Ryan soph PG Joe Zeglinski hit a desperation 35-foot three-pointer as time expired to lift the Red Raiders past Olney. Trailing by two, Ryan had the ball under their own basket with just :04 seconds remaining. Sr. 6-5 F Joe Mullin hit Zeglinski with the pass as he ran from left-to-right. After receiving the ball he headed upcourt. After crossing halfcourt he dribbled to right, moved a little closer and then launched his shot. SWISH! The shot found nothing but net and set off a wild celebration. The Trojans were stunned and many were visibly upset. Up until this point Zeglinski had just a so-so outing. He finished with 13 points, but was just 4-for-14 from the field, including just 2-for-8 from the arc. Sr. WG Jim Welsh nailed four three-pointers on his way to 17 points. Mullin added 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Soph 6-7 C Kevin Hudgeons did an admirable job with Olney’s big men and battled for 9 rebounds and 4 blocks. Olney’s sr. 6-5 F Erik “Ugs” Adams scored 18 points and claimed 15 rebounds. It was his put-back that gave Olney a 52-50 lead before Zeglinski’s heroics. Sr. WG Kevin Presberry added 16 points and sr. PG Andrew Jerry notched 10 points and 6 assists.

WEST REGION: (Mar. 19 – at: St. Joe’s Prep)

Dougherty IS White Hot In Opener
(1) Dougherty 73, (8) Dobbins 45

   The nasty taste of losing the Catholic League Championship still looms for the Cardinal Dougherty basketball team. However, they wasted little time dispatching the offensively challenged Mustangs. Playing with an obvious chip on the shoulders Dougherty pounded Dobbins in the first half outscoring them 42-15. What a display of basketball and leading the charge was sr. 6-7 F DeSean White (Providence signee). White was only 12-for-14 from the field and just ripped through the Mustang defense at will. He used an array of short jumpers and easy put backs to do his damage. He also claimed 13 rebounds. Sr. PG Kyle Lowry (Nova signee) was very impressive as well and had a well-balanced line. He finished with 14 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, and 5 steals.
Sr. 6-8 F Shane Clark (Nova signee) added 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 blocks. Sr. PG Timmy Smith deposited his only two field goal attempts, both threes, but dropped 7 dimes. Sr. F Ahkieme McClendon who scored 16 points and claimed 8 rebounds led the Mustangs.

Great Scott! FLC Advances
(4) FLC 57, (5) University City 50

     FLC’s sr. PG Michael Scott doesn’t always get the limelight, but the heady floor leader is quietly having one of the finer seasons in the city. Tonight, he was very instrumental in seeing that the Bobcats moved on the second round. Trailing 48-46, Scott scored six consecutive points to put his team up for good. Both were three-point plays. First, he hit a conventional trey from the top of the key. Then, on the next possession he slithered through multiple Jaguar defenders, drew contact and scored while being foul. The made freebie gave the Bobcats a 52-48 lead with just over a minute to play. For the game he scored 19 points, dealt 5 assists, and plucked 4 steals. Scott is a capable score and distributor, but it is his heady play and court awareness that is usually so valuable for the Bobcats. Also playing pivotal roles were sr. 6-4 F Joshua Grier 12 points and 9 rebounds and sr. F Meril Branch 11 points and 13 rebounds. The Jaguars battled hard, but couldn’t expand that late two-point lead. Thrice they had opportunities, but failed to cash in. They had three players reach double-digits. Jr. F Anthony Morrision (14), sr. G Antoine Coaxum (13), and sr. G Jeffery Andrepoint (11). Morrison and Andrepoint evenly split 24 rebounds. FLC will now take on Dougherty in what should be a very entertaining contest.

SOUTH REGION: (Mar. 20 – at: Neumann)

Quakers Make Quick Work Of Indians
(1)   Penn Charter 84, (8) Roxborough 51

   The Penn Charter basketball team has been playing some of its best ball over the last month and a half. Their momentum continued tonight after they dismantled an overmatched Roxborough squad. Sr. PG Sean Singletary (Virginia signee) once again proved why he is one of the top players in the area with another resounding performance. Tonight, he torched the Roxborough defense for 26 points on 10-for13 shooting from the field. He also added 6 assists, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals. He was very prominent in the first quarter when he helped his team race out to a 28-8 lead. He scored 14 of his points in the opening stanza. Sr. 6-9 F Rob Kurz (Notre Dame signee) added 20 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 swats. Jr. WG Zack Zeglinski nailed five three-pointers on his way to 17 points and also added 4 assists. Younger brother frosh. WG Sammy Zeglinski chipped in with 8 points and 6 dimes. The lone bright spot for the Indians was sr. WG Donte Robinson who scored 24 points and hit 5 threes. Jr. F Ameer Ali did reach double-digits with 11 points and 6 rebounds.

