By Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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When he was a seventh grader at St. Anastasia’s in Newtown Square, Mike Rush Jr. went to see Matt Gardler play for the first time. It didn’t take him long to have an important realization about the Marple Newtown then-sophomore.
“Right when I saw him, I knew I wanted to play with him,” Rush said. “I’d known who he was, but then I went to a game and realized how good he was, and that’s when I realized I wanted to play with him [...] the way he can involve his teammates, and he can score, and he can lead a lot. He’s a really good leader.”
Mike Rush Jr. (above) has been starting all season for Marple as a freshman. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)
Two years later, Rush is sharing the backcourt with Gardler, getting a first-hand look at what makes the Tigers senior so impressive, while also working on carrying that torch over the next three years. The pair were both impressive on Friday night, combining for 41 points as Marple Newtown topped Conestoga, 54-53 in overtime, in an important win for the Tigers’ postseason positioning.
Gardler, who’s past the 1,300-point mark and will finish second in Marple history in scoring, got his first look at Rush last year, going over to St. Anastasia’s — only about a half-mile from his high school, and for whom he played his CYO ball — multiple times last year, coming away impressed each time.
“I knew he was a terrific shooter and could play really well,” the 6-foot-tall senior guard said. “I was excited to play with him, (he reminded) me of my game when I was a freshman, it was fun to see.”
Rush shadowed Gardler on a visit to the school in the spring, getting a chance to meet several of his potential future basketball teammates and pepper them with questions about the school and the team. A three-sport athlete who also plays football and lacrosse, Rush’s decision came down to Marple or St. Joseph’s Prep.
The appeal of playing with Gardler won out, and he stayed home to play in the Central League. He debuted with the Tigers during Philly Live in June, Sean Spratt’s program missing several multi-sport athletes, giving the rising freshman a chance to get a taste of varsity action.
“The competition was pretty good, you could tell he just wasn’t fazed by that level,” Spratt said of the 6-foot-1, 155-pound guard. “And what he’s doing here, he did in June for us. That was a comforting assurance.”
Rush, whose father Mike Rush Sr. played at Upper Darby, earned a starting spot on the opening night of the varsity season, Maple beating Overbrook High 62-48. A week later, Central League play began with a loss to Springfield (Delco.), but Friday’s win was their eight in the last nine games.
“My first game, I was really nervous, because I’d never been in a crowd like that, the student section was packed,” Rush said. “When I hit my first shot, that’s when I knew I could compete with these guys and just keep on doing what I’m doing.”
Gardler (above) pulls up for two of his game-high 26 points. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)
Rush has been starting all year long for Marple Newtown (12-3, 7-3 Central League), scoring a season-high 23 points against Episcopal Academy at Widener University to close out 2024. He scored 15 in Friday’s win over Conestoga (12-3, 7-3), including two key fourth-quarter 3-pointers of a game that ultimately needed four extra minutes to settle.
The first, off a feed from Gardler, put Marple up 48-40 with six minutes to play in the fourth quarter; his second, from Ryan Keating, made it 51-44 with 4:30 left, the final point Marple scored before overtime. Those were the third and fourth triples he hit on the evening, as he went 4-of-7 from deep and 5-of-8 from the floor overall.
“From the first game to now, he’s developed a lot,” Gardler said. “His confidence shooting the ball is just tremendous.”
Gardler had the assist on the only bucket of overtime, a layup by Jack Dean with 2:50 to play. Conestoga answered with two foul shots by senior Ben Robinson, and the Pioneers press forced a number of turnovers, but a pair of charges taken by Rush and Dean negotiated a couple go-ahead layups.
Conestoga tried to trap Gardler in the corner with 12 seconds to play but fouled him with 10 seconds left, the senior making one of two for the game’s final point. Conestoga turned it over with 3.5 seconds left, Dean getting free behind the defense and dribbling out the clock as the Marple student section rushed the court.
The second quarter was a clinic from Gardler, who had 15 of his game-high 26 in that frame, hitting one pull-up mid-range jumper after another and capping it off with a pull-up 3-pointer to send Marple into the half up 28-24.
The win moved Marple into a four-way tie with Lower Merion, Conestoga and Springfield (Delco.) for third place in the Central League, two games clear of Haverford High. Penncrest (9-1) and Garnet Valley (8-2) lead the way in the Central League race, the top six all qualifying for the league playoffs and the top two earning buys into the semifinals.
The Tigers play one more against the “big school” half of the Central, at Haverford High on Tuesday, before their second matchups against the other “small schools” in the league, beginning with Springfield (Delco.) next Thursday.
Just about of equal importance, Friday’s win also lifted Marple into third place in the unofficial District 1 5A rankings, fractions of a point ahead of Upper Moreland (13-4), Pottsgrove (14-2) and Springfield (Delco.) (11-3). The top 12 qualify for the district playoffs; with that all but secured, the Tigers are aiming for a top-four finish and the bye into the quarterfinals that brings, one win away from a state berth.
“Getting a bye in the first round, not having to use our guys and get some rest would be huge,” Gardler said.
By Quarter
Marple: 11 | 17 | 16 | 7 | 3 || 54
Stoga: 12 | 12 | 11 | 16 | 2 || 53
Shooting
Marple: 21-44 FG (6-19 3PT), 4-11 FT
Stoga: 20-49 FG (4-18 3PT), 9-12 FT
Scoring
Marple: Matt Gardler 26, Mike Rush 15, Jack Dean 4, Ryan Keating 4, John Matthews 2, Sean Grogan 2, Jackson Park 1
Stoga: Cory Hogan 15, Sam Gibbs 14, Rowan Miller 14, Ben Robinson 8, Luke Hunter 2
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Tag(s): Home Josh Verlin High School Boys HS Central League (B) Conestoga Marple Newtown