Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Opening Act
Carr, WC East blast Gettysburg to reach second round
WEST NORRITON »
The momentum the West Chester East boys basketball team generated last Saturday, in capturing its first ever District 1 Class 5A title, carried over Friday night in the opening round of the PIAA tournament.
West Chester East jumped out to a commanding 15-2 lead in the first quarter and coasted from there as the Vikings rolled over Gettysburg, 53-33. The win puts West Chester East into Tuesday’s second round against Pottsville at a site and time to be determined.
Andrew Carr led the Vikings (27-2) with 18 points to go along with seven rebounds, and his night also included two monster slams in the first quarter that helped set the tone.
Tym Richardson and Kieran Hefferan added 13 points each, with Hefferan draining three long 3-pointers on the night.
“I was just locked in tonight and it started with me making some shots last week in the district title game,” Hefferan said. “We got out to a big lead early and we could relax a little bit and that was a good thing for us with it being our first state game. We really got a lot of confidence last week and it sure carried over to tonight.”
West Chester East led, 112, when the Warriors (235) turned the ball over and Carr ran the floor and threw down a monster slam.
The Warriors never seemed to recover from the first period woes. Gettysburg shot just six for 26 in the first half and the Vikings controlled the game with a 31-15 lead at halftime on 13 for 22 shooting from the field.
Gettysburg turned the ball over 10 times in the first half and shot just 11 for 44 from the field for the game. East was controlling the glass on both ends of the floor and the Vikings held Warriors star Quadir Copeland to just five first half points. Copeland led the Warriors with 17 on the night.
“We just got too far behind early,” Gettysburg coach Lawrence Williams said. “We gave up 19 points in the first quarter. Our defense got better in the second half but we could not hit shots. Maybe the two and a half hour bus ride had something do with it.”
The Vikings seized total control of the game right after the halftime break. Richardson started things by going strong to the basket. Then after a Warrior miss, Hefferan sank a long right corner 3-pointer and suddenly it was a 36-15 West Chester East advantage. After Copeland missed in tight, the Vikings ran the floor and Richardson missed a jumper. But, freshman Jack Kushner grabbed the rebound and put it back for another Viking basket and a 38-15 Viking lead.
Gettysburg was back on its heels from that point on, and the Warriors missed a long 3-pointer. Richardson grabbed the rebound and fed Mike Dedda, who then hit Carr in the corner. Carr put an exclamation point on the game with a long three from there, and it was a 41-15 lead and the Vikings were looking forward to Tuesday’s second round while Gettysburg’s season is over.
“Ever since the second quarter last week in the district title game against Penn Wood, it seemed something clicked and we are all playing better,” Carr said. “Tonight. it was important to come out early and establish something and we did that against a very good team. We were really looking for a win like this. We relaxed a little in the second half and got a little sloppy but overall it was a real good performance tonight.”