Wynnewood – Friends’ Central 6-foot-7 senior forward De’Andre Hunter took over enough of the Friends Schools League semifinal Tuesday to score 34 points as the Phoenix defeated Shipley, 68-58, to advance to the FSL championship final.
The Phoenix, the top seed in the league tournament, and winners of 10 of their last 11 games, will play Westtown Friday at Haverford College for the FSL title. Westtown defeated Academy of the New Church, 77-47, in the other FSL semifinal Tuesday.
Shipley came out firing against Friends’ Central in the first quarter Tuesday, leading 19-13 as sophomore Sam Sessoms scored nine first-quarter points, but Friends’ Central caught up in the second quarter and held a small lead most of the way.
Shipley head coach Phil D’Ambrosio said, “We tried to keep the ball away from [Hunter], but even with two guys on him, he’s very aggresssive.”
The University of Virginia-bound Hunter, who came into the game averaging 23.4 points per contest, made several key blocks, hit four treys, pulled down some clutch rebounds and went 14-for-18 from the free throw line.
The Phoenix also got a big performance from 6-foot-3 freshman forward Myles Robinson, who scored 15 points, including seven field goals. It was the second double-digit scoring effort of the season for the Friends’ Central freshman – the other also was against Shipley on Jan. 26, when he scored 17 points and pulled down eight rebounds in a 67-59 Phoenix win.
Friends’ Central head coach Ryan Tozer said, “We penetrated well today, and a lot of that was due to [Robinson]. He has good hands around the basket, finishes well, has good touch and gives us lots of energy.”
Despite 11 first-quarter points by Hunter, Shipley (the No. 4 seed) held a 19-13 lead at the end of the first stanza, ending the period on an 13-3 run. Shipley’s 6-4 senior forward and co-captain Pete Sobelman hit a couople of three-pointers in that late first-quarter Gator run, and finished with 10 rebounds for the game.
The tide turned when Friends’ Central outscored Shipley 19-8 in the second quarter to move out to a 32-27 halftime lead.
Tozer said, “We came out in a man-to-man in the first quarter, then started to run into some foul trouble in the second quarter, and switched back to a zone defense. In the second half, we started with a zone defense, then went to man-to-man and then finished the game in a zone [defense].”
Friends’ Central led 28-27 with 20 seconds left in the first half, then Hunter dunked inside heavy traffic and was fouled at the buzzer and cashed in on both of his free throws.
Shipley 6-foot-4 senior guard and co-captain Arvelle Jones III came alive in the third quarter, hitting several key outside shots and scoring 12 points in the quarter. The Gators still trailed, though, 49-45, at the end of the third quarter. Jones finished the game with 20 points.
“I thought Arvelle and [junior guard and co-captain] Kiyon Hardy both played well defensively,” said D’Ambrosio.
In the beginning of the fourth quarter, Jones made back-to-back steals that led to baskets that tied the score at 49-49. A minute later, Sessoms (who finished with 20 points) scored inside to tie the game at 51-51.
Friends’ Central was trailing 53-52 midway through the fourth period when Hunter took charge, scoring on a drive and dunk, then blocking a shot that led to a Robinson basket underneath and a 57-53 lead.
Phoenix junior guard Antone Walker then made a steal and drove in for a basket to give the hosts a 59-53 lead, and Hunter’s free throw shooting gradually increased the lead the rest of the way.
Tozer said, “Lately, our players have really been playing unselfishly, sharing the ball well. Coming into the season, we had only four guys with varsity experience, so it’s taken them a while to gel, but now we’ve won 10 of our last 11 games.”
