District 1-6A Championship Preview: Methacton vs. Cheltenham

The Methacton and Cheltenham boys basketball programs are not the typical powers usually competing in the District 1 Class 6A championship game.

At Temple University’s Liacouras Center on Saturday (7 p.m.), the Panthers will play for a district crown for the first time since falling to Chester in consecutive seasons in 2004 and 2005, while the Warriors continue their deepest run ever in the district tournament.

The winner of Saturday’s championship contest will be just the seventh different team to win District 1’s largest classification (which switched from Class 4A to Class 6A in 2016-17) in the past 20 seasons.

Both teams put together rather dominant performances in the semifinals to set up what should be an entertaining final. Here is a breakdown of the matchup:

Methacton (1) vs. Cheltenham (3), 7 p.m., Temple University

Records >> Methacton (25-2) hasn’t lost to a District 1 opponent this season with the Warriors’ two losses coming against Philadelphia Catholic League runner-up Roman Catholic and District 3 finalist Wilson-West Lawn … Cheltenham’s (24-3) only loss to a District 1 team this season came against Pennridge in the Suburban One League Challenge title game. The Panthers’ other two losses came to Inter-Ac champ Malvern Prep and PCL foe Bishop McDevitt.

Playoff History >> Methacton was a district quarterfinalist last season, which matched the program’s deepest District 1 playoff run prior to this season. … After falling in the second round last season, Cheltenham is in its fourth-ever District 1 title game. The Panthers, who fell in the 2004 and 2005 District 1 final when coach Pat Fleury was the team’s starting point guard, last won the district in 1968.

How they got here >> The top-seeded Warriors have won all three district playoff games by at least 23 points, opening with a 66-41 win over No. 16 Council Rock South, following with a 69-46 victory over No. 8 Pennridge and knocking off No. 4 Chester 81-54 on Tuesday for their first District 1 championship appearance … The third-seeded Panthers similarly breezed in their opener, taking down No. 19 Upper Darby, 83-57. Cheltenham followed with an impressive 68-61 win over 2019 District 1 runner-up Coatesville (the Panthers’ second win over Coatesville this season) and locked up their championship spot with Tuesday’s 77-60 win over No. 7 Bensalem.

On Methacton >> The Warriors are led by their four seniors Jeff Woodward, Erik Timko, Brett Eberly and Owen Kropp. Woodward, a 6-10 forward bound for Colgate next season, has put together two dominant outings in the Warriors’ last two wins. After recording a 16-point, 21-rebound night in the quarterfinal win over Pennridge, Woodward went for 20 and 20 on Tuesday against Chester.

Timko, who hit the 1,000-point milestone against Pennridge, is a 6-foot-3 sharpshooter (70 threes this season) who can score from anywhere on the floor, averaging nearly 20 points per game. He finished with 25 points in the win against Chester. Eberly (6-0), a three-year starter at point guard, and Kropp (6-2) are also threats from deep, strong ball handlers, willing passers and capable defenders on the other end of the floor.

Sophomores Brett Byrne (6-1) and Cole Hargrove (6-5) have come on strong for Methacton in their playoff run. Hargrove hit two big threes in the first half against Chester following a 10-point night in the quarterfinal round against Pennridge. Junior Ryan Baldwin, a 6-foot-6 forward, gave Methacton strong minutes in the win against Chester.

The key to Methacton’s playoff run so far has been finding a different gear in the second half. The Warriors outscored Council Rock South, 19-0, in the third quarter to open their playoff run. Against Pennridge the run came at the beginning of the fourth quarter, going on a 19-4 run to turn a seven-point lead into 22-point advantage. On Tuesday, Eberly, Kropp and Timko drilled threes to end the third quarter before the Warriors opened the fourth with eight straight points to go on a 17-0 run and turn a six-point contest into a blow out in a matter of minutes.

On Cheltenham >>The Panthers have played without Division I-bound guard Zahree Harrison (St. Francis) for almost the entire season. Luckily, they have another Division I-bound player in a 6-foot-3 Rider commit Jaelen McGlone, who has carried the team over the past two games. After scoring a team-high 22 points against Coatesville in the quarterfinal round, McGlone poured in 24 in the semis against Bensalem. The senior is physical inside and is difficult to stop when he gets some steam heading to the rim, but he can also hurt teams from the outside, knocking down a pair of threes against Bensalem.

McGlone’s partner in crime has been sophomore guard Justin Moore (6-1), who took over Harrison’s spot at the point. Throughout the season, Harrison has been a guiding voice for Moore, who plays with a savvy and comfort-level beyond his years. The sophomore has totaled 54 points in Cheltenham’s three district wins, scoring 19 against Bensalem.

After their 1-2 scoring punch, the Panthers have plenty of capable athletes who can contribute to the scoring effort. Senior Sean Emfinger (6-4) is a lanky, athletic wing who caused havoc on the defensive end against Bensalem, tallying six steals to go along with his eight points, including a second-half slam. Senior Brandon Stone (6-3), who finished with nine points Tuesday, is a steady presence who gives the team some toughness inside. Senior guard Travis Coleman (6-0) rounds out the starting lineup, while junior wing Michael McClain (6-4) and sophomore guards Saleem Payne (5-9) and Rasheem Dearry (6-3) are two of Cheltenham’s top options off the bench.

Prediction >> While they may not be the usual faces fighting for a district championship, it’s no surprise to see Cheltenham and Methacton meeting in Saturday’s title game. Both squads entered the season as two of the favorites in District 1 and have been ranked among the top teams in the Class 6A district and state fields throughout the year.

Cheltenham plays with a pace that gives some teams trouble, but the Warriors are comfortable playing up tempo or slowing the ball down to score in the half court. Senior wing David Pope (6-6) is the only player on the Panthers’ roster listed above 6-foot-6, so Woodward should once again have a tremendous advantage inside. Cheltenham’s plan should be to try and get him in foul trouble.

Methacton has the advantage inside, and the Warriors have also been red hot from the outside, knocking down a total of 25 threes in their three district games. It’s really hard to see Methacton, which has played like the best team in District 1 all season, falling in this one … Methacton 63, Cheltenham 55.