'll have to adjust to that as well and take a step back to tally it all up.

"Usually, it's the night before we can enjoy it, then the next day we go right back down so it is so much of this emotionally," Flanagan said, making an undulating motion with her hand. "Having this week, it feels like a whole vacation."

It gives the Colonials some much-needed time to rest, a chance to go see Gooneratne perform in the school musical's final showing and potentially go see alum Taylor O'Brien and Bucknell play at Drexel in their second round WNIT game. Hershey, the state title and their opponent in Mt. Lebanon will still be there and they've earned a chance to take it all in.

The real question is, just how big will the signs be when they finally do get to Hershey?

"It's nice having this weekend to enjoy this and not jump right back into a new game," Gooneratne said. "We can appreciate and reflect on how much we've done and see how much our hard work is paying off."

By Quarter
PW: 16  |   9   |   8   |  15  ||  48
CC:   8   |   8   |   8   |  11  ||  35

Scoring
Plymouth Whitemarsh: Abby Sharpe 15, Kaitlyn Flanagan 15, Lainey Allen 12, Erin Daley 6

Cedar Cliff: Olivia Jones 20, Samantha Reilly 4, Ryan Kaercher 4, Taylor Ferraro 4, Sydney Weyant 3