‘Bought-in’ Bonner & Prendie ready as ever to take next step
The state tournament doesn’t permit much time for reflection, when after weeks of waiting for it to begin, the schedule jams three games into seven days.
But first-year Bonner & Prendergast coach Kevin Funston found a moment of peace Saturday, in the hours after his team’s PIAA Class 4A quarterfinal handling of Catholic League rival Archbishop Carroll.
“I was over the moon,” Funston said of the 82-57 victory. “I told the team the next day, ‘that was probably the most fun I’ve had being a coach, from assistant to head coach,’ just because of how unselfish we played, how much we bought in on the defensive end, just how everybody contributed. I saw a video of our bench after somebody scored, and it looked like a college bench, celebrating, cheering each other on. It was a really great moment for me as a coach.”
The Friars could have two more chances to celebrate, starting with Monday’s collision with District 1 champion Lower Moreland at Plymouth Whitemarsh at 7:30.
The winner of that contest books a trip to Hershey for Thursday night’s state final, against the winner of Imhotep Charter and District 10 champion Hickory.
This is the stage at which the Friars (21-5) bowed out last season, dropping an overtime decision to eventual Class 5A champ Abington Heights. While that game isn’t often spoken of explicitly, its shortcomings inform the lessons Funston has imparted this season. From end-of-game preparation (Bonner is 4-0 in overtime games) to ensuring that other options beyond Isaiah Wong are available in crunch time, it’s worked.
“The only times we ever really bring it up is just to say, we still have something to prove,” Funston said. “Last year, we had a phenomenal season but we didn’t get the hardware we wanted. We came very close on both fronts with the Catholic League and states. In terms of Abington Heights, we don’t mention them or think about them. If anything, that game just proved that we always have to bring it and nothing’s going to come easy.”
“We just take it game by game,” Wong said after the Carroll win. “We keep thinking over what happened last year and how we don’t want it to happen again.”
Bonner has proven an ability to incorporate lessons as the postseason rolls on. After a first-round shellacking of Littlestown, the Friars came out flat in the first half against District 2 champ Nanticoke in the second round. Not only did they recover in that game to outscore the Trojans 45-19 after the break, but they avoided a repeat against Carroll, leading by 15 at the break and cruising to victory.
The Friars have gotten increased contributions from players other than Wong this postseason. Tyreese Watson (9.3 points per game in the playoffs) and Malik Edwards (11.0) have exceeded their season averages in states, while Donovan Rodriguez (7.2 ppg for the season) has been in double-figures in all three outings. Mike Perretta scored 11 points against Carroll, just his third double-figure game of the season, and six Friars hit 3-pointers against Carroll.
They’re playing well when the games get toughest, which has Funston optimistic for Monday.
“It’s awesome. Any time you’re playing this late into a season, it’s a big deal,” he said. “And that’s what we keep talking to our guys about. We have a chance to make history one game at a time, and I think if we can continue to be unselfish and do what we’re doing, we can make the community proud.
Daily Times correspondent Rich Flanagan contributed to this report.
