Green, Pope John Paul II down Bartram for first PIAA win since 2013
COATESVILLE >> Justin Green played his first game in a Pope John Paul II uniform against John Bartram High School in the 2018-19 season opener.
While the Golden Panthers came away with a victory, the Braves and forward D’Maio Massey made sure Green’s PJP debut was not one to remember.
“It did not go well,” Green recalled. “I think I had four points or something and (Massey) had about 20.”
Green got another chance to go against Bartram and Massey on Friday night at Coatesville High School. This time the matchup came in Green’s biggest game to date in a PJP uniform as he played in the school’s first state playoff game since 2013.
Pope John Paul II’s 6-foot-5 forward, who has grown a couple of inches in the 15 months since the two teams last met, did not let the moment slip by, pouring in a game-high 20 points to lead the Golden Panthers to a 56-46 victory against the Braves in the PIAA Class 4A first round.
“That was kind of personal tonight,” said Green, who also helped limit Massey to 13 points. “I wanted to bounce back from last year, and that was definitely on my mind.”
.@PJPII_Hoops junior Justin Green had 20 points against Bartram on Friday to help PJP win its first state playoff game since 2013. pic.twitter.com/FO1Hl4ODnp
— Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue) March 7, 2020
PJP senior Drew McKeon followed Green with 13 points in the victory, which marked the school’s second-ever state playoff win and the first in seven years. The Golden Panthers (20-6), who will face District 11 champion Allentown Central Catholic in the second round Tuesday, also clinched the program’s first 20-win season.
Second-year head coach Brendan Stanton, who took over a team that had finished with four consecutive losing campaigns last season, said he had a chance to reflect on how much this group has grown while watching the film from last year’s Bartram game in preparation for Friday.
“It was crazy to see how different things are now,” Stanton said. “Justin’s like three inches taller now. Drew’s 20 pounds heavier. It’s been crazy to see how the kids have really grown up before our eyes, especially over this season.”
“It’s unbelievable,” McKeon added. “People don’t value experience, but looking now to then I have such a different perspective of the game from the first game to 50 games later.”
Game of Runs >> The Golden Panthers, who trailed 24-21 at halftime, found themselves in a 34-26 hole with 3:47 left in the third quarter Friday after Massey punctuated an 8-0 Bartram run with an and-one.
PJP was not fazed and responded right back with a run of its own, ending the third quarter with 11 straight points to go up 37-34 heading into the fourth.
“Our defense ramped up and that led to buckets on the other end,” Green said.
Bartram couldn’t stop the momentum at the start of the fourth quarter as PJP scored eight of the game’s next 10 points, a combined 19-2 run, to build the Golden Panthers’ largest lead of the game, 45-36, on a bucket by sophomore Jaden Workman with 4:20 remaining.
Pretty move by Jaden Workman has PJP up 41-36 with 6:27 to go in Q4. pic.twitter.com/RS837IzuUW
— Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue) March 7, 2020
While senior Christian Smith and sophomore Darius Lavender, who both finished with six points, knocked down threes down the stretch, the Braves never closed the gap closer than five the rest of the way.
Junior Josh Horn scored 11 points to join Massey in double figures for Bartram, which ended its season in the first round of states for the third straight year.
“We threw the ball away,” seven-year Bartram coach Andre Brown said. “We rushed in the zone instead of just taking our time. We threw the ball away, plain and simple. We threw the ball away on offense, and that got us out of a rhythm on defense.”
Green Machine >> McKeon, who entered the game a few decimal points above Green as the team’s leading scorer, had just three points in the first half as he got going with 10 points after the break, including eight in the third quarter.
With McKeon and the rest of the Golden Panthers going through some shooting struggles early, Green helped carry the offense, leading the team with nine points in the first half.
Drew McKeon gives PJP a 43-36 lead. pic.twitter.com/64TuNCVCYc
— Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue) March 7, 2020
After scoring six points in the third quarter to help PJP take its lead, Green rose to the occasion once again in the fourth. With just under two minutes to play, the junior converted an and-one to put the Golden Panthers up 49-41 before exchanging high-fives with the PJP bench and sharing a chest bump with McKeon.
“He’s just grown all around,” Stanton said of Green. “Especially I think though — I don’t know what the program was before — the seriousness he takes basketball with. He jumps rope before games. He’s rolling himself out before practice. All these kids are just so invested, and I think Justin really helped start that and it’s carried over to all of our other kids.
Drew McKeon gives PJP a 43-36 lead. pic.twitter.com/64TuNCVCYc
— Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue) March 7, 2020
“He’s just been a great leader. He’s not always the biggest yeller in the world. He got pretty pumped up after the and-one, but he’s just been an unbelievable leader and the kids really look up to him from freshmen probably all the way up to kids in his own class.”
One of a Kind >> Like other Public League schools, Brown said he hasn’t had very many four-year guys come through his program over the last seven years.
Massey, a first team All-Public League ‘A’ Division selection, has been one of the exceptions as he’s played a large role in leading the Braves to three straight PIAA appearances.
“It was very special,” Brown said of Massey’s career. “He’s one of my hardest workers. Consistent working out, fall, spring. He’s a complete basketball guy, real special. It’s definitely sad to see him go. If we had eight our nine guys with his mindset, we’d definitely be in a different position.”
Notes >> PJP junior Luke McCarthy had 10 points, knocking down all six of his free throws in the fourth quarter to help seal the game. Workman finished with seven for PJP…Green complemented the rebounding effort from the rest of the team against a Bartram squad that while not overwhelmingly tall has a depth of a size. “It was mostly the guards,” Green said. “I’m always trying to rebound, but I think we got a lot of help from Kevin (Green), Luke, Jaden, Drew rebounding tonight. That’s what set us apart.”
