Lower Merion’s senior Aces led way to a record-breaking season

The 2018-19 season was a record-setting campaign in more ways than one for the Lower Merion High School boys’ basketball squad.
With 11 seniors – a program record – the Aces qualified for the PIAA state tournament for the ninth consecutive year – currently the longest active streak in Class 6A.
Five of those senior Aces played all four years for the Lower Merion varsity – the largest four-year group in program history. During this quintet’s four-year tenure, the Aces compiled a 88-29 record – no group of Lower Merion seniors played in more victories together.

This past winter, the Aces compiled a 25-4 record – tied for seventh highest victory tally all-time – and they were 10-1 with Central League Most Valuable Player Jack Forrest sidelined with an ankle injury. The Aces also beat eventual state finalist Pennridge and state quarterfinalist Methacton without Forrest.
The roots of this remarkable Aces’ squad go back to the fall of 2015, when five freshmen – Forrest, Steve Payne, Theo Henry, Darryl Taylor and Matt O’Connor – made the Lower Merion varsity squad. This was a first in the 29-year Lower Merion coaching career of Gregg Downer.
“I knew these five were special,” said Downer. “Their work ethic, investment and devotion to the Aces culture was a s strong as any group I have ever coached. Each of them had a burning desire to be the best they could be, and each one wanted to leave a great legacy of wins and championships.”

Henry said, “From our freshman year, the five of us were in the gym working together every day. When the roster came out this season and 11 seniors were on it, we knew it was something special. When so many people know that it is their final season, the bond and the intensity is magnified to a whole other level.”
Continual improvement was the theme of this quintet’s four-year tenure – the Aces were 18-10 during their freshman year, 21-9 in their sophomore season, 24-6 the following year, and, finally 25-4. This winter, the Aces became only the third Downer-coached team to earn an undefeated Central League season and three consecutive Central League titles.

Possibly the most remarkable Central League win this season came against Garnet Valley, when the Aces (without Forrest) came back from an 11-point deficit with three minutes left to win in double overtime.
“Without that win, we don’t go undefeated in Central League and I think it gave the team confidence they could [beat] a quality opponent without Jack,” said LM assistant coach Doug Young.
Four seniors particularly stood tall in that comeback victory. Julian Hairston had a career high 15 points and hit four second-half threes, Henry hit six straight free throws in the second overtime; O’Connor tied the game with a three-ball at the end of regulation; and Payne had 11 of his game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter.
Another senior, Josh Martin, was named game MVP when the Aces defeated state quarterfinalist Methacton at the Jameer & Pete Nelson Classic, scoring 15 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
Forrest was the team’s leading scorer this season, averaging 19.5 points per game and six rebounds per contest. The 6-foot-5 Columbia University-bound [guard] nailed 66 treys in just 19 games and averaged 44.3 percent from three-point range. He finished his career with 1,209 points, eighth on the all-time Lower Merion scoring list.
“Jack is one of the best technical shooters I have ever seen, a tremendous shooter,” said Downer. “And he’s really worked to round out the rest of his game – defense, rebounding, driving to the basket.”
It seems hard to believe that another senior Ace outscored Forrest during the past four years, but Payne, a first team All-Central League selection, finished his Lower Merion career with 1,480 points, third on the program’s all-time scoring list, behind Kobe Bryant and Greg Robbins. For the season, he averaged 17.4 points per game and converted a team-high 79.5 percent from the free throw line. An all-around performer, Payne led the Aces in assists (341) and was second in rebounds (176).
“Steve is a gritty competitor who has played through injuries and illness,” said Downer. “He’s durable – has never missed a game. And he’s taken on some big defensive assignments.”

O’Connor, who last fall became Lower Merion’s all-time leading football passer, turned his athletic excellence to the basketball court this winter and provided some valuable offense, converting 64 treys (the Aces totalled a team-record 242) while averaging 38.8 percent from three-point range and 75.9 percent from the charity stripe. [He also had what is believed to be a team-record 52 charges taken over the course of the season.]
Henry, like O’Connor, provided consistent offense during the season, scoring a career-high 19 points in a win against Chester in December (the Aces also beat the Clippers in the District 1 playoffs).
“Matt and Theo are two stereotypical gym rats with legendary work ethics,” said Downer. “They’re real workers who are constantly working on their skills.”
Taylor was considered the Aces’ defensive stopper, and made some valuable offensive contributions, finishing his LM career with 528 points.
“Darryl loves game night, and does a lot of the [unnoticed] dirty work – he’s only 5-foot-10 but he gets lots of rebounds,” said Downer.
Two seniors who were not on the varsity as freshmen, Martin and Hairston, improved measurably throughout their Aces careers to step up and make some key contributions to the Lower Merion win column.
“Julian and Josh were a couple of unselfish team players whose constant working, weightlifting and having that ‘next man up’ mindset were important to our success,” said Downer. “Whenever their number was called, they were ready to produce.”
The other four seniors on the Aces’ squad were guards Jalen Goodman (who also played football for LM), Sam Oshtry and Seth Needle and forward Garrett Ryan.
“This was a great group to coach,” said Downer. “They had an amazing work ethic and were so devoted to what we were trying to do.”