Streaking Academy Park hits the road to take on Upper Merion

The high teens seem to be a comfortable spot for Academy Park in recent years, now making its third straight appearance in the District One Class AAAA Tournament after a six-year drought. Last year, the Knights drew a No. 17 seed and got to host two playbacks games, falling to Penncrest with states qualification on the line.

This year, the path they hope leads to states will take them on the road again, starting with Friday’s opener against No. 15 Upper Merion.

Both teams come in sporting 16-6 records, but the similarities end there.

Academy Park has won 12 of 14, the only losses in that stretch coming to Chester. When you break down their losses, it’s a respectable group – District 8 powerhouse Allderdice, Strath Haven in the opener sans three starters finishing their football season, Downingtown West by one point, a double-OT loss to Malvern Prep.

Most of Upper Merion’s quality wins come against Class AAA squads, including half of the eight-team playoff field (Pope John Paul II, Bishop Shanahan, Upper Moreland and Sun Valley). The obvious exception is the Jan. 19 win over No. 2 seed Plymouth Whitemarsh, 57-43, in which the Vikings frustrated Xzavier Malone with foul trouble and picked up a signature victory.

Upper Merion is also a great story. The Vikings were 3-19 last year, and a talented junior class has led the resurgence to third in the very tough Suburban One American.

The Vikings have plenty of height, led by 6-foot-8 forward Matt Faw, 6-foot-6 Ethan Miller and 6-foot-4 Chris Carita. Faw presents probably the toughest defensive responsibility for Neumann-Goretti transfer Khyree Temple in his seven games at AP, in which he’s averaging 18.7 points per.

Temple’s arrival diversifies Academy Park’s arsenal. They average just shy of nine made 3-pointers per game and have twice hit 18 in a game. Four players have hit more than 35 triples this season.

Jawan Collins is the leader at 22.8 points per game, but on any given night, DeAndray Covert, Mike Satimehin, Nick Simmons and Nakim Stokes (the latter of whom isn’t the most prolific of shooters), can bury teams with their offensive production. Temple is coming off three made triples in his last outing, which forces opponents to defend him to the perimeter and try to stop him when he puts the ball on the floor.

All of Upper Merion’s height is great, but it doesn’t mean anything if they can’t consistently get into halfcourt sets. The combination of junior guards in their first postseason experience would seem to benefit AP, with its swarming defense and full-court pressure able to send the game to a frenzied pace.

Academy Park’s key to victory: Get to 65 points. The Knights are 15-3 when they get to that plateau this season, and they average 76.4 points per game. This is a team that has hit 80 11 times (10 in regulation). Upper Merion, meanwhile, hasn’t won a game by single-digits in which it has scored more than 59 points. It’s not only a question of whether Upper Merion can keep up if the game is on a 65-point-plus pace, but it’s about AP’s proficiency in playing at frenetic speeds and creating those extra possessions.