Horn takes charge as Plymouth Whitemarsh tops Archbishop Wood

PHILADELPHIA >> Necessity dictated that someone was going to have to step up for Plymouth Whitemarsh.

Ish Horn was ready to take the challenge. In front of a packed house at Jefferson University, the PW senior guard delivered time after time, whenever his team needed, against Archbishop Wood. Seemingly hanging in mid-air to convert more and more difficult layups, Horn was the man for the Colonials.

Behind 20 points from Horn and their usual tough defense, the Colonials topped the Vikings 55-43 as part of Saturday’s Play-by-Play Classic showcase.

“He’s been struggling to start the season,” PW coach Jim Donofrio said. “He’s a go-guy. Sometimes you see teams that do a lot of interesting things, changing up defenses, slowing the game and he gets a little flustered. I run a lot of sets that sometimes take it away from him. This was easily the game where in this environment, with this type of talent, it’s his world.”

Both squads were without a key player Saturday. Wood senior guard Tyree Pickron, a Quinnipiac recruit, picked up an ankle injury in practice late in the week and had a walking boot on as he watched from the Vikings’ bench. PW had to fill in for senior Ahmad Williams, who served a one-game suspension after being ejected from Friday night’s win over Wissahickon.

Horn, who transferred to PW (6-0, 2-0 Suburban One League American) prior to his junior season, has had plenty of ups and downs with the Colonials. A gifted leaper and skilled offensive player, Horn also had some admitted selfish tendencies and wasn’t willing to work as hard on the defensive end.

The senior didn’t score in the first quarter, but took over in the right moments in each of the final three.

“I was just going with the flow,” Horn said. “We lost Ahmad for the game, so somebody had to step up. We have a lot of underclassmen who aren’t fully into it yet, so somebody had to step up and if I’m not the one to do it, who is?”

Wood (3-2) is still a plenty capable team without Pickron, but losing a guard of his caliber did prompt the Vikings to change some things up. Wood needed freshman point guard Rahsool Diggins to be more of a scorer and freshman Daeshon Shepherd and senior guard Kyle McNamee saw their roles increase.

The Vikings, with 6-foot-11 Seth Pinkney and 6-foot-8 Karrington Wallace, have the size to contend with PW’s Naheem McLeod. Wood led 10-9 after one, but played catch-up for most of the game, only tying the game once at 34-34 near the end of the third quarter.

“It’s tough taking someone like Ty out, we have a few freshmen out there and (PW) is a great defensive team,” Wood coach John Mosco said. “They were able to really bear down and played some good defense. We had some open looks, but didn’t make the shots.”

Mosco noted PW’s physical strength and said even in their nonconference schedule and once they get into the Catholic League, the Vikings won’t face many teams as tough defensively as PW.

Senior guard Andrew Funk was the only Wood player in double-figures, scoring 17 points. Julius Phillips had eight and Pinkney had seven as Wood battled all night, but seemed thwarted at every turn by a PW run spurred on by Horn.

Wood’s schedule doesn’t get any easier after Christmas and with the PCL ready to start early in January, the challenge is always going to be there. The Vikings don’t expect Pickron to be out long and even as they’re still getting on the same page after graduating three of last year’s starters, Mosco likes where they’re at.

“I like the way they’re sticking together,” Mosco said. “They’re sharing the ball, they’re trusting each other. I’m looking at the way our bigs are getting better, Karrington and Seth, we just have to start making shots.”

After the Colonials took a one-point lead into the half, Funk put Wood up 25-23 to start the third. Horn, who had dropped seven in the second frame, found his groove again and scored six of the next 10 for PW as the Colonials re-gained the lead at 33-26.

A late hoop put PW ahead 36-34 heading into the final frame with Horn finding Ahmin Williams for a 3-pointer to open the final quarter. Wood scored the next four to get back within a point before Horn drove and scored with 4:12 left, then made a play he might not have at this time last year.

Getting into the lane again and drawing Wood’s big men, Horn kicked out to Jason Paul who promptly buried the try for a 44-38 lead.

“It’s something I had to learn and it was hard because I just wanted to score,” Horn said. “I was selfish. Now, I’ve 7-2 Naheem, he’s a star. I have Ahmin and Ahmad, Danny Cooper and Jason Paul, they’re crazy shooters. I have so many people I can pass to and they’re willing to give me the ball back. It makes it easy.”

Horn tacked on five more points at the foul line in the final 1:50 of play to help keep Wood at arm’s length away.

It’s been a tough schedule for PW and it doesn’t get any easier after the holiday with the Colonials set to return to Jefferson to play Bonner and Prendergast on Dec. 29, then face Neumann-Goretti at Chestnut Hill College on Dec. 31.

Donofrio said he built a schedule he expected his team to play up to and so far, even when challenged, the Colonials have done that.

“Happy holidays to us, right,” Donofrio said with just a hint of sarcasm. “They’re all great teams and what we wanted to do was replicate what a district and state title run might look like in Decemeber. As crazy as that is, it’s what this team needs.”

PLMOUTH WHITEMARSH 55, ARCHBISHOP WOOD 43
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 10 13 13 19 – 55
ARCHBISHOP WOOD 9 13 12 9 – 43
Plymouth Whitemarsh: Ish Horn 7 6-8 20, Naheem McLeod 5 1-2 11, Ahmin Williams 4 1-1 12, Alan Glover 0 3-4 3, Danny Cooper 0 1-2 1, Jason Paul 2 0-0 6, Jason Cherry 1 0-0 2. Totals: 12-17 55.
Archbishop Wood: Andrew Funk 5 5-6 17, Seth Pinkney 3 0-2 7, Julius Phillips 3 2-4 8, Rahsool Diggins 1 2-3 4, Karrington Wallace 1 0-0 2, Daeshon Sheperd 2 1-2 5. Totals: 15 10-17 43
3-pointers: PW – Williams 3, Paul 2; AW – Funk 2, Pinkney.