No doubt: Bishop McDevitt edges 5-time champ Neumann-Goretti in PIAA-3A quarters
MARPLE >> Robert Smith’s shirt of choice only has one word printed on it.
“Doubted.”
It’s a reminded to him every time he takes the floor just how far he and his teammates at Bishop McDevitt have come in three years. From a team that won just four games total in the 2016-17 to a 13-11 and state quarterfinal last year, the Royal Lancers were still overlooked this year.
After Saturday, if there’s anybody left doubting McDevitt, they’re either stubborn or just not paying attention. The Lancers made a statement, knocking off five-time defending state champion Neumann-Goretti 60-57 at Cardinal O’Hara in a PIAA 3A boys basketball quarterfinal.
“I love this group of guys,” Smith said. “We’ve worked hard every day since summer time. Our coaches tell us all the time if we keep working hard, we’re going to be at the top. Everybody doubted us but that’s why we got these shirts.
“This shirt means a lot to me because it reminds me how much they doubted us but now we’re in the final four of the state playoffs. It’s really a blessing.”
McDevitt (21-7) will play in its first state playoff semifinal game on Tuesday against District 3 champion Trinity.
Teams aren’t supposed to beat Neumann-Goretti in the state playoffs. Just last round, Wyoming Seminary looked like it had the Saints beat only for N-G to come back and find a way to keep playing. Seeing the black-and-gold uniforms alone instills a bit of fear in other teams.
Not the Lancers. Saturday was their third meeting this season, with McDevitt winning in the regular season as part of a breakthrough year that saw the Lancers finish third in the league and make their first PCL semifinal since 1989.
The second meeting went to the Saints, but only thanks to a late bucket by Chris Ings. So, even if outsiders doubted the Lancers, they knew they could do better than hang, they knew they could win.
“It was one of those things were we played a great team and we just had to fight every possession,” McDevitt coach Will Chavis said. “That’s what Neumann-Goretti does, they make you fight every possession.”
Chavis, the second-year head coach who’s formed a group of talented players into a true team, was humble as always in victory. He heaped a ton of praise on Ings, his teammates and the Saints coaching staff and knew it wasn’t going to be a victory easily earned.
“They have state champions in their locker room and we’re not state champions, we’re fighting for everything we have,” Chavis said. “Lately, McDevitt hasn’t had anything. We want to make a name for ourselves and that means we have to fight for it.”
A year ago, it was Neumann-Goretti that ended McDevitt’s season in the quarterfinals. As the Lancers left that game, junior forward Jamil Manigo said nobody had their heads down and they were so driven, they got together for a practice the next day.
McDevitt’s largest lead was at 10-point edge early in the second quarter but the Lancers spent most of the game within a possession or two, up or down, of the Saints. That was what the expected, so they weren’t going to be fazed by the moments that came late in the fourth quarter.
“All practice, we were getting on each talking about how we needed to have heart,” Manigo said. “We fought, we kept playing, kept being teammates. At one point, we looked at each other and said we got this in the bag and that’s how it ended up.”
Manigo and Smith were tremendous for McDevitt. A first team All-PCL selection, Manigo scored 20 points on a nearly flawless 9-of-11 shooting and his free throws with 32 seconds left ended up the game-winning points.
The big man, who also had eight rebounds and two steals was a presence on both ends of the court.
“I just played, focused on the rim and put the ball in the hoop,” Manigo said. “I didn’t worry about a block or anything, I just laid the ball up.”
Smith was also terrific, scoring 17 points and hitting some of the game’s biggest shots. He hit a three to beat the first quarter buzzer for a 17-13 lead. In the fourth, after Manigo swatted a Goretti layup, Ahmir Harris found Smith on a runout for a hoop that gave the Lancers a 50-46 lead with 4:26 to go.
The difference was in McDevitt’s defense. Ings was relentless as usual, finishing a stellar career with a 20-point effort but the Lancers did well to limit his teammates. Smith played most of the second half with four fouls but never picked up his fifth.
McDevitt rebuilt itself on defense, so it was fitting that after Manigo’s go-ahead free throws, the Lancers came up with a final stop on that end.
“It’s something we practice every day, they really work hard,” Chavis said. “We have a good group of kids, a good character group of kids. I tell coaches that ask about them that they’re all high-character kids.”
The last play was always going to Manigo. Chavis said he noticed Goretti was helping off the forward, so he drew up a play to get Manigo a rebound. The first touch, Manigo passed out of it a little too early but McDevitt went back to him and the junior came through by drawing the foul with 32 seconds left.
“My coach wanted me to get the ball,” Manigo said. “He said punch it in or try to get a foul. That’s what I did, I got the ball saw the lane.
“I was just in the zone. I just focused, I knew if I made them, we’d get to eat a Hershey bar.”
The Lancers have another slogan this year, one that plays off the doubt they’ve been erasing all year and one that has them two wins from the program’s first state title.
“Make ‘em believe.”
BISHOP McDEVITT 60, NEUMANN-GORETTI 57
BISHOP McDEVITT 14 16 12 18 – 60
NEUMANN-GORETTI 13 15 15 14 – 57
Bishop McDevitt: Jamil Manigo 9 2-2 20, Glenn Smith 3 0-0 7, Ahmir Harris 1 3-4 5, Robert Smith 6 3-4 17, Seneca Willoughby 1 0-1 2, Shamir Mosley 2 5-6 9. Totals: 22 13-17 60.
Neumann-Goretti: Chris Ings 3 14-17 20, Hakim Byrd 3 2-2 9, Ja’Cor Smith 2 2-2 6, Young 3 4-4 12, Hall 2 0-0 5, Evans 1 2-2 5. Totals: 14 24-27 57.
3-pointers: BM – R Smith 2, G Smith; NG – Young 2, Evans, Hall, Byrd.
