BY JEFF FALK
READING – Perhaps the best compliment a team can be paid is to say that it did the best it could.
That it got the most out of itself.
That it improved everyday.
That it controlled all of the things it could control.
With very few exceptions, that was the type of season that the Palmyra boys’ basketball team enjoyed.
On Thursday evening at Reading High’s historic Geigle Center, the Cougars’ excellent campaign reached a head, during a lop-sided 78-41 setback at the hands of powerful Archbishop Carroll, in the second round of the PIAA Class AAAAA postseason. Needing a near-perfect game to advance, Palmyra never led after Archbishop Carroll tallied 11 unanswered points at the start.
Though it doesn’t have much to show in the way of championships, there were a lot of things about 2016-17 on which Palmyra could hang its hat. The Cougars finished second in the Keystone Division of the Mid-Penn Conference, placed sixth in the District Three Class AAAAA playoffs, registered a rare state win and concluded their year with a 22-6 mark.
But the season-ending loss represented Palmyra’s worst of the season. The Cougars went 2-3 in their last five outings, all playoff games.
Archbishop Carroll, the third-place finisher out of District 12, moved to 19-8 and into Saturday’s quarterfinals.
“I think it’s pretty good,” said head coach Pete Conrad of the way Palmyra represented itself. “I wanted my guys to work at getting better every single day. I know human nature says you can’t be perfect. But these guys did a heck of a job with that. I’m pretty proud of how these guys worked.
“That senior class is very special,” continued Conrad. “It was a group of guys who did special things. I think this group has raised the bar. Last year they went 17-5 during the regular season and this year they were 19-2. It was our first state-playoff win in I’m not sure how long. It was just a great group of guys. I feel fortunate to have been able to coach them.”
“The only thing I’m really thinking about is that I’m not going to play high school basketball again,” said Cougar senior forward Braden Vernet. “It hurts, but we had a good season. We always fight to the end. But that team was a little too much for us.”
The Cougars certainly had their hands full with quick, strong and athletic Archbishop Carroll. Palmyra experienced difficulties against its trapping pressure defense, keeping Carroll off the glass and guarding it in half-court.
Palmyra went the opening 6:25 without a point, until Sam Shiels snapped the drought with an up-and-under move. Shiels bucket seemed to ignite a spark for the Cougars, as Bryant Willis scored on a drive, Jake Wagner connected on a three-pointer and Palmyra closed to within 13-7 by the end of the first quarter.
“I’d say more than a little bit,” said Conrad of his club’s offensive struggles. “We were not attacking.
“They’re (Archbishop Carroll) very good,” added Conrad. “I thought we had to be able to get their feet in concrete, in terms of how they attack. We had to do a great job of not turning it over. We had some issues with that.”
“We didn’t play our best,” said Vernet. “We weren’t used to that kind of pressure and speed. That was definitely the best team we played all year.”
Archbishop Carroll opened the second stanza on a 9-2 run to extend its lead to 22-9. Four minutes later the Philadelphia representative matched that advantage at 33-20.
But a couple of free throws and a drive by Isaac Blatt pulled Palmyra to within nine points of the lead by halftime, and gave it hope for the second 16 minutes of action.
“It was some combination (of Archbishop Carroll playing well and the Cougars not),” said Conrad. “That’s what it usually is. They’re very, very good. All of those guys are college basketball players. Give them credit.
“We weren’t in a great attack mindset to compete for 32 minutes,” Conrad added. “We had a good response for a spurt. But it wasn’t long enough.”
“I thought we had a good shot to win,” said Vernet. “I thought, ‘Why not us?’ It didn’t turn out the way I would’ve liked, but we gave it our all. We can look back with nothing but positives.”
With 13 points, Blatt was the only Cougar scorer to break into double figures. Archbishop Carroll outscored Palmyra 54-16 on field goals scored inside the arc.
