RADNOR, PA- Will Chavis has had a unique mantra he’s expressed to his team since taking over in 2017.

The second-year head coach of Bishop McDevitt knew to build the Lancers program into a contender in the Philadelphia Catholic League it was going to have to deal with some bumps in the road. Instead of focusing on the road, he took his message further out to sea. After one full season, it’s safe to say that message has made landfall with his players.

“I think we went through a lot of adversity last season, which prepared us mentally for this season and to grow up a little bit,” Chavis said. “I always tell the kids, ‘Smooth seas don’t make a skilled sailor.’ We went through some adversity and that’s the only way that you can grow as a group. I think we grew up from last year and the kids play really hard.”

A year ago, Chavis led the Lancers to their trip to the Philadelphia Catholic League playoffs since 2014 and they advanced to the PIAA Class 3A quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion and league rival, Neumann-Goretti. It was a very successful year for Chavis in his inaugural season at the helm and one of the best in program history. The expectations have risen in year two and Chavis’ message was never more apparent that against Archbishop Carroll on Friday night.

They began to pile it on in the second as senior forward Cameron Gardner nailed a step-back three-pointer to give Bishop McDevitt a 20-12 with four minutes to play till halftime. Two possessions later, Gardner hit his second trey and the lead grew to 13 points. Archbishop Carroll (4-2, 1-1) was limited to three points in the second quarter and trailed 28-12 at the break.

Manigo, who came into the game averaging 18.0 ppg over three contests, was one of the catalysts last season. He and Smith, who was named a Third Team All-Catholic in 2017, credited Chavis’ commitment to improving the team as the key to last year’s success.

“He pushed us to work hard in practice and that’s how we made the playoffs,” Manigo said. “Everybody was focused and staying locked in. This year, we got some new players and [created] new plays and it really helped. He’s a really good coach.”

The Patriots needed a lift in the third quarter and they got two thanks to one of their veterans and the newest member of the team. 6-foot-4 senior guard Luke House was held to no points in the first half but erupted for eight in the third alone including a pair of three-pointers. His second trey of the quarter cut the deficit to 34-26 at the 2:17 mark. 6-7 forward John Camden, who transferred in from the Westtown School on Tuesday, made his presence immediately felt by scoring four of his eight points in the third.

Facing a five-point deficit heading into the quarter, Archbishop Carroll began taking the ball to the rim and it paid dividends as seven of their first 11 points came from the free-throw line. 6-8 sophomore Anquan Hill (nine points, nine rebounds, three blocks) scored a bucket and hit two foul shots during that span. House (17 points) drilled a floater in the lane with 1:04 remaining to tie the game at 42. Smith answered with a three-pointer to allow the Lancers to regain the lead.

After senior guard Ahmir Harris, who was a perfect 7-for-7 from the foul line, knocked down two free throws, the Patriots trailed by three with 14.9 seconds left. After a missed trey from junior Ny’Mire Little, Hill corralled the miss and saved it to Little, who found senior Kiyl Mack for the game-tying three-pointer from the wing with 1.2 seconds remaining to force overtime. It was Mack’s first made field goal of the game.

Head coach Francis Bowe, who took over for Paul Romanczuk, saw what his team can accomplish when they play together. After losing players like Justin Anderson and Derrell Jones, both at the Phelps School, and AJ Hoggard (Huntington Prep), the first-year man was pleased with how his inexperienced team batted back.

“They’re going to go through ups and downs,” Bowe said. “A lot of these guys, while they have varsity experience, they haven’t had a lot of minutes. They’re still trying to find a way to play and get some chemistry going. We’re the type of team where we’re going to figure out some of our kinks early on but at the end of the year you’re not going to want to play us.”

Despite nearly giving away the game in regulation, the Lancers took care of business in overtime. Manigo had two baskets in the first two possessions, Smith hit a pair of free throws and Harris iced it with his final two shots from the line. It was a mature victory for a Bishop McDevitt team that was led by sophomores a season ago. Manigo feels it harkens back to a lot of what Chavis has been preaching since taking over.  

“All we’re doing is working hard and it showed in this game,” Manigo said. “We never folded, even when they went up. We just continue to work hard and that’s how we win games.”