Lancers' Prayer Answered By A Saint
(5) Central 54, (4) Frankford 52

     Lancers promising soph 6-3 WG Kenny St. George found himself in the right place at the right time at the end of his team’s first round win over Frankford. St. George put home jr. WG 6-3 Scott Rodgers' missed trey from the left corner with just :02 seconds left for the winning basket. After dribbling up the left side Rodgers became trapped in the corner and had to force a desperation shot. The shot missed badly, but St. George was in excellent position, caught the air ball and laid it gently off the glass. Frankford’s jr. G Ryan Smith halfcourt heave came up short as time expired. The Lancers trailed by six entering the final quarter. However, they started the quarter with eight straight points to take their first lead of the game. Rodgers led the Lancers with 16 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 steals. St. George was next with 13 points and 7 rebounds. Jr. PG Lamar Williams was steady throughout and produced 12 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals. Soph WG Lewis Leornard paced the Pioneers with 14 points. Smith added 13 points and 3 steals. Sr. F Malik Dickerson hustled for 12 points and 10 rebounds.

SUBURBAN REGION: (Mar. 20 – at: Malvern)

Prep Shoots Judge Out Of Tourney
(1) SJ Prep 72, (8) Father Judge 45

     The Catholic League champs put of a shooting exhibition that will have many who witnessed it talking for days, if not weeks. The Hawklets nailed their first six treys and before the Crusader realized what had hit them they trailed 24-5. The Prep went on to hit 11-of-14 three-pointers in the first half and had an overwhelming 44-17 halftime lead. They cooled off in the second half and only hit 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. Leading the charge was sr. sniper WG John Griffin (Bucknell signee) who dialed up long distance seven times on his way to a team-high 23 points. Sr. PG Chris Clark scored 15 points (3- threes) and dished 8 assists. Soph. 6-3 F Reggie Redding notched 14 points and 13 rebounds. Sr. WG Jared Black hit all three of his shots from the arc for 9 points. The Prep finished 15-for-21 from the beyond the arc and shot 24-for-35 from the field for the game. For Judge, sr. 6-5 F Steve Wolf battled for 17 points and 9 rebounds.

Southern Slips Past Engineers
(4) Southern 66, Engineering & Science 60

     Southern’s Public League season ended disappointingly with a first round loss to University City. However, after a solid team effort a similar fate was avoided in the first round of the city basketball tournament. The Rams posted four players double figures and held off a late rally by the Engineers to advance to the second round where they will meet Catholic League champion St. Joe’s Prep. Leading the way was high-scoring jr. 6-4 WG Kashief Carr. The explosive wing player scored 23 points and made 4 steals. Sr. PG Antione “Doo Dirty” Brown had a solid floor game. He contributed 10 points, 8 assists, and 5 steals. His last theft led to an easy lay-up that expanded a lead from two to four points. E&S would draw no closer. Sr. 6-5 F Shawn Sabb was 6-for-9 from the field and scored 16 points. He also was a terror on the boards as he claimed 15 rebounds. Sr. WG Keith Grimes added 12 points and 3 steals. The Rams slammed the Engineers on the glass to the tone of 46-to-23. Sr. WG Kechan Myers led E&S with 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals. Sr. WG Tramaine Jackson (17) and sr. CG Michael Ganier (12) each reached double-digits. E&S trailed by 16 points entering the fourth quarter, but drew with in 58-56 with just 3:02 left. This is when Brown made his steal and the rally attempt stalled.

SWEET 16

NORTH REGION: (Mar. 24 - at: Phila. Univ.)

In The Nick Of Time Explorers Upset Cahillites
(3) LaSalle 71, (2) Roman (70) (Triple - Overtime)

     LaSalle sr. 6-4 F Nick Shattuck tipped-in a missed shot as time expired to give the Explorers the victory in three exhilarating overtimes. Following the good goal it was utter chaos. The tip was so close to the horn that there was a slight hesitation by all three referees before a signal to count it became clear. Fans from both schools were on the court, both seemingly celebrating the win. Within seconds the Roman faithful were stunned to see that their team had fallen. Roman Head Coach Dennis Seddon, an assistant, and believe it or not the PA announcer (Dan Hoban. Roman graduate/loyalist) chased the trio of officials into their dressing room to dispute the call. They reappeared moments later still visibly shaken. To the naked eye, or ear, it was too close to call. The final bucket by Shattuck capped what was a remarkable performance from the late-blooming prospect. Showing little rust from an earlier ankle injury the crafty small forward was simply amazing. He torched the Cahillite defense for 35 points. He shot 12-for-17 from the field (four threes) and 7-for-8 from the line while doing his damage. He also collected 13 rebounds and swatted 3 shots. At the end of regulation he sent the game to overtime by nailing his third three, knotting the game at 53-53. The Cahillites could have ended the contest after just one OT, but sr. 6-5 F Brent Johnson (9 pts, 11 rebs) hit only one-of-two freebies with just a second left on the clock. The score was tied 57-57 after the first overtime. Neither team got close to winning at the end of the second overtime. However, with just over a minute to play in that session, LaSalle sr. WG Ryan Kirk (13 points) with his team trailing by four hit a three-pointer while being fouled. He sunk the foul shot and locked-up the game at 64-64. A long two by Roman jr. PG Bobby Jordan (12 pts, 7 asst) caromed off the front of the rim as time expired. With :17 seconds left in the third OT Roman franchise sr. 6-4 F Charron Fisher bullied his way to the basket giving Roman their last lead at 70-69. After a timeout, the Explorers appeared to have set up a play for Shattuck. As the seconds ran off the clock sr. PG Colin Fitzgerald (8 points, 5 assist) tried to find Shattuck as he ran off a couple of screens, but he was covered tightly. So, as time wound down Fitzgerald forced an off-balanced 8-footer to the right of the lane. The shot missed, but Shattuck appeared out of nowhere to provide his heroics. The Explorers got good contributions from sr. WG Kevin Moll (10 points, 4 steals, 6 rebounds) and jr. F Joe Sobocinski (11 rebounds). The loss ended the career of Fisher, but he had another monster performance. Tonight, he finished with 37 points (13-20 FG’s, 11-12 FT’s) and swept 21 rebounds.

