Plymouth Whitemarsh carries momentum into PIAA AAAA 2nd round
WHITEMARSH >> The Plymouth Whitemarsh boys basketball team may be playing its best basketball at the best time of year.
The Colonials have won six straight games — including a District 1 Class AAAA title — as they head into the second round of the PIAA Class AAAA state playoffs against Bangor Wednesday night at 6 p.m. at the Geigle Complex in Reading.
PW’s most recent game may be its most impressive of the season. It kicked off its state playoff run with a 40-point demolition, 81-41, of Lebanon.
“We really played — as far as concentration and energy — as if we were District 1 champions,” PW coach Jim Donofrio said. “That was one of the more complete games of the year, without a doubt.
“Let’s use momentum — that’s a state win. Let’s use momentum as District 1 champions. We played absolutely with serious, full-throttle energy and discipline (against Lebanon) and we want to keep that idea going.”
Donofrio, however, won’t let the success go to his players’ heads.
“I won’t allow it,” he said. “We’ll humble it right back down. If you do that (overlook opponent) at any level against any opponent it’s trouble. The message to the team this afternoon is (Bangor) is 26-2. And 26-2 is 26-2, so you better respect it thoroughly. If you win 26 games at any level, that’s 26 wins. They know what they’re doing.”
(11-2) Bangor brings to the table a style that the Colonials are familiar with — three-point shooting.
“They run a lot of nice offensive sets,” Donofrio explained. “It looks like they are going to be a 2-3 zone team as a primary defense. I think they prefer a somewhat slower pace … They do a good job of setting up their three-point shooter in which they have at least a good three that are averaging a number of threes per game.
“My concern always is we go with our way of playing aggressive and playing hard, but at the same time what would happen if nothing is working. What do we have to do to stop their key guys? We’re putting a lot of focus into the fact that they are well-balanced and play very well together … They are trying to get you to fall asleep.”
At the head of PW’s offensive success is senior guard and Rider commit Xzavier Malone. The left-hander scored 29 points in the district championship game against Chester and 30 in the state opener against Lebanon.
“”I think he has some personal goals for the team from how we went last year,” Donofrio said. “It helps to have been all the way into the quarters last year and then you get a little bit of a taste in your mouth like we could have done this or that. All that stuff plays in, it’s important where we went last year with Oakley (Spencer) and ‘X’ and Mike (Lotito) and … Kevin (Ashenfelter). They all played some.”
The winner of this game will face the winner of (12-3) Simon Gratz and (3-7) Lancaster McCaskey in the quarterfinals Saturday.
Class AAAA
(1-6) Central Bucks West vs. (12-1) Roman Catholic
Central Bucks West will face Roman Catholic in the second round of the PIAA Class AAAA playoffs Wednesday night at Bensalem High School at 6 p.m.
The Bucks advanced to this point after beating Central York, 60-55, in the first round. Roman got here by beating Academy Park, 73-58.
West will have its hands full trying to get past the Philadelphia Catholic League champion Cahillites. Roman has a lineup filled with future Division I talent, featuring three Penn State commits — guards Tony Carr and Nazeer Bostick and forward Lamar Stevens.
The Bucks will need to play a near perfect game to knock off nationally recognized Roman. Shooters Billy Power, Luke Irons and Connor Lynch will need to get into rhythms early and Erich Hohenleitner will need to be a force underneath.
The winner of this game will face the winner of (11-1) Parkland and (1-3) Ridley in the quarterfinals Saturday.
Class AAA
(12-3) Archbishop Carroll vs. (3-1) Bishop McDevitt
Archbishop Carroll will face Bishop McDevitt in the second round of the PIAA Class AAA playoffs Tuesday night at Garden Spot High School in New Holland at 7 p.m.
Carroll advanced to this point by beating Holy Ghost Prep, 76-27, in the first round. McDevitt opened its playoff run with a 75-48 win over Salisbury Township.
The Patriots, who reached the AAA final last season, will follow the leadership of their three experienced senior guards — Josh Sharkey, Ryan Daly and John Rigsby. The three combined for 53 points in less than three quarters of play in the first-round win.
The winner of this game will face the winner of (7-4) New Castle and (7-1) Beaver Falls in the quarterfinals Friday.
