Blair leads Downingtown West to state playoff win

DOWNINGTOWN>> The special players, the ones you remember, shine brightest when the lights are white  hot.

Saturday afternoon at Wagner Gymnasium in the first round of the PIAA 6A playoffs, Downingtown West senior guard Dylan Blair willed the Whippets to a thrilling 64-60 win over Waynesboro. Blair scored 32 points, dished out six assists and grabbed four rebounds in his masterpiece.

The win was the first state win in Downingtown West school history and puts the Whippets into Wednesday’s second round game against District 7 entrant, New Castle, who defeated Erie in Saturday’s first round.

“We knew they were going to come out fast because this is a desperation time of the year and we made some adjustments defensively after they got off to that hot start,” Downingtown West coach Stu Ross said. “And then to have a senior and experienced point guard as talented as Dylan is was a big plus for us. Dylan knows the in and outs of the game and he controls the ebb and flow of the game and he was really big for us tonight.”

The visiting Indians (21-7) started out like they were going to blow West off the floor.The visitors took an early 11-4 lead on some hot shooting from Ryan Shaffer,and Tanyon Shaull, who led the Indians with 19 points. Shaffer poured in 17 for the game.

Waynesboro shot six for 10 from the field in the first period and held a 18-12 lead after one period.

But the Whippets, behind Blair’s 21 first half points dominated the second period, outscoring the Indians 24-9 in the second period to take 36-27 lead at halftime. Blair, who drained five three-balls for theme, scored 12 of the Whippets 24 second period points.

“You have to give them credit,” Blair said. “They hit shots and were playing well early. We did whether the storm however and settled down and it was big to have that halftime lead. teams are going to go on runs during the game and the key is how you react to them.”

The third period was a back and forth affair as the Whippets took a 52-43 lead late in the third period after Joey Suarez drained a three-ball. But the fiesty Indians fought back to close the Whippets lead to 52-49 after three periods, outscoring West 22-16 in the third period.

Things stayed tight for the entire fourth period as the teams traded haymakers. When Shaffer scored in thew lane with 2:00 to go, it was a 60-58 Whippets lead.

West came down the floor and Suarez missed on an outside shot and the Indians pulled down the rebound.

But with 54 seconds to play the Indians threw the ball away, one of their 12 turnovers for the game. Blair drove the lane and got fouled.

He hit both free throws and the Whippets led 62-58 with 34 seconds to play in the fourth period.

Waynesboro came down to hit two free throws to make it a 62-60 Whippets lead with just 24 seconds to play. Blair did the Indians in by hitting two more free throws with 15.2 seconds to play, giving the Whippets a 64-60 lead.

The Indians missed on two frantic shots from the field and Donovan Fromhartz, who poured in 17 points for the Whippets, came down with the rebound and Downingtown West was moving on to the second round.

“I was looking to get everyone involved today,” Blair said. “And then I hit a couple of shots early and I became more aggressive and tried to score or do anything that my team needed me to do to advance and win this game.”

Note: Downingtown West shot 24 for 49 from the field for the game.

Downingtown West 64, Waynesboro 60

WAYNESBORO (60) Young 1 3-4 6, Hough 0 0-1 0, Smith 0 0-0 0, Shaffer 7 1-1 17, Bean 6 4-4 16, Shaull 7 2-2 19. Totals 21 12-14 60.

DOWNINGTOWN WEST (64) Blair 11 5-6 32, Lewis 0 0-0 0. Bell 4 0-0 8, Barker 0 0-0 0. Neuhas 0 0-0 0, Fromahrtz 7 0-0 17, Suarez 2 1-2 7. Totals 24 6-8 64.

Waynesboro             18 9 22 11-60
Downingtown West  12 24 16 12-64
3-point goals: Shaffer 2, Shaull 3, Blair 5, Suarez 2, Fromhartz 3.