Shanahan tops Collegium; nabs 1st district crown since 1996
BRYN MAWR >> All of the bruises, and the losses. All of the disappointments, and even more losses.
Head coach John Dougherty never wavered, and never let his Bishop Shanahan basketball team give in to despair. There was a carrot at the end of the rope, even though at times it must have felt like a noose.
Despite finishing the regular season eight games below .500, the Eagles entered the postseason as a battle-hardened group, and on Saturday it all paid off with a District 1 Class 4A Championship. Shanahan knocked off the defending district champion Collegium Charter 55-35 in the final at Harriton High School, and now advance to the PIAA Playoffs.
“This was the plan with a competitive schedule both league and non-league,” Dougherty said. “This is the result.
“Credit to my coaching staff for keeping these guys up and motivated.”
With an underwhelming 9-15 overall record, the Eagles are one of 32 teams state-wide with a shot at the 4A state crown. It will take five more victories.
“I never had any doubts that we could get to the district final and win it,” said guard Charley Federico.
“We think we can play with anyone and beat anyone,” added fellow senior Ben Rodner-Tims. “So we are excited.”
It was a finals matchup of mirror-images — two smaller schools that have been tested all season by playing the big boys. But on Saturday, Shanahan seemed to get to every loose ball, and did a lot of damage on the offensive glass against a much bigger opponent.
“We did not play our best today,” said Collegium Charter head coach Markel Jones. “(Shanahan) beat us in the toughness areas. They got all of the 50-50 balls.”
And on this day, a total team effort by the Eagles trumped a great individual outing by the Cougars’ Duce Jackson. The senior, playing in his final high school game, had a game-high 19 points and eight rebounds. Shanahan countered with an offense that featured points from 10 different players, and a defense that forced 14 turnovers and committed just seven.
“We knew we had to do those kinds of things,” Dougherty said.
It is the school’s first district crown in boys’ basketball since 1996. For reference, Bishop Shanahan had yet to move to its current location in Downingtown from its old locale in West Chester.
“To give you an example of how long ago that was, our school wasn’t even built yet,” Dougherty said. “I am so happy for this team and the school. Winning always helps with morale and we try to win the right way.”
The Eagles lost twice as many as they won in the brutal Ches-Mont National (4-8 record) this winter. But in a clash between schools that are located less than two miles apart, Shanahan led for all but the first few minutes, ended the Cougars (15-12 overall) four game win streak, and ended their season.
“These guys are teenagers and losing can be frustrating in the heat of the moment,” Dougherty said. “But we kept saying as coaches that we are right there and we were losing to very good teams. I did the math, and of our 22 regular season games, 19 of our opponents are still playing right now.
“So we are ready. This team is playing not just for themselves, but for the school, the community, the parents and all of the teams that came before us that didn’t get this opportunity.”
Prone to some slow starts, the first half was like a dream for Dougherty and his staff, much like it was in a semifinal win against Pope John Paul. And even though Shanahan was sharp offensively, it was on defense where the Eagles really shined.
“We went up 18-4 against Pope John Paul, so that was the goal today,” Rodner-Tims said. “Make (Collegium) speed up and not let them get comfortable.”
Shanahan connected five times from long distance against Collegium’s zone defense, and four came during a critical 21-4 rally in the first half. It turned a three-point deficit into a 14-point lead, and Shanahan led it 32-17 at the half.
“It was our defense that won us this game,” Rodner-Tims said.
“We had two really good weeks of practice before we played Pope John Paul (in the district semis),” Dougherty added. “So we switched some things that weren’t on film from throughout the season. The kids bought in and we are ready for the postseason.”
With Jackson leading the way, the Cougars made one third quarter run to get within a dozen, but they never got closer.
“Maybe our focus wasn’t there, feeling it would be easier than it was,” Jones said. “It just wasn’t our day.”
Four days after knocking down nine 3-pointers, Collegium managed to make just one in 10 attempts.
“We didn’t play inside-out today,” Jones explained. “The 3-pointers really open up when you are able to establish down low, and we just couldn’t get it going close to the basket.
“We are bigger, but we apparently had no desire to play tough down low today.”
Rodner-Tims paced a balanced attack with 16 points, Federico added 11 and another senior guard, Roman Alexander, chipped in 10 for the Eagles.
“We played a lot of big schools this season, so we knew that once we got to districts the competition would be better matchups for us,” Rodner-Tims said. “A district title was the goal all season. We just had to keep a positive mindset.”
The Eagles go into states with, almost certainly, the fewest wins of any team still alive. But you could make an argument that they are one of the most dangerous teams still left in 4A.
“We are not really worried about our perception,” Dougherty said. “We know what we can do. But there are no easy games in the state tournament, and we know that.”
Bishop Shanahan 55, Collegium Charter 35
Bishop Shanahan 15 17 7 16 — 55
Collegium Charter 11 6 8 10 — 35
BISHOP SHANAHAN – Alexander 3 2-2 10; Ambrose 1 0-0 2; Boyle 1 0-0 2; Federico 4 1-2 11; Griffin 1 0-0 3; Kapzcynski 1 0-0 3; Maddrey-Rylander 1 0-0 2; Rodner-Tims 5 6- 16; Scaggs 2 0-0 4; Seifried 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 9-12 55.
COLLEGIUM CHARTER – Jones-Pinilla 0 3-4 3; Jackson 6 7-9 19; Pitt 2 0-0 4; Mack 2 2-2 6; Schnitzius 1 0-0 3. Totals 11 12-15 35.
Three-pointers: Alexander 2, Federico 2, Kapczynski, Schnitzius.
