Rodriguez zones in on defense, helps Bonner & Prendergast advance
PHILADELPHIA — Donovan Rodriguez was feeling it.
He clapped his hands. He bobbed his head. He started chirping his opponent, admitting afterward to letting emotions get the best of him.
That’s what happens, he said, when he’s in the zone defensively.
“It’s exciting,” the Bonner-Prendergast guard said, “because when you shut a guy down, your coach always notices defense first. It’s a good feeling.”
Rodriguez’s contributions on the defensive end, coupled with teammate Isaiah Wong’s deft scoring touch, provided Bonner-Prendergast with more than enough to cruise past Littlestown, 64-38, Friday night in the opening round of the PIAA 4A playoffs.
The Friars (19-5), champions of District 12, advance to Tuesday night’s second-round pairing with Nanticoke Area (22-7), the runner-up from District 2.
In this one, Wong led the state’s top-ranked team with a game-best 23 points on an efficient 8-for-11 effort from the floor. Malik Edwards had 13 points and Rodriguez rounded out the Friars’ double-digit scorers with 10.
Rodriguez had only one steal to show for his dynamic effort defensively. His workload showed through on the other side of the box score. Littlestown leading scorer Logan Collins, who had 10 first-quarter points on 5-for-6 shooting, went scoreless with four missed shots in the second frame—most of which featured Rodriguez pinned to his hip.
“We wanted to take (Collins) out as much as possible and make their other guys beat us forcing them to run their offense. We hoped they wouldn’t be comfortable with that,” said Bonner-Prendergast coach Kevin Funston. “Mike Perretta started the game off well for us by playing (Collins). What helped was Mike wearing him down and then putting another hard-working, gritty guy like that on him. That was Donovan for us.”
Collins still managed 16 points, though it took him 18 attempts to reach that mark. Early on, the Littlestown combo guard appeared unstoppable. He scored off the dribble, broke down multiple defenders for open midrange jumpers, and got to the rim with ease.
That changed in the second quarter.
“Logan got tired,” said Littlestown coach Johnathan Forster. “(The Friars) threw a lot of different bodies at him.” It tired him out, but I love that kid. I’m so proud of everything he’s accomplished over the last few years.”
Bonner-Prendergast’s Rodriguez saw it differently. He provided the marquee moment, one that was emblematic of the Friars’ shift in defensive gameplan against Collins. Guarding Collins behind the 3-point line, Rodriguez poked the ball free, dribbled his way downcourt, and fought through two transition defenders for a tough contested layup.
Rodriguez drew looks from two game officials when, after the bucket went down, he found himself chirping Littlestown’s bench.
“I got lucky there,” Rodriguez said, in avoiding a technical foul call. “Whenever I get a stop, it gives me momentum—probably more momentum than a dunk or a 3. And that’s the play. That’s the one I’ll remember.”
Bonner-Prendergast, which led by eight points after one quarter, outscored Littlestown, 14-1, in the second to open up the game. The Friars poured it on the third quarter to take control for good. Edwards knocked down a 3-pointer and, on the next two possessions, converted a pair of old-fashioned 3-point plays to put the pressure on the Thunderbolts (24-4), the fifth seed out of District 3.
“The second quarter, they beat us up on the glass and that did us in,” said Forster. “The third quarter, they started hitting shots and that’s it.”
Bonner-Prendergast, according to Wong, views the state tournament as “unfinished business.” A year ago, the Friars—then in the state’s 5A classification—bowed out of the playoffs two wins shy of a state title.
Wins like Friday’s against Littlestown, Wong said, are exactly what the Friars need.
“We had energy tonight and intensity because it’s states,” the Miami recruit said. “Coach tells us to take every game one by one and play it like it’s the championship. That’s how we’re doing it this year.”
