Boys Basketball: Avon Grove Rises up to Thwart Kennett

Posted: 01/10/2014

By PETER DiGIOVANNI

cpn11716@comcast.net

KENNETT SQUARE — The really tough physical kind of basketball games are won in the fourth period, usually by the team that takes advantage of errors. That is precisely what happened Friday night at Kennett High School as Avon Grove turned a one-point deficit into a convincing 51-46 nonleague triumph over the host Blue Demons.

Quinn Parsons led the way for the Red Devils (5-7 overall), scoring a team high 20 points, while adding 10 rebounds. Parsons hit some key free throws down the stretch to seal the hard-fought victory. Avon Grove outscored the Blue Demons, 36-26, over the final three periods.”I have been working on my foul shooting a lot lately,’ Parsons, who was 10-of-16 from the line for the game, said. “This was a real tough game and I think they got a little tired late in the game on the defensive end. We played hard all night. It is a new year, and I think we are going to turn those close losses into wins now.’

Kennett led the entire game until Parsons hit on a follow late in the third period to give Avon Grove a 31-30 lead. After scoring 20 points in the first period, Kennett (7-5) was held to just 26 the rest of the way, shooting a frigid 6 for 34 (18 percent) over that span.”I challenged Quinn in practice after we lost to Shanahan the other night,’ Avon Grove coach Jesse Drelick said. “And he resounded well tonight. He held Jackson Hyland in check and we took (Vaughn) Jenkins out of the game. Our defense turned it up in the fourth period and that led to some easy baskets at the other end for us. Chris Barto played great defense all night and he has been doing that for us.’

The game turned on a few critical possessions in the fourth with Kennett holding a slim 35-34 edge. Three straight times down the floor the Blue Demons turned the ball over, then saw Avon Grove convert.

First, Andrew Colagreco hit a long 3-pointer. Parsons went strong to the hole, got fouled and hit both free throws after the second Kennett turnover. Then, Eric Ligda, who poured in 13 points and played excellent defense, hit a runner to put Avon Grove up 41-35 with just 4:02 to play.

Kennett continued to throw up outside shots to no avail and the Red Devils did not turn the ball over once in the final eight minutes. Kennett had five fourth-period miscues, 12 for the game.

Ligda hit another jumper to make it 43-35 before Jackson Hyland went one for two at the foul line to stop an 8-0 Avon Grove run. Hyland led all scorers with 21 points, but 11 of those came in the first period when the Blue Demons jetted out to a 20-15 lead.

Avon Grove handled the lead well late by pulling the ball out and making the frantic Blue Demons defense foul them. Avon Grove went 17 for 30 at the foul line.

Kennett coach Brian Urig, who saw his team’s three-game winning streak snapped, said his team did not capitalize on some early chances.”We left a lot of points out on the floor tonight,’ Urig said. “We miss some layups in the first half and we turned the ball over late in the game and you cannot do that against a good team like Avon Grove. They made the most of their chances and we did not do that tonight.’

Avon Grove 51, Kennett 46

AVON GROVE: Parsons 5 10-16 20, Ligda 6 1-3 13, Colagreco 3 4-7 12, Dietz 0 1-2 1, Barto 2 0-0 4, Guckin 0 1-2 1, Petrission 0 0-0 0, McCrory 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 17-30 51.

KENNETT: Hyland 6 6-11 21, Kobayashi 2 0-0 4, McGlone 2 0-0 5, Middleton 1 1-4 3, Jenkins 0 1-2 1, Kelly 1 0-0 3, Boulden 4 1-2 9, Leto 0 0-0 0, Tucker 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 9-19 46.Avon Grove 15 8 9 19-51

Kennett 20 6 6 14-46

3-point goals: Colagreco 2, McGlone, Kelly, Boulden 2, Hyland 3.