Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Ryan thumps La Salle, heads to PCL semifinals

With 3 minutes, 17 seconds remaining in Friday night's Catholic League quarterfinal at La Salle, a member of Archbishop Ryan's jubilant students' section pleaded aloud with his ride home.

La Salle College High's Jarrod Stukes (left) fouls Archbishop Ryan
High's Austin Slawter during the second-quarter of the Catholic League boys' basketball quarterfinal game on Friday, February 12, 2016 at La Salle College High School.  ( YONG KIM / Staff Photographer )
La Salle College High's Jarrod Stukes (left) fouls Archbishop Ryan High's Austin Slawter during the second-quarter of the Catholic League boys' basketball quarterfinal game on Friday, February 12, 2016 at La Salle College High School. ( YONG KIM / Staff Photographer )Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

With 3 minutes, 17 seconds remaining in Friday night's Catholic League quarterfinal at La Salle, a member of Archbishop Ryan's jubilant students' section pleaded aloud with his ride home.

"Dude, there's three minutes left," he said, "how often do we beat La Salle in anything?!"

Thanks to the Raiders' stingy defense and Izaiah Brockington's 27 points, Ryan beat La Salle, 67-49, and will advance to Wednesday's semifinals at the Palestra.

"That was our goal the first day I got here," said first-year coach Joe Zeglinski. "We wanted to get to the Palestra. We talked about it all year. We put that goal out there and I could tell we were ready on Monday."

The Raiders (16-7, 8-5) will play in the semifinals at the Palestra for the first time since 2008, when they beat Monsignor Bonner, 44-42 (and later lost to North Catholic).

As for that curious Ryan fan - who reluctantly left with his ride with about two minutes remaining - the Raiders last beat La Salle on the court in 2013.

Friday night, Ryan's defense was the difference, allowing the Explorers (17-6, 9-4) just 11 points by halftime while surrendering just four field goals.

"We stressed [defense] all week," said Zeglinski, who also praised senior forward Freddie Killian's effort. "We needed to help each other out and play our [style] of defense . . . these guys were just so focused and so determined. That's what I think did it today."

Killian finished with eight points, five rebounds and three blocked shots. Austin Slawter, a senior point guard, added 12 points and led the defense with six steals.

Brockington, however, was brilliant offensively.

The 6-foot-3, 165-pound wing scored 19 points in the second half, including 12 in the decisive third quarter in which the Raiders outscored La Salle, 28-13, after leading, 22-11, at the half.

"The mind-set I have to go in with every time I go on the court is that nobody can stop me, nobody can stay in front of me," he said. "When teams get on me when I drive, I kick to my teammates and they make plays."

The lithe, lefthanded slasher shot 8 of 13 from the field and 10 of 13 from the foul line.

La Salle, which shot 37 percent overall and 2 of 14 from behind the three-point line, was led by Ryan McTamney's 14 points and six rebounds.

Ryan will face top-seeded Neumann-Goretti at the Palestra (time has yet to be determined).

"This was just a rush of emotion," Brockington said. "It's crazy to see something happen that you've been talking about for so long. To see it finally happen the way that it did with all the fans behind you was just a really great moment."

Archbishop Ryan 14 8 28 17 - 67

La Salle 7 4 13 25 - 49

R: Izaiah Brockington 27, Austin Slawter 12, Austin Chabot 11, Matiss Kulackovskis 6, Chris Kuhar 1, Freddie Killian 8, Amin Bryant 2.

L: Ryan McTamney 14, Shane Stark 4, Jarrod Stukes 6, Matt Paulus 5, Dan Remolde 8, Zach Crisler 3, Chris Ferguson 4, Isaiah Jones 2, Phil Held 3.

cartera@phillynews.com

@AceCarterINQ