PIAA STATE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT 1st Round Boys AAAA

C.D. East avoids upset that shocked Reading
By Gorden Blain
HERSHEY -- Senior forward Shane Sweigart wasn’t going to pass on his chance to emphasize to his Central Dauphin East teammates that what happened to Reading earlier in the day could happen to them against Northampton.

Shocking word of District 3 champion Reading’s stunning loss to Souderton Saturday afternoon in the PIAA State AAAA boys tournament opener spread with broadband speed across the state. Before their debacle, the Red Knights were 30-0 and ranked right behind No. 1 Chester after an impressive win over C. D. East last Saturday afternoon in the district championship game.

With an array of weapons and athletes, the Red Knights had performed like a team hell-bent to head to University Park for the state championship game. It was hard to believe they would lose to the eighth-place team from District 1 to open the state tournament.

But they did 66-58. And now their season is over.

And East (24-5) was headed to the same scrap heap. When Dan Cenchitz sank two free throws with 5:02 left in the game to put the Konkrete Kids in front of the Panthers 41-40, Sweigart’s worse fears were close to becoming a reality.

When his turn came to address his teammates in the locker room before the game, Sweigart warned that this could happen.

“We knew about Reading,” Sweigart said. “I told them when I talked to them in the pregame that what happened to Reading can happen to us. We can’t have a let down. It just shows you anybody can lose.

“I just wanted to come out and play hard, knowing that this could be my last game.”

He not only talked the talk but he walked the walk and the Panthers heeded his advice with the game and the season on the line.

After Northampton rallied from nine points down in the third quarter to take the lead in the fourth quarter, C. D. East recovered just in time to defeat the Konkrete Kids (21-9), the third-place team from District 11, 49-43.

Wiping its brow, East advances to the second round Wednesday night to face Ridley (24-6), the seventh-place team from District 1, which upset District 12 champion Frankford.

East led 26-18 at halftime and 30-21 with 4:00 left in the third quarter before suddenly finding itself trailing the Konkrete Kids who were determined to match Souderton’s shocker. Three-point baskets by Cenchitz, Derek Hall and Kellen Serfass and a three-point play by Cenchitz gave Northampton a 37-36 lead with 15 seconds left in the third quarter.

The lead changed hands five times until Amani Glenn drove to the basket and put the Panthers back on top 42-41with 4:42 to play in the game.

On Northampton’s next possession, Panthers center Quion Gunning blocked Brian Stevko’s shot.

With East clinging to its one-point lead and trying to melt time away in a delay offense, the ball was loose in the lane when Gunning dove on the floor to come up with the ball. Still on the floor he fired a pass to Glenn who sank a short jump shot to put the Panthers up 44-41 with 2:54 left to play in the game.

“I thought that was the play of the game,” said Central Dauphin East coach Bruce Leib. “It was a little scary. They were right there.”

Northampton missed another shot and there was Gunning for the rebound. At the other end, East guard Jonathon Breeden missed the front end of a one-and-one but Sweigart grabbed the rebound and was fouled. His free throw nudged the East lead to 45-41.

Free throws from Glenn and Sweigart and a dunk by Gunning jacked the lead to 49-41 and completed East’s escape. Derek Hall’s jump shot at the buzzer was the first points Northampton scored since it took a 41-40 lead.

“I thought we were pretty even as teams,” said Northampton coach Ed Ohlson. “We’re not a great team but we’re a pretty good team. Our guys have battled back so many times this year. I thought with five minutes left and up by one, if we could have gotten another basket at that point. They got all of the loose balls. We needed to get some of the loose balls.”

Demond Bates led East with 13 points. Glenn had 11, Breeden nine and Sweigart eight.

“That’s the best Shane Sweigart has played in two years,” said C. D. East coach Bruce Leib. “He deserves it. He’s a great kid.”

Cenchitz led Northampton with 11 points and Jameel Seymour came off the bench to score eight points.

“I thought had kind of put them away,“ said Sweigart. “We did a great job of keeping our composure.”

AAAA Boys First Round Scores
Chester 67, Williamsport 59
Harrisburg 50, Simon Gratz 42
Pocono Mountain West 65, Abington Heights 60
Penn Wood 55, Elizabethtown 46
Liberty 63, Council Rock South 47
Pennsbury 61, Red Land 55
Central Dauphin East 49, Northampton 43
Ridley 76, Frankford 37
Souderton 66, Reading 58
South Philadelphia 45, Downingtown West 44
Norristown 63, John Bartrum 56
Mechanicsburg 46, State College 45
Pittsburgh Central Catholic 66, Franklin Regional 55
Erie McDowell 58, Norwin 42
Moon 75, Canon-McMillan 67
McKeesport 59, Schenley 49

AAAA Boys Second Round Games
Chester vs. Harrisburg
Penn Wood vs. Pocono Mountain West
Liberty vs. Pennsbury
C.D. East vs. Ridley
Souderton vs. Southern
Norristown vs. Mechanicsburg
Central Catholic vs. McDowell
Moon vs. McKeesport