Bensalem holds off Spring-Ford in District 1-6A playoffs to get Morris first postseason win

BENSALEM >> Ron Morris was an exuberant ball of energy Tuesday evening … jumping around, sharing handshakes and hugs with hometown fans and acquaintances.

And for good reason. Bensalem’s first-year head coach directed the first playoff victory of his long career, leading the Owls to a 48-45 triumph over Spring-Ford in their District 1 Class 6A second-round game and to secure a spot in the upcoming PIAA 6A playoffs.

Morris’ inaugural post-season triumph was made even more special by a hard-playing Spring-Ford unit that came back from as many as seven points down in the fourth quarter to keep the game’s final outcome uncertain until time expired. The 10th-seeded Rams (15-8) were one three-point basket away from forcing overtime, but Bensalem’s James Ashford hit a pair of free throws in the final 12 seconds, then recovered a loose ball inside five to secure the win.

“We knew what was at stake,” Morris — he served the Bensalem boys hoop program in a variety of capacities for 15 years — said after celebrating the victory with his players and coaches. “Spring-Ford came in with guns blazing. It was a tremendous battle by both teams.”

The Owls’ athleticism challenged their guests the entire night. It featured the long-distance marksmanship of Aaron Sanders, who got all but two of his 14 points from the far side of the arc; Ashford’s team-leading 18 points and play around the rim; and Travis Robinson attacking the SF offense off the bench.

There was also Jeremiah Alexander, dubbed the “X factor” by Morris. Alexander spread his 11-point performance through the game, helping seventh-seeded Bensalem (18-5) build a 22-14 lead at the start of the second quarter and a 46-40 advantage in the game’s closing minutes with timely baskets.

“This group is so fun,” Morris said of his 18-5 Suburban One National champs. “They’re a true team that doesn’t care who scores. They make my job easier.”

Spring-Ford, by comparison, faces a tougher job in the post-season. The Rams have to win twice in playbacks to qualify for states … a situation similar to the one they faced last year, one in which they were successful.

“We’ll be having two good practices before Friday,” SF head coach Chris Talley said.

The Rams led just once the entire night, taking a 12-11 lead in the first quarter off a six-point run that saw Tre Medearis bookend a Jake Kressley layup to erase the Owls’ 11-6 advantage. Bensalem got the lead back with Ashford laying up a steal at the 1:19 mark, but Pat Kovaleski returned the favor on a similar play 19 seconds later.

A Sanders “three,” his third of the quarter, put Bensalem up 16-14. It came out of the half with a 29-25 lead, weathering the Rams’ various comeback runs.

“They (Bensalem) have a great team,” Talley noted, “athletic, strong and physical. They were getting to most of the 50-50 balls.”

Medearis finished as the game’s scoring leader with 21 points. He was the presumed go-to guy when the Rams were looking to erase Bensalem’s lead with only three seconds to go.

“The last play was going to Tre,” Talley said. “But they (Owls) tipped it and kept it out of our hands.”
“We knew they wanted to get it to 2 (Medearis),” Morris added. “We made sure we covered his front and back. James got the loose ball, and they were left shooting a desperation shot,”

Kovaleski (11 points) and Zack Skrocki (seven) each netted five in a fourth quarter Spring-Ford led by a mere 16-14.

“At this time of year, the margin of error shrinks” Talley noted. “You have to be able to do the little things. We didn’t come up with enough loose balls or make stops.”

NOTES >> Medearis accounted for all but three of Spring-Ford’s 11 second-quarter points, following a first quarter where he and Kovaleski each scored six. “He had a heck of a game,” Talley said. “They were running everyone at him.” … The Rams fared better at the free-throw line, going 8-for-11 while the Owls were 8-for 14. Kovaleski (2-for-2), Skrocki (3-for-4) and Medearis (2-for-40 led the way at the stripe. … Ashford scored eight of Bensalem’s fourth-quarter points, but he was 4-for-10 in free throws.

Bensalem 48

Spring-Ford 45

SPRING-FORD: Medearis 9 2-4 21, Kovaleski 4 2-2 11, Fitzgerald 0 0-0 0, Skrocki 2 3-4 7, Kressley 1 1-1 3, Scilingo 0 0-0 0, Little 0 0-0 0, Santiago 1 0-0 3, Cooke 0 0-0 0, Totals 17 8-11 45.

BENSALEM: Sanders 5 0-0 14, Alexander 5 1-2 11, Ashford 7 4-7 18, Unger 0 0-0 0, Zeidler 0 1-2 1, Robinson 1 2-2 4, Johnson 0 0-0 0, Kohli 0 0-0 0, Zeidler 0 0-0 0, Totals 18 8-14 48.

Spring-Ford 14 11 4 16-45
Bensalem 16 13 5 14-48

3-point goals: Medearis, Kovaleski, Santiago, Sanders 4.