Upper Merion outlasts Upper Dublin
UPPER MERION >> The Upper Merion boys basketball team was in a familiar position Friday night against Upper Dublin.
Similar to its Tuesday night game against Wissahickon, the Vikings had a late double-digit lead that was slowly evaporating.
Tuesday ended with a loss. Friday, the Vikings emerged victorious with a 59-54 Suburban One League American Conference win over the Cardinals at Upper Merion Area High School.
“It had that feel,” UM coach Jason Quenzer said, comparing the two games, “but I thought our guys could be strong enough mentally to take care of it. The Wissahickon game I think we reverted back a little bit to what we used to do – turn the ball over … We weren’t going to let that happen to us again. I didn’t have to say anything. They knew.”
“We were more controlled tonight,” Vikings forward Ethan Miller, who scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, said, “especially on the home court. We had pretty good control and our mindset was better because we didn’t want that to happen again.”
Upper Merion led by 10, 51-41, with 3:50 to play in the fourth quarter. Upper Dublin scratched and clawed its way back into it and cut its deficit to two, 52-50, with 2:10 remaining.
“These guys have been through so many battles and – an old cliché – they never quit,” Upper Dublin coach Josh Adelman said. “They don’t. They keep playing. They’ll play to the final buzzer. The coaches even said it, this may be one of the best team games. We had less mental lapses … The defensive effort put us in a position to maybe sneak one out here, but it just didn’t work out.”
The Vikings (13-6, 7-5) closed the game going 7-for-8 from the free-throw line to secure the win.
Quenzer pointed to Miller as the one who played smart down the stretch.
“I said in the locker room we have to learn from E,” the coach said, “because he knows how to play with a lead. We all have to learn from him how to play with a lead.”
“I just make sure I take the best shot possible,” Miller added. “I never try to force it when the team doesn’t need to force a shot up. Pass the ball around and only take necessary shots.”
The Cardinals (7-11, 5-7) were without leading scorer Ryan Stover, who was on an official visit to Towson University for football.
Matt Faw led Upper Merion in scoring with 21 points and Miller added 19.
Upper Dublin guard Jimmy Gallagher led the team in scoring with 17 points. John Barrett, Ben Abel and Will Derr also scored in double figures with 12, 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The game had playoff implications for both sides. Upper Merion entered the week believing they were ranked No. 11 in the District One AAAA power rankings and went 2-1.
“It’s a huge win because Upper Dublin is right behind us in the playoff race,” Miller said. “Beating them put us one step ahead. I think we’re in pretty good position.”
Upper Dublin has four games left and sees them all as playoff games.
“We can take one at a time, which is all we can do,” Adelman said. “Nothing is easy … It’s like every game is our playoff game, trying to get in. We’re hoping.”
The Cardinals host Pottstown Saturday at 7 p.m. Upper Merion’s next game is at home Monday against Avon Grove at 7 p.m.
