Perkiomen Valley scorches Phoenixville in PAC-10 semis, 57-48

ROYERSFORD >> During the stretch run of the Pioneer Athletic Conference boys basketball season, Perkiomen Valley was as hot and played as well as any team in the circuit.

The Vikings went 9-2 during that time span while clinching the second seed from the Liberty Division four days prior to the start of the annual PAC-10 Final Four playoffs. Included in that hot streak was a victory over Liberty Division leader Spring-Ford.

Friday night, Perkiomen Valley kicked its game into high gear once again, knocking off 13-0 Frontier Division champion Phoenixville, 57-48, in the league semifinals in the first game of a doubleheader at Spring-Ford High School’s Ram Gymnasium.

Justin Jaworski fired home a game-high 23 points, including four baskets from 3-point range, to lead three double-figure scorers for the Vikings in their victory over the Phantoms. Teammate Sean Owens hit for 15 with two 3-pointers, and Cullen O’Connor added 12 for Perkiomen Valley (15-8).

Look at what @JustinJaworski3 did to end the third. Filthy! pic.twitter.com/fmAFWgmZYb

— Sam Stewart (@Samuel_Stewart7) February 6, 2016

Christian Kelly struck for 21 points for Phoenixville (19-4).

Perkiomen Valley advanced to Tuesday night’s PAC-10 championship game against the winner of the nightcap between Spring-Ford and Pope John Paul II. That contest will be played back at Spring-Ford at 7 p.m.

“I mean, not many people gave us a chance in this game,” said Jaworski. “We felt comfortable right in the beginning.”

Perkiomen Valley made the first three baskets of the game in the opening three minutes and extended its lead to 14-8 by the end of the first quarter. Jaworski canned seven points in the first period, Owens had five and Sean Moriarity had one field goal, too.

The Vikings proceeded to take a 22-13 lead into the locker room at halftime. PV made its lead 35-22 by the conclusion of the third period, meaning that the Phantoms’ 26-22 edge in the fourth quarter was still not enough to overtake the Vikings.

Perkiomen Valley sizzled from the field, shooting 19-for-33 on the night and 7-for-10 from downtown. The Vikes also shot 12-for-16 from the free-throw line.

At the other end of the floor, the Vikings covered Phoenixville with an effective matchup zone defense that forced the Phantoms into 16-for-44 shooting from the floor and 5-for-15 from long range. And Phoenixville, which had been solid at the foul line all season, also struggled from the charity stripe with an 11-for-18 outing.

“Kelly is going to get his (points),” said Jaworski of the league’s leading scorer with a 23.6 average entering the night. “But we had to play well with our matchup zone and be there for their other guys. We had to stop everybody else.”

Jeff Conboy, who yanked down a game-high 13 rebounds (seven offensive), and Avery Close were next in line for the Phantoms with eight points apiece.

“It was especially key to rebound as the game progressed,” said Perkiomen Valley coach Mike Poysden. “That is what we’ve had in our run. We’ve stayed on man (-to-man) principles (in the matchup zone).

“It is a real blessing to have a kid like Justin who can hit the three and battle. Owens stepped up, Cullen O’Connor played great. I think we took care of the ball, which was good. We knew they were going to come after us in the second half. I couldn’t be happier with the way these guys are playing.”

Perkiomen Valley finished at 8-5 during the league schedule and sealed the second seed from the Liberty Division with a 55-41 victory over Owen J. Roberts Monday night in Graterford.

Phoenixville’s last league game was Friday night a week ago. The Phantoms won the first meeting against the Vikings, 54-49, at home, but PV held a big early lead in that contest, too, by controlling the tempo.

“The kids have bought in to what we want to do defensively, and we are playing our best basketball,” said Poysden. “I couldn’t be happier with the way these guys are playing.”

“We simply lost to a better team tonight,” said Phoenixville coach Eric Burnett. “They were 9-2 in their last 11 games and executed. They wanted to slow the game down and they held us to 13 points in the first half. That showed how prepared they were.”

Missed layups and missed foul shots certainly hurt Phoenixville, he said. Burnett said Phoenixville played against all types of defenses throughout the season so the matchup zone was not unique. But the way the Vikes played it Friday evening made it especially effective.

“Jaws (Jaworski) was Jaws,” said Burnett. “He shot 7-for-9 overall and 4-for-6 in 3-pointers. They played very well. It is a credit to them and the way they played tonight.”

NOTES >> Jaworski was the PAC-10’s second-leading scorer with a 19.7 average. … Phoenixville will prepare for the first round of the District 1-AAAA playoffs on Friday night, Feb. 12. The Phantoms will have a home game in the opening round.