CHESTER — Jalen Harris is normally a man of few words. But Friday night, the sophomore guard needed only to utter a few words to get his point across.
“It’s playing hard defense,” Harris said. “That’s what we bring off the bench.”
Harris and his twin brother Daron helped turn the tide in a District 1 Class 6A quarterfinal, shackling what looked like an explosive Coatesville team in a 67-64 win.
The win sends the fourth-seeded Clippers (20-2) to Tuesday’s semifinal round against top-seeded Lower Merion. It also avenges one of the only two losses this year, to the fifth-seeded Red Raiders (19-7).
It was a return to classic form for the Clippers, in a matchup of district bluebloods. They forced 13 turnovers, while committing 16. But it was solid, man-on, you’re-not-getting-by-me defense that turned Coatesville’s early offensive parade into late frustration, led by the sophomore twins who don’t start but played a bulk of the minutes.
Coatesville looked like it was going to follow the same pathway as the regular-season meeting early. The Red Raiders led 21-14 after one quarter and 34-26 at half thanks to an opening 16 minutes of crisp execution, with Dior Kennedy (10 points) and Zuri Harris (7 points) leading the way.
But that high-scoring duo scored a combined two points and shot just 1-for-4 in the third quarter as Chester made its move.
“It’s hard because first half, we’re scoring, basically attacking every time,” Kennedy said. “And when they go pressure, it forces us into only four shots. We’re the engine and when you stop the engine, it’s kind of hard.”
The Clippers went ahead for the first time at 40-37 late in the third, when Jaseir Thompson and Dante Atkinson hit back-to-back 3-pointers.
Coatesville surged ahead early in the fourth, but Jalen Harris hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 43. It’s not the main aspect of his game, but it was a handy add-on.
“I’m developing my shot,” said Harris, the Clippers’ talented quarterback in the fall sports season. “Being able to get an open shot felt good.”
Chester proceeded to shoot 9-for-11 from the field in the fourth quarter. It was typically balanced on the offensive end. Harris led the way with 14 points, plus eight rebounds and five steals. Dominic Toy added 13 points, plus constant low-post deterrence. Calvin Williams had nine points, as did Atkinson and Thompson. Daron Harris was one of four Clippers with three assists, plus five rebounds.
But it was all about the defense that held Coatesville to 22 points in the middle two quarters. Things got interesting late. Chester rattled off a 16-2 start to the fourth to lead by as many as 13. That’s when Coatesville, whose shot selection in the first 12 minutes of the second half left something to be desired, finally found its range. The Raiders hit 3-pointers on four consecutive trips, two by Kennedy, one a banked-in prayer by Zuri Harris and then one from Marquis Peoples, all of them contested shots. It made the game 65-62 with 19 seconds left.
Atkinson calmly stroked home two from the line to restore a five-point edge, going 4-for-4 at the stripe in the second half. Zuri Harris’ long 2-pointer with five seconds left meant little once Chester got the ball inbounds.
Kennedy led Coatesville with 18 points. Harris had 14. Each dished three assists. Amon Foulkes had 13 points and a team-high four steals, and Peoples scored eight points.
Even in the setback, Kennedy was well aware of the atmosphere produced at the Clip Joint on the evening.
“It’s really special,” he said. “We just preach, don’t take anything for granted. Everything happens for a reason. We can’t go back. We can’t get it back. So now we’ve got to move on and play for the fifth seed, and we’ve got to play for the state ‘chip. We can’t bend our heads for something that has already happened. It’s over. I’ve got to be a leader, lead my guys and play hard for the state championship.”
Jalen Harris knows that Chester’s path is a cavalcade of usual faces in the district – first Plymouth Whitemarsh, now Coatesville, next Lower Merion. It’s a place that he and his teammates have fought hard to get the Clippers back to after missing districts last year.
“We didn’t make the playoffs last year,” he said. “This feels good.”
