Downingtown West survives late Haverford rally

DOWNINGTOWN>> It is a tried and true mantra of basketball teams in the post season and it is “Survive and Advance.” That could sum up the Downingtown West boys basketball team Tuesday night at Wagner Gymnasium.

The fifth seeded Whippets had complete control of their District 1 6A second round game with Haverford, leading by 17 points after three periods.

But the visiting Fords suddenly got hot from the outside and had a chance to tie the game with three seconds to play but Googie Seidman’s jumper did not fall and Downingtown West survived with a thrilling 45-42 win.

The Whippets will now travel to Central Bucks East on Friday at 7 p.m in the quarterfinal round while Haverford will go into the playback round hoping to qualify for the PIAA 6A tournament.

“ I thought our energy was sky high for the first there periods but for some reason it was not as high in the fourth period,” Downingtown West senior center Kelly Bell said. It got really tight at the end and we missed some big free throws but we got out of here with a win and we are going to the state tournament and it is a great feeling to go back two years in a row.”

Haverford, (13-11) the number 21 seed shot a torrid six for 10 from the field in the fourth period. The Fords, who turned the ball over 13 times in the first three periods, committed just one fourth period turnover. And being behind 40-23, after three periods did not deter the Fords who made a furious fourth period rush.

Haverford started the fourth period on an 11-0 run to close the Whippets (20-5) lead to 40-34 with 4:45 to play in the fourth period. Seidman got hot as he scored six of his nine points in the fourth period and Kevin Gannon, who had 11 points on the night, drained two very big three-balls in the fourth period.

“We had a little trouble with their pressure,” Haverford coach Keith Heinrichs said. “In the first three periods we did not do the little things to get open and get good looks and I did not do a good enough job making those things happen tonight.”

The Whippets, up 40-34 got two big baskets from Bell and Dylan Blair to make it a 44-34 Whippets lead with 3:07 to play in the fourth period.

Blair had a game high 15 points while Bell chipped in with seven points and seven rebounds. Sophomore Donovan Fromharctz had 14 points for West.

It seemed like the Whippets would repel the Haverford rally but the Fords kept coming. Seidman scored on a runner in the lane with 1:22 to play to make it a 44-39 game. It was there that the Whippets foul shooting betrayed them.

Blair missed the front end of two one and one’s and Bell missed on another to keep the Fords in the game. With Downingtown West up 45-39 with 53 seconds to play, Gannon drained a corner three-ball to make it a 45-42 game with 37 seconds to go in the fourth period.

Bell was fouled with 31 seconds to play and he missed both free throws to give the Fords life. Haverford brought the ball up and looked for an open shot but Heinrichs called time out with 7.6 seconds to play.

The Fords got the ball to Siedman, whose last second shot missed and the Whippets held on despite being outscored 19-5 in the fourth period.

“I think we got too comfortable with our big lead,” Fromhartz said. And they are a three-point shooting teams and when a team gets hot from the outside, it is hard to shut them down.

“But we hung on for the win and now we go back to states for the second year in a row. I got a taste of it last year as a freshman and I am excited to be back in it this season.”

The Whippets victory puts them in the district’s final eight and Ross talked about his team and the fourth period woes.

“We really pressured well for there periods and it bothered them,” Ross said. “And in the fourth they started making shots and we missed some free throws that we usually make and we let them back in a little. They are a very good team that is very well coached and we are happy to be moving on.”

Downingtown West 45, Haverford 42.

HAVERFORD (42) Weiner 5 1-2 12, Seidman 3 3-4 9, Wright 2 0-0 4, Bright 1 0-0 2, Gannon 4 0-0 11, Steiglman 2 0-0 4, Heinerichs 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 4-6 42.

DOWNINGTOWN WEST (45) Blair 6 2-4 15, Lewis 0 0-0 0, Bell 3 1-4 7, Barker 2 0-0 4, Neuhas 1 2-4 5, Fromhartz 6 1-2 14, Coupe 0 0-1 0, Suarez 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 6-15 45.

Haverford                   5 8 10 19-42
Downingtown West   10 14 16 5-45
3-point goals: Weiner, Gannon 3, Blair, Neuhas, Fromhartz.