Methacton handles the moment to top Neumann-Goretti

WARMINSTER >> Jeff Woodward wanted more than a rebound and got it, unleashing a primal roar after he slammed home a putback dunk over a Neumann-Goretti defender Saturday.

To that point, the Warriors had hung around with the PCL and 3A state powerhouse but Woodward’s two-handed slam was the spark Methacton needed to light its final surge. There’s a lot of season left, but the Warriors announced themselves in an eye-opening way.

Keyed by a lot of different guys doing a lot of different things, Methacton edged the Saints 73-67 as part of Archbishop Wood’s Diane Mosco Foundation Shootout.

“That was a huge moment, going into the game we knew we had a great shot to win,” Woodward, the Warriors’ 6-foot-9 junior center, said. “We scouted them really well, we knew what they were trying to do. We knew we had to compete with their level of energy, they’re such a great program and high-level team, so we knew we had to bring that energy.”

Warriors coach Jeff Derstine cautioned that it was just one game in what the team hopes is a long season, but even he couldn’t mask his emotions after the win. The coach ducked into the team’s makeshift locker room a few minutes after the game, where his waiting players helped him erupt in a unified chorus of cheering.

Playing a program like N-G, which expects to be at the Palestra in late February and then in Hershey a month later, acts as a measuring stick for teams like Methacton. The PAC champions last year, the Warriors felt with four returning starters and a couple guys ready to take the next step, they had the make-up to push themselves early in the season.

“We know we have a really solid group, we returned a lot of kids from last year so we wanted to raise the bar non-conference wise and see if we could stretch ourselves,” Derstine said. “They’re in Hershey almost every year, so it’s a really big win for us. Our kids have really bought in to everything we’ve been working for.”

Methacton broke out the pads this week in practice, giving the guys some extra bumps and shoves to try and simulate the physicality and pressure the Saints play with. But as Derstine noted, there’s only so much that can do and the real thing is very different.

The Warriors did fall behind 9-3 early and 12-6 about midway through the first quarter, but they weren’t rattled. Playing well against Neumann-Goretti means handling their relentless pressure and Methacton had the right guy in point guard Brett Eberly.

“It means a lot to our team and gives us a lot of motivation knowing we can beat teams that compete at a high level,” Eberly said. “Coach told me I had to be tough and play like I was the biggest kid on the court and be strong with the ball. I took that to heart and played as strong as I could and made sure not to turn the ball over so I could get our team easy layups or open shots.”

Eberly navigated the Saints defense very well, and Woodward showed more of the improving passing game he’s developed over the past few seasons. One thing the Warriors can do is shoot the ball and senior David Duda was terrific in the first half, bombing away from outside for 17 points as the Warriors took a 32-29 lead into the break.

Duda finished with 20 points as Neumann-Goretti started to key his way defensively. That wasn’t a problem as Woodward (18 points) and Eric Timko took on the burden of scoring. Timko was outstanding after halftime and led Methacton with 22 points.

“Eric’s been just huge for us,” Derstine said. “David and Jeff were our top two scorers last year, so we’re looking for that third guy. Duda had a huge first half and maybe they’re saying ‘we’re going to take him out’ of the second half, so Eric’s ready to step up and the open looks Duda was getting, he was getting.”

N-G led 50-44 after three but the Warriors fought their way back in and took a 60-58 lead when Woodward found Timko for three with 3:28 left in the game. The squads traded buckets until the 1:27 mark when Timko stepped to the line and sank a pair, giving Methacton a 66-64 lead it wouldn’t give back.

Woodward would hit a cutting Timko for a layup with a minute left and with 38 seconds to go, Eberly poked the ball away for a steal, got fouled and hit one of the two. The Saints got a three to cut the lead down, but Woodward and Timko were able to ice the game away at the foul line.

“Brett and I were trying to stay on our matchups but the other guys, we were trying to switch and make them take either long, contested twos or long, contested threes,” Woodward said of his team’s defense. “We didn’t want them to get to the middle or let them get the jump-stop and kick-out, which we knew they wanted to do.”

Methacton won’t have long to celebrate its win, with a crucial PAC game against Perk Valley coming up Tuesday. PV knocked the Warriors out of the District I playoffs last year, so it’s a game Methacton had circled all offseason.

“I just look for my shooters,” Eberly said. “Coach says ‘you’re a facilitator,’ so I want to find my shooters all the time. If I don’t have it, I’ll give it to Jeff, one of my shooters or take it to the rim. It comes from being confident and keeping your composure. We always say to shoot it like you mean it.”