“Of all the teams I’ve coached, this group has been very much about process,” said Conrad. “You know that line about raising the bar? The underclassmen see the culture those guys have started. But the next group is going to have a different dynamic.”
“We definitely could’ve been better,” said Vernet. “But we came to work everyday with the mentality of getting better. I have no regrets.”
Archbishop Carroll rattled off eight straight points early in the second half to open a 41-25 bulge. A Vernet trey and a Willis charity toss stopped the Cougar bleeding, but it was temporary.
Archbishop Carroll ripped off another 14 in-a-row to extend its lead to 55-29. Then 2:12 into the final quarter that advantage reached 63-33.
“I would’ve liked another shot at Milton Hershey,” said Vernet of a 76-71 loss to Milton Hershey in the District Three quarterfinals. “I wanted to get to Giant Center. But it feels great to set an example, set a bar for the underclassmen coming up.”
To purchase images in this article email jkfalk2005@yahoo.com, or to view more go to https://lebanonsportsbuzz.com/photo-gallery/.
2016-17 Palmyra Boys’ Basketball Results
| DATE |
OPPONENT |
TIME |
RESULT |
|
|
| 12/09 # |
Susquehannock
|
6:00 PM |
W 72-34 |
|
|
| 12/10 # |
@Donegal
|
7:30 PM |
W 83-46 |
|
|
| 12/13 * |
Mechanicsburg
|
7:30 PM |
L 47-57 |
|
|
| 12/16 * |
Susquehanna Twp.
|
7:30 PM |
W 65-60 |
|
|
| 12/17 |
@Milton Hershey
|
6:00 PM |
W 62-61 |
|
|
| 12/20 * |
@Cedar Cliff
|
7:30 PM |
W 54-38 |
|
|
| 12/21 * |
@Bishop McDevitt
|
7:30 PM |
W 70-50 |
|
|
| 12/23 |
Cocalico
|
7:30 PM |
W 57-41 |
|
|
| 12/27 # |
@Elco
|
4:00 PM |
W 68-53 |
|
|
| 12/28 # |
@Ephrata
|
8:00 PM |
W 63-44 |
|
|
| 01/03 * |
@Red Land
|
7:30 PM |
W 63-44 |
|
|
| 01/06 * |
Hershey
|
7:30 PM |
W 58-42 |
|
|
| 01/07 |
Lebanon
|
5:30 PM |
W 75-73 |
|
|
| 01/10 * |
@Lower Dauphin
|
7:30 PM |
L 50-51 |
|
|
| 01/13 * |
@Mechanicsburg
|
7:30 PM |
W 55-41 |
|
|
| 01/17 * |
@Susquehanna Twp.
|
7:30 PM |
W 66-62 |
|
|
| 01/20 * |
Cedar Cliff
|
7:30 PM |
W 63-53 |
|
|
| 01/21 |
New Oxford
|
7:50 PM |
W 62-60 |
|
|
| 01/24 * |
Bishop McDevitt
|
7:30 PM |
W 52-48 |
|
|
| 01/27 * |
Red Land
|
7:30 PM |
W 56-45 |
|
|
| 01/31 * |
@Hershey
|
7:30 PM |
L 36-45 |
|
|
| 02/03 * |
Lower Dauphin
|
7:30 PM |
W 52-41 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 02/20 # |
Dover
|
7:00 PM |
W 61-53 |
|
|
| 02/23 # |
Milton Hershey
|
7:00 PM |
L 71-76 |
|
|
| 02/27 |
Lampeter-Strasburg
|
8:00 PM |
W 70-56 |
|
|
| 03/01 |
Greencastle-Antrim
|
6:30 PM |
L 41-46 |
|
|
| 03/10 # |
Pottsville
|
7:00 PM |
W 58-43 |
|
|
| DATE |
OPPONENT |
TIME |
LOCATION |
|
| 03/16 # |
Archbishop Carroll
|
5:00 PM |
Geigle Complex, Reading High School |
|
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