Walden, Gratz Celebrate With Block Party
(1) Simon Gratz 59, (5) Archbishop Ryan 42

     In the nightcap at Philadelphia University, sr. C 6-7 Matthew Walden and his Bulldog teammates held a block party against the Raiders of Ryan. Gratz blocked 14 shots and Walden in particular swatted eight. Ryan had a difficult scoring from in close all evening as countless other attempts were altered. Walden, who has been somewhat of an enigma in his career, had the type of breakout performance that have the D-2’s and some D-1’s intrigued. The long and athletic senior seemed to be everywhere all night. Besides the blocks he contributed 8 points and 12 rebounds, as he got within sniffing distance of a triple-double. The Bulldogs sputtered to a degree early and led just 10-4 after one quarter and 24-13 at the intermission. In fact, the game had a serious defensive tone and at times lacked any real cohesiveness from either team. In the early stages of the third quarter Ryan actually got as close as 26-23 after a sr. WG Jim Welsh (11 points) three-pointer. However, the Bulldogs ended the quarter with a 16-to-4 run and led comfortably, 42-27 after three quarters. Sr. 6-5 F Mark Tyndale, the Public League Player of the Year, scored 18 of his 22 points in the second half. He also claimed 12 rebounds and blocked 3 shots. Sr. PG Tyrone "Tamir" Smith supplied constant energy with 12 points, 6 assists, and 4 steals. Sr. 6-4 F Jason Hickenbottom add 10 points and 8 rebounds. Sr. F Malcolm Welles was a defensive force throughout. Leading Ryan was sr. 6-5 F Joe Mullin with 14 points and 7 rebounds. Soph WG Joe Zeglinski added 13 points. Ryan shot just 16-for-47 from the field. They were also a dismal 2-for-14 from the arc.

WEST REGION: (Mar. 24 - at: Drexel Univ.)

Upset Bid By Burrs Just Ott Of Reach
(2) Germantown Acad. 64, (3) West Catholic 60

     The Patriots behind an enormous effort from soph 6-9 C Andrew Ott held off the upset-minded Burrs to advance to the Elite Eight. The Burrs had no answer to Ott’s size and the sophomore prospect had his way all evening. Ott helped provide his team with a comfortable 33-20 halftime lead by using his soft hands to deposit basket after basket from in close. He scored 26 points in the game with a torrid 12-for-15 shooting performance. He also grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked 5 shots. Whenever the Burrs seemed to be on the verge of drawing closer he would have an answer. A handful of his buckets came on put backs and many were back-breaking. Jr. 6-6 F Ryan Ayers was next with 18 points and 9 rebounds. Sr. PG Larry Sharp hit four key free throws late and added 7 points and 6 assists. Jr. 6-6 F Brian Grimes still working his way back from a broken hand added 8 points and 7 rebounds.     Though the Burrs trailed by as many as 17 points in the first half they rallied and made a game of it during the fourth quarter. Things started ominously for West as they arrived to the gym later than expected. This happened even though the school is just mile or so from Drexel. The Burrs’ bus failed to arrive to the school. With no school van on site and not enough vehicles to fit all of the team members Head Coach Bill Ludlow decided to have his team walk to Drexel. The trip wouldn’t have been that bad, but the team ran into a few detours on their way down Market Street. First, they were directed to travel a few blocks out of their way because of a disturbance along Market Street. Then, the skies opened up and the rains came pouring down as the team scurried the last few blocks to the gym. When the game started the Burrs came out ice cold. They fell down 8-0 and 17-4 before shaking off the rust from their unforeseeable journey. The Burrs trailed by just nine, at 50-41 entering the final stanza. They eventually got as close as two points at 56-54, but ran out of gas before completing the comeback. Sr. 6-4 WG Marshall Taylor paced the Burrs with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 steals. Sr. WG Robert Latimer aided with 17 points.

