WORCESTER >> Methacton faced a five-point deficit, its largest of the game, with less than five minutes remaining against Central Bucks West Tuesday night. A loss would send the Warriors out of the District 1-6A championship hunt in the second round – the same fate they suffered in 2023.
In 2023, however, they didn’t have Christian Matos.
Matos, a sophomore wing who missed his entire freshman season with an injury, took over in the fourth quarter. The 6-foot-1 lefty scored 11 straight Methacton points to change its fortunes.
The 11-4 run lasted three minutes and turned the five-point deficit into a two-point lead with less than 90 seconds left. The Bucks cut their deficit in half with a free throw, but the Warriors forced a turnover, went 2-for-4 from the free-throw line with a key offensive rebound and survived a three-quarter court buzzer beater bouncing off the rim.
No. 6 Methacton defeated No. 11 Central Bucks West, 54-51, at Methacton High School to advance to the District 1-6A quarterfinals and secure its spot in the PIAA-6A state playoffs.
“During the fourth quarter I was looking at the score,” Matos, who led the Warriors with 19 points, said. “We were down 41-46, I think, and I just thought I don’t want us to lose this game. I tried whatever I could to help us win.
“In the first half I missed (my first two shots). So I was thinking I’m just going to keep shooting and hope it falls. Once one falls, turns into two and then I just catch fire.”
Matos hit three 3-pointers and finished at the rim once during the game-changing stretch. He started it with a triple with 4:20 remaining to cut a 46-41 deficit to 46-44. West’s Julian Phillips answered with a layup and Matos came right back with another three. After a West turnover, Matos’ layup put the Warriors (17-7) ahead, 49-48. Roman Kulesa put the Bucks (19-8) back in front by one before Matos hit another three to put Methacton ahead for good, 52-50, with 1:22 to go.
“(Matos has) really stepped up this year,” Methacton coach Pat Lockard said. “For a sophomore to have that confidence – he can miss seven straight shots but he’s going to take that next one with confidence to be able to make that. We have a ton of confidence (in him). There’s a reason he’s our leading scorer this year, because he has the ability to catch fire like that. Obviously a big reason for us to be able to get that lead in the fourth is when he’s knocking down those shots.
“The guys fully believe in him. I can hear it from the bench, telling him to keep shooting. We have a ton of faith in him to be able to knock that down.”
West’s Bowen Gugger was fouled in the final minute and split his free throws, to get the Bucks within 52-51. He missed the second free throw, but grabbed an offensive rebound. A West miss went out of bounds with 29.6 ticks left to give the visitors another chance to take the lead.
Phillips, who scored a game-high 22 points, drove into the lane and got double-teamed by Methacton’s Manny Rodriguez and Alex Hermann. The two senior defenders forced a turnover with 17.2 seconds to go.
“Attention to detail, communication and just playing harder and having that focus and energy on the defensive side,” Rodriguez credited for Methacton’s strong defense down the stretch. “I think that’s really what we did differently to get those stops. Also, grabbing the rebounds. Securing the boards helped us be able to push on the other end.”
Hermann split two free throws to make it 53-51 and Sal Iemmello grabbed an offensive rebound on the miss. He was fouled and went 1-for-2, making it 54-51 with 13.6 remaining.
West missed a shot to tie with less than five seconds left and Methacton’s Wes Robinson grabbed the rebound and got fouled. He missed both shots and West’s Sam Jankowski grabbed the rebound and took one dribble before launching a shot from his own three-point line. His long heave bounced off the left side of the rim and Methacton celebrated its 54-51 win.
“That trajectory was really, really dangerous at the end there,” Lockard said. “‘Oh no, oh no.’ We didn’t shoot well from the free-throw line. That could have helped us down the stretch there, but we did barely enough to be able to hold that win.”
The Warriors will face No. 14 Garnet Valley in the quarterfinals Friday. Methacton lost to Garnet Valley, 73-69 in double overtime, last year in the second round of districts.
“It’s a great opportunity,” Rodriguez said. “We’re going to be right here. Home crowd is going to show out. It’s going to be fun.
“It feels good (to clinch a state berth). This is where we should be. I’m ready to make a run and I know my teammates are, too. I’m looking forward to it.”
CB West will head to the playback bracket for a chance at earning a state playoff berth. The Bucks will face No. 3 Spring-Ford Friday.
Methacton and Central Bucks West traded runs in the first half. The Warriors broke a 6-6 tie with a 14-2 surge. They scored the first five points of the second quarter to take a 20-8 lead. West battled back with a 15-3 push, headed by nine points from Matt Engle, who finished with 15, and eight from Phillips to tie the game, 23-23. It was 25-25 at halftime.
West scored five straight points to break a 30-30 tie in the third quarter, but Methacton responded with eight straight to take a 38-35 lead to the fourth.
Engle hit a three-pointer just 10 seconds into the final frame to tie the game at 38. The Bucks started the fourth with an 11-3 run to pull in front 46-41.
Methacton 54, Central Bucks West 51
Central Bucks West 8 17 10 16 – 51
Methacton 15 10 13 16 – 54
CBW: Matt Engle 1 4 1-1 15, Roman Kulesa 2 0 0-0 4, Julian Phillips 2 6 0-0 22, Bowen Gugger 1 1 1-2 6, Sam Jankowski 1 0 0-0 2, Dan Gallagher 1 0 0-0 2, Jackson Wisniowski 0 0 0-0 0. Total 8 11 2-3 51.
M: Anthony Daddazio 1 1 0-0 5, Mason Conrad 1 0 0-0 2, Sal Iemmello 3 1 1-4 10, Christian Matos 2 5 0-0 19, Alex Hermann 3 0 4-9 10, Manny Rodriguez 0 2 0-0 6, Wes Robinson 1 0 0-2 2. Total 11 9 5-15 54.
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