Spring-Ford’s free throws down stretch fend off Pottstown

ROYERSFORD >> Pottstown just keeps coming at you, no matter the score.

“They’re probably the hardest-working kids we’ve played all season,” Spring-Ford senior guard Matt Gnias. “They hustle for every loose ball. They crash the boards. You’ve got to give credit to them.”

The score was close for three-and-a-half quarters Thursday night – neither team up by more than six during that span – until Spring-Ford pulled away to a 15-point margin of victory, 71-56, on the Rams’ home court. Call that difference deceiving, because the game was highly competitive all night.

Forced to foul in the final four minutes, Pottstown watched Spring-Ford nail almost every foul shot. The Rams finished 18-for-21 for the game, including 13-of-16 in the fourth quarter.

The Rams’ go-to scorers, Gnias and 6-5 senior Cameron Reid, had to be on top of their offensive games to hold off the scrappy Trojans and they were. Gnias scored 24, Reid 23, and they combined to go 14-for-15 on free throws.

Against Pottstown’s always active defense, Spring-Ford had to take care of the ball and did so for the most part, with Gnias and sophomore guard Nestor Diaz playing solid floor games, especially when the Rams spread the court in delay action down the stretch. The Trojans played zone most of the way and the Rams found holes inside and outside – the former when it was hard to deal with Reid’s size and athleticism, the latter evidenced in seven trifectas. Gnias made three and Charles Drummond two.

“We wanted to take care of the ball, get good shots, penetrate and kick to our shooters, and look down low to Cam,” Gnias said.

Spring-Ford improved to 4-0 in the PAC-10. Pottstown is now 2-2. The Trojans got 15 points from Larry Wingo – who scored 32 Tuesday against Owen J. Roberts – 14 from Malik Brown and 14 off the bench from Aaron Diamond. Spring-Ford’s best defender, Nigel Cooke, battled Wingo hard.

For a while it appeared the inexperienced but gritty Trojans might spring an early-season upset.

It was tied at 15 after the first quarter, and Pottstown took a 21-15 edge early in the second period on buckets by Brown, Diamond and Shamir Edwards. Spring-Ford answered with seven straight points on a trey by Gnias, an inside hoop from Reid and a transition put-back by Reid following a Gnias steal.

The Trojans regained the lead at 24-22 on a Wingo three. Spring-Ford got it back on a trey by Drummond and an off-the-bench trey from Charles Scalies. Down four at the half, the Trojans came hard out of the gate, as Brown, Cory Hall and Edwards pushed them ahead one more time, 35-34.

A conventional three-point play by Reid gave the Rams the lead for good, 37-35, but Pottstown wasn’t close to done. Led by Wingo, the Trojans are relentless going to the basket, and his strong drive down the left side of the lane, along with a three and fastbreak finish from the impressive Diamond, made it a three-point game, 48-45. Gnias’ three, on a cross-court pass from Drummond, was big just before the end of the third quarter, giving Spring-Ford a six-point edge.

Pottstown would get as close as three early in the fourth on Wingo’s double-pump drive, but then Gnias and Diaz started poking holes in the halfcourt defense and Spring-Ford earned some space.

Spring-Ford coach Chris Talley was complimentary of the Trojans.

“We got stops when we needed to, but we didn’t match their physicality,” Talley said. “They got more loose balls, and you’ve got to give credit to Pottstown.

“Wingo is as physical a player as there is in our league, and the fact he’s only a sophomore makes him even more impressive.”