Coatesville returns Ches-Mont back to ‘normal’
DOWNINGTOWN >> It was a packed house on Wednesday at Downingtown West, with a high-profile league championship at stake.
But there were very few surprises at the Ches-Mont Boys’ Basketball Title Game. It unfolded pretty much as expected, which is to say that upstart Unionville kept it close with its perimeter marksmanship in the first half, and then ultra-athletic Coatesville pulled away thanks to a truly dominant third quarter performance.
In other words, it was business as usual in the Ches-Mont.
“We are targeted, so we have to come out every night ready to play,” said Raiders star guard Jhamir Brickus.
Sure, the Indians never gave up, and made things interesting before falling 68-64. But for many, many years now, to win a league championship you have to go through Coatesville. Every once in a while, somebody steps up to challenge the Raiders’ supremacy – like Bishop Shanahan did a year ago – but nobody has been able to consistently deal with the Raiders.
“I wanted it bad because last year we came up short,” Brickus acknowledged. “This one means a lot. We had a chip on our shoulder.”
Fresh off its first division crown in 30 years, the underdog Indians earned their berth in the finals. And head coach Chris Cowles’ squad played hard and finished strong. But it takes even more to upend Coatesville (23-1 overall), who went a perfect 17-0 this winter against Ches-Mont foes, and were particularly dominant in rematches.
“When I came here, I was told it was supposed to be a down year for us,” said Raiders’ first-year head coach Fred Thompson. “But when I got to the gym and I saw (Brickus), I knew it wasn’t going to be too down. He was dominating everybody. He understands how to play the game.”
The seemingly eternal truth is that Coatesville is the team to beat in the Ches-Mont every year. They did it Wednesday with a new coaching staff and without sixth-man Dymere Miller, who was serving a one-game suspension.
“We definitely have a history (in basketball) but we don’t think much about it,” said football star Aaron Young, who hit a couple big second half 3-pointers. “We just try to do our best to continue the legacy.”
And unlike some games this season, the Raiders were far from a one-man show offensively. Brickus scored 21 points, but backcourt mate, Dapree Bryant – also a football standout – poured in a game-high 22. Brickus got even more help as three additional teammates knocked down 3-pointers against Unionville.
And here is the scary part: Coatesville is probably going to be even better next in 2019-20 for Brickus’ and Bryant’s senior season.
“We lost some good players (from last season) but we still have good chemistry. We are a strong team,” Brickus said. “It really doesn’t matter who is coaching us, we are always going to go out and give our all.”
On Wednesday, when it really counted, the Raiders were quicker on the boards and to loose balls. They were also more forceful and confident, especially going to the rim.
“I think some of that had to do with nerves,” Cowles pointed out. “We got good shots and didn’t capitalize on them. Then I think we kind of over-thought our normal reads.
“Our principles offensively were not being executed. That has to do with a lot of things, but certainly the atmosphere had something to do with it.”
In the first two quarters as well as the last, the Indians actually outscored Coatesville by 10. But in the pivotal third quarter, when the outcome was essentially decided, the Raiders blitzed Unionville 21-7.
“The third quarter is our time. We turn up the pressure and that’s when we get our leads,” Brickus said.
“That quarter is ours,” echoed senior forward Tione Holmes. “We get opponents tired in the first half and the third quarter we come out and play. It’s been like that all season.”
At this point, everyone knows that Coatesville typically ramps up the pressure after the intermission, but Unionville was unable to stave off the expected onslaught. The Raiders scored the first 11 points, with Brickus punctuating the run with a pair of long 3-pointers. The Indians, on the other hand, opened the half with four missed from the floor and a turnover.
“We played awful in the first half and we were down two,” Cowles said. “And then we missed a bunch of shots that probably weren’t great shots. And (Coatesville) got some transition opportunities.”
Even Thompson isn’t sure why his team is so dominant in the third quarter. But he’ll take it.
“I don’t know what it is,” said Thompson, who previously coached at Millersville for 18 seasons. “When they come out of the locker room for the second half they really turn it on. And it’s been like that all season.
“I told them if we come out for the third quarter and don’t turn it on, that’s when I am going to get nervous. It certainly propelled us in this game.”
In all, the Indians (16-8 overall) turned it over 16 times and it helped the Raiders to a 16-0 edge in fast break points. But even more importantly, Unionville shot just .357 from the field in the opening three quarters.
“(Unionville) got tired,” Thompson said. “I saw it at the end of the first half, where they were kind of grabbing their knees. I told our kids at the half that they are tired, the third is our best quarter, let’s jump on them. And that’s what we did.”
In contrast, the Indians connected on 12 of 16 (75 percent) the rest of the way, but the 16-point deficit through three quarters proved too much to overcome.
“We didn’t execute on either end very well, and I actually think we left some effort out there. That’s the disappointing part,” Cowles said.
Neil Geoghegan can be reached at ngeoghegan@21st-centurymedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @NeilMGeoghegan.
