Boys' Hoops: Preview of Lower Merion-Chester

District 1 rivals Lower Merion and Chester will square off for the PIAA Class AAAA boys' basketball championship at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Giant Center in Hershey.

Here is a closer look at the final:

TV: Live on the Pennsylvania Cable Network.

Follow on Twitter: Rick O'Brien ( @ozoneing) will be providing live tweets.

Records: Lower Merion, ranked No. 3 in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer, is 29-3. No. 1 Chester is 28-3.

Coaches: Lower Merion's Gregg Downer is 455-193 (.702 winning percentage) in 23 seasons. In his fifth year at Chester, Larry Yarbray is 131-20 (.868).

Last meeting: The Clippers downed the Aces, 60-46, in the District 1 final at Villanova.

Quick fact I: Chester has won 78 straight games against Pennsylvania foes. Its last in-state loss was to La Salle, 42-41, in the first round of the 2010 state playoffs.

Quick fact II: Lower Merion's last state crown, in 2006, was won at the Giant Center. The Aces topped District 8's Schenley, 60-58.

About Lower Merion: The Aces have won six state tittles. ... As they did last year, they advanced to the final through the western half of the bracket. ... B.J. Johnson, a Syracuse commit, averages 16.3 points per game. He has drilled 48 three-pointers ... Next in line in scoring are Yohanny Dalembert (10.9), Raheem Hall (10.7), JaQuan Johnson (9.9), and Justin McFadden (5.6).

About Chester: The Clippers have claimed eight state crowns, including the last two. Chester will be playing in its 18th state final. ... Rondae Jefferson, an Arizona signee, is averaging 12.3 points per game. ... Next in line in scoring are Richard Granberry (12.3), Darius Robinson (12), Rashan DeJarnette (7.7), and Conrad Chambers (7.0). ... Robinson has drained 61 treys.

Lineups

LOWER MERION (29-3)

No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos.

1 JaQuan Johnson 5-10 Jr. G

5 B.J. Johnson 6-7 Sr. G

25 Justin McFadden 6-3 Jr. G-F

34 Raheem Hall 6-2 Sr. G

40 Yohanny Dalembert 6-8 Sr. F

Top reserves

11 Corey Sherman 6-0 So. G

20 Baird Howland 6-5 Sr. G

12 Jule Brown 6-5 So. F

CHESTER (28-3)

No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos

1 Conrad Chambers 6-0 Jr. G

10 Rashan DeJarnette 5-10 Sr. G

2 Darius Robinson 6-2 Sr. G

32 Richard Granberry 6-7 Sr. F

23 Rondae Jefferson 6-7 Sr. G-F

Top Reserves

22 James Kirksey 6-4 Sr. G

4 Isaiah Warren 5-8 Sr. G

42 Kahlil Williams 6-5 Sr. F

-Rick O'Brien