Long’s 3-point shooting in 3rd lifts Pennridge over CB South in Distict 1-AAAA 1st round
EAST ROCKHILL >> Having a third go-round with Central Bucks South was not exactly what Pennridge boys basketball coach Dean Behrens wanted to do in the District 1-AAAA first round.
“Obviously it’s hard to play a team three times, especially a team like CB South, who knows us extremely well,” Behrens said. “We’re in the same summer leagues, spring leagues. I hate playing them twice. We had to play them three times.”
But thanks to a fast start, a 3-point barrage by Danny Long in the third quarter and a good night at the foul line the Rams did what they had done their previous two meeting this season and beat their Suburban One League Continental Conference rival.
Long knocked down a quartet of 3s in the third to counteract a South surge led by Ryan Joerger and Pennridge held off the visiting Titans from there to reach the second round with a 67-60 victory.
BOYS #BASKETBALL: @danny_long2 drains his 4th 3 of the 3rd quarter, putting @PennridgeHS up 45-33 over CB South. pic.twitter.com/U8MmD2v7aH
— Mike Cabrey (@mpcabrey) February 13, 2016
“I certainly think we got a tough draw in the first round, but I mean, can’t do anything about it,” Long said. “Give them credit, they played us to the last buzzer, they were hitting shots, and it’s a good team and that’s a good win for us.”
The Rams (20-4), who never trailed Friday after scoring the first seven points, advance to the second round for the second straight season and host No. 12 Spring-Ford Tuesday. Winner clinches a berth in the PIAA Tournament.
The PAC-10 champion Rams defeated No. 21 Penncrest 69-60. Pennridge bested Spring-Ford in last year’s district first round 78-54.
“When you win and you have a good seed, the advantage is you get two home playoff games. That’s nice” Behrens said. “We’re going to practice tomorrow and we’re going practice on Monday and I know we’re playing here – no matter who we’re playing here on Tuesday. So, I’m pleased with that.”
Long finished with a game-high 24 points, half of that coming in the third as Pennridge’s all-time leading scoring found a groove beyond the arc with consecutive treys by the senior giving the Rams a 48-36 advantage.
“Just trying to get good shots in the flow of the game,” Long said. “I usually don’t get many opportunities from the three-point line that open than I did tonight.”
Joerger scored 14 of his team-high 20 points in the third, his corner three cutting the Titans’ deficit to 50-42 entering the fourth. South (10-13) pulled to within the seven in the final period, but could not get closer as Pennridge put the game away at the line despite a few late 3s from the visitors.
The Rams made all 10 of their free throws in the fourth and ended the contest 20-of-21 from the line.
“You got to give credit to Dan Long, he knocked down some shots with someone in his face, he had a couple open looks. We cut it to one, they hit two 3s back-to-back,” CB South coach Jason Campbell said. “But that’s a quality team. They got two 1,000-point scorers and you got a third kid who can play basketball in (Stephen) Lowry who can shoot, you got to pick your poison.
“But I was proud of my players’ efforts tonight, there’s no reason for them to have their heads down.”
Ryan Cuthbert and Max Wagner each chipped in 13 points for the Rams. Cuthbert collected eight points in the third with Wagner posting seven in the fourth.
Tim Waddington had 11 of his 17 points in the second quarter for CB South, which dropped its third straight district contest. The Titans also lost its fifth consecutive matchup with Pennridge.
The Rams led 30-24 at halftime, but South began the third with five straight points – Alex Karras’ jumper making it 30-29. Threes by Cuthbert and Long pushed Pennridge’s advantage to 36-29.
A Karras baseline jumper was answered by another Long trey. Joerger scored on an inbounds yet Long buried two straight 3s to put the Rams up a dozen.
“They were overplaying quite a bit most of the game and my teammates just got me open looks,” Long said. “And thankfully they fell.”
BOYS #BASKETBALL: CB South's Tim Waddington scores on one end, @PennridgeHS' @Danny_Long2 answers at the other 2Q. pic.twitter.com/aKcSqk9aNI
— Mike Cabrey (@mpcabrey) February 13, 2016
Joerger, however, got hot from long-range, hitting three 3-pointers to get CB South within 50-42 at the end of the third.
Karras’ corner 3 sliced the Rams’ lead to 54-47 but a Wagner three-point play and a Ryan Yoder basket had Pennridge back up 12.
South made three 3-pointers to prevent Pennridge from pulling away, but the Titans only got back within seven on Waddington’s bucket in the final seconds.
“I knew thought that game was done until 25 seconds left,” Behrens said. “I mean, I didn’t feel comfortable. We needed to keep playing. I knew they were going to shot threes and listen, they had already lost to us twice so had nothing to lose playing us again.”
Pennridge posted the first seven points Friday and had a 10-2 lead after a Cuthbert three-point play at 2:59 in the first quarter.
The Rams entered the second quarter up 14-6 but a 12-4 run by South had the contest even 18-18 after a Nate Robinson jumper. The Rams responded with consecutive 3s by Sean Yoder and Lowry while two free throws by Long with 2.1 seconds left had the home side up 30-24 at the half.
