Philadelphia – Will Powers, who became the 13th 1,000-point scorer in Malvern Prep basketball history Wednesday, no doubt thinks the midcourt circle at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy is a lucky spot.
With two seconds left in the first quarter against host Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, Powers (who was at 999 career points) took the ball inbounds at the midcourt circle, then heaved the ball at the faraway basket. The ball swished through the net at the buzzer for a 22-9 Malvern Prep lead, and Powers’ teammates mobbed the popular senior guard. Powers then walked over to his parents, Bill and Marie, and they congratulated him. A commemorative basketball was presented to his parents.
“It’s really funny — I made a buzzer-beater from halfcourt here [at Springside Chestnut Hill] last year, too,” noted Powers, “It’s a great honor [to join the 1,000 point club].”
Powers finished the game as high scorer with 17 points as Malvern Prep won convincingly, 90-50.
Powers joins in the Malvern 1,000 point club, in chronological order: Joe Walters (who was Malvern’s first 1,000-point scorer in 1967), Mike Oristaglio (1970), Charlie Ryan (1972), Charlie Floyd (1974), Gordy Bryan (1978), Pat Purcell (1978), Barkley Sample (1981), Rob McCarry (1983), Gary Duda (1988), Dave Glaser (2001), Brian Grandieri (2004) and Brendan Kilpatrick (2012).
“Will’s a great player,” said Malvern Prep basketball head coach John Harmatuk. “There were times in the last two seasons where I had to keep reminding him to shoot; but this season, he’s been a great scorer, and a great all-around player too — he puts good pressure on the ball [defensively], fixes our issues off the ball when we trap.”
Springside Chestnut Hill boys’ basketball head coach Jamie Chadwin also was impressed with Powers.
“Will makes the other players around him better, and that’s the mark of a great player,” Chadwin said. “There are lots of guys who are big scorers, but Will does a lot of things besides scoring — he passes the ball (well), keeps the ball moving (on offense), never takes away from the flow.”
Malvern has often scored from the outside this season, and Wednesday was no exception, as the Friars hit on 14 three-pointers — three by Powers.
Malvern junior guard Tommy Wolfe hit a three-pointer from the left corner early in the first quarter to give Malvern a 5-2 lead (which they never relinquished); a minute later Malvern’s Ray Baran also hit a trey from the left corner to widen the lead to 8-4; and Powers hit two treys at the end of the first stanza (the second was the buzzer beater) to give the visitors a commanding 22-9 first-quarter lead.
Malvern exploded for 30 points in the second quarter for a 52-24 halftime advantage, keeping the defensive pressure on the hosts throughout the game.
“We have a lot of depth,” Harmatuk said. “So we can play full-court man-to-man defense and play with a fast tempo.”
Leading scorers for Malvern (after Powers) were Wolfe (13 points), O’Shaan Allison (10 points), Brady Devereaux (nine), Baran (eight), Liam Wheeler (eight) and senior point guard Mike Hollingsworth (seven).
Chadwin said, “Our effort was pretty good today; our execution is what I’m concerned about. We’re a young team and need to learn to handle the pressure that a team like Malvern can put on you. … As a coach, you try to focus on encouragaing signs, and we had some guys make some shots in the second half.”
Leading scorers for Springside Chestnut Hill Academy were Sean Simon (16 points), Zuri Peyton (11) and Sam Gerlach (seven).
