PHILADELPHIA PA- What can only be described as possibly the most exciting, high energy display of high school basketball- happened Friday night at Archbishop Wood when the Eagles walked away with a close 76-73 win against the Vikings.

There was some kind of electricity in the air, moving through the fans in the stands during every single moment of this basketball game. Both sides had brought, so it seemed, their entire fan base.

Wood's home fans, fresh off of a blowout win from the girls' team, also against Egan, were fired-up and ready to support their friends and fellow Vikings.

The Eagles were greeted with disapproving jeers as soon as they hit the court. Despite the taunts, Egan (5-2 league, 12-4 overall) was on fire during warm-ups. Players were slamming that ball into the net, looking ferociously hungry, despite the cold welcome. The Eagles lined up around the three-point arc to practice long range shots pregame, and must have sank eight consecutive. It was one of the most impressive displays witnessed during a warm-up.

Then, Wood (2-5 league, 8-7 overall) came out and was greeted with an eruption and standing ovation from their fans. Whispers and shoulder taps indicated the Wood crowd's secret plan: "When Wood hits ten points... let's go crazy."

Egan fired away right out of the gate, dunking the ball and sending the Egan fans into a frenzy. Putting a little doubt in Wood’s fans, their secret plan changing a little bit, as the crowd made its full lunged scream at Wood's first point instead of their tenth.

It was looking pretty good for Wood at the end of first quarter as they were up 17-10. 

The second quarter was a different story. The Vikings could only muster a total of five points against another 17 for Egan- ending the half 34-22.

Wood's #3 Tom Funk, (scored 19 game points) had already accumulated ten points. After a relatively uneventful third quarter, the deficit remained at 12.

Egan was up 52-40.

What is it about the Wood Boys' Basketball Team that makes them bring the comeback every single game?...  It was on again Friday. Down by 12 with one quarter to play; Wood capitalized again and again.

Tom Funk nailed a three, #10 Colin Gillespie (22 game points) stepped up to the line and sunk one out of two, and suddenly it’s a ONE POINT GAME WITH THREE MINUTES TO PLAY. Bang, Gillespie with a shot from downtown, nothing but net, the lead changed hands with 1:30 on the clock, Wood was up 63-61.

Why is it that the ref always seems to be wrong when you're losing?... Needless to say, Wood fans weren't too thrilled when Egan's #21 Lapri McCray-Pace (33 points) reached the line on a shouting foul making it a one point game, and then got fouled  again on another questionable call, this time putting Egan up by one.

Another trip to the charity line for Gillespie, he sunk two, Wood was on top again by one point. A timeout here and a timeout there, Wood and Egan needed that checkmate.

Egan fired the three-pointer... it was good.  Egan was now up by two. The intentional fouls began, Egan's up by 4 with 16 seconds to play, Funk drives the lane... NO GOOD.

Free throws tallied up the rest of Egan's points, and Gillespie grabbed a three in the closing seconds, but it was no use. Wood could not get the miracle against Father Judge last week or against Egan this time around. As the home faithful stepped out of the gym, a sad, spitting drizzle came down on their heads, reminding them of the defeat for the whole drive home.

Conwell-Egan head coach Frank Sciolla said that this kind of atmosphere changes how he talks to his team.

"Wood had so much momentum, and the crowd was doing a great job. The way that strategies have to change in these situations depends on your personnel. If you have Tommy Funk, Tommy's a scorer, he's 'gonna get it done. You've just got to be positive with your team."

This type of high-energy crowd was nothing new for the Egan squad.

"We played on the road a lot this year," said Egan's #5 Kar'ron Johnson (7points). "We get lots of games like this, so coming into this game, we were ready for it."

It was a game both teams, as well as the fans, will never forget.