Plymouth Whitemarsh and Constitution boys advance to state quarterfinals
BETHLEHEM - Plymouth Whitemarsh had its hands full with a speedy and talented Pocono Mountain West squad that featured a trio of 1,000-point career scorers.
BETHLEHEM - Plymouth Whitemarsh had its hands full with a speedy and talented Pocono Mountain West squad that featured a trio of 1,000-point career scorers.
The Colonials took punch after punch in Friday night's PIAA Class 6A second-round contest against the Panthers but incredibly survived to play another day.
With incredible perseverance, particularly down the stretch, Plymouth Whitemarsh ousted the District 11 champs, 66-63, in a fast-paced contest at Freedom High.
"It comes down to how much you're capable of giving, literally on every possession," Colonials boss Jim Donofrio said. "You have to make a decision. If you're going to do this, you can't do it laying back."
In Friday's opener at Freedom, Constitution built a 17-point advantage in the first half against Holy Cross and punched its ticket to the Class 2A quarterfinals with a 63-53 triumph.
After managing only two points in the first 16 minutes and finding himself in Donofrio's dog house, Ish Horn delivered 18 points in the second half.
Fellow junior guard Ahmad Williams (15 points), senior guard Cheo Houston (13), 6-4 junior forward Alan Glover (nine), and senior wing Matt Walker (seven) also played key roles in the hard-earned victory.
Plymouth Whitemarsh will face Reading, District 3's third-place qualifier, in a quarterfinal Sunday at a neutral site and time to be determined.
Pocono Mountain West's three senior stalwarts accounted for all of the team's scoring. Isaiah Wiggins and Jalen Vaughns led the way with 28 and 24 markers, respectively. Lance Singh was next in line with 12.
Vaughns, a 6-foot-6 forward, recorded 16 points, including four putbacks, in the first half. "He's a man out there playing with boys," Donofrio said.
The Panthers were ahead by 10 (14-4) in the first quarter, eight (31-23) in the second, and seven (46-39) in the third. Horn's halfcourt, buzzer-beating trey capped a 16-4 run and gave Plymouth Whitemarsh a 55-50 edge going into the fourth.
The Colonials used 10 players. "You keep putting guys out there who really want to play," Donofrio said.
Behind 16 points from junior combination guard Raquon West, who transferred from Upper Darby, Constitution easily downed Holy Cross.
"He's settled in nicely, figured out his role, and become a key part of our offense," junior forward Maurice Waters said.
West produced 12 of his team-high 16 points in the first half. Ahead by 11-10 in the first quarter, the Generals closed the frame with a 10-0 spurt to put the District 2 champs on their heels.
"Our main focus was to break out early so we would have some breathing room the rest of the game," West said.
The 6-foot, 170 pound-West notched eight points in the second stanza, including a three-pointer, as the Generals built a 39-22 halftime advantage.
"We wanted to be up by at least 20 points at the half," West said. "We knew we'd be able to hit our free throws down the stretch to put the game away."
Constitution will take on Ridgway, District 9's third-place qualifier, in a quarterfinal Sunday.
Rob Moore's squad is seeking its fourth state crown in six seasons. The Generals took top honors in 2012, 2014, and 2015.
Pocono Mt. West 16 17 17 13 - 63
Plymouth Whitemarsh 8 19 28 11 - 66
PMW: Isaiah Wiggins 28, Jalen Vaughns 24, Lance Singh 11.
PW: Ahmad Williams 15, Ish Horn 20, Cheo Houston 13, Matt Walker 7, Alan Glover 9, Kareem Breeden 2.
Holy Cross 10 12 11 20 - 53
Constitution 21 18 13 11 - 63
HC: Matt Nelson 4, Patrick Galvin 2, Tyler Mozeleski 9, Tom Montefour 8, Kieran Burrier 11, Caleb Callejas 3, Malachi Phillips 16.
C: Raquon West 16, Maurice Waters 11, Hakim Hudson 6, Keshaun Hammonds 13, Youssef Diabate 5, Jamal Brown 3, Abdul Riggins 2, Jahmir Williams 7.
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