Dougherty Dismantles FLC To Reach Elite 8
(1) Dougherty 64, (5) FLC 42

    The Cardinals wasted no time putting away the Bobcats and advanced to the Elite Eight in convincing fashion. Sr. CG Kyle Lowry and Sr. PG Timmy Smith each nailed a three-pointer to start the game and for all intents and purposes this baby was over.     Dougherty went on to lead 17-3 after one quarter and 35-17 at halftime. After the first quarter FLC would never be as close as 14 points. Lowry was effortless in dropping 22 points on 8-for-11 shooting. He also added 5 steals, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds. Jr. 6-8 F Shane Clark was next with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 swats. Clark was 7-for-8 from the field. Sr. 6-7 F DeSean White also added a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Many observers had this game circled as a possible stumbling block for the talented Cardinals, but it just wasn’t to be. FLC appeared to be confident, but a few costly mistakes early and the hot shooting from Dougherty were too much for them to overcome. Sr. PG Michael Scott led the Bobcats with 16 points and 4 assists. Sr. F Joshua Grier was next with 13 points and 8 rebounds. Dougherty will now play Germantown Academy for the chance to get at a final four appearance. Dougherty was a blistering 25-for-39 from the field. They also had 21 assists on their 25 made baskets.

SWEET 16, PART II

SOUTH REGION: (Mar. 26 - at: Phila. Comm. College)

Pirates Put A Burton On Wood
(2) Neumann 72, (6) Wood 52

    The St. John Neumann basketball team was running on all cylinders last night in their easy victory over Archbishop Wood. By doing so they  advanced to the Elite Eight of the city basketball tourney. Leading the way was jr. 6-5 F David Burton. Showing a scorer’s edge, the athletic Burton deposited 24 points and snagged 13 rebounds. He hit for ten early points as Neumann raced out to a commanding 23-8 lead after one quarter. Burton finished 8-for-13 from the field (2 three’s) and 5-for-7 from the line. Many times he found himself on the receiving end of passes from the Neumann guards. Sr. PG Richard “Tabby” Cunningham (LaSalle signee) dropped 9 dimes in the game and made 4 steals. Sr. 6-4 F Adon El filled the stat sheet yet again. He scored 13 points, swept 11 rebounds, blocked 5 shots, and even had 4 assists. The Pirates were never really threatened and led 41-21 at halftime. Soph 6-5 WG Earl Pettis added 14 points and 6 rebounds. Soph WG Derrick “D.J.” Rivera also scored in double-digits with 10 points and 3 steals. The Pirate defense forced 22 Viking turnovers and had a huge advantage in the athleticism department. Wood was led by jr. PG Mike Spadafora who scored 18 points and claimed 8 rebounds. Jr. 6-8 F Rob Pearson hustled for 8 points and 9 boards.

Penn Charter Gets Ziggy With It. Not Once, But Twice
(1) Penn Charter 76, (5) Central 51

     No one is saying that the Zeglinski brothers, jr. WG Zack and frosh CG Sammy aren’t important members of Penn Charter’s ever-impressive basketball team. Both are starters and contribute regularly. However, when you have two D-1 signees leading the way it can become difficult to get noticed. The Quakers boast two of the better players in the city with sr. PG Sean Singletary (Virginia signee) and sr. 6-9 F Rob Kurz (Notre Dame signee). Tonight, the Zeglinski once again did their part, and one could say they were the headliners. Zack went for 24 points and hit 6-of-9 three-pointers. Many were from way out territory. Sammy, was no slouch himself. He connected on 3-of-4 from the arc and finished with 13 points. The brothers combined for 14 assists as well. The Quakers connected on 14-of-26 from distance and were very impressive to the least. As for headliners Singletary and Kurz they had to be just ordinary in the victory. Singletary finished with 16 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals. Kurz went for 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Charter seized control early and never looked back. they led 41-22 at halftime after shooting nearly 70% in that first half. Central was led by jr. 6-3 WG Scott Rodgers who toughed-out 19 points and 7 rebounds. Jr. 6-6 F Malcolm Ingram was the Lancers only other double-figure scorer with 11 points. The Quakers will now play Neumann in the Elite Eight. Even though Penn Charter handled Neumann earlier this season this should be a tremendous game. Both squads have been playing exceptional basketball as of late.

SUBURBAN REGION (Mar. 26 - at: Widener Univ.)

