Even in loss, Chester Charter learning to adapt

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CHESTER — For a team playing without its leading scorer, a certain degree of adaptability is required. So as Chester Charter School for the Arts struggled through offensive sets for the better part of three quarters Saturday, it knew things could change if they kept at it.

The Sabers have dealt with adversity this season, splitting four games sans Jamihy Evans. By buckling down defensively against Friends Select Saturday, Chester Charter didn’t add to that total, but they improbably put themselves in position to win.

Chester Charter had two looks in the final minute, a jumper in the lane that wouldn’t go and a final turnover, in a 50-47 setback to the Falcons in a game that they trailed by as many as 15 points.

Sean DeShields, who hit a 3-pointer with 16 seconds left to get the Sabers within one possession, missed a jumper in the lane off a Bruce Rogers steal with 8.1 ticks remaining that would’ve tied the game at 49. Friends Select’s John Dinnall hit one free throw at the other end, then Zion Todd stepped in a passing lane to disrupt the Sabers’ final possession before they could attempt a tying 3-pointer.

Despite that ending, there’s a moral victory to be taken for CCSA (7-5).

“We just had to make sure we came together as a team and listened to what coach said in the timeouts and get our game together,” point guard Davon Stovall said. “And another thing was to just take our time. We found ourselves in the first half rushing a little bit. We came out better taking our time and running the plays.”

Many of the tactics that fueled a 5-2 start to the season weren’t available Saturday, starting with Evans, who’s missed the last five games with a shoulder injury. Chester Charter’s leading scorer at 16 points per game could return this season, but his status remains uncertain.

Option B has often been to fire from beyond the arc. But against Friends Select’s 2-3 zone, the Sabers missed their first eight attempts, not splashing one in until Stovall at 4:53 of the third.

“You’ve just got to play through it,” Stovall said. “When shots aren’t falling or you’re missing key players, we just stay tough and play through it.”

It didn’t help that the Falcons (5-5) controlled the lane early and had no issues shooting from range. The first condition owed to fabulous freshman Christian Kirkland. Though his influence waned as the game wore on, the 6-9 rookie blocked eight shots to go with nine rebounds and 12 points.

Even when he didn’t get a lanky arm on a shot, his influence on the altered paths to the glass on Chester Charter drives was evident.

“He’s still young so when he keeps his hands up, when he plays right, he can be a real threat on defense,” said Friends Select junior guard Dean Wang.

Thanks to Wang and Kirkland, the Falcons couldn’t miss from 3-point land early. They connected on six of their first 10 attempts, Wang burying four for a game-high 16 points. All three of Kirkland’s baskets were 3s, and Justin LaBrusciano was 3-for-4 for 11 points. Friends Select hit 11 triples (on 26 attempts); they attempted just 11 twos. A corner 3-pointer from Todd sent the Falcons into the fourth up, 43-30.

But the Falcons went into a time-wasting shell in the fourth, allowing Chester Charter to turn up the defense and claw back into contact.

“It started on defense,” Rogers said. “We came out of the huddle, coach told us what to do and we got right on it, jumped on everything we had to do. And that translated into us battling back.”

The Sabers scored 10 of the first 13 points of the final frame, interrupted only by a Wang 3-pointer. Damir Baez hit a 3 to get within 49-44, and after two missed free throws, DeShields whittled the spread to one possession.

Rogers led the way for CCSA with 11 points. DeShields added nine, and Stovall (with six assists and three steals) and Baez (five rebounds) scored seven each. Tyler Howard, CCSA’s 6-10 center, didn’t start but matched Kirkland ably with four points and seven boards before fouling out.

Despite the setback, the Evans-less Sabers took pride in the effort.

“It makes us feel good because we’re missing our key player, top scorer and yet we still come out and battle every night,” Stovall said. “It’s good to see.”

In other nonleague action:

Academy Park 57, W.C. Rustin 42 >> Naseim Harley drained five 3-pointers to tally 22 points to go with 11 rebounds, six steals and five assists to lead the Knights (6-2). Shermik Lofton added 18 points, eight rebounds and six steals as AP caused 23 turnovers. Harley scored 11 points in a third quarter where AP held a 23-4 edge.

Radnor 48, Interboro 27 >> Jack D’Entremont led the way with 13 points, and Lewis Robinson added 10 as 10 Raiders got on the board in the win for Radnor (6-4).

Damon Dukes and Jared Dellipriscoli led Interboro with six points apiece.

Unionville 52, Garnet Valley 50 >> Cade Brennan tallied a season-high 12 points to go with 16 rebounds, and Greg Vlassopoulos added 11 points, but a bucket by the Indians’ Drew Lenkaitis with two seconds left snapped a five-game winning streak for the Jags (8-2).

Shipley 55, Episcopal Academy 51 >> Matt Dade scored 23 points and Alex Capitano added 13, but the Churchmen (8-7) couldn’t hang onto a three-point lead after three quarters.

Bartram 59, Chichester 40 >> Josh Hankins hit five 3-pointers to tally 16 points, Jamese Lundy-Byrd added 11 and Calvin Church grabbled nine rebounds and seven assists for the Eagles (1-9).

Great Valley 51, Springfield 25 >> Robby Longo tallied 11 points, and Brian Ward added six points for the Cougars.

In the Ches-Mont League:

W.C. East 64, Sun Valley 59 >> Vinny DeAngelo scored 22 points, Isaac Kennon added 17 and Marvin Freeman chipped in 11, but the Vanguards (8-3, 4-1) were tripped up in double overtime for their first league setback.

In the Bicentennial League:

Christian Academy 62, Calvary Christian 33 >> Tehron Phillips led the way with 15 points, seven assists and five steals at the Coaches vs. Cancer day at Dock Mennonite. Grant Sareyka added 13 points and six steals, and Jordan Green (nine points) and Luke Sareyka (eight points) hauled in 10 boards each for TCA (4-4, 4-2).

Delco Christian 59, Jenkintown 50 >> Jackson Piotrowski exploded for 27 points and 11 rebounds, and Obinna Nwobodo added a double-double of 13 and 11 for the Knights.

Tyler Rossini scored 13 points for DC (5-3, 2-2).

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Matthew De George

Matthew De George
Matthew De George is the Asst. Sports Editor and the lead Union writer for The Daily Times.

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