Brown comes up big as Pottstown tops Boyertown

POTTSTOWN >> The pre-game stats look featured the PAC-10’s Nos. 5, 6 and 7 scorers. But it was somebody outside of the top 10, Pottstown’s super-quick junior guard, Malik Brown, who stole the show.

Averaging 11.3 points coming in, Brown tripled his average, exploding for 33 to lead the Trojans past Boyertown, 71-67, at Strom Gymnasium Thursday night.

“He eats, sleeps and breathes basketball,” Pottstown coach Cal Benfield said. “He loves it. He’s been very consistent, but tonight was his offensive coming-out party.”

It was perfect timing too as Pottstown

Boyertown had the No. 5 and 6 scorers in the league – Ben Longacre (15.2 entering the game) and Jerry Kapp (14.8). Pottstown’s Larry Wingo checked in at No. 7 (14.4). Longacre went for 27, Kapp hit his average, and Wingo had 13. But it was Brown’s big second half – 21 points – that led a huge  Pottstown effort as the Trojans built a 13-point early fourth-quarter lead and held off a gritty comeback by the Bears.

The Trojans (5-7 in the league, 6-11 overall), who always play extremely hard, don’t always get the payoff, but this result was sweet as they beat a team with post-season aspirations.

“We said to the kids, ‘we’ve (said after games) a lot that ‘we worked hard – but,’” said Benfield. “But tonight you worked hard – and. It was nice for them to enjoy that, because they’ve worked so hard and haven’t gotten a lot of rewards. And they beat a playoff-bound team; they feel good about that.”

Brown got good support from the other six Trojans who played. Wingo also stepped up in the fourth quarter offensively with seven points.

Each team scored 12 points in each of the first two quarters. En route to a halftime tie at 24, there were four ties and seven lead changes.

Switching defenses, from a 3-2 zone to man, the Trojans never allowed the Bears (7-6, 12-9) to find a rhythm. And right out of the second-half gate, Brown infused the Pottstown offense to trigger a change in momentum.

Throughout the night, Brown blew through the lane, hit some mid-range jumpers and paraded to the free throw line (11-for-15). In the third quarter he scored 12 to scoot Pottstown out to an eight-point lead.

“When they went man (defense), we wanted to keep it simple, just spread the floor, and had Malik go,” Benfield said. “And he went.

“I was really happy for Malik, and for all of them, because it’s been hard for them.”

After Pottstown increased the advantage to 13, 58-45, back came the Bears. Guard Eric Spohn, repeatedly driving to the hoop, and Longacre, hitting from outside, on the drive and at the foul line, led the spirited rally. Spohn had all 15 of his points in the second half – nine in the fourth period. Longacre scored 15 in the fourth.

A 15-6 Boyertown run brought the Bears within 64-60, on Longacre’s three, with 1:36 left. The Trojans made only four of eight free throws over the next 50 seconds, and with 40.9 left, Longacre made two foul shots to make it a two-point game, 68-66.

Pottstown’s Shamir Edwards hit one of two for a three-point edge with 38.3 to play.  From there, Kapp missed a three and Longacre couldn’t hit in traffic. With 11.6 to go, Qwantel Washington iced it with two free throws.   

“This was typical of our season, in not being consistent for 32 minutes,” Boyertown coach Mike Ludwig said. “We have heart, and we battled hard, but emotionally we weren’t there the whole game.

“We’ll get better, and  hopefully we’ll have a chance in PAC-10 playoffs.”