FORT WASHINGTON, PA –
Seriously?
Really . . . seriously?
That was probably the typical reaction from everyone who heard about yesterday’s Inter-Ac basketball game between Germantown Academy and visiting Haverford School. Those absent missed an absolute classic.
It was the kind of rare event that ignites a flurry of texting among friends and classmates and quickly morphs into a social networking frenzy.
“Are you here? Do you know what’s going on? The game has moved onto a third overtime.”
Minutes later. “Helloooo? Now it’s in the FOURTH overtime!”
Incredibly, it would take five overtimes – and literally every second of it – before a winner was determined.
Germantown Academy 100, Haverford School 98.
Yes, seriously.
“It was a huge win, we fought as hard as we possibly could,” said GA senior Kyle McCloskey. “We never gave up after making mistakes and didn't let the mistakes kill us.”
GA vs. Haverford Highlight Video
McCloskey and fellow senior Evan-Eric Longino were unstoppable, supplying 70 percent of the Patriots’ offense. McCloskey poured in a career-high 43 points and nailed 12 of 15 free throws. Longino added 27 points, none more important than the game-winning basket with two-tenths of a second remaining that propelled the Patriots to the century scoring mark for the first time in Jim Fenerty’s 28-year coaching career at GA.
But hey, when a game requires five overtimes, every scorer deserves mention. For the Patriots, that would include 14 from senior Cole Storm, six each from senior Josh Brownstein and sophomore Brian Basile, and two each from senior Andrew Towne and sophomore Kahlil Ashley-Diarrah.
The Fords were slightly more balanced. Sophomore Christian Ray tallied a career-high 32. Junior Kharon Randolph (27 points, 9 of 11 free throws), sophomore Gavin Burke (16), and sophomore Jameer Nelson (15) also reached double digits. Sophomore Asim Richards scored four points while juniors Joe Dignazio and Bobby Stratts added two apiece.
On three occasions – courtesy of Ray, Nelson, and Randolph – a dramatic, game-tying basket in the final seconds extended the contest into extra stanzas.
“It was the craziest and most exciting game I've ever been a part of,” said McCloskey.
If Fenerty had experienced something similar during his GA tenure, it had escaped his mind.
“My daughter (Erin) said I jumped in the air at the end,” said Fenerty. “I’ve had two knee replacements. It didn’t hurt at all.”
Before the game-winner, Brownstein earned incalculable respect for diving on the floor for a loose ball and calling timeout. Before Longino’s heroics, Storm somehow fed him the ball despite a roaming Haverford defense. Brownstein and McCloskey then set consecutive screens to enable Longino enough room to drain a short bank shot.
“I was relieved he made it,” said Fenerty, who earned his 600th career victory with a win over Springside-Chestnut Hill Academy on January 10. “I’m too old for a sixth overtime.”
GA vs. Haverford (25 Photos)
Fenerty’s crew has captured the past four Inter-Ac titles. After losing twice through the first five league games, the Patriots (15-5 overall) realized that to at least share the league crown, they must win the rest of their games and hope for some help.
They began the arduous journey on January 20 by erasing a 19-point deficit and defeating Malvern Prep, 72-65. Yesterday, however, GA was facing a Haverford team on a 13-game winning streak with records of 16-1 (overall) and 5-0 (league) behind a senior-less roster.
“For this group, everyone is saying that this isn’t one of our best teams,” said Fenerty. “It might not be, but every player has been a part of the reason why we’ve won four Inter-Ac championships. They know what it takes to win.
“It’s pretty exciting stuff. The guys showed so much grit and determination. I’m really proud of them.”
GA senior Kyle McCloskey tallied 43 points to his name vs. the Fords - PSD photo
The final two weeks of the season promise to be entertaining and nerve-inducing. Haverford School and Episcopal Academy are tied for first at 5-1, with GA one game out at 4-2. Malvern Prep (3-3), Penn Charter (1-5), and Springside-Chestnut Hill (0-6) could wreak havoc with an upset victory along the way.
Haverford School’s remaining schedule includes home games against EA and Penn Charter, with visits to SCH and Malvern Prep; Episcopal will visit Haverford School and Malvern Prep before finishing at home against GA and SCH; Germantown Academy sandwiches home games against SCH and Malvern with jaunts to Penn Charter and Episcopal.
“There seems to be something special going on with us,” said McCloskey. “Evan and I have seen so much and worked so hard these four years. There’s something in us that would see us dragged off the court before seeing us giving up and letting our team lose. We saw it with a 19-point comeback against Malvern and we saw it tonight. You can feel something special, I know I feel it.”
McCloskey said “tonight” even though the game had begun during the day.
Yes, seriously.
(John Knebels can be reached at jknebels@gmail.com.)