Delone goes for the District 3 daily double in AA championship game

Delone wants basketball gold to add to football gold
By Gorden Blain

HERSHEY – Delone Catholic has the rare opportunity to win District 3’s version of the daily double.

The Squires won the PIAA District 3 AA football championship last November by upsetting undefeated Trinity and now have the chance to add the District 3 AA basketball championship in the same school year after knocking off Milton Hershey 58-46 in the PIAA District 3 AA semifinal at Giant Center Wednesday night.

Delone (24-3) will face Trinity (17-8) in the District 3 AA championship game at 6:45 p.m. Friday night at Giant Center.  Trinity defeated Columbia in the other semifinal 59-50 to cap off a quadrupleheader of high school basketball at Giant Center.

Milton Hershey (20-7) will face Columbia (25-4) in a third-place game.

Delone faced Milton Hershey’s  impressive collection of athletes and stared them down with ever-changing defensive looks, smart execution on offense, balanced scoring and tenacious rebounding of Adam Naymick and Chris Hartmann.

Naymick and guard Cody Smith each scored 17 points and Hartmann had 14.

The Squires sprinted to a 10-4 lead but only led 15-14 after the first quarter. Hartmann’s fast break layup with 2:45 left in the first half gave the Squires the lead. MH bounced back to lead 21-20 on Gary Gilliam’s layup but Delone scored the final five points of the half on baskets by Tyler Mummert and Hartman and a three-point basket by Smith.

Delone’s lead grew to 39-31 before Milton Hershey scored seven unanswered points to close to within 39-38. A. J. Fofanah’s three-point basket with just over one minute left in the third quarter made it a one-point game. Fofanah led Milton Hershey with 13 points and Gilliam had 12.

But the Squires closed the quarter with a basket and led 41-38 after the third quarter and scored the first basket of the fourth quarter to lead 43-38. The Spartans could get no closer than four points the rest of the way.

The Squires iced the game at the foul line, sinking 11 of 12 free throws in the final two minutes, to give coach Jim Dooley his 100th victory at Delone.