Great Valley plays spoiler, dims Rustin’s Ches-Mont title hopes

EAST WHITELAND >> On a night where the Great Valley boys basketball team saluted and invited the members of the Great Valley Youth Association to the game, the host Patriots gave the aspiring players something to shoot for. 

Great Valley won its fifth straight game, building an early lead and leading wire to wire, as the Patriots dealt West Chester Rustin a severe blow its hope of a Ches-Mont League American Division crown, 57-51, Thursday night.

Great Valley (2-6 league, 11-8 overall) opened up a commanding 22-7 lead after one quarter on a white hot nine for 13 shooting from the field. The Patriots shot a torrid 20 for 38 from the field for the game, and held Rustin (6-3, 12-7) star Jake Nelson to just eight points, well below the senior’s average. Brendan O’Donnell had the main responsibility to guard Nelson, but the Patriots gave him a lot of help.

“Last time we held him to three points,” O’Donnell said. “I just tried to front him and get a body on him and the help defense from behind was very good. Getting out to a lead really helped us, especially in front of this large crowd and with all the little guys at the game. It was pretty cool seeing them all here because soon this will be their court.”

With Nelson held to just eight points and fellow senior Taj Asparagus sitting out the game for an undisclosed reason, the Golden Knights’ offense was dealt a severe blow. Exciting freshman Ivy Pettit, who scored all of the Golden Knights’ seven points in the first period, led all scorers with 19 points. After three quarters, Great Valley still held a 42-29 advantage, but the Golden Knights did not go away easily.

Drew Hickson drained a 3-pointer from the right corner to make it a 42-31 game early in the fourth quarter. But, Jake Prevost went strong to the hole for a 44-32 Great Valley lead. Prevost, along with Gavin Frankenheimer, led the Patriots with 13 points each. Josh Stehle chipped in with 12 points and the Patriots hit six threes on the night. 

“It was real important to get out to an early lead,” Frankenheimer said. “We talk about starting fast every game and we had a lot of focus tonight. And Brendan did a great job on Nelson and we were more physical than they were. The did not match us physically tonight.”

Rustin got the Great Valley lead down to 49-43 with 1:28 to go when Nelson drained a three from the left side. Rustin went to the trap defense early in the fourth quarter and the Patriots turned the ball over four times in the last quarter. But, the lead stayed safe when Frankenheimer hit both free throws on a one-and-one and after a Golden Knights basket, Josh Burgess iced the game by draining two free throws and Great Valley completed its wire to wire victory in front of a very appreciative crowd. 

Rustin could not hit the big shot to get the Great Valley lead under six points. The Golden Knights shot just four for 13 in the final frame, and even though they outscored Great Valley, 22-15, in the final quarter, the slow start doomed the Golden Knights.

“We had to get out early and make them chase us because they are a heck of a team,” Great Valley coach CJ Savage said. “We got great help defense tonight and we played as a team on offense. That is what Great Valley basketball is all about. We are playing well right now and we have to keep it up.”

Great Valley 57, West Chester Rustin 51

WC RUSTIN (51): Pettit 4 10-10 19, Nelson 2 3-10 8, Barksdale 5 4-4 14, Pew 0 0-1 0, Hickson 3 1-2 10, DeMarco 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 18-27 51.

GREAT VALLEY (57): Wellener 1 0-1 3, Frankenheimer 3 5-8 13, Prevost 5 1-5 11, Fredrick 3 2-2 9, O’Donnell 3 1-1 7, Burgess 0 2-4 2, steel 5 0-0 12. Totals 20 11-21 57.

WC Rustin 7 14 8 22 – 51
Great Valley 22 14 6 15 – 57

3-point goals: Hickson 3, Pettit, Nelson, Wellener, Stehle 2, Frankenheimer 2, Fredrick.