Cheltenham uses strong second half to beat Wissahickon

LOWER GWYNEDD >> If the seven-point halftime deficit didn’t send the message, Cheltenham coach Patrick Fleury made sure to emphasize that the Panthers’ play in the opening 16 minutes was not going to cut it for the rest of Tuesday night.

“We went in there, coach had a talk with us, he was very aggressive telling us that we had to step our game up and come out with more intensity in the second half,” Cheltenham sophomore guard Justin Moore said. “We had to come out in the second half get more stops on defense and that was going win the game for us.”

After letting host Wissahickon rack up 21 points in the second quarter, Cheltenham got back to its defensive identity in the third. The Panthers’ pressure created turnovers and transition chances, quickly getting them back into the SOL American Conference boys basketball contest.

“I think for us what happened was instead of just kind of being random in what we were doing and thinking we all had the answer, we were doing it collectively,” Fleury said. “And from that point we was able to get stops, which was able to give us momentum moving on the other end.”

Cheltenham scored the first seven points of the third and ended the quarter collecting the last eight, outscoring the Trojans 22-7 in the period then holding on in the fourth to claim a 59-48 victory.

“Twenty-two (points) in a half is not us but what is good is the resiliency,” Fleury said. “For them to bounce back and be able to put up (37) in the second half which is generally our norm – around 70, 72, you know if we’re clicking we’re 80, 85 range. But for us, definitely the first quarter and a half is what we’re going to harp on for the rest of the season.”

Sean Emfinger finished with a game-high 19 points while Moore scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half as the Panthers (17-2, 11-0 conference) won their fifth straight to clinch at least a share of the SOL American title. Cheltenham can seal the outright crown when it visits Hatboro-Horsham 7 p.m. Friday.

“We’re just carrying the momentum over from football making it all the way to the state championship, winning districts and the league,” Moore said. “So our school is a very happy play right now and we want to keep bringing championships to our school and keep the upbeat attitude.”

Wissahickon (10-9, 8-3) pulled even 36-36 with 1:32 left in the third on a Jackson Intrieri free throw but Cheltenham collected the quarter’s final eight with Moore extending the run to 12-0 with the first two buckets of the fourth to give the visitors a 48-36 lead.

The Panthers were back up a dozen again at 50-38 after a Moore lob to Emfinger for a layup and from there the Trojans could only cut the deficit down to seven.

“It’s one thing to have turnovers – we had a lot of picks sixes,” Wissahickon coach Kyle Wilson said. “It’s like the NFL, it’s one thing to throw an interception, it’s one thing to throw it and they get a touchdown out of it. We had too many. When your team gets easy baskets, fills their energy. Couple dunks didn’t hurt either, you know, they got their momentum going and we just struggled to really make a difference in that.”

Matt Compas and Harrison Williams both scored 13 points while Stefan Lowry tallied 11 points for the Trojans, who had their seven-game win streak snapped. Wissahickon visits Abington 7 p.m. Friday.

“I know Matt, he’s been sick and it’s one of those things he fought through and he tried to keep going,” Wilson said. “And it was tough cause he’s been a warrior for us for the past two years and of all games – he wanted that game bad and of all games for him to have a game where he’s not at full strength. But he’ll come back strong.”

Emfinger recorded the first five points of the second half, his one-handed slam off a midcourt steal pulling Cheltenham within 29-27. A Travis Coleman transition layup knotted the game at 29.

Compas found Lowry alone inside for two and a 31-29 Wissahickon lead but a Coleman three-point play at 4:20 followed by two Moore free throws at 3:44 had the Panthers up three.

Baskets from Compas and Williams gave the Trojans their last lead at 35-34. Brandon Scott’s two foul shots at 1:44 had Cheltenham up one while Intrieri’s free throw 12 seconds later tied it at 36.

Saleem Payne put the Panthers back in the lead then Moore came up with a steal, dribbled between a defender’s legs and bounced a pass to Payne for a layup to make it 40-36.

After an Emfinger basket, Moore just beat the buzzer, getting enough on his try for a slam to get the ball over the front of the rim for a 44-36 advantage.

 “(The ball) was on the rim but it was higher so I just try and push it in as much as I can,” Moore said. “And finally it just went in.”

In the fourth, Moore scored and was fouled after his sideline steal at 7:46. Moore drove for two more for a 48-36 Panthers lead.

Down 50-38, Wissahickon scored the next five – Intrieri’s 3-pointer dropping after a high bounce off the rim making it 50-43. But three Moore foul shots had Cheltenham back up double digits.

The Trojans got within seven twice more – the last at 55-48 on a Compas basket before Cheltenham went 4-for-4 from the line in the final minute.

“We felt good at halftime, like hey we’re playing the best team in our conference and one of the best in district we held them to 22 points at half. But then they came out and put the clamps on it and they did the same to us in that second half. It’s a game of sort of runs there and they made their runs and got them off and we just couldn’t stop those opportunities.”

The Panthers jumped out to a 12-2 lead in the first quarter but Wissahickon responded with the next six. A Jaelen McGlone putback and two Emfinger free throws had Cheltenham leading 16-8 at the ending of the quarter.

Compas started scoring in the second quarter with two on a drive. Lowry posted the next three on a putback and free throw while Intrieri grabbed an offensive rebound and drove down the lane for a basket to pulling the Trojans within 16-15.

“We just weren’t staying at home, being honest we were all over the place, just randomly doubling,” Moore said. “Once we locked down in the second half, stayed on our man, got some steals in the passing lane and put pressure on the ball, it made it harder for them to score.”

After two Emfinger foul shots at 4:53, Lowry scored inside off a Williams assist while Williams drained a three for Wissahickon’s first lead at 20-18. Another Williams triple made it 23-18 before an Emfinger steal and slam. D’Shon Love, however, connected on a trey for a 26-20 Trojans lead.

A Scott basket had Cheltenham within four but Williams hit his third three of the quarter, sending Wissahickon into the half up 29-22.