Great Valley grinds out win over Sun Valley

EAST WHITELAND >> You do not get any style points in basketball, all that matters are Ws and Ls.

Thursday night at Great Valley, the host Patriots were unable to solve the shooting woes that have plagued them in the earlygoing, but they had enough defense and grit to beat a game Sun Valley squad, 40-36, for a big Ches-Mont American Division victory that keeps Great Valley undefeated in league play.

The Patriots (3-0 Ches-Mont, 4-3 overall) never trailed in the game, but Sun Valley (0-3, 2-4) never seems to go away and the Vanguards were led by junior Vinny Dangelo, who led all scorers with 17 points. Great Valley held a 28-24 lead after three quarters, after the teams combined for only eight points quarter with bricks flying for both teams. Sun Valley also turned the ball over 14 times in the contest.

“It was not easy,” Great Valley coach Paul Girone said. “Coming into the season we figured our strength was our outside shooting but we have not shot well yet this season. It is very baffling, but we have to figure it out.”

Sun Valley got within two when Marvin Freeman drained a 3-pointer from the left corner to make it a 32-20 game. But Gavin Frankenheimer, who had 10 points for Great Valley, hit one for the Patriots from the top of the key to give Great Valley a little cushion at 35-30 with a little over two minutes to play.

After a Sun Valley turnover, Great Valley came up the floor and Matt Porrecca, who led the Patriots with 14 points (11 in the first half), was fouled. But Porrecca missed both free throws and Sun Valley was still alive. Isaac Kenon got a pass from Dangleo to score inside and it was a 35-32 game with 1:43 to play.

Max Stillwell got fouled in the act of shooting for Great Valley and he hit one of two free throws for a 36-32 Great Valley advantage. Sun Valley came down the floor and Shair Brown-Morris was fouled and buried two free throws to pull the Vanguards within two at 36-34, forcing a Great Valley timeout with 1:22 left.

“We did not shoot well but we got the ball inside for some better looks,” Frankenheimer said. “And we hit enough free throws to clinch the game and that is something we practice a lot. We all shoot 10 free throws at the water breaks in practice every day.”

Sun Valley came down the floor and dangle missed a jumper, the Patriots garnered the rebound and Porrecca was fouled and he hit one of two free throws to make it a 37-34 game, Dangleo missed on a runner in the lane, Jake Prevost got the rebound for Great Valley and got fouled. Prevost buried both from the charity stripe and the Patriots had a five point lead at 39-34 with 54 seconds to play.

Sun Valley went back to Freeman but his 3-pointer missed. Kenon got the rebound and scored to make it a 39-36 game. But, Great Valley got another free throw from Prevost and the Patriots had a less than perfect 40-36 win.

“We did not shoot well, but we made them come out of their zone,” Great Valley’s Liam Ward said. “and by doing that we got some inside looks and got to the foul line. Plus, our defense got stops when we needed them and that was the difference tonight.”

Note >> Sun Valley has lost four games by a combined 10 points

Great Valley 40, Sun Valley 36.
SUN VALLEY (36): Dangelo 7 3-5 17, Brown-Morris 0 3-6 3, Kenon 3 0-0 6, Valente 1 0-0 3, Stone 0 2-2 2, freeman 2 0-0 5. Totals 11 8-13-36,
GREAT VALLEY (40): Porrecca 5 3-7 14, Frankenheimer 4 0-0 10, Ward 1 2-4 4, Prevost 0 3-4 3, Graeff 1 0-2 2, Stillwell 2 2-4 7. Totals 1 3 10-21 40.
Sun Valley 8 11 4 12 – 36
Great Valley 16 8 4 12 – 40
3-point goals: Freeman, Valente, Stillweell, Frankenheimer 2, Porrecca.