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Kehler On Hoops: Roman Catholic 53 Lower Merion 41
 

Kehler On Hoops: Roman Catholic 53 Lower Merion 41

Written by: Andy Herr on March 20, 2022

 

ROMAN CATHOLIC DEFEATS LOWER MERION 53-41

 

Roman Catholic overcame two 13 point second quarter deficits to defeat Lower Merion 53-41 in a PIAA Class 6A state championship tournament semifinal on Saturday afternoon at Coatesville Area.  Eight second quarter Lower Merion turnovers gave Roman Catholic an opportunity to get back into the game, an opportunity that wasn’t wasted.

The game was scoreless for the first 2:40, with both teams missing shots from the field.  Lower Merion scored first on a couple of free throws by 6′ 9″ senior Demetrius Lilley.  Following a three pointer by 6′ 2″ Roman senior Quadir Brown, Lower Merion went on a 14-1 run, comprised of a three pointer by 6′ 2″ junior Sam Wright, a putback by Lilley, a basket inside by Lilley from a pick-and-roll, a baseline drive by Wright, a jumper following a behind-the-back dribble by 6′ 3″ junior Sam Brown, and a three pointer by Lilley.  That made the score 16-4, Lower Merion, early in the second quarter.  Shortly thereafter, Lower Merion went up 19-6 on a three pointer by 5′ 11″ senior Jaylen Shippen.  Roman’s Quadir Brown responded with a three pointer, then Lower Merion went up by 13 points for the second time in the game on a three pointer by Sam Brown to make the score 22-9.  The balance of the second quarter was sloppy, with both teams repeatedly committing turnovers, but Lower Merion got the worst of it.  Trailing 22-9 a few minutes into the second quarter, Roman went on a 13-1 run that extended into the third quarter.  The run consisted of a baseline drive by 6′ 2″ junior Xzayvier Brown, two free throws by Xzayvier Brown, a three pointer by 6′ 4″ senior Khalil Farmer, a putback by 6′ 6″ senior Daniel Skillings, a baseline drive by Quadir Brown, and an off balance drive by 6′ 1″ sophomore Toby Ojukwu.  That cut Lower Merion’s lead to 23-22, but Lilley responded with a drive to put his team up 25-22. 

Both squads handled the ball much better in the third quarter, and the teams exchanged scores for most of the frame.  Trailing Roman 29-28, Lower Merion recaptured the lead on a three pointer by Wright and went ahead 33-29 on a jumper by Sam Brown.  Roman responded with a three pointer by Ojukwu, and they took the lead for good with 1:55 left in the third quarter on a hoop inside by 6′ 8″ freshman Shareef Jackson, which made it 34-33, Roman.  Roman clamped down on Lower Merion’s offense in the fourth quarter.  Lower Merion committed five turnovers in the final frame and didn’t score in the fourth quarter until Shippen made a three pointer with 1:18 left in the game.  Roman went to the free throw line 12 times in the fourth quarter, while Lower Merion did not attempt a free throw in the final period.  At critical junctures in the game, Lower Merion’s attack was crippled by turnovers.

Lower Merion out rebounded Roman 27 to 25.  Roman committed seven turnovers in the game, while Lower Merion had 16 miscues.  Roman was nine of 17 from the foul line, and Lower Merion was five of eight.  Roman made six three pointers in the game: two by Quadir Brown, two by Farmer, one by Skillings, and one by Ojukwu.  Lower Merion made eight three pointers: three by Wright, two by Lilley, two by Shippen, and one by Sam Brown.  There were no ties and seven lead changes.

Roman Catholic scoring: Xzayvier Brown 15, Khalil Farmer 11, Quadir Brown 10, Toby Ojukwu 8, Daniel Skillings 6, and Shareef Jackson 3.

Lower Merion scoring Sam Wright 14, Demetrius Lilley 14, Sam Brown 7, and Jaylen Shippen 6.

Lower Merion’s Henry Bard, a 6′ 3″ senior, did not score in the game, but his defense was tremendous.  It was, by far, the best individual defensive performance seen by this observer this season.

Roman Catholic 4 16 16 17-53

Lower Merion 13 10 12 6-41

Roman Catholic, now 23-4, advances to the PIAA Class 6A state championship game against Archbishop Wood on Saturday evening at the Giant Center in Hershey.  Archbishop Wood is 21-7 this season.  Roman and Wood are members of the Philadelphia Catholic League, and Wood defeated Roman 64-61 in a league game at Wood in January.

Perennial power Lower Merion, the Class 6A champion of PIAA District 1, was 27-4 this season.      

 

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