Downingtown West tops WC East, takes Ches-Mont National title
WEST GOSHEN >> The Downingtown West boys basketball team defeated West Chester East Thursday night at Jack Byrne Gymnasium in emphatic style, 55-36, leading wire-to-wire to capture the Ches-Mont National Division regular season crown.
The win means the Whippets will be the No. 1 seed in next weekend’s Ches-Mont Final Four at West Chester University and will play the No. 2 seed from the American Division. West Chester East will be the No. 2 seed from the National and play the top seed from the American Division.
Downingtown West (9-2 Ches-Mont, 16-5 overall) used a suffocating defense and some great board play to stifle the host Vikings (9-3, 16-6), who did not have a single player score in double figures for the game. Dylan Blair led the Whippets with 18 points while Kelly Bell, Donovan Fromharctz and Alex Neuhas each added nine points.
“We knew West Chester East is a very good offensive rebounding team and that was our focus in practice the last three days,” Downingtown West coach Stu Ross said. “We had some time off to prepare for them and we had fresh legs and I think that helped us. The guys did a great job executing the plan and it is real nice to win the regular season title.”
The Whippets’ Joe Suarez got Downingtown West going by draining two three-balls to start the game for a 6-0 lead. The Whippets controlled things in the first half as Blair, who dished out seven assists to go along with his 18 points, did a masterful job of finding the open man when he was not knocking down shots himself.
The Whippets took a 31-17 lead into the locker room at halftime as they shot 11-for-25 from the field in the first half compared to the Vikings 7-for-21 from the field.
The third period started out well again for the Whippets as Blair found Bell underneath the basket for a layup and it was quickly a 33-17 Whippets advantage. Bell added nine rebounds to his nine points and kept Vikings strongman Jack Kushner off the glass for most off the night.
“I have been looking to score a little more later in the season,” Bell said. “I feel I have been getting some more opportunities and I am trying to make the most of them. Our defense tonight was partly our plan and our intensity. We tried to limit them on the boards and help each other out on the boards also.”
West Chester East made a mini-run at the Whippets in the third period, outscoring them 12-9 in the period. When the third period ended, Downingtown West led 40-29.
The Vikings got a big boost in the opening seconds of the fourth period as Kushner scored in tight to make it a 40-31 game, the closest the Vikings were to D-West since the first period.
But that is where the Whippets took control of the game completely and dashed any hopes of a comeback by the Vikings. Blair found Neuhas in the corner, and Neuhas drained his third trey of the night for a 43-31 Whippets lead.
The Vikings turned the ball over the next time down the floor. It was one of 12 Vikings turnovers for the game. Blair then drove hard to the basket for a 45-31 Whippets lead.
The Vikings’ Ryan Price missed on a corner three-ball and Bell grabbed the rebound and fed Blair, who scored in the lane again and suddenly it was a 47-32 Whippets lead with just 3:27 to play in the fourth period.
Another West Chester East turnover resulted in a Fromhartz basket and it was a 49-32 Whippets lead.
The Whippets finished the game shooting 22-for-48 from the field, draining eight three-balls and shooting just three free throws, converting on two of them. It was the second win of the season against the Vikings and Neuhas talked about the big Whippets win.
“I definitely have been looking for my shot later this season,” Neuhas said. “I have been getting more confidence in my shot. And when they got the lead down to nine points, Dylan found me one in the corner. The defenses collapse on Dylan and it sets me and Joey up for open shots and we have to hit them.”
Downingtown West 55, WC East 36
DOWNINGTOWN WEST (55) Ely 1 0-0 2, Blair 7 2-2 18, Lewis 1 0-0 2, Bell 4 1-1 9, Barker 0 0-0 0, Neuhas 3 0-0 9, Fromhartz 4 0-0 9, Suarez 2 0-0 6. Totals 22 23- 55.
WC EAST (36) Price 2 1-3 6, Puchalla 1 0-0 2, Kelly 0 0-0 0, Sherlock 2 0-0 4, Ramos 2 0-0 6, Kushner 3 2-2 8, Cochran 3 1-2 7, Gallagher 1 1-2 3, Porter 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 5-9 36.
Downingtown West 14 17 9 15-55
WC East 9 8 12 7-36
3-point goals: Blair 2, Neuhas 3, Fromhartz, Suarez 2, Price, Ramos 2.
DOWNINGTOWN WEST (55) Ely 1 0-0 2, Blair 7 2-2 18, Lewis 1 0-0 2, Bell 4 1-1 9, Barker 0 0-0 0, Neuhas 3 0-0 9, Fromhartz 4 0-0 9, Suarez 2 0-0 6. Totals 22 23- 55.
WC EAST (36) Price 2 1-3 6, Puchalla 1 0-0 2, Kelly 0 0-0 0, Sherlock 2 0-0 4, Ramos 2 0-0 6, Kushner 3 2-2 8, Cochran 3 1-2 7, Gallagher 1 1-2 3, Porter 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 5-9 36.
Downingtown West 14 17 9 15-55
WC East 9 8 12 7-36
3-point goals: Blair 2, Neuhas 3, Fromhartz, Suarez 2, Price, Ramos 2.
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