Camper happy again as Chester rolls to win
CHESTER >> The last time Chester played, senior Jordan Camper looked at the clock winding down in a loss to Upper Merion and mistakenly thought the season was over.
The PIAA’s eccentric District 1 5A playoff system will do that to you.
Camper obviously was relieved that he had been wrong. You could see it in the way he answered with 16 points and a powerful low post presence Wednesday night, sparking the Clippers to a 64-45 win over West Chester Rustin and a berth in the state tournament.
“We all wanted to play as hard as we could,” Camper said. “We didn’t want to have that same feeling tonight.”
The Clippers (19-6) host Delaware County neighbor Springfield Friday night for seeding in the state tourney. The Golden Knights must beat the loser of that game to qualify for states.
The Clippers had to work to get this victory, as they trailed after one quarter and led by just four points at the intermission.
A 14-3 run to end the third quarter ended the suspense. Camper, Ahrod Carter (15 points) and Jamar Sudan (12 points) scored four points each in that outburst, one fueled by full- and half-court presses and a blistering tempo. It sure Clippers are back.
“It was our defense,” Carter said. “We played hard and well on defense. We slid on every rotation right. We got the proper spacing on the floor. We just got the job done tonight. I think (the press) made them nervous. I don’t think they had a ball-handler, in my opinion. And when you don’t have a ball-handler, you can go haywire. They made their run. We knew we were going to make our run. We’re known for defense and getting on the break and run and hustle. We’re not really a half-court team.”
Rustin played without starter Brandon Frazier, who didn’t play for undisclosed reasons. The way the Clippers unloaded, the Knights would have needed Kobe Bryant in his Lower Marion prime to get the job done.
“We just stopped executing,” Rustin coach Keith Cochran said. “They put a little pressure on and we just folded. It wasn’t like we were unprepared. You can’t prepare for Chester pressure in practice. And listen, you try to beat looks like the Chester after they lost at home in the playoffs. What are the odds of that? We came in prepared. We knew they were hungry. They wanted it more.”
That sentiment was echoed by Knights sophomore Taj Asparagus.
“We were good in the first half,” Asparagus said. “I don’t know what really happened in the second half. They wanted it more. We weren’t playing as a team. We have to stay focused and we lost focus and I think that’s how they built their lead. We have to work hard, practice hard and get ready for the next game.”
The Clippers put on a show down the homestretch. Jahmeir Springfield’s triple-pump, hanging layup on the break drew applause from Clippers coach Larry Yarbray, among others.
What was important on this night was the Clippers had each other’s backs.
No one took the three-point loss to Upper Merion harder than Sudan, who uncharacteristically fouled out.
“That’s my brother,” Camper said. “Every day, every game he works hard. I’ve known him since 10th grade. He competes at a high, high level every day. You always want to play hard for each other. We all do. I have his back, he has my back. Friday is for the fifth seed in our state playoffs so we’re going to go out and play hard and try to win again.”