Norristown outlasts PW

There may not be a boys' basketball team in Southeastern Pennsylvania more overlooked than Norristown.
The Eagles weren't taken seriously for much of last season before advancing to the PIAA Class AAAA state championship game. Although three starters returned to the team this season, critics thought this would be a rebuilding year.
It turns out that people had better start paying closer attention to Norristown.
The Eagles defeated Plymouth Whitemarsh, 45-41, in tonight's Suburban One American first-place showdown at the Colonial Elementary School gym.
"This victory means everything, because we are the underdog everywhere we go," Norristown senior Lorenzo Christmas said. "… They [the Colonials] were hyped up way more than we were. So to come in their house and beat them like that means a lot. We proved everybody wrong."
Norristown improved to 8-2 overall and 5-0 in the division. The Eagles also nabbed their second consecutive win over Plymouth Whitemarsh to take a 48-35 series advantage.
The Colonials, ranked 10th in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer, dropped to 8-3 and 4-1.
Norristown swingman Khalif Wyatt and Christmas spearheaded the Eagles' decisive fourth-quarter run. The duo combined for 14 of Norristown's 19 points in the period.
Wyatt, a 6-foot-3 senior who signed with Temple, scored seven of his game-high 19 points in the last eight minutes. Christmas, a 6-2 forward, collected seven of his nine points in the quarter.
Wyatt tied the score, 34-34, on a three-pointer with 4 minutes, 39 seconds remaining. Christmas' three-pointer with 2:43 left gave the Eagles a 37-34 edge and the lead for good.
Junior center C.J. Aiken led PW with 14 points and three blocked shots.

- Keith Pompey