Malone drops 30, Plymouth Whitemarsh rolls to PIAA AAAA 1st round win over Lebanon
EAST WHITELAND >> Xzavier Malone has big designs on his final state playoff run, so he started it off with a big game.
The Plymouth Whitemarsh senior and Rider commit poured in 30 points Saturday as the Colonials made sure there wouldn’t be a first round upset. Malone’s big game pushed P-W past Lebanon 81-41 in the opening round of the PIAA Class AAAA tournament at Great Valley High School.
Once P-W got over its slow start and Malone started connecting from outside, the Colonials took off.
Dunk by Xzavier Malone off Oakley Spencer’s outlet pass against Lebanon @PaPrepLive @SOLsports pic.twitter.com/668KNkWkoq
— Andrew Robinson (@ADRobinson3) March 6, 2016
“We just had to play with the edge that got us the district championship,” Malone said. “I feel like we played like that today. Our motto is to come out and show teams why we’re district champions and why our seed is so high. We don’t want to give any bad impressions so that’s why the intensity was so high.”
PW led just 16-11 after the first quarter and 16-14 early in the second as the Cedars’ drive-and-kick plan netted a couple of 3-pointers. But a block of a trey by Ahmin Williams sparked a 15-0 run that also saw PW keep Lebanon off the board for 6:14. Malone had nine in the second as the Colonials opened up a 38-18 lead at the half.
Making sure there wouldn’t be a second-half dropoff, the Colonials had an even better third quarter as Malone dropped in 12, including a two-handed stuff off an Oakley Spencer outlet to outscore the Cedars 24-5. Malone, who hit five 3-pointers for the game, credited his hot shooting to an early-morning session in the gym and his stroke stayed true into the afternoon.
Mike Lotito finds Malone for 3 in Q2 against Lebanon @PaPrepLive @SOLsports pic.twitter.com/r0ghiqEE4y
— Andrew Robinson (@ADRobinson3) March 6, 2016
Aside from a handful of kick-out 3-pointers, Lebanon’s offense was frustrated by PW’s aggression, traps and length.
“You make some adjustments and then the talent hopefully takes over,” Colonials coach Jim Donofrio said. “In this case, we have talent and experience and we should have a lot of confidence and moxie after winning the district championship. We try to teach the guys how to wear that without being arrogant or lazy-minded about it.”
PW also got a big bench lift from Ahmad and Ahmin Williams. The brothers combined for 20 points and 10 rebounds and their endless pool of energy was a big piece of PW’s defensive assault. They also generated the bulk of PW’s free throw attempts, getting 15 of the squad’s 24 trips to the line.
Malone said the team’s third quarter was inspired by Donofrio’s halftime talk, in which he told his players this was the time to go out and take a stranglehold on the game. It could have been easy for PW, up 20 at the break, to coast but it did the opposite and essentially sealed the deal.
It was just the thing a team that eyes a long state run would have done.
“Don’t give anybody any hope,” Malone said. “This game is in the past, my performance is in the past and we go on to the next one. I’m looking to make a state championship appearance, and hopefully even win it.”