The Price Is Right For Bartram
(3) Bartram 55, (2) Episcopal 52

     Things haven’t been easy for Bartram’s sr. F 6-3 Rhafique Price that often this year. The aggressive role player on many days is the sixth, seventh, or even eighth option for the Marron Wave. However, one thing you can count on is constant hustle and a defensive presence. Offensive output isn’t always there or expected, but tonight he did a little on both ends in helping the Maroon Wave advance to the Elite Eight. Seeing extended time because of foul trouble to frontcourt players he scored 8 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, made 3 steals, and even blocked 2 shots in 16 active minutes. Two of his baskets came in the late going and both were scored on follows. The first came with 2:36 left and it tied the game at 47-47. Then, he followed a missed trey by sr. WG Tywain McKee with :49 seconds remaining for a 53-49 lead. Episcopal’s Brian Shanahan (11 points) hit a three, his third of the game to draw the Churchmen to within one with :07 seconds left. However, Bartram’s sr. CG Maurice Wood calmly sunk two freebies to extend the lead to three. Episcopal’s soph 6-4 WG Wayne Ellington missed badly on a rushed trey from out front as the buzzer sounded. Before Price’s offensive heroics he was more of a defensive star. With sr. 6-7 C Chris Seaborn (7 pts, 7 rebs) and jr. 6-5 F Daziah Miller is foul trouble it was Price that stepped up. He was asked to guard Episcopal’s sensational soph. 6-5 F Gerald Henderson. Henderson did score 14 points, but had to work from every one of them. Price help force him into a 5-for-17 shooting performance. McKee led Bartram in scoring with 19 points. He scored 12 of his points in the first half and added 4 each of assists and steals. Wood tallied 15 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. Episcopal was led by Ellington who scored 17 points and grabbed 9 rebounds.

It Doesn’t Have To Be October for This Reggie To Perform
(1) SJ Prep 65, (4) Southern 48

     Reggie, Reggie, Reggie is what the Prep student section bellowed as the promising sophomore 6-3 F Reggie Redding left the game in the waning moments. With more performances like this he’ll soon be donning the nickname of Mr. March. All he did tonight was score 25 points, wax the boards for 16 rebounds, and pluck 4 steals. Doing all of this against a quality team, with a good inside player and some very capable athletes is very impressive to say the least. Six of his rebounds came off the offensive glass. Of these six four led to follows by himself. He wasn’t just scoring inside though, and made 3-of-4 from the arc. They game was somewhat tight in the first half and Southern even had a brief lead late in the half before Prep went up 27-24 at the intermission. It was Redding that seized control of the game for the Hawklets when he scored nine consecutive points to close out the third quarter and give his team 44-31 lead. Sr. PG Chris Clark added 14 points and 7 assists. St. WG John Griffin scored 12 points but had a rough shooting night going just 1-for-8 from distance and 4-for-15 in total. He did hustle for 6 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 assists. Sr. 6-4 F Mike Kearney banged in the paint for 11 rebounds and 3 blocks. He did an excellent defensive job on Southern’s sr. 6-5 F Shawn Sabb. Holding him to just 2-for-9 shooting and 9 points. The Prep won the turnover battle with 6 for the game, while forcing 17 by the Rams. Southern’s jr. WG Kashief Carr dropped 20 points. Sr. PG Antoine “Doo Dirty” Brown saw his great career come to an end with a 13-point and 6 assist outing.

ELITE EIGHT

   No, Simon Gratz’ sr. 6-4 F Malcolm Welles does not patrol the lane like a roving shot blocking machine. Yes, he is consistently the Bulldogs number one option when it comes to shutting down the opposition’s most potent offensive weapon. When it comes to offensive fireworks Welles only occasionally has a breakout performance. Tonight, again he was just ordinary on the offensive end, posting 7 points on only four shot attempts. However, it was his defensive effort on LaSalle’s leading scorer sr. 6-4 F Nick Shattuck that help propel the Bulldogs into the Final Four. Shattuck, recently torched Roman for 35 points, including a game winning tip as time expired in the third overtime. Tonight, due to constant pressure and stick-to-you defense by Welles, Shattuck suffered through a 3-for-14 shooting performance and scored just 7 points as the Explorers bowed to a hungry group of Bulldogs. Everywhere Shattuck went on the court Welles was close by and rarely did he get what you would call a clean look at a shot. Welles also pulled 8 rebounds, made 4 steals, and swatted 3 shots. Offensively, Gratz was led by sr. 6-5 F Mark Tyndale who notched 23 points. He shot 8-for-12 from the field and 7-for-10 from the line. Tyndale also snatched 13 rebounds. Sr. PG Tyrone Smith added 10 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals. Sr. 6-4 F Jason Hickenbottom was active with 12 points and 9 rebounds. Sr. PG Colin Fitzgerald who scored 13 points led LaSalle. Sr. WG Ryan Kirk added 10 points and 3 assists. Gratz broke the game open early in the second half with 11-2 run that pushed their lead to 14 points at 37-23.

