By: Rich Flanagan
Photos/Videos: Kathy Leister & Donna Eckert
WARMINSTER, PA –Being the host, Archbishop Wood knew they would be playing the final game of the 3rd annual Diane Mosco Foundation Shootout.
After taking in an entire day of action (five games) between some of the top teams in Southeastern Pa., the Vikings knew they would take the court for the nightcap. They would be playing Paul VI (Va.), a team boasting Duke commit Jeremy Roach and Trevor Keels, who boasts offers from the Blue Devils, Virginia and Florida, in a game that was set to tip off at 7:30 p.m.
The final horn sounded after midnight on Sunday morning as Paul VI held on for a 130-128 victory over Archbishop Wood in seven overtimes. It marked the longest game featuring a Philadelphia Catholic League team ever.
Wood head coach John Mosco said it was the longest game he had been a part of including a matchup against Scott County High School (Ky.) in the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach (S.C.) which lasted 2OT’s while an assistant at Neumann-Goretti. As the extra periods went on, the Vikings head coach began to forget which players were still available.
“After the first two overtimes, I was telling them we’ve only played two games and we have a lot to work on,” Mosco said. “So just have fun. Then, by like the sixth overtime, I was asking whoever hadn’t fouled out to sit on the bench. I didn’t know who was in the game. We lost six players. The whole team was resilient and kept fighting. We had guys on the team that people don’t know of.”
Game Highlights from Wood vs. Paul VI's 7 OT Showdown in the Diane Mosco Shootout - by Kathy Leister
Early in the third quarter, the Vikings held a 15-point advantage at 57-42 but it would eventually turn into a tight one toward the end of the fourth. The Vikings had a 77-76 lead with under 10 seconds left in the final quarter of regulation. Paul VI went to Keels on its final possession, trailing by three, and he delivered with a buzzer-beating triple to force overtime. The longer the game played on, the more star players become fixtures on the bench. Roach (28 points) fouled out in the first OT period. Keels led the way for the Panthers with 31 points.
First Team All-Catholic point guard Rahsool Diggins had 26 points before fouling out in the first extra period. The 6-3 junior had 12 points in the first half to give the Vikings a seven-point lead at halftime. Jaylen Stinson erupted for a career-high 31 points including 12 over the course of four overtime periods before finally taking a seat on the bench after fouling out. The 6-0 junior had a terrific day but he wasn’t the only standout from a memorable contest.
Daeshon Shepherd hit a three-pointer to force a fifth overtime. The 6-5 athletic wing had a career-high 35 points, becoming the first Archbishop Wood player to score that amount in a game since Diggins did it against Sankofa Freedom on Dec. 21, 2018. Shepherd had a slow start to the year with only seven points scored in the Vikings first two games but he responded in a big way and was the lone starter still on the court when the buzzer sounded.
Archbishop Wood vs. Paul VI - Photos by Kathy Leister
Marcus Randolph added 16 points including three treys, all in the first half, for the Vikings. Even more incredible was the fact that the Vikings had to be at the airport by 4:00 a.m.to board a plane to Honolulu to play in the Iolani Prep Classic.
The Archbishop Wood and Paul VI matchup followed an incredible day of high school hoops that featured several Philadelphia Catholic League teams.
Aaron-Lemon Warren had his second 30-point game of the year with 36 and Gediminas Mokseckas chipped in 19 points as Archbishop Ryan dismantled, Plymouth Whitemarsh, 90-57 in the second game of the day. The Raiders led by 35 points at the half and never looked back. Jalen Snead had five points and seven assists while point guard Dominic Vazquez had seven points for Archbishop Ryan.
The Lady Vikings played the midday game against PCL rival Archbishop Ryan and it turned into a rout as Archbishop Wood won, 75-35. Ryanne Allen controlled the game by going for 33 points which included eight three-pointers. Allie Fleming and Kaitlyn Orihel scored 10 points each. Sophomore Tori Nigro led the Ragdolls with 10 points.
At the half, two students from St. Hubert's High School were awarded the Diane Mosco Foundation scholarship:
Wood vs. Ryan Girls' Photos by Donna Eckert
Roman Catholic received another big game from its two star sophomores as Justice Williams had 14 points and 6-10 forward Jalen Duren had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds to go along with five blocks in a 59-52 win over Methacton. 6-foot freshman Xzayvier Brown had a strong outing with 10 points, six rebounds and three assists and 6-7 senior forward Kyle Maska, who transferred from Cardinal O’Hara prior to his junior season, had 11 points for the Cahillites.
A matchup of two high-scoring programs preceded the Vikings and Panthers as Neumann-Goretti and Malvern Prep faced off. The Saints came away with a 77-69 victory over the Friars. Bucknell commit Deuce Turner led the Friars with 19 points and 5-11 senior Spencer Cochran had 15 points.
Earlier this season, Turner became Malvern Prep’s all-time leading scorer. Martin Luther King transfer Hysier Miller scored a game-high 20 points, Second Team All-Catholic Hakim Byrd added 19 points and Bowling Green commit Cameron Young chipped in 11 points for Neumann-Goretti.
Norristown downed Scranton Prep, 67-57 in the first game of the event.
The event has become a staple in the community for both the marquee teams and matchups over the course of the day but also for the cause it represents and fights for.
For Mosco, who organized the event in memory of his wife, who passed away from cancer in 2017, the support the community displays make the shootout more worthwhile every year.
“The support we get from the community and especially the basketball community is very appreciated. All of the games were great throughout the day, especially the last three. If you’re a basketball fan or basketball junkie, we had Roman Catholic, Neumann-Goretti, Wood and Paul VI from Virginia for $10 so I think you got your money’s worth.”
Neumann-Goretti vs. Malvern Prep - Photos by Kathy Leister
Neumann-Goretti vs. Malvern Prep Game Highlights by Kathy Leister:
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