District 1-6A First Round: Seidman’s 29 points lead Haverford past William Tennent
WARMINSTER — Haverford embraced its No. 21 seed and played some of its finest basketball of the season Friday night at William Tennent High School.
“I love being the underdog,” said senior guard Googie Seidman, who helped get the District 1-6A Playoffs rolling for the Fords. “We worked hard for two weeks straight. We missed our (Central) League playoffs, so coach (Keith Heinerichs) had us working hard that whole week to get ready for this. So it feels amazing.”
Seidman poured in a game-high 29 points, the Fords slowed down the Panthers’ high-powered attack, and Haverford came away with a satisfying 60-46 victory in the opening round of districts. The win sends the Fords to a second-round contest Tuesday at No. 5 Downingtown West.
“We knew they wanted to push the ball so we had to focus on their key guys, slow them down and play our game,” said Seidman of the 12th-seeded Panthers.
A fine season for Tennent (16-7) came to a close. The Panthers, who had won six of seven coming into the playoffs, were led by Kirby Mooney’s 21 points on Friday night.
But Haverford (13-10) jumped out to a 22-12 lead early and extended its advantage in a pivotal third quarter.
A three by Gorman Bright Jr. pushed the margin to 40-30 and then Brian Wiener drove baseline to make it 42-30 moments later.
A pair of free throws by Seidman closed out the third, with Haverford ahead 45-33.
The Panthers made a run in the fourth, slicing a 14-point margin down to five. A steal by Isaiah Dawson led to a putback by Danny Scheller, bringing the Panthers within 51-46.
But Haverford’s growth and experience kicked in.
“We’ve lost a couple close games so we’ve learned from our mistakes,” Seidman said. “We just know how to stay together. We’re a group of seniors – older, more experienced and tougher.”
Seidman’s foul shots with 1 minute, 48 seconds left to play gave the Fords a 53-46 advantage, helping to lock it up. Seidman went 10-of-12 from the foul line in the fourth and also hit three key shots in the second half.
“It was a really good team win. My teammates got me open for almost every shot,” he said.
Fellow seniors Brian Wiener (12 points) and Tommy Wright (11 points) also contributed valuable buckets.
“These guys have had their back to the wall since the middle of January,” Heinerichs said. “I think because we played a little tight in some games that didn’t go our way, we started realizing what happens in a close game. And I think it’s paid off.
“The Central League gets you ready for this type of game. It’s a very well-coached league. Every team you play is gonna push you and make you be your best. And I think it helped us here.”
Tennent will lose some key seniors but Mooney, who hit a three at the end of the third to help kick-start the Panther rally, will return next year as a senior.
During Tennent’s 6-1 finish to the regular season, the Panthers scored at least 60 points or more in five of those contests. They had a 72-point game and an 81-point game during that span but the Fords clamped down on Friday night.
Said Heinerichs of the third quarter: “We made shots. And when you make shots, the game’s a lot easier. But I thought our defense was really good. To hold them in the 40’s was pretty good.”
The Fords now get ready for Downingtown West.
“They’re very good,” Heinerichs said. “We’re gonna enjoy (Friday night) and get back to work Saturday.”
Haverford 60, William Tennent 46
Haverford 22 8 15 15 – 60
Tennent 12 12 9 13 – 46
Haverford: Brian Wiener 5 0-0 12, Tommy Wright 4 2-4 11, Gorman Bright Jr. 2 0-0 5, Googie Seidman 7 14-16 29, Kevin Gannon 0 1-2 1, Andrew Steigleman 1 0-0 2. Totals 19 17-22 60.
Tennent: Isaiah Dawson 0 2-2 2, Evan Devor 1 0-0 3, George Marion 5 4-4 15, Danny Scheller 1 1-2 3, Chris D’Ambra 1 0-1 2, Kirby Mooney 9 2-3 21. Totals 17 9-12 46.
3-pointers: H-Wiener 2, Wright, Bright Jr., Seidman; T-Devor, Marion, Mooney.