   Well, it took while, but a number one seed has finally fallen. The Patriots used gritty play, a few good bounces, and some clutch play from jr. 6-6 F Ryan Ayers to knock off the Cardinals. Dougherty entered the tournament as one of the favorites, but GA was definitely a team that had to be reckoned with. With the game knotted at 52 apiece Ayers scored seven straight points to seize control for GA. First, he calmly sunk a 15-foot right wing jumper off a feed from sr. PG Larry Sharp. Then, off a steal by jr. 6-4 G Kirk Jones he went in and scored an uncontested lay-up giving the Pats a 56-52 lead with 1:12 left. After Dougherty failed to cash in on multiple attempts, the ball rolled towards center court. GA’s jr. 6-6 F Brian Grimes won the battle of the loose ball and hit Sharp while sprawled on the floor. Sharp proceeded up court in a two-on-one situation with Ayers. They nicely passed to one another before Ayers accepted the last pass and put the ball off the glass while being fouled by Dougherty’s sr. PG Timmy Smith. Ayers calmly sunk the foul shot giving GA a commanding 59-52 lead with :49 seconds left. Things got a little interesting after Dougherty sr. 6-8 F Shane Clark scored on a follow and then sr. PG Kyle Lowry nailed a deep trey to make the score 59-57 with :12 seconds left. However, Grimes converted both ends of a one-and-one for the final margin. For the game, Ayers finished with 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals. He also played good defense on Dougherty’s star 6-7 F DeSean White (11 rebounds) limiting him to just 12 points on 5-for-15 shooting. Grimes seemed to be just about all the way back from the broken hand he suffered in the latter part of the season. He finished with 13 points and 8 rebounds. Sharp scored 8 points and dealt 7 assist. Soph 6-9 C Andrew Ott held his own against the athletic Cardinals with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 blocks. In a wonderful performance, Lowry’s 25 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals led Dougherty. Clark added 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Dougherty had an early 14-4 lead, but GA was able to get within three points by halftime. The seconds half was nip and tuck until Ayers’ outburst in the late going. The Patriots will look to redeem themselves against Gratz. The Bulldogs bested the Patriots earlier this season.

ELITE EIGHT

SOUTH REGION: (Mar. 31 – at: LaSalle Univ.)

For Neumann, This Loss Really Kurz
(1) Penn Charter 82, (2) Neumann 77

     Penn Charter’s sr. 6-9 F Rob Kurz, a Notre Dame signee, has had plenty of big games in his career, but you'd be hard pressed to find a more complete performance than the one he turned in tonight. The rangy and athletic senior lit the Pirates up to the tune of a triple-double. In what was one of the best games of the tournament thus far the sold out crowd at Tom Gola Arena was buzzing all evening. Kurz did more than enough to contribute to the constant stir. He shot 11-for-17 from the field (3-for-5, 3’s) and 6-for-8 from the line for a game-high 31 points. He also hauled 15 rebounds and still found time to swat 11 shots. Early on, it was the Pirates that took control, leading 23-16 after one quarter. It was Kurz who got his team back in the game by scoring 13 of his points in the second quarter. The Quakers cut the Pirate lead to just two points, 40-38 at the intermission. In the third quarter, City Player of the Year sr. PG Sean Singletary (Virginia signee) shook off the first half rust and scored 12 third quarter points. The Quakers led 57-55 after the third quarter. This set the stage for an exhilarating fourth quarter. The lead changed times five times during the final stanza. The Pirates even led by four, 72-68 with 3:12 left and had possession of the ball. However, Singletary made a tremendous steal and then fed soph F Joe Rauchut for a lay-up. This play really switched the momentum and Penn Charter went on to score eight straight points to take a 76-72 lead with 1:32 remaining. Neumann’s sr. PG Richard “Tabby” Cunningham nailed a three-pointer from the left corner to draw the Pirates to within one at 76-75 with 1:02 left. This is when Kurz left his mark yet again. First, he scored on a follow giving his team a three-point lead. Then, on the defensive end he blocked his eleventh shot of the game when he pinned sr. 6-4 F Adon El’s shot to the glass. He controlled the rebound and then sunk two freebies after being fouled for 80-75 lead with :14 seconds left. Singletary was marvelous as well, especially in the second half and finished with 26 points, 8 assists, and 5 steals. Jr. WG Zack Zeglinski added 13 points for the Quakers and was 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. In a losing cause Cunningham was brilliant and hung with the aforementioned Singletary pretty much throughout. He ended his career with a 24-point effort, 7 assists, and 6 steals. Jr. 6-5 F David Burton scored 14 points and hauled in 12 rebounds. El was solid again with 12 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 blocks. Soph 6-4 WG Earl Pettis also contributed 11 points. The Quakers will face Simon Gratz in one semifinal in what will certainly be a contrast of styles and a terrific ball game.

SUBURBAN REGION: (Mar. 31 – at: Villanova)

