Raiders turn in playoff ready performance
COAL TOWNSHIP - If Lourdes goes on - and the Red Raiders now almost certainly will - to qualify for the District 4 Class A playoffs, two victories over Schuylkill League Division II-leading Williams Valley will obviously be viewed among the biggest.
In the first, early this season on Williams Valley's home floor, Raiders' senior Zach Chesney's 3-pointer at the buzzer provided the difference in a 1-point victory.
It was his only basket of the night.
Thursday night, in the rematch, this time on the Lourdes' floor, Chesney didn't wait nearly as long to make his presence felt.
Knocking down four of his seven 3-pointers and scoring 14 of his game-high 28 points in the first quarter, Chesney was the offensive spark in a 62-54 victory that leaves Lourdes (10-7) needing one victory over its final five games to secure the coveted berth.
His early hot streak staked the Raiders to a 21-12 advantage after a quarter, and while the Vikings (10-6) battled back to forge a 37-all deadlock late in the third quarter, they never led after a 5-4 edge early in that first.
"We're one game away from one of our season goals, and hopefully we're peaking at the right time," said Lourdes coach Pete Long, whose team needs one more victory with five games remaining against Millersburg, Tri-Valley, Minersville, Schuylkill Haven and Mount Carmel.
The Raiders have played strong basketball over the past two weeks to get into the position they're in now. At one point, four consecutive losses had them sitting at 6-7, but four straight victories have them on the cusp of qualifying.
Similarly, Williams Valley sits one victory from qualifying for the District 11 Class A playoffs. A victory over Lourdes would have put them over the top.
"All of our losses have been first-quarter debacles," Vikings' coach Denny Kasper said. "And we not good enough, experienced enough, to hand starts like that, especially on the road."
Through the middle part of the third quarter, when a 6-2 run brought them back to that 37-37 deadlock, the Vikings looked like they might be. But Chesney, who had his biggest game of the year, knocked down a 3-pointer to close the third quarter and make it 40-37, then another to open the fourth for a 43-37 edge and the Raiders did what they had to the rest of the way.
"He came to play tonight, he really did," Kasper said. "And we didn't.
"He showed senior leadership. They were tough shots and he played a good game."
Down the stretch, it was junior Zach Oquendo scoring eight of his 15 points in the final 1 minute, 35 seconds to protect the Raiders' advantage. During that span, he knocked down six straight from the free throw line.
"Zack Chesney, with his first quarter, gave us some confidence," Long said. "But more importantly, the way we closed it out was even bigger.
"The start was nice. The finish was even better."
Game Summary
WILLIAMS VALLEY (54) - Daniel 4 1-1 9, Harrison 3 7-11 13, Sedesse 1 0-0 2, Miller 6 3-5 18, Jansen 4 2-2 11, Murray 0 1-2 1. Totals 18 14-21 54.
LOURDES (62) - Gilger 0 0-0 0, Menapace 0 0-0 0, Chesney 9 3-4 28, Pennypacker 4 7-8 16, Savitski 1 1-3 3, Oquendo 4 7-8 15. Totals 18 18-23 62.
Williams Valley 12 13 12 17 - 54
Lourdes 21 8 11 22 - 62
3-point FGs: Miller 3, Jansen, Chesney 7, Pennypacker.
JV Score: Williams Valley 50-22.
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