Stout helps Wissahickon edge Perkiomen Valley

PERKIOMEN >> Key 3-pointers, a timely drive by Earl Stout and just enough free throws late allowed the Wissahickon boys basketball team to edge Perkiomen Valley Tuesday night.

Four triples – including one the old-fashioned variety – gave the Trojans a seven-point edge in the fourth quarter before the host Vikings rallied to pull even at 55. But Stout got to the hoop to break the tie and Wissahickon never lost the lead from there, holding on for a 60-59 victory at the Perkiomen Valley Holiday Shootout.

“We did enough to grind out and get a win. It could have been anybody’s game,” Trojans coach Kyle Wilson said. “I felt we were sleepwalking in the first half but it seemed like we settled down and played well.”

Stout scored 13 of his game-high 19 points in the second half of the tight contest, his last two coming as he drove in from the right wing for a reverse layup to put Wissahickon up 57-55.

“Earl’s a returning varsity guy so he’s comfortable out there,” Wilson said. “He just has a skillset that’s a little bit above some of the guys around him. And when it’s game time, he showed us this past summer and in fall leagues, hey if you need me to go get a bucket I will.”

A Joshua Pelzer free throw had Perk Valley down a point with 28.7 seconds remaining before Jaylon Williams made both ends of a one-and-one for a 59-56 Trojans lead at 25.9 seconds.

With the chance to tie, PV missed on a fadeaway jumper and Josh Twersky hit the front end of his one-and-one for a four-point Wissahickon advantage with six seconds left. Pelzer connected on a three and the officials ruled the Vikings called a time out with just 0.2 seconds on the clock. The Trojans, however, had no difficulty with the inbounds.

“They were fighting,” Stout said. “But we just stayed as a team in the huddle, Coach drew up some plays.”

Williams and Dominic Vacchiano both finished with 13 points – Williams registering 10 of his after halftime while Vacchiano hit a total of three 3-pointers – as the Trojans (5-2, 3-1 SOL Liberty Division)  earned their third straight win.

“It was a little ugly from the start,” Stout said. “But we actually started executing our plays, getting into our sets and it went good after that.”

Pelzer knocked down four threes in pacing Perk Valley (3-3, 1-0 PAC Liberty Division) with 15 points. Vance Sadler and Julian Sadler each added 14 points for the Vikings, which had a two-game win streak snapped.

“Feel like we kind of let one get away from us,” Vance Sadler said. “I think we all on the team think we should of won that game. We had bad turnovers, missed layups down the stretch but we fought hard and we’re just going to try to beat North Penn tomorrow.”

The PV Holiday Shootout continues Wednesday with Wissahickon facing Methacton at 5 p.m. while Perk Valley faces North Penn at 6:30 p.m.

A Pelzer three to open scoring in the fourth gave the Vikings a 45-43 lead but a Vacchiano trey after a Williams offensive rebound had Wissahickon up 46-45. A Julian Sadler foul shot knotted things at 46 at 6:12 before Williams and Stout drained back-to-back threes to put the Trojans up six.

“We got a bunch of guys that can knock down shots,” Wilson said. “And this year, more than any team I’ve had in a while, every kid can shoot the ball. They’re not great but every kid can knock down a three and that’s a tough team to guard when every kid has a confident three.”

Ethan Kohler found Pelzer on a backdoor cut to get PV within 52-48 but Morgan Wilson’s three-point play gave Wissahickon the biggest lead for either side at 55-48 with 4:15 left.

The Vikings, however, reeled off the next seven – a Julian Sadler triple making it 55-53 while Dawson Debebe’s breakaway slam at 2:58 tied the contest at 55.

Stout’s two off a drive had Wissahickon up 57-55 and the score stayed that way until the final minute when Pelzer came up with a steal then was fouled going to the basket at 28.7 seconds. After he hit the first of two at the line, Williams connected on both ends of his 1-and-1 for a 59-56 lead.

Vance Sadler’s contested jumper was short and Twersky made it a two-possession game with a free throw with six seconds remaining.

“The first look really wasn’t there,” Sadler said. “So I tried to drive right and I did kind of force one, could of taken a better shot but, yeah, I wish it would of went in.”

Neither team found much offense in the first quarter as a Debebe 3-pointer had PV ahead 9-7 after the opening eight minutes.

Julian Sadler sparked the Vikings in the second quarter with eight points, burying a three for a 24-20 PV lead before a Stout basket made it 24-22 at halftime.

The third saw nine lead changes with the quarter’s biggest advantage being only three when Kohler’s basket made it 38-35 before Stout found Williams for a corner three to pull Wissahickon level. A Vacchiano triple from the corner sent the Trojans to the fourth up 43-42.

Wissahickon 60, Perkiomen Valley 59
Wissahickon 7 15 21 17 – 60
Perkiomen Valley 9 15 18 17 – 59
Wissahickon: Earl Stout 7 2-3 19; Dominic Vacchiano 5 0-0 13; Jaylon Williams 4 3-3 13; Morgan Wilson 2 2-2 6; Josh Twersky 2 1-2 5; Gabe Lassiter 1 0-0 2; Rondale Stewart 1 0-0 2; Totals 22 8-10 60.
Perkiomen Valley: Joshua Pelzer 5 1-2 15; Julian Sadler 5 3-4 14; Vance Sadler 5 2-3 14; Dawson Debebe 3 1-2 8; Ethan Kohler 1 2-2 4; Luke Hansen 1 0-0 2; Shane Nelson 1 0-0 2; Totals 21 9-13 59. 
3-pointers: W-Vacchiano 3, Stout 3, Williams 2; PV-Pelzer 4, V. Sadler 2, Debebe, J. Sadler.