Norristown dominates second half, beats Methacton in District 1-6A semifinals

WORCESTER >> Norristown is going to the District 1-6A championship game.

The 12th-seeded Eagles went into top-seeded Methacton Tuesday night and left with a 51-36 win over their Pioneer Athletic Conference rivals in the district semifinals.

“Accomplishment achieved,” Norristown senior DJ Johnson said. “This team put in a lot of hard work. We all believed in each other. A lot of hard work put in. It paid off.”

Norristown dominated the second half – scoring 13 straight points to turn a 22-18 deficit into a 31-22 lead late in the third quarter. The game-changing stretch continued into the fourth as the Eagles used a 26-4 run to build a 44-26 advantage.

“We just said we got this,” Norristown senior Righteous Mitchell said of the halftime message. “Don’t worry about the first half. There’s always two halves. This is our half right here.”

John Dinolfi started the run with a three-point play to get Norristown within one, 22-21, before adding a reverse layup to put the Eagles ahead, 23-22, for good.

After Zaki Gomez hit two-of-three free throws, Mitchell made three straight layups to cap off the 13-0 outburst.

“We were moving the ball and I had the mismatch,” Mitchell said. “When I came off the screen or came around and got the ball, I took it. They didn’t know if I was going to take it or pass it out.”

Dinolfi added another basket in the third before Gomez hit a buzzer-beating corner three to send the Eagles to the fourth ahead, 36-24.

Zaki Gomez 3 at the buzzer. Norristown up 36-24 after 3. pic.twitter.com/7aEHIj3IN9

— Ed Morlock (@emor09) March 2, 2022

 

While seniors Dinolfi, Mitchell and Gomez combined for 18 points in the third, the Eagles defense held the Warriors to four points, zero field goals and five turnovers in the frame.

“We put an emphasis on (stopping Methacton senior) Cole (Hargrove),” Johnson said. “Once you do that, they started getting loose, started to turn the ball over, just chucking up shots that we were contesting. We made them do what we wanted them to do. Righteous Mitchell, Johnny and Zaki were on the offensive end playing amazing. It kept the pressure on the offensive end too.”

Gomez and Johnson made layups early in the fourth to make it 40-26 before the Warriors started fouling. Norristown went 11-for-20 from the free throw line in the final 5:53 to close out Methacton and avenge three losses against their PAC rival.

Norristown will face No. 2 Lower Merion in the District 1-6A championship game Saturday at 6 p.m. at Temple University’s Liacouras Center.

Mitchell led the Eagles with 20 points, Dinolfi added 11 and Gomez 10.

Brett Byrne paced Methacton with 14 points and Hargrove added eight.

Norristown jumped out to a 9-4 lead when Gomez, Dinolfi and Mitchell each knocked down three-pointers. The Warriors called timeout and responded with eight straight points to take a 12-9 lead after eight minutes.

The run grew to 10-0 in the second quarter and a 14-9 advantage. After the teams traded baskets to make it 16-11, Norristown rattled off seven straight points. Mitchell tied the game at 16 with a long three and Johnson put the Eagles ahead with a steal-and-score, 18-16. Byrne connected on a tough fadeaway jumper at the buzzer to send Methacton to the half with a 20-18 advantage.

Norristown 51, Methacton 36

Norristown 9 9 18 15 – 51

Methacton 12 8 4 12 – 36

N: Gomez 3 2-3 10, Johnson 2 4-8 8, Mitchell 6 6-8 20, Kirlew 0 0-0 0, Dinolfi 4 2-3 11, Williams 1 0-0 2. Total 16 13-23 51.

M: Meyer 1 1-2 3, Byrne 5 4-5 14, Hargrove 2 4-4 8, Chilson 2 0-0 5, Christian 3 0-0 6, Daddaizo 0 0-0 0, Blakemore 0 0-0 0, Lagana 0 0-0 0, Spang 0 0-0 0, Hermann 0 0-0 0, Hull 0 0-0 0. Total 13 9-11 36.

3-point goals: N: Gomez 2, Mitchell 2, Dinolfi. M: Chilson.