City of Basketball Love

By Dan Arkans (@dan arkans)
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Royersford – The Spring-Ford boys basketball team was going to need a lot more than Jacob Nguyen to survive a test from rival Phoenixville in the PAC semifinals on Saturday afternoon.

Nguyen was held to 13 points, but the rest of the Rams stepped up in a gutsy 59-53 victory, which sends them to the PAC championship on Monday night against Pope John Paul II.

In fact, four players scored in double figures with Nguyen and Syaire Barnes each scoring 13, Tommy Kelly 12 and Jack Kennedy 11.

“This was the whole season’s goal,” Kelly said. “After watching them cut the nets down and being on the other end of it my sophomore year, I knew I had to get back one more time.”

In front of a packed crowd, the Rams didn’t score their first bucket until three minutes into the contest. From there the nerves were gone, Spring-Ford had the better of play with Nguyen and Kennedy both hitting 3-pointers in the first quarter as the Rams led 12-5.

“It wasn’t revenge, we were determined to win,” Nguyen said. “We want to go back to the PAC championship. We lost last year by a buzzer beater, so that was our goal.”

The offenses stalled in the second quarter, but a 10-4 spurt to close the half got Phoenixville within one 20-19 at halftime. Despite missing point guard Keron Booth to an injury the Phantoms were back in business. In fact, Trey Lear hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send them into the locker room feeling the momentum.

“It was tough trying to get some buckets early on,” Phoenixville head coach Eric Burnett said. “That has been our achilles heel in the last couple of games here. We got it rolling. It was a great game. Great defensive team, their length definitely got to us a little bit.” 

The offenses came out to play in the third quarter. Tufts commit Deacon Baratta opened the frame with a 3-pointer and all of a sudden Phoenixville was up 22-20. Three-pointers by Kennedy (2), Barnes and Nguyen pushed Spring-Ford back ahead.

“They bring a lot of energy,” Kelly said. “A lot of their younger guys bring a lot of energy. You don’t see that all the time, sophomores and juniors bring that type of energy. We weathered the storm. We were able to make a couple plays down the stretch and were able to pull away at the end.” 

Baratta was a difference maker especially in the third quarter. He continued to answer with bucket after bucket en route to his 22-point effort, but the Rams were still up 42-39 after 3.

“It was a lot of fun,” Nguyen said. “Playing in front of a big crowd, PAC semifinal, high intensity, a lot of fun especially when you all play together as a team all locked in. It was great to get the dub at the end of the fourth quarter.” 

Barnes opened the fourth with an acrobatic drive, Kennedy scored on a putback and two free throws stretched the lead to 48-39. 

Guess what? Phoenixville didn’t blink.

Baratta hit a 3-pointer and Lear scored to cut the deficit to 50-46. Off an inbounds play, Nguyen got free for his third trey of the night and a 53-46 lead.

“It was a big shot,” Nguyen said. “I was ready for that.” 

Lear came right back with a 3-pointer and after a basket from Stephen Yurick the lead was down to 53-51 with 1:40 to go.

Phoenixville went with a trap but Kelly found Blake Turner with a layup and only his second basket of the night. Baratta answered with a pair of free throws and it was once again a 2-point game with 44 seconds left.

“Just our poise on offense,” said Nguyen of the last minute of the contest. “It was a tight game, but we knew we were in control. Coach (Joe) Dempsey, great coach and his play calls, play together. What was it four players in double digits? I love that. On defense we played great I think.”

This time, Nguyen found Kelly off a double team and it was a dunk, an exclamation point and a trip to the PAC championship game.

“I just always give credit to my teammates,” Kelly said. “They put me in a position where I am able to make a play. People see what I am doing, but they don’t see them call my name out seven times so I can hit them for a layup or Jacob slinging the ball 100 miles an hour so I can get that dunk in the end.”

Notes: Burnett expects point guard Booth back for the district playoffs and is looking forward to resetting the team.

“They are disappointed,” Burnett said. “When you don’t reach one goal you try for another. This is a team that doesn’t want their season to end. I know they are going to bring it. Keron is on his way to getting healthy. We should have him back in the next couple of days here. We will see where he’s at.”

By Quarter

Spring-Ford 12-8-22-17-59

Phoenixville 5-14-20-14-53

Scoring

Spring-Ford (59): Turner 4; Kelly 12; Nguyen 13; Kennedy 11; Barnes 13; Pufko 2; Marsilio 4.

Phoenixville (53): Lear 13; Yurick 6; O’Donnell 3; Leo 2; Smith 7; Baratta 22.