Clark Calmly Leads Hawks To Final 4
(1) SJ Prep 63, (3) Bartram 52

     Prep sr. PG Chris Clark has put together a terrific career during his time at St. Joe’s. However, for one reason or another he has at times gotten lost in the shuffle of the great point guards in the city. True, Penn Charter’s Sean Singletary (Virginia), Dougherty’s Kyle Lowry (Nova), and Neumann’s Richard “Tabby” Cunningham (LaSalle) are all terrific players and all are D-1 signees. Clark has not decided on a college and only until recently has been under the radar screen of D-1 programs. Luckily, for Clark there is still time to garner one of these D-1 scholarships. Even luckier might be those college coaches who decide to get in the hunt for this you-could-do-much-worse-than performer. Tonight, Clark was his usual steady and reliable self while notching 23 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals. More importantly he only turned the ball over once while playing every minute. Bartram had a huge advantage in size and early on they took advantage of this size by jumping out to a 18-10 lead early in the second quarter. To this point the Maroon Wave had scored 8 second chance points and were playing with oodles of enthusiasm. However, it was Clark’s calming influence that sprung a 15-3 run to end the quarter and turn an eight-point deficit into a four-point halftime lead. During this run Clark nailed two treys and made a couple of steals that led to easy buckets. The Prep seized control midway through the third stanza and led 46-34 entering the fourth quarter. Bartram drew within five when sr. WG Tywain McKee hit back-to-back three’s late in the game. However, Clark put the game away when hit six consecutive free throws in the game’s final minute. Prep got a solid performance from soph 6-3 F Reggie Redding who scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Sr. WG John Griffin added 14 points and 4 assists in a supporting role. Sr. 6-3 F Mike Kearney hustled for 9 rebounds. Mckee’s 18 points led Bartram. While sr. G Maurice Wood scored 15 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds. Jr. 6-5 F Daziah Miller contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Hawks won the turnover battle 18-to-7. The Prep will take on Germantown Academy for the right to reach the final.

FINAL FOUR

 NORTH/SOUTH REGION: (April 5 – at: Palestra)

Charter Humbles Bulldogs
(1) Penn Charter 68, (1) Simon Gratz 56

     The Quakers used balanced scoring and gritty defense to get past the Bulldogs in rather easy fashion. Penn Charter placed four players’ double figures and consistently made the extra pass. Leading the way was sr. PG Sean Singletary (Virginia signee) who scored a team-high 22 points. He also added 7 assists and 4 steals. Twice, Singletary ended quarters with baskets. This included a 40-foot three-pointer that ended the third quarter. That pushed the Quakers lead to 47-37 and Gratz would get no closer. Charter had the lead for nearly the entire game. Gratz’ lone and brief lead came with 5:48 left in the first quarter and it was just 6-4. Penn Charter’s frosh. PG Sammy Zeglinski hit a trey the next time down the floor re-giving the Quakers the lead. A lead they would never relinquish. Sr. 6-8 F Rob Kurz (Notre Dame signee) scored 17 points and claimed 14 rebounds. Jr. WG Zack Zeglinski added 15 points (3-for-4, 3’s) and 5 assists. It seemed like every time the Bulldogs got within sniffing distance the elder Zeglinski answered with a backbreaking trey. The younger Zeglinski chipped in with 8 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals. He hit 2-of-3 from distance. As a team the Quakers made 9-of-13 three-pointers. They also got a huge hand from a couple of lesser known. Soph F Joe Rauchut battled for 8 rebounds. Jr. R.J. Hollinshead made 5-of-7 from the field for 10 clutch points. For Gratz, sr. 6-5 F Mark Tyndale (Temple signee) was a one-man show at times as he scored a game-high 27 points and plucked 11 rebounds. He shot 11-for-18 (1 trey) from the field and 4-for-6 from the line. Sr. 6-4 F Jason Hickenbottom was next in line with 11 points and 8 rebounds. Sr. 6-8 C Matt Walden was active early and finished with 7 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 swats. However, he missed large stretches because of foul trouble. Sr. PG Tyrone Smith struggled and scored his only two points of the game in the late going. He was just 1-for-7 from the field. Aside from Tyndale, the rest of the Bulldogs shot just 12-for-38, 31.8%.

Prep Sr. A Shooting Star
(1) SJ Prep 69, (3) Germantown Acad. 60

     The Hawks rallied around an incredible shooting performance by sr. WG John Griffin (Bucknell signee) to outlast the Patriots in an entertaining contest. Griffin connected on 8-of-12 from beyond the arc with each made prettier than the previous one. Overall, he shot 10-for-15 from the field and 3-for-4 from the line for 31 incredible points. Six of Griffin’s threes came in the first half, but it was his last two that sealed the deal for the Hawklets. Leading 55-54, with 2:34 left in the game, Griffin took a pass from sr. PG Chris Clark as he came off of a screen and nailed a left-wing trey. After a steal by soph. 6-3 F Reggie Redding on GA’s next possession it was again Griffin who supplied the damage. This time he freed himself along the baseline before stepping out and drilling a right corner trey. Giving the Prep a 61-54 lead with 1:49 left. GA’s sr. PG Larry Sharp (10 points, 5 assists) hit a trey with 1:23 left to bring them to within four at 61-57, but they would get no closer. The Prep finished 8-for-9 at the charity stripe to cement the win. Clark, hit 6-of-7 freebies during this stretch and finished with 14 points and 8 assists. Redding added 13 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 steals. Sr. WG Corey O’Rourke mixed in 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. Sr. 6-4 F Mike Kearney battled for 7 rebounds and a couple of blocks. GA, who fell behind at halftime 35-21 fought back ferociously. They outscored the Hawks 21-11 during the third quarter and trailed by only four at the end of three, 46-42. Leading the charge was jr. 6-6 WG Ryan Ayers. Ayers scored 13 of his 24 points during the third quarter comeback. He also added 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Soph 6-9 C Andrew Ott spent a good portion of the first half on the bench with foul trouble. He came alive in the second half with 9 points and finished with 13 points for the game and 11 rebounds. Jr. 6-5 WG Kirk Jones added some spirited play and scored 8 points, had 5 assists, and made 4 steals. The Hawks will now take on Penn Charter in the championship game. The Prep edged the Quakers earlier in the year. This should make for an exciting final game that will undoubtedly be played in front of a packed house.

