Positive Image II knocks off defending champ Old School Cavaliers

CONSHOHOCKEN >> There will be a new Albert C. Donofrio Classic champion this year.

The defending champs — the Old School Cavaliers — lost their first game of the tournament, 101-91, to Positive Image II Tuesday night at the Fellowship House of Conshohocken.

“It’s definitely disappointing,” Old School Cavalier starter and Archbishop Carroll senior Colin Daly said. “This is a fun tournament, I’m going to miss it. I played in it three years. It sucks not going far.”

Positive Image led by as many as 10 in the second half before Old School battled back to tie the game at 85 with 5:21 to play.

The teams traded baskets and were even at 87 before Positive Image took over.

Kahssian Kay was hit a three and was fouled with 3:14 remaining. He completed the four-point play to put Positive Image up, 91-87.

Old School would never have possession with a chance to tie again.

“We were fighting back,” Daly, a West Chester commit said. “They hit tough shots. We just weren’t playing defense hard enough the whole game.”

With a four-point lead, Positive Image’s Lavone Edwards blocked a shot, corralled the ball and found Zuri Peyton for an easy layup to extend the lead to six with 1:42 left and all but ice the game.

Kay finished with a team-high 28 points and Justin Kupa added 23.

Old School trailed by three at the half, 51-48. Dakquan Davis scored 20 of his game-high 30 points in the second half to help bring the defending champs back.

The team hit threes on four consecutive possessions — one from Zach Crisler, Justin Anderson, Daly and Davis — to tie the game at 85.

“We were feeling it,” Daly said. “Hoping we could get back in it. We just couldn’t on the defensive end. We were too worried about offense because we were losing.”

Marcus Littles added 16 points for Old School, Daly 13 and AJ Hoggard, Anderson and Crisler each had 10.

Positive Image will face Just Clean It in the quarterfinals Thursday at 7 p.m.

The Donofrio Classic continues Wednesday night. Team Philly faces We R 1 in a battle of heavyweights at 7 p.m. followed by Team Hardnett and Don Len at 8:30 p.m.