Rustin pulls away to roll over Harriton, into rubber match with Unionville
WESTTOWN >> Basketball can look like an easy game when the five players on the floor and are in complete sync with the coaching staff, and execute the game plan flawlessly.
Wednesday night in the opening round of the District 1 Class 5A playoffs, host West Chester Rustin put on a clinic as the Golden Knights advanced to Saturday’s quarterfinal round against Unionville with a decisive 67-48 win over 12th-seeded Harriton.
Rustin, the five seed (18-7), led from the start, jetting out to a 7-0 lead at the beginning of the game, and the Golden Knights never looked back. The Knights shot 21 for 38 from the field and played great defense against a good shooting Rams (10-14) squad. Rustin exploited its size advantage inside with junior Jacob Barksdale, who tallied 20 points to go along with 10 rebounds. IV Pettit led the game with 21 points and was nine for 10 from the free throw line.
“We executed the game plan and that was try to exploit them inside,” Barksdale said. “And in the first half we had a little trouble doing that because me and Dan Wethey were both in foul trouble. But, we got going in the second half and I got some easy baskets inside. Easy buckets are always good to get.”
Rustin held a slim 28-23 lead at halftime, but the Golden Knights extended their lead by outscoring the Rams, 20-13, in the third quarter. After a Mike Tabasso jumper to bring the Rams within 31-27, the Golden Knights went on a 7-0 run to extend their lead, even with Pettit on the Rustin bench with four fouls.
“We had IV on the bench with fouls but the guys that came in did a good job,” West Chester Rustin coach Keith Cochran said. “We had guys step up and that is why this was a real good team win.”
When Bryce Pew drained a long 3-pointer to make it a 46-36 Golden Knights lead, the Rams were up against it. Harriton came down the floor and missed a jumper, and the Golden Knights fed Barksdale inside for a basket and at the end of the third it was a 48-36 West Chester Rustin lead. The Golden Knights forced the Rams into a nightmarish 3-for-14 shooting in the quarter.
The Golden Knights put the game away early in the fourth as West Chester Rustin started the fourth on a 10-0 run. Rustin hit its first four shots in the period. Pettit went strong to the basket to start the run, and Harriton then turned over the ball two straight times down the floor.
The Golden Knights took full advantage as Griffin Barrouk scored in the lane and then Barksdale took a pretty feed from Pettit to score inside. Barksdale scored in tight again after a third Rams miscue. The run ended when Barksdale hit two free throws and it was a commanding 58-36 Golden Knights lead and the Rams season was over, while Rustin was looking ahead to a Unionville team it split with this season.
“Jacob played a real good game for us tonight and he does that when he listens to the game plan,” Cochran said. “Tonight, the assistant coaches had a great plan and the kids executed very well.”
Barksdale is a junior and has really come on late in the season for the Golden Knights as he has added a big inside presence for Rustin.
“I used to get really nervous before games,” Barksdale said. “But, the game has slowed down for me and I feel very comfortable out on the floor right now. We have a real team first culture at Rustin and I am happy to be a part of that.”
WC Rustin 67, Harriton 48
HARRITON (48): Beauvis 1 0-0 2, Wyche 1 0-0 2, Tabasso 4 6-8 15, Ransom 5 1-2 14, Belcher 1 0-0 2, Bradley-Lowry 3 2-2 8, Torbeck 2 0-0 5. Totals 16 9-12 48.
WC RUSTIN (67): Pew 1 0-3 3, Wethey 2 2-4 6, Barksdale 8 4-6 20, Barrouk 4 3-4 12, Reinheimer 0 2-4 2, Pettit 5 9-10 21, Seelus 1 0-0 3, Chobany 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 20-31 67.
Harriton 11 12 13 12 – 48
WC Rustin 19 9 20 19 – 67
3-point goals: Tabasso, Ransom 3, Torbeck, Pew, Barrouk, Pettit 2, Seelus.
