Basketball: Willingboro to get back Maloney

Willingboro, the No. 1 team in The Inquirer South Jersey Top 10, will get leading scorer Tyrell Maloney back for Saturday's South Jersey Group 2 semifinal against Middle Township, according to coach Jeff Haddock.

Haddock told The Inquirer's Chris Melchiorre after Thursday night's 99-65 victory over Bridgeton that Maloney would be "ready to go" in the sectional semifinals.

Maloney, a 5-8 point guard who averages 18 points per game and has topped 30 points four times this season, has missed four of the last five games with what Haddock has described as "personal issues."

Haddock declined to elaborate on Thursday night.

"It's not for me to say," Haddock said. "He's dealing with this situation. And, as a team, we have his back. We definitely have his back."

Willingboro (25-2), the No. 2 seed, jumped to a 36-6 lead in the first quarter against 10th-seeded Bridgeton as senior guard Ronny Paden scored 27 in ther first eight minutes.

Paden, who has signed with St. Peter's, finished with 31 points.

Willingboro is seeking the first South Jersey title in the history of the program. The winner of Saturday's semifinal will meet the winner of the other semifinal -- Haddonfield at Haddon Heights -- in the SJ Group 2 final on Tuesday.

Middle Township (18-10), the No. 6 seed and defending sectional champion, advanced with a 45-42 victory over third-seeded Medford Tech on Thursday afternoon.

-- Phil Anastasia