Gwynedd Mercy races past Sun Valley in District 1-AAA semis

LOWER GWYNEDD — After traveling five minutes down the road to Wissahickon High, the Gwynedd Mercy Monarchs came in hoping to take the next step toward a District 1 AAA crown — at the expense of Sun Valley.

Using a suffocating press, the Monarchs raced out to a 34-14 halftime lead on their way to blowing out the Vanguards 55-26.

“It was definitely a huge win for us,’ GM forward Erica DeCandido said. “We knew that we had to come out and play hard to get to the district finals.’

From the beginning, it wasn’t close. Gwynedd Mercy closed out the first frame by a 17-6 margin, and had a nearly identical second quarter to buoy their advantage heading into the half.

“When we’re on top of our game, that’s when our pressure’s really good,’ Gwynedd Mercy coach Tom Lonergan said. “It works well when all five players are ready to play with intensity, and they do a great job.’

Lonergan said that there have really only been three games all year where a press wasn’t a big part of their defensive plans, and it worked perfectly against the Vanguards. Sun Valley struggled to respond to constant moves on inbounds passes and continued double teams, leading to numerous turnovers and plentiful Gwynedd Mercy points.

“We go until the game’s out of reach,’ Lonergan said. “By the middle of the third quarter, we end up calling it off because it’s already done its damage.’

The Monarchs got a good deal of work done from the foul line, playing physical, aggressive basketball at the other end to put Sun Valley in the penalty just a minute into the second quarter. From the stripe, Gwynedd Mercy generally converted, going 12-for-16 in the first half and finished 20-for-28. DeCandido alone got to the line six times, going 10-for-12.

“We knew that they were going to play zone, so we knew that we had to attack them,’ DeCandido said. “A lot of people just came off the bench and hustled. We really picked it up.’

DeCandido led the team with 14 points. Freshman Carly Heineman had the next-most with nine.

“Erica has done a tremendous job over the last three or four weeks taking extra shots and really solidifying her foul shot,’ Lonergan said. “She knows that we emphasize her on offense, so she knows she’s going to go to the line.’

“She’s done a great job of making sure that when she does that, she finishes,’ Lonergan continued.

The game was largely uneventful in the second half. Gwynedd Mercy pulled their starters after heading into the fourth with a 44-16 lead, and Sun Valley’s subs came in with about five minutes left in the last frame.

Kate Lannon scored 11 for Sun Valley, by far the team’s most. No other player scored more than three.

With the win, Gwynedd Mercy clinched a spot in the PIAA AAA state playoffs, and will face a stiff test against Pope John Paul II in the final on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. at Upper Dublin. PJP knocked Gwynedd Mercy out of the playoffs last year, so this one has a bit of extra significance for the Monarchs.

“They don’t have a weak link,’ DeCandido said. “We’re just going to have to work hard.’

“We played them last year, and that’s who kicked us out,’ DeCandido went on, “So we’re really looking to come back and get back at them.’