Hatboro-Horsham, Uper Moreland prep for District 1 playoffs
Every team takes a unique route to the postseason. But ultimately the important thing is to get an invite to the dance.
Take the Upper Moreland boys’ basketball team for example. The Golden Bears got off to a hot a 7-2 start before hitting a tough nine game skid in the middle of the season that culminated with a 58-49 loss to Upper Dublin.
It was looking like Upper Moreland was heading for a free fall. Lack of varsity inexperience was setting in, hot shooting that got it out to a good start was failing, in consistent play for just a few minutes a game was killing the Golden Bears.
A meeting with Springfield was just what the doctor ordered as the Spartans failed to win a game in Suburban One American League play. After Springfield came perhaps Upper Moreland signature win on the season as it forced a season split with Cheltenham.
The Panthers handled the Bears easily in the first meeting with a decisive 63-47 win. Cheltenham appeared to have only one challenger in the conference, perennial conference power, Plymouth Whitemarsh. With a matchup with rival and defending district champion Abington and a rematch with PW, presumably with the conference on the line, Upper Moreland stunned the Panthers as it handed them a 60-59 loss.
At one time left for dead Upper Moreland now preps for the District-1-AAA playoffs where it will represent as the no.6 seed and will play a tough Holy Ghost Prep out of the Bicentennial Athletic League.
A team like Hatboro-Horsham boys basketball took a bit of a different route. A loss to Lower Moreland its second game of the season in its own tournament started a three game losing streak.
The Hatters rebounded winning its next three in a row and five of its next six. All season it seemed as the Hatters could just figure out the right games to wins as demonstrated by their 7-7 mark in Suburban One Continental Conference play.
Strong conference showings are usually a good bet to position a team for the postseason as the Hatters finished tied for third in the Continental Conference with Central Bucks East was both teams finished a distant third to Pennridge, 13-1, and Central Bucks West 12-2.
Hatboro-Horsham finds itself as the no.25 seed out of 32 in the very large and competitive District 1-AAAA playoffs. The Hatters will face the no.8 seeded Strath Haven.
