Perkiomen Valley overwhelms Spring-Ford in late stages, advances to District 1-6A final

GRATERFORD >> The Perkiomen Valley girls basketball team delivered Spring-Ford a blow like it has rarely experienced in the Pioneer Athletic Conference championship two weeks ago on Feb. 15.

With the memories of that last matchup still fresh, the Rams were determined to not endure the same experience in the rematch – their fourth meeting of the year – Wednesday in the District 1 Class 6A semifinals.

The first 29-plus minutes were going according to plan for Spring-Ford.

As for the final 2:54 …

“Then the tsunami hit,” said Spring-Ford head coach Mickey McDaniel.

The deluge came in the form of irresistible defensive pressure that allowed No. 1 seed Perkiomen Valley to close on a 17-0 run and turn a six-point deficit with 2:54 to play into an 11-point victory, 53-42, over No. 5 Spring-Ford to advance to the District 1-6A championship game.
Perk Valley’s lone senior Ella Stein, starting in place of younger sister Lena Stein (out due to illness), scored 11 points, including converting a steal into a score with 53.9 seconds remaining to put the Vikings up 43-42 (their first lead since 3-2), a lead that only expanded with clutch free-throw shooting (18-for-22 for the game, 11-for-12 in the fourth quarter).

“There’s no feeling like this in the world,” said Ella Stein. “It sounds corny, but there is nobody I’d rather do it with either because I love this team and I’m glad we got to do this together while I’m still here.”

PV leads pic.twitter.com/eTtNnDhmOP

— Austin Hertzog (@AustinHertzog) March 2, 2023

Perkiomen Valley upped its record to 26-1 and set up a 1 versus 2 matchup against No. 2 seed Haverford (27-0) – a 43-21 winner in Wednesday’s other semifinal – in Saturday’s final, 4 p.m. at Temple University’s Liacouras Center.

It was a balanced PV performance with four players in double figures: Quinn Boettinger scored 17 and Bella Bacani, Grace Galbavy and Stein scored 11 apiece. Julia Smith scored three, her lone basket a pivotal 3-pointer during the Vikings’ initial push early in the fourth quarter.

“They really played well,” said PV coach John Russo. “Everybody hit a big shot. Ella’s 3, Julia’s 3 were like the biggest shots. They were daggers.”

Meg Robbins scored 14 to lead Spring-Ford (23-5), which dropped to 1-3 on the year against their chief rival. The Rams will host Pennsbury in the District 1 third-place game on Saturday.

Spring-Ford led by as much as 37-28 late in the third quarter after a baseline baby hook from Mac Pettinelli (11 points).

“We had opportunities when we had the lead to lengthen it, we just couldn’t cash in,” said McDaniel. “They forced us into turnovers and it changed the momentum of the game. We’re all accountable, the coaches, the players. I’m proud of our players and the effort they gave tonight.”

While the Rams program, making its sixth consecutive trip to the District 1 semifinals, has been surgical in its ability to take care of the ball and hold late leads in its many postseason wins, the Vikings successfully rattled the Rams when it shifted from zone defense to man-to-man and brought the onslaught.

“It starts with the defense. Switching from our zone back into man was a huge help. It’s a lot easier to be up on the ball more, more intense, more aggressive when we’re playing man-to-man,” said Ella Stein. “Once we picked up the intensity, we were steamrolling through once we got the ball, got some steals and it ended up working out our way.”

Spring-Ford was the inspired side early, building a 15-10 after one quarter – catapulted by three straight possessions hitting a 3, twice from Pettinelli, one from Katie Tiffan (6 points). Boettinger scored the last four points of the second quarter to enter halftime with Spring-Ford leading 22-20.

The third quarter favored the Rams with their adjustment to PV’s zone and Pettinelli orchestrating the offense around it to build a 37-29 lead through three quarters.

Just when Siena Miller’s 3-pointer put the Rams up 42-36 with 2:54, Spring-Ford appeared to have swung the rivalry’s pendulum. But looks can deceive.

“We were happy with what we had done. We just didn’t finish the game,” said McDaniel. “We’re all feeling the pain tonight, the players the coaches, everyone. That’s actually a good thing but it shows it’s important to us and that we want to win. We just have to get better in all areas.”

Perk Valley will make its first district final appearance since 2015-16 when it won the title. With squad that usually has five sophomore starters, the future is now for Perkiomen Valley.

“It feels really good to go to Temple, especially with this team because I love these guys,” said Bacani. “It’s going to be a great experience to do with my favorite people.”