PJP battles back from early deficit to top Pottsgrove, 55-47

ROYERSFORD >> They weathered an ugly first quarter.

Battled back in the second.

Held on for the homestretch in the fourth.

Not the way Pope John Paul II planned it, but a win in a slugfest between two PAC-10 foes that are set to do battle for the No. 2 seed in the Frontier Division the rest of the way couldn’t have been any bigger.

Brent Corcoran headed a trio of Golden Panthers that figured in double figures, pacing the team with a game-high 15 points while Rich Dunham kept pace in the PAC-10 leaderboard by adding 14 as PJP overcame a 20-9 first-quarter deficit to pull away with a 55-47 victory Tuesday night.

“We just played our game and didn’t let them stun us,” Dunham, coming into Tuesday night’s conference averaging 20.4 ppg., said. “We came out at the end and made big plays. We didn’t let the big lead get our heads down.”

Dunham and Corcoran combined for 14 second-quarter points, leading PJP to a momentous comeback that pulled them within three (32-29) at the half before outscoring the Falcons 26-15 in the final 16 minutes to preserve their second consecutive victory over a PAC-10 foe (43-42 victory over Pottstown Dec. 22).

“We came out with a lot of intensity in the second half; tried to come out more intense than them,” Corcoran said. “We moved the ball around a lot better, knocked down the big shots in the end and played good team ball.”

“We just had to keep our heads in it,” Dunham said. “If we had our heads down, it would have been a bigger lead and they would have won by at least 20. They’re a good team and they’re well coached.”

Francis Interrante added 10 points, including a 3-pointer that gave PJP a commanding seven-point lead late. Eric Wood added six points with Luke Moratelli and Robbie Girone adding five for a Golden Panther squad that now sits a half-game back from the Falcons for the second seed in a Frontier Division race that will heat up in the remaining month of the season.

“We did a good job keeping our heads in it, keeping with it and fighting until the very end,” Interrante said.

“They’re (Pottsgrove) a great team, they’re well coached,” PJP head coach Jack Flanagan said. “They’re probably more athletic than us at every position or just as much. We needed to get this win. Robbie Girone contributed real well off the bench. Fran (Interrante) had a big three. Brent Corcoran gave us another scoring option which we needed. Coaches coach, players win games.”

Nik Curnew finished with a team-high 13 points for Pottsgrove while Nazhir Goldston also figured in double digits, scoring 10 before being limited in the second half due to injury. The Falcons, losers of four straight, finished 7-for-18 from the free throw line including an 0-6 effort in the first half.

“We missed 11 free throws and didn’t do the little things down the stretch,” Pottsgrove head coach Scott Palladino said. “After the first quarter I just thought it was a slow decline.

“Give them credit, Corcoran played a real good game tonight, Dunham took care of the ball and they made just enough free throws to keep us at arms length. We’re just having trouble scoring right now. It’s been the last four games, they’ve just had a difficult time putting the ball in the basket.”

That problem wasn’t evident in the first quarter as Curnew matched PJP’s point total, scoring nine in the opening frame with Goldston adding six as Pottsgrove built a 20-9 lead after one.

From there, however, it went downhill.

Curnew was limited to four points the rest of the way as PJP chipped away at the sizeable deficit, first with an 8-0 run capped by a tough take from Corcoran to make it 22-17 before finally tying it at 39 at the end of the third courtesy of a Dunham layup at the buzzer.

The fourth stayed the course, with Dunham drilling a 3-pointer to knot it at 42 two minutes into the quarter before Wood’s and-1 followed by Interrante’s 3-pointer from the top of the key made it 50-43, paving the way for two offensive rebounds off missed foul shots and free throws from Dunham and Interrante to seal it.