WEST CHESTER >> It was a true slugfest, but that was kind of expected by both girls’ basketball teams from Downingtown East and West Chester Henderson. After all, the Ches-Mont National Division rivals had split two regular season meetings, they are very familiar with each other, and both wanted desperately to keep postseason momentum alive.
The third clash took place in the District 1 6A Playbacks Wednesday. And the visiting Cougars scored eight of the game’s final 10 points to stage a dramatic comeback win, 31-30, over the shorthanded Warriors.
“This is a huge win for us,” said sophomore forward Charlotte Aldridge. “(Henderson) is the Ches-Mont champs, but we knew that we could beat them because we already did it in the regular season.
“We wanted to show everybody who we are as a program and get back to where we were a couple years ago.”
Aldridge converted the game-winner – off a drive to the basket – with 46 seconds on the clock. It gave East its first lead since the opening minutes of play, and it wound up being just enough.
“I am proud of them,” said Cougars’ head coach Darren Domsohn. “It was a dogfight. It’s just an example of why you never stop playing or trusting your teammates.”
Now 20-6 overall, 11th-seeded East will play at No. 9 Neshaminy on Friday to determine the ninth and 10th place district finishers for the upcoming PIAA Tournament. The Cougars have won seven of their last eight.
“Credit to our kids for staying together and playing for the next 10 seconds, which is what we’ve been preaching all season,” Domsohn said.
“(Henderson) is a good team. We split in the regular season and both games were decided by five points each. We know that every time we play Henderson, it is going to be a battle.”
The Warriors (21-7 overall) had two chances to regain the lead in the waning seconds, but both shots were off the mark. Henderson will host another Ches-Mont entry – No. 12 Kennett – on Friday to determine 11th and 12th place.
“We play tough defense, and we certainly did that tonight,” said Warriors’ head coach Greta Neff. “I thought some of our girls stepped up. We just needed a couple shots to fall.”
Trailing 19-12 at the half, East ramped up the defense in the second half, limiting Henderson to a total of 11 points in the final 16 minutes. And down the stretch, the Cougars started hitting some shots.
“Our coaches have told us all season to just keep shooting,” Aldridge said.
“The message at the half was if you’re open, keep shooting,” Domsohn added. “We can’t lose confidence. We said if we miss 10 shots, the 11th is going in.”
A three-point play by Mary Cate Killoran put the Warriors ahead 28-23 with 5:24 to go, but East sophomore Grace Hodges promptly buried a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession. Henderson’s final points came on a drive and score by senior guard Whitney Evans, making it 30-26 with 1:59 on the clock.
The Cougars then executed on two straight possessions to take the lead. The first was a 3-pointer by freshman Kendall Chiavelli, followed 33 seconds later on Aldridge’s game-winner.
“We are a young team and things can go sideways sometimes for us. But execution at the end was big for us,” Aldridge said.
The East defense forced 15 turnovers, but six of them came in the fourth quarter.
“We just tried to do a little too much at certain times. Credit to (Downingtown East),” Neff said.
“Our girls were playing together defensively,” Domsohn added. “Henderson had the lead and was slowing the game down a bit. But we did a nice job of playing good enough defense long enough to make sure we got possessions.”
Hodges paced the Cougars with 11 points and Aldridge added 10. Evans finished with a game-high 13 points, but nobody else on the Warriors’ roster had more than five.
Thanks to a 14-2 first half rally Henderson opened a double digit lead at one point. And the Warriors were without junior guards Ari Rivera (concussion) and Lilli Bertrando (knee).
“We are down two starters and we have some kids who are sick and have been in and out of school the last seven days,” Neff reported.
“We had a couple girls who normally aren’t out there at the end of the game. A little bit better leadership, a little bit better effort and better focus was needed, but I can’t ask much more from the girls. They played their hearts out tonight.”
Downingtown East 31, West Chester Henderson 30
DOWNINGTOWN EAST – Aldridge 4 2-2 10; Hunold 1 0-0 2; Chiavelli 2 0-0 5; Hodges 4 0-0 11; Haag 1 1-2 3. Totals 12 3-4 31.
W.C. HENDERSON – O’Loughlin 1 0-0 2; Evans 5 2-2 13; Killoran 2 1-1 5; Shea 2 0-0 4; Schalleur 1 0-1 2; Powers 1 0-0 2; Nanni 1 0-0 2. Totals 13 3-4 30.
Downingtown East 6 6 9 10 — 31
W.C. Henderson 12 7 6 5 — 30
3-pointers: Evans, Chiavelli, Hodges 3.
