Foster pours in 32 as Ridley edges Glen Mills
THORNBURY — Down by three with 1:08 to go, Ridley’s Nick Czechowicz missed a funky 3-pointer in the corner. With that, seemingly, went the Green Raiders hopes of beating Glen Mills.
However, nobody told Brett Foster.
Buoyed by three consecutive Battlin’ Bulls turnovers, Foster scored the final seven points of the game as Ridley stunned Glen Mills, 48-44, Saturday afternoon in nonleague action to give the Green Raiders their 13th win in their last 14 games. Foster had 32 points and scored 16 of his team’s 18 fourth-quarter points.
He barely seemed to care. Beating District One’s No. 2 team in the Class AAA power poll (unofficially, and as of a few weeks ago) was more than enough.
“It gave us a lot of power points for (the) district playoffs,’ Foster said. “And the crowd was really rowdy. I like quieting the crowd.’
Foster did just that with 37 seconds left in the game, hitting his fourth three to tie the score at 44. After Glen Mills (13-6) turned the ball over, Foster was fouled off the ball, the hosts’ seventh of the half — meaning he would be going to the line.
The junior hit both freebies, giving his team the lead. Glen Mills responded by turning the ball over, again, leading to a Foster lay up as time essentially expired.
“I wasn’t nervous, I think I made all of them prior to going to the free throw line,’ said Foster, who indeed hit all eight of his free throw attempts. “So my confidence was up.’
That, Foster said, came from a first half where he hit two 3-pointers and scored eight of his team’s 15 points. After that, he felt like he couldn’t miss.
“When his outside shot is dropping, because he can get by anyone, he’s unstoppable,’ Ridley coach Mike Snyder said.
No other Green Raider hit for double figures, though Julian Wing had nine. It was their third game this week, and yet another without senior forward Ameer Staggs, who is nursing a concussion. They have Lower Merion Monday, and the playoffs looming.
They aren’t showing any wear and tear.
“We got tough kids,’ Snyder said. “We showed a lot of heart.’
Ridley (15-3) struggled to contain Glen Mills big man Anthony Johnson, who dominated with 22 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks. But, the Battling Bulls couldn’t get him the ball in any of their final possessions.
Those turnovers did not make Glen Mills coach Tony Bacon a happy man.
“Killed us, absolutely killed us,’ Bacon said. “There’s no other nice way to say it.’
After Foster’s tying 3-pointer, Bacon wanted his team to hold for the last shot. Instead, they barely got the ball over halfcourt.
“I’m not sure what that was,’ he said.
Ridley led 9-6 after the first quarter and by one at halftime. It had a three-point lead going into the fourth quarter, but a 9-2 run by Glen Mills put it up by four with 2:05 left. It was all Ridley after that.
Now, the Green Raiders, who are ranked No. 7 in District One’s Class AAAA power poll (again, unofficially, and as of a few weeks ago), hope to turn this win into something bigger. Rest will not be an issue.
“We’re not tired,’ Foster said. “We can’t make excuses. We got to play.’
In other boys basketball action:
Delco Christian 63, Jenkintown 57: Trailing by four points at the start of the fourth quarter, the Knights leaned on sharpshooting guard Danny Browne, who made three of his five 3-point field goals as his team closed the gme on a 26-13 run. Browne led all players with 19 points.
Devin Hill (13 points) and Grant Fisher (10) also came through with key buckets down the stretch. Wyatt Harkins had four 3s and 16 points, while Hill chipped in nine rebounds and five assists to go with his 13 points.
