Kentish Express Ashford & District
BASKETBALL: LIONS MAKE THE PLAY-OFFS AS PARNELL INSPIRES WIN
The North School Lions booked their spot in the Academy Basketball League play-offs with a 70-63 victory, in a tension filled Southern Conference clash against Harris Academy Crystal Palace.
From the opening tip, standout guard Conal Parnell controlled the game for the Lions with poised playmaking and aggressive drives to the rim, combining with forward Luis Beaumont for the team’s first 11 points.
Harris kept within a single point through the inside scoring of Gerald Qershija, but helped by a three-point basket from Oakley Rigby the Lions finished the quarter 20-15 ahead.
The second quarter saw Parnell continue to methodically pick apart the Harris defence and the clinical Luis Beaumont showed his finishing prowess as the pair combined for 13 of the Lions’ 16 points. Harris responded strongly to take a 36-33 lead but the Lions got a from the bench through Prem Sherpa, whose stellar defence and timely threepoint field-goal squared the game up at 36-36 going into halftime.
A tense third quarter saw the two teams trading baskets before another Frank Bokesa three-point basket gave Harris their largest lead at 47-44. Beaumont issued a commanding response for the Lions, scoring eight straight points to give them a 50-47 advantage heading into the final quarter.
The start of the fourth quarter saw Harris score a quick seven points, however back-to-back three-point baskets from Lions captain Harvey Kemp-Green gave the home team a 58-54 advantage with five minutes to play.
Harris fought valiantly until the final buzzer, but the Lions answered every run through Parnell, who scored his team’s final nine points to help claim a famous victory.
Parnell said: “We lost to them away earlier this season in overtime so it’s great to get the win. We focused on our transition defence and it allowed us to slow down their break.” The win secured the Lions’ place in the top four of the ABL Southern Conference which guarantees them a place in the ABL play-offs. Victory in their next game will give them home court advantage in the opening round of the play-offs but they will face a stern test away against King Henry School. Parnell produced a dominant stat line as he led all scorers with 26 points, on 65% shooting, to go with 11 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks.
Beaumont’s impact continued with another impressive doubledouble of 23 points and 11 rebounds.
Lions head coach Andrew Sunderland said: “Making playoffs is a fantastic achievement but we must not overlook the final two games of the regular season.”