Kehler on Hoops: Neumann-Goretti 53 Bethlehem Catholic42- wrap
Written by: Dell Jackson on March 16, 2022
NEUMANN-GORETTI DEFEATS BETHLEHEM CATHOLIC 53-42
Philadelphia Catholic League champion Neumann-Goretti defeated Bethlehem Catholic 53-42 in a PIAA Class 4A state championship tournament quarterfinal game on Tuesday night in Reading. The game was the nitecap of a doubleheader and was largely played at a deliberate pace.
In winning the Philadelphia Catholic League championship, Neumann-Goretti has achieved their primary objective this season. For them, the PIAA state championship tournament is of secondary importance. The ferocity that Neumann displayed at the Palestra vs. Roman Catholic and Archbishop Ryan in the concluding rounds of the Catholic League playoffs was not in evidence in this game against Bethlehem Catholic. Nonetheless, Neumann cruised to victory on Tuesday night in Reading against an enthusiastic Bethlehem Catholic squad.
Neumann has two outstanding sophomore guards, 6′ Robert Wright III and 5′ 11″ Khaafiq Myers, and Bethlehem Catholic had difficulty defending them. Myers opened the game with a couple of three pointers, and, following a jumper by 6′ 1″ Bethlehem Catholic senior Edixon Gomez, Meyers scored inside to give Neumann an early 8-2 lead. Bethlehem Catholic was completely unintimidated by the Philadelphia power and, with scrappy play and some nifty offensive rebounding, they took the lead, 13-11, at the end of the first quarter on a three pointer by 6′ 6″ senior Ryan Glassmacher. That would be the only lead of the contest for Bethlehem Catholic, as Neumann tied the game early in the second frame on a drive by 6′ 2″ senior Aamir Hurst then took the lead for good on a dunk by 6′ 8″ junior Sultan Adewale. However, Bethlehem Catholic was not outclassed, keeping within range of Neumann, and a major factor was rebounding. Bethlehem Catholic out rebounded Neumann 17 to 11 in the first half, and seven of those 17 rebounds were on the offensive glass. Following a putback by Bethlehem Catholic’s Jared Richardson, a 6′ 3″ senior, and a floater by his teammate junior Alex Cercado, Neumann led by just three points, 25 to 22 at halftime.
Neumann’s defense was far more aggressive in the third quarter, and only one Bethlehem Catholic player, Gomez was able to score in the third frame. Neumann held Bethlehem Catholic to six points in the third quarter while extending their lead to 11 points at the end of the third stanza on a three pointer by Bruce Smith. Determined Bethlehem Catholic did not fold, and they cut Neumann’s lead to six points, 48-42, with 1:53 left in the game on a jumper by Glassmacher. Bethlehem Catholic was hurt by some late game turnovers, though, and Neumann capitalized on every one of them.
Bethlehem Catholic had a decisive rebounding advantage in this game, 33 to 19. Neumann had nine turnovers to 14 by Bethlehem Catholic. Bethlehem Catholic had seven turnovers in the fourth quarter, severely impairing their ability to launch an effective comeback. Neumann was eight of 14 from the stripe, while Bethlehem Catholic was seven of nine. Neumann made seven three pointers, three by Wright, two by Myers, one by Hurst, and one by Smith. Glassmacher made Bethlehem Catholic’s only three pointer. There was one tie and two lead changes.
Neumann-Goretti scoring: Robert Wright III 20, Khaafiq Myers 10, Sultan Adewale 8, Aamir Hurst 7, Masud Stewart 5, and Bruce Smith 3.
Bethlehem Catholic scoring: Edixon Gomez 15, Alex Cercado 12, Ryan Glassmacher 11, Jared Richardson 2, and Louis Vidal 2.
Neumann-Goretti, now 21-4, advances to the PIAA Class 4A final four and will play Dallas on Friday at a site and time to be determined. Bethlehem Catholic’s season is concluded with a record of 21-7.
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