WESTTOWN SCHOOL 2021-22 FRIENDS SCHOOL LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
Westtown Boys Basketball - 21-22 Friends League Champions - PSD Photo by Lou Rabito
Photos/Videos: Lou Rabito, Ryan Nix and Cole Nowak
By: Cole Nowak
PHILADELPHIA- Westtown School’s (25-7 overall, 11-0 FSL) 60-52 victory of Academy of the New Church (16-6, 9-2) on Friday night at La Salle University marked the school’s eighth straight Friends School League title. The run of eight straight ties a league record held by Abington Friends School from 1990-97.
“Winning the FSL championship against ANC is amazing. Kevin [Givens] is a great coach and they are a great team. We really thought it was going to be a one possession game. Whoever made one more shot was going to win this game,” said Westtown head coach Seth Berger, who has been at the helm of this team for 16 years.
After a tightly contested match-up back on January 20th, the anticipation was there for this go around. In the last meeting between the two conference foes, senior guard Quin Berger, who has offers from NJIT and Charleston, exploded for 39 points.
Westtown would start the night off cold from the field, trailing 8-6 at the end of the first quarter. The Moose were getting above average looks from the field, the shots were just not falling.
PSD REPORTER COLE NOWAK CATCHES UP WITH WESTTOWN HEAD COACH SETH BERGER AND SENIOR JAMEEL BROWN AFTER FSL CHAMPIONSHIP VICTORY:
Westtown would take the lead back heading into the half up 20-18, after posting a 14-point second quarter. Even though it was only a two-point margin, it felt as if Westtown could separate themselves if a few shots would go down.
“Our kids are really, really good shooters. When our kids keep missing shots, we tell them to keep shooting the basketball,” said Berger.
Westtown senior Jameel Brown said their Veteran talent led to their success - video/Cole Nowak
Westtown vs. Academy of The New Church Championship highlights by Cole Nowak & Ryan Nix for PSD
Good thing Berger is the head coach of this team because that piece of advice proved to be the difference maker in the second half. With Duke commit and No. 1 player in the country Dereck Lively II sidelined for most of the third with an ankle injury, Westtown needed big production elsewhere.
Well, they got it.
Penn State commit Jameel Brown and junior guard Matt Mayock started to hit everything from deep. Mayock would nail two threes, while Brown contributed three of his own during the quarter. This would lead to a massive 27-point quarter and put the Moose up nine heading into the fourth.
“I felt very comfortable, we shoot the ball in practice every day. Coach (Berger) said to play freely and to keep my confidence,” said Brown.
ANC would not make it easy for Westtown in the final stretch. The play of the night would come on a vicious dunk by ANC’s Elmarko Jackson to cut the deficit to five.
Mayock had different ideas in mind though, as he would silence the crowd and any thoughts of a comeback by hitting a three on the following possession to stretch the lead to eight, which would ultimately be the dagger.
The final score would stay an eight-point margin and the Moose would hold on to secure the league title.
Brown would finish with a team-high 22 points, while Mayock provided 14 much needed points.
Westtown senior Jameel Brown was named PSD's Player of the Game after leading the Moose with 22 points - PSD Photo by Cole Nowak
“I am starting to see a lot more and slow down. I had tendency to speed things up, but now I can really slow down and use my IQ,” said Brown when talking about his improvements at the point guard position.
ANC’s Jackson did everything in his power to get the win and all night looked like a big-time Division 1 player dropping 20 points while showcasing a wide array of skills.
With the victory, Westtown grabbed the first overall seed in the PAISAA tournament and will receive a first-round bye, giving the Moose some time to rest before their Feb. 26th state matchup.
