City of Basketball Love

Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue)
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Methacton senior Matt Christian has a team picture in his phone from two years ago. 

In it is junior Alex Hermann — then a freshman. He’s up in the front row, one of the smallest guys in the photo.

Hermann has sprouted up in the two years since. He was centered in the back row in this season’s team picture. He was also in the varsity shot as he’s making the leap from JV this season.

The now 6-foot-3 wing isn't so little anymore and the Warriors are expecting big things from him this winter.

“It’s really exciting," Hermann said after a 68-58 win over Abington on Tuesday. "I can’t wait for the rest of the season. It was a little nervous at first — first half of the first game — but it’s getting better and better every game.”

Hermann had 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds in Tuesday’s victory. Methacton seniors Christian (19 points, four threes) and Cameron Chilson (10 points, five assists, six rebounds) joined him in double figures. Junior Jeremiah Lee had 19 for the Ghosts, which never quite recovered after the Warriors knocked down three straight threes to end the first quarter.

Christian and Chilson are two of the only knowns on this Methacton team. Last season, they were the third and fourth scorers behind the now graduated Cole Hargrove (Drexel) and Brett Byrne — though they both had their respective explosive night’s as well.

Hermann’s a name that those around the PAC will soon become familiar with if they aren’t already. The Warriors are expecting him to join Chilson and Christian and emerge as one of their go-to guys this season. 

“This summer, we started featuring more in our offense, and we’re just trying to find different ways to get him the basketball,” Methacton coach Pat Lockard said. “He’s such a good teammate, an unselfish kid, I don’t think he always realized the ability that he has and that can be tough to step into that role, especially with Hargrove and Byrne not being here any more. We need guys to take over that, and I think Alex did a really good job attacking tonight and finishing around the basket.”

Hermann was one of the players longtime JV coach David Ford told Lokard about throughout last season. After a strong JV season as a sophomore he earned himself a spot on the varsity bench to mostly spectate last season’s run.

Then as the Warriors played without Byrne and Hargrove for the first time this spring and summer they started to see what he can bring to the table at the varsity level. He continued that into the fall, consistently producing points and rebounds on the statsheet. Three games into the season, it’s been much of the same as he has two 18-point outings already.

“I kind of saw it last year in JV and in the summer, he kind of just sprouted,” said Christian, who couldn’t help sharing that old photo of Hermann. “He’s been huge for us rebounding. He’s guarding the best player. He’s doing it all for us, and we really needed him this year.”

Hermann was a 5-9 point guard during his freshman season at Methacton. He grew to about 6-1 last season as a sophomore and added a few more inches over the summer, listing himself at about 6-3 nowadays.

He still plays point for his Eastern PA Elite squad in the spring and summer and the playmaking ability is apparent in his game. He tallied two assists on Tuesday and had a few more hockey assists and on-the-point passes as the Warriors swung the ball around.

The athletic lefty can finish when he slashes and drives to the basket but also isn’t hesitant to kick to shooters like Chilson and Christian. He can shoot the ball pretty well himself tool. His two threes in the second quarter helped Methacton close the first half strong, including a buzzer beater three that sent the Warriors into halftime with a 35-22 lead.

“I think just practicing everything,” Hermann said of his big jump this season. “I just worked a lot over the summer, lifting and working on my shot dribbling, everything. I also grew a couple inches too.”

The Warriors needed those extra inches as their frontline tops out at about 6-4. Battling down low with players like Abington senior forward Josh Young (13 points, 10 rebounds) will be one his main responsibilities along with all the other things he brings to the table.

“Especially today with the one big kid (Young), he was hard to push out for the rebounds,” Hermann said.

“It’s difficult, but I’ve been working, getting stronger through the summer. I’m continuing to get stronger through the season.”

Methacton opened its season with a 61-59 win over Emmaus last Friday. The Warriors had a lead entering the third quarter against Upper Darby on Saturday before the Royals’ pressure turned them over quite a bit in the fourth quarter of a 55-51 loss.

The Warriors led by double digits for almost the entirety of the second half on Tuesday until Lee’s three with 2:27 left made it a nine-point game, 58-49. Senior Jack D’Arco knocked down a pair of fourth-quarter threes to get the Warriors' lead down to as low as seven.

They broke the Ghosts’ press and Christian made 7-of-8 free throws in the fourth to ice the game and avoid any concerns of a repeat. Having someone with size like Hermann comfortable handing the ball certainly helped as well.

The first goal for Hermann and his teammates this season is a PAC title. The Warriors have won four of the last five and would like to become part of that dominant stretch run.

Hermann is prepared to help out how he can to make that happen. He hopes he and his teammates don’t stop growing together any time soon.

“We’ve watched a lot of good teams, and I’ve always wanted to have a top team of my own,” Hermann said.

“I think it’s just our toughness and our chemistry,” Hermann said of the keys for this team. “We haven’t played together a ton. It’s a new group. Especially from the first two games to now we’ve gotten a lot better.”

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Methacton 68, Abington 58

By Quarter
Methacton: 17  |  18  |  15  |  18  ||  68
Abington:  9   |  13  |  15  |  21  ||  58

Scoring

Methacton: Matt Christian 19, Alex Hermann 18, Cam Chilson 10, Preston Hull 6, Sal Iemello 5, Anthony Daddazio 3, Jason Lagana 2.

Neshaminy: Jeremiah Lee 19, Josh Young 13, Kellen Ingram 11, Jack D’Arco 6, Paul Glants 5, Damon Rawls 2, Kamari Brashar 2.