FORT WASHINGTON, PA - Technically, it wasn’t an Inter-Academic League championship game. But really, it was.

   For proof, the gymnasium was standing room only, and that was during the preceding junior varsity game.

   It was Friday night, February 5. The host was Germantown Academy, and the visitor was Episcopal Academy. Both teams entered the contest with one league loss. A victory by GA would guarantee a tie for the crown; a win by EA would, barring a miracle, assure the Churchmen an outright title.

So that explains why the Germantown Academy fans flooded the court following a 64-51 triumph that was nowhere close to being an actual 13-point disparity. Regardless, it gave GA its fourth straight championship and 23rd overall.

   “This was a classic Inter-Ac game,” said GA coach Jim Fenerty, surrounded by players, families, and fans posing for celebratory pictures in a nearby smaller gym. Fenerty tied Penn Charter’s Duke Taylor for the most overall titles with 16. “This was huge for us. (Episcopal coach) Craig Conlin and the Episcopal kids have done a great job of building their program. We knew that we would have to play really, really well to come out on top.”

   The Patriots (20-5 overall, 8-1 league) can clinch the outright championship with a win at Malvern Prep on Tuesday, February 9. Episcopal (15-6, 6-2) has two remaining games against winless Springside-Chestnut Hill Academy.

   The first half of the game took forever to complete, courtesy of a ridiculous 22 total fouls called (11 on both teams). By the midway point of the second quarter, the Patriots were in serious danger of depletion because three starters had two fouls apiece.

   By the time it was over, both squads needed to dig into their reserves, and the response was, in a word, impressive.

   “We got some great minutes from guys like (junior guard) Cole Storm, (senior forward) Eathyn Edwards, and (sophomore guard) Ben Garcia,” said Fenerty. “We needed everybody.

   “Our seniors have won the Inter-Ac every year during their high school career. That’s pretty special.”

   One senior in particular, Gabe Alter, was outstanding. He scored 14 points, snared eight rebounds, and often dislodged any momentum that appeared to he swaying toward the Churchmen.

   Alter’s first two points, via free throws, ignited a 14-2 run in the second quarter that turned a 14-9 deficit into a 23-16 lead. Three of his baskets were on athletic put-backs, and one brought the crowd to its feet when, in one move, he rebounded a missed shot, put home the rebound, and drew a foul, which he converted for a three-point play.

“Gabe Alter is like a holiday movie,” said Fenerty. “He was hurt his sophomore and junior year and never missed a practice. Then he plays a great game tonight when we need him most.”

   GA’s players agreed.

   “He was great,” said GA junior Kyle McCloskey, who scored five of his team’s seven first-quarter points and finished with 12, along with eight rebounds and four blocked shots. “We had so many fouls in the first quarter and guys were in foul trouble from the beginning to end. It’s kind of unheard of.

   “But (Alter) and so many other guys chipped in and made sure we were okay. Whether it was with a basket or making a defensive stop, we did our job. It was a 100-percent team effort.”

After a slow start, junior Evan-Eric Longino netted a team-high 21 points and collected six rebounds; similarly, senior Devon Goodman scored all of his nine points in the second half.

   For Episcopal, junior star Nick Alikakos was surely sore the next morning after contributing 22 points and 11 rebounds, as he was pounded under the basket time and again. Junior Conner Delaney scored 12 points, and senior Matt Woods added eight.

   Among EA’s unsung heroes was seldom-used junior forward Kyle Virbisky. Appearing more like a veteran warrior, Virbisky scored four points, grabbed five rebounds, and assisted on two baskets.

   “A big game like this, it was great to get a chance to help out,” said Virbisky. “I’m always ready. I know my role on the team. I’m never going to be a guy who goes out and scores 20 points. That’s not who I am. I pride myself on doing the little things.”

   On this night, he did just that. In the end, it wasn’t enough, as the Churchmen were forced to constantly foul the Patriots late in the fourth quarter, hence the 13-point margin of victory.

   Next up is Malvern Prep. The Patriots are treating it the same way they did Episcopal.

   “After the game and in the locker room, we were celebrating this win,” said McCloskey. “That celebration will end and we will immediately start thinking about Malvern. That is our focus. This was a great, great win, but we need another one. We want to win this thing outright.”

(John Knebels can be reached at jknebels@gmail.com.)