Long, Kinky lead Pennridge past Perkiomen Valley in District 1-AAAA 9/10 playbacks
EAST ROCKHILL >> With the clock ticking down the final seconds of the first half, Ryan Kinky spied a chance to make a play on the defensive end.
“Well, I saw he was facing the other way and he was holding the ball kind of low,” the Pennridge junior said. “And I saw the opportunity to go in there and take it from him.”
Kinky popped the ball free for a steal then raced down the court for a layup, collecting the last two of his 11 second-quarter points to put the Rams boys basketball team up 14 on visiting Perkiomen Valley in their District 1-AAAA 9th/10th playback quarterfinals Friday night.
“Coach told me to just go in there and play my game, take open shots and that’s what I did,” Kinky said. “I was just feeling it after I hit the first shot. Things just kind of went together.”
Kinky proved the offense early while Dan Long provided it late to keep the fifth-seeded Rams’ season alive.
After the No. 20 Vikings cut Pennridge’s lead down to six in the third quarter, Long was the catalyst for a 15-2 run to start the fourth as the Rams pulled away for a 61-42 victory.
“We showed our character in practice the last two days. We had two excellent practices and revealed our character tonight just by the way that we played,” Pennridge coach Dean Behrens said. “Our kids did not play flat. I knew Perk Valley was going to come to play, cause those type of kids are competitors, too.”
Long scored 10 of his game-high 19 points in the fourth as Pennridge (21-5) as never trailed after jumping out to a 9-2 lead as it bounced back its overtime loss to Spring-Ford in the district second round.
The Rams advance to host No. 25 Hatboro-Horsham — which beat top seed Coatesville 66-57 — in the 9th/10th semifinals. Winner clinches a PIAA Tournament berth with the season ending for the losing side.
Pennridge beat its Suburban One League Continental Conference rival twice this season – 52-39 Jan. 8 on the road and 55-46 at home Feb. 2.
“Hopefully we can get back to states like we did last year. That was fun. That was a good run, ” Kinky said. “Hopefully we can do that again.”
BOYS #HOOPS: Blocked shot by PennridgeHS' @wagzbasketball4 leads to a @KinkyRyan 3 2Q vs. Perk Valley. pic.twitter.com/fjAlq2vZC2
— Mike Cabrey (@mpcabrey) February 20, 2016
Justin Jaworski scored eight of his team-high 18 points during Perkiomen Valley’s 14-6 run to open the second half, which got the Vikings within six twice, the last at 39-33 after a Sean Moriarity basket.
Max Wagner knocked down a corner 3 then drove to the hoop for two, pushing the Rams’ advantage to 44-33 before Jaworski scored off an inbounds to cut the margin to nine entering the fourth.
But Long took over from there. The senior scored Pennridge’s first six points of the quarter, igniting at 15-2 run that had the Rams score 13 straight to hold their largest lead at 59-37.
“That team is an extremely dangerous team,” said Perk Valley coach Mike Poysden of Pennridge. “They have shooters and scorers in all directions. When you try to take one thing away, they hit you with other things.”
Moriarity added 10 points while Sean Owens had eight points for Perk Valley (16-11), which made a 10-win improvement from last season and earned their first district postseason victory since 2008 with its first-round upset of Cheltenham.
“I’m really proud of what our team has accomplished this year in terms of I don’t think many people expected to do what we’ve done,” Poysden said. “And I couldn’t be more proud of the way these guys have fought every step of the way. Lesser teams down 14 at half would have bailed, packed it in, but we cut it to six.”
Kinky ended with 11 points with Wagner, Ryan Cuthbert and Stephen Lowry all scored nine points for Pennridge. Lowry and Kinky each made three 3-pointers.
BOYS #BASKETBALL: @danny_long2 finds @LightsoutLowry for a 3, putting @PennridgeHS up 55-37 4Q vs. Perk Valley. pic.twitter.com/q2M3JrtTZh
— Mike Cabrey (@mpcabrey) February 20, 2016
A concussion and illness had sidetracked Kinky’s year on the hardwood, but the junior is still working hard and given minutes Friday, especially the second quarter when the Rams outscored PV 20-9.
“He had gotten sick and he got hurt at Quakertown and it kind of set him back a little bit, but he’s really been practicing well the last week or two and we gave him a shot and he took advantage of the opportunity. I thought that’s what high school’s all about.”
Kinky drained a 3 for a 21-14 second-quarter lead then after a Wagner putback he connected again from beyond the arc, putting Pennridge up 12.
“I love playing. It feels good to get back into things,” Kinky said.
An Owens three-point play with 55.7 seconds left in the half to cut the margin to 28-19 but Lowry knocked down a 3 off a Kinky assist while Kinky’s steal and layup had the Rams leading 33-19 at halftime.
Wagner opened scoring in the third with a basket inside to make it 35-19 before Jaworski ran off eight straight points, hitting back-to-back threes to half the Pennridge advantage.
Perk Valley was within six at 37-31 and again at 39-33, however, five consecutive points from Wagner had Pennridge back up double digits. Jaworski’s basket inside off an inbounds made it 44-35 after 24 minutes.
Two from Moriarity had the Vikings within 46-37 in the fourth before Long and the Rams put the game out of reach. Long scored four straight points while a Cuthbert basket and a Lowry three putting Pennridge up 55-37. Long two free throws and a hoop by Cuthbert had the Rams up 22.
“Danny Long, he’s a premier player,” Poysden said. “I felt like it was at that moment that he took over the game and then his teammates follow him. And he’s a special player, he’s a special player for sure.”
