No joke, Sun Valley to meet Octorara in playoffs
Steve Maloney and Gene Lambert had a running joke all season.
With how their games played out, Sun Valley coach Maloney figured, he was bound to meet Ches-Mont rival Octorara for a third time in the postseason.
Few similarities exist between the teams’ seasons. But their paths will cross again in Saturday’s District One Class AAA quarterfinals. Tipoff is at 4 p.m.
The No. 7 Vanguards (8-14) eked into the postseason to meet defending champs and second-seeded Octorara (19-4).
Despite the gulf in their records, Sun Valley improbably matches up well. The Vanguards lost, 67-64, in December. On Jan. 21, without starters Wali Sabree and Ryan Hall, Sun Valley stayed within two points of the Braves, 53-51.
That contest fell in the middle of four wins in six games, which included beating Rustin and Class AAAA qualifier Great Valley to garner sufficient bonus points for the eight-team field.
“It definitely gave the kids some more confidence,” Maloney said. “They saw we were progressing the way we should be. … That gave us jolt of confidence.”
Everyone is healthy now, with Hall (13.7 ppg) and Sabree (9.0) offering the inside threat to complement Kyle Ryan’s perimeter game. He leads the team with 14.7 points per game, including 57 3-pointers.
Though Tarojae Brake transferred to Phelps School, much of last year’s Octorara squad is intact. Leading the way is senior 6-foot-6 wing Christian Ray.
In the Class A playoffs:
No. 6 Delco Christian at No. 3 Calvary Batptist
Underdog status may cause trepidation for some. But Delco Christian (12-11) has reason to think its seeding isn’t reflective of their resilience in a tumultuous season.
The Knights, who seek to return to the PIAA tournament starting with Friday’s quarterfinal, have had a full complement of players only four times this season, thanks to a spate of injuries. Only two players, 1,000-point scorer Wyatt Harkins and forward Jalen Johns, have been available for all 23 games.
All are back, aided by a long rest following an early exit from the Bicentennial playoffs. And they’re hungry.
“I think our guys are very focused,” coach Don Davis said. “It would be easy with the expectations that were on this year to kind of be disappointed and frustrated, but I don’t sense any of that with our guys. It’s really a sense of hopefulness and focus.”
Among those walking no-longer wounded are Devin Hill, who is averaging 13.6 points per game, and forward Grant Fischer (14.5). TJ Tann and Jordan Parks are back in the backcourt, while Harkins and his 19.2 ppg are the glue that binds it together.
“He’s been a staple of everything we’ve done,” Davis said. “He’s an incredible leader. He just cares about this program and has really been carrying us through all our ups and downs all year long.”