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

(AT: PALESTRA)

4-9-04

Penn Charter 99, SJ Prep 96 (2-OT)
Singletary Slays Prep For Tourney Title

     The career of Penn Charter sr. PG Sean Singletary could not have ended any more dramatically. The Prep’s sr. PG Chris Clark had just finished knotting the game at 96-96 with :03.6 seconds left, seemingly sending the game into a third overtime. Then, out of nowhere, but hardly unexpected, Singletary took the in-bounds pass, dribbled hard up court and then let fly with a 50-foot prayer that found nothing but the bottom of the net. The shot broke the tie and gave the Quakers the crown in the first-ever city basketball tournament. The Hawks where left stunned and amazed, while the Quakers pranced and danced as they were mobbed by the Penn Charter student body.

    The feeling of disbelief with nothing new for the Prep, as it was Singletary with an improbable scoop shot that sent the game into overtime number one as time expired in regulation.

    Even in the game’s early moments, like just before halftime, Singletary made his presence felt. With the Prep seeming to be in control 41-31, Singletary was again the man of the moment. First, he nailed a fade away along the baseline. Then, as the Prep scurried to get the ball in-bounded he stepped in front of an ill-advised pass and sunk a desperation trey as the first half buzzer sounded. Turning a 10-point deficit to only five and more importantly supplying some much-needed momentum.

    In the game Singletary notched 36 points, on 12-for-21 shooting (4-for-7, 3’s). He also claimed 8 rebounds, dealt 8 assists, and made 4 steals further showing why he is widely considered the city’s best schoolboy hoops player.

    Singletary had plenty of help from his teammates. Sr. 6-9 F Rob Kurz scored 18 points and cleaned the glass for 18 rebounds. He also swatted seven shots before fouling out early in the second overtime. The Zeglinski brothers, jr. Zack and frosh. Sammy combined for 25 points and 10 assists. They also connected on 5-of-11 from the beyond the arc. Zack, hit a key three near the end of the fourth quarter that got the Quakers to within one point. Later, he nearly won the game at the end of the first overtime, but his right-corner trey rimmed out as time expired. That was his only miss from beyond the arc in the game. Jr. F R.J. Hollinshead scrambled for 8 points on 4-for-5 shooting from the field.

    The Prep was equally as marvelous throughout the game. Three players, sr. PG Chris Clark, sr. WG John Griffin, and soph 6-3 F Reggie Redding, played every minute.

     It was Griffin’s hot shooting in the second quarter that propelled the Hawks to their brief 10-point lead. He hit three treys in the stanza and finished the half with 17 points. His shooting cooled some in the second half as the Quakers paid particularly close attention to him. He finished with a team-high 26 points, on 9-for-22 shooting. He hit 4-of-11 from distance, but only connected once on six tries in the second half from his comfort zone.

     Clark was solid yet again with 20 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals. Amazingly, he only turned the ball over  only twice in the game. Redding showed why he will be a force in the next two years. Recording yet another double-double with 19 points and 17 rebounds. He added 4 assists, 4 steals, and 3 blocks for good measure. Sr. 6-3 Mike Kearney was a warrior all night before fouling out midway through the first overtime. He finished with 11 points (4-for-6 FG’s) and 11 rebounds. Sr. WG Jared Black added 11 points and made three treys in the game.

     The game was played before a boisterous and energetic crowd. In the end, they were treated to one of the best nights of high school basketball in recent memory. The highlight of the pre-game festivities had to be the race between ESPN’s Dick Vitale and tedsilary.com chief Ted Silary. As it turns out Ted, aided by the Prep student section, edged Dickie V., aided by PC’s student section, in a race from the top of the rafters down to press row.

     Special thanks to long time Palestra caretaker Dan Harrell. Dan supplied a remote room where one Tom “Puck” McKenna viewed the game via closed circuit television. Puck was not permitted to within 50 feet of the court because of recent misfortunes involving CL players and coaches. In the end, the experience wasn’t that bad, said the Puckster, “Yo, man, you ever been in that room? It not bad. Pretty good. Yeah. Whole place to myself . . . Plus, I do game with Tee-ball or T-bone; whatever that crap called. (He meant TiVo). Any time I mess up block or assist, I just play it back. Now my stats right.” Dan Harrell later mentioned that Puck inquired about possibly taking up permanent residence. Already, just in case, people are calling him Palestra Puck. Stay Tuned!!!