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| Staff photo by Brad Spahr/Great Valley's Mikal Bridges rises for a layup during Tuesday's District 1 Class AAAA playoff victory over Central Bucks So |
By PETER DiGIOVANNI
EAST WHITELAND -- District 1 playoff games are won by the teams that can shake off adversity in a hurry and come back to regain their composure and get the coveted win to move on. Tuesday night the third-seeded Great Valley boys basketball team raced out to a huge early lead against No. 14 Central Bucks South but had to go into overtime to defeat the Titans and move on in the the District 1 Class AAAA playoffs.
The Patriots led every step of the way until late in the fourth period, but had to watch as a potential game-winning C.B. South shot fell short at the regulation buzzer. But the overtime period belonged to Great Valley and behind Mikal Bridges’ game-high 22 points, the Patriots held off the stubborn Titans, 60-57 in overtime.
Great Valley (25-1), which clinched a state playoff berth with the victory, now moves on to the quarterfinals to host No. 6 Methacton on Friday night, with the winner going to Temple University and the District 1 Final Four.
"Their coach, Jason Campbell, had a quote in the paper that his team no matter who they play will fight and claw to the end and that is what they did tonight," Great Valley coach Jim Nolan said. "We had leads on them, but could not put them away."
The Patriots jumped out to an early 14-5 lead after the first period on the strength of 3-pointers from Cyree Ames and Brad Sherry and inside buckets from Bridges. The advantage went to 18-5 early in the second after Bridges scored on a floater down the lane. Great Valley shot 10-of-14 from the field in the first half.
But the Titans (16-8) got three-point scoring from Chase Vonder Schmalz, who sank a trio of three-balls on the night. His long 3-pointer at the second-period buzzer drew the Titans to within 22-17 at halftime.
Great Valley extended its lead in the third period, but suddenly the Titans started beating the Pats on the boards, which helped up an exciting finish. Schmalz hit a 3-ball with 1:24 to play to draw C.B. South within 46-44. Moments later, point guard Kevin Raymond hit two free throws to tie the score at 48-48 with 45 seconds to play.
Each team had chances to win in regulation, the last one fell to Raymond, who missed on a runner at the buzzer and the teams went into overtime.
Nate Cohen, who had nine rebounds and played tough defense all night, helped Great Valley get off to a quick start in the extra session and later talked about starting quickly at the beginning of the game and overtime..
"I like to try to get out early and give some of our guys a spark," Cohen said. "When some guys start slow, I feel I have to get going early. But this time of the year we need everybody getting going the whole game and that is what happened in overtime."
Cohen scored to follow a Bridges free throw to give Great Valley a 51-48 lead. Matt Scamuffo hit one of two free throws, then Mike Gregory sank one of two for the Patriots and a 52-49 advantage with 2:03 to play.
Raymond missed a jumper that Brad Sherry rebounded. Ames then fed Bridges in the low post, where he was fouled. Bridges, who hit 11-of-15 from the free-throw line, sank one of two for a 53-49 lead with 1:26 to play.
"We wanted to go to me in the low post so I could either score or go to the free-throw line," Bridges said.
Then Bridges made the play of the game as he darted in front of Scamuffo and stole Raymond’s intended pass, drove down the court, scored, got fouled and hit the free throw for a 56-49 bulge with 1:02 left.
Scarmuffo hit another three to keep the pesky Titans in the game, but Gregory sank two more free throws to send Great Valley into the quarterfinals.
"The goal has been to make the state playoffs, which we did tonight, and get to Temple." Bridges said.
C.B. South now goes into the consolation bracket to try to advance to the state playoffs, but Campbell was not talking about what lies ahead for his team.
"We never give up no matter the score, but we dug ourselves a big hole in the first and second periods," Campbell said. "All year these kids have battled and they did the same thing tonight."
Great Valley 60, C.B. South 57
C.B. SOUTH: Raymond 4 6-6 15, Scarmuffo 2 4-6 9, Rudnick 2 1-1 5, Vonder Schmalz 4 5-5 16, Tamny 3 0-2 6, Dennis 1 0-0 2, Ohntrup 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 18-22 57.
GREAT VALLEY: Bridges 5 11-15 22, Gregory 1 7-8 9, Ames 4 1-2 10, Cohen 2 2-6 6, Geiss 0 2-4 2, Buchholz 1 0-0 2, Sherry 4 0-0 9, Alston 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 23-35 60.
C.B. South 5 12 17 14 9 -- 57
Great Valley 14 8 15 11 12 -- 60
3-point goals: Vonder Schamlz 3, Raymond, Scarmuffo, Sherry, Ames, Bridges.
Great Valley 60, C.B. South 57
C.B. SOUTH: Raymond 4 6-6 15, Scamuffo 2 4-6 9, Rudnick 2 1-1 5, Vonder Schmalz 4 5-5 16, Tamny 3 0-2 6, Dennis 1 0-0 2, Ohntrup 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 18-22 57.
GREAT VALLEY: Bridges 5 11-15 22, Gregory 1 7-8 9, Ames 4 1-2 10, Cohen 2 2-6 6, Geiss 0 2-4 2, Bucholz 1 0-0 2, Sherry 4 0-0 9, Alston 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 23-35 60.
C.B. South 5 12 17 14 9 -- 57
Great Valley 14 8 15 11 12 -- 60
3-point goals: Vonder-Schamlz 3, Raymond, Scarmuzzo, Sherry, Ames, Bridges.
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