Wed. Pa. boys’ roundup: Bonner holds off West Catholic

Scott Slade blocked a shot at the buzzer, giving Monsignor Bonner a 56-54 Catholic League first-round basketball playoff win at West Catholic on Wednesday night.

Billy Cassidy scored 18 points, 15 in the second half, to rally the Friars from behind. His free throw with 5.8 seconds left gave Bonner its final lead.

Craig Slade added 13 points for the Friars and Scott Slade finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds in addition to the blocked shot.

In Wednesday's other first-round playoff game, Archbishop Wood's second game against Archbishop Ryan was much like its first, a five-point win, and as a result, the Vikings are advancing in the Catholic League playoffs. Wood's 53-48 victory mirrored in many respects its 45-40 win in the regular season.

Joe Getz led the way with 19 points and seven rebounds for the Vikings (14-9).

The Raiders, who had to win a playoff qualifier over Conwell-Egan on Monday night to clinch the 10th and final spot in the league playoffs, had the game's high scorer in senior guard Eric Fleming, who poured in 20 points. Junior forward Christian Rivera added 17.

Shane Neher, a forward, contributed 14 points and seven rebounds for the Vikings. He also had seven rebounds in the first game against Ryan.

Ryan finished its season with an 11-14 mark.

Wood's last game was a 66-56 loss to Conwell-Egan on Friday.

Pa. Independent Schools. Friends' Central's hot start led to a solid finish in a 65-55 quarterfinal playoff win over visiting Hill School.

In a game that matched the Friends Schools League champion and the Mid-Atlantic Prep League champ, 6-foot-8 junior forward Amile Jefferson scored 27 points for the Phoenix. His six points in the first quarter helped his team to a 19-3 lead.

Hill School chipped away after that, but never got to within striking distance.

The win means that Friends' Central will host a semifinal against league foe Abington Friends on Friday (4:45 p.m.).

The other semifinal will pit Malvern Prep against Academy of the New Church, and that game is set for 8:15 Friday.

Academy of the New Church earned its trip to the semifinals with a 60-45 win over visiting Kiski Prep as 6-foot-11 senior Marcus Gilbert, a Pitt recruit, had nine points and six blocked shots. Syracuse-bound Rakeem Christmas added 14 points, and 6-6 senior Savon Goodman, a Villanova recruit, had 10 points for the Lions (22-5).

Malvern Prep, the Inter-Ac League champion, coasted to a 52-40 win over Solebury School as Brendan Kilpatrick led the way with 19 points.

The Friars (23-6) also received 13 points and 11 rebounds from Tom Pitt.

They limited the Spartans to just 11 first-half points.

Solebury School was led by Jeremy Schulkin's 24 points.