Second Time Is a Perfect Charm for Aliquippa In Hershey

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, March 19, 2016 | 5:00 PM

They say that Hershey is the sweetest place on Earth. But for Aliquippa that wasn’t the case after last year’s loss to Conwell-Egan in the Class AA PIAA Boys Basketball Championship Game. The Quips finished 29-1 but took it one step further this year. Aliquippa completed a perfect 30-0 mark with a 68-49 victory over Mastery Charter North at Herhsey’s Giant Center on Saturday afternoon.

Sheldon Jeter and Jassir Jordan each scored 22 points as Aliquippa pulled away in the third quarter, claiming the fifth state crown in school history and the first since 1997.

The Quips had come up empty in their last three title trips. Senior Chucky Humphries said they used last year’s loss as motivation to work even harder this year to win the gold medal. Aliquippa jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first two minutes and led 18-12 after the first quarter.

But, as has been the story over the last two games, foul trouble haunted the Quips as Jordan picked up his third foul with 2:40 to play in the second quarter. Aliquippa had three starters foul out in their semifinal win over Lincoln Park at Geneva. Aliquippa took a three point lead into the locker room at the break.

Mastery Charter North was led by Daeqwon Plowden, as the junior scored 24 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and had several dunks on the afternoon. His rim rattling slam in the third might have been a highlight reel in it’s own, but it also seemed to fire up the Quips. Aliquippa went on a 10-2 run to go up 40-28 as Jordan took over the game until picking up his fourth foul late in the quarter.

Leading 48-32, Aliquippa continued to put the Pumas and the memory of last year in the rear view mirror, going up by as many as 22 points down the stretch. Jordan dished out 7 assists, while Pitt football recruit Kaezon Pagh scored 9 points but grabbed 11 rebounds. Humphries scored only 7 points and cleaned up 8 rebounds, with 4 blocks and steals.

Aliquippa shot 23 of 49 from the field at 46 percent, hitting three 3-pointers. The Quips shot 19 of 21 from the foul line and committed 10 turnovers.

Rodney Ross added 11 points and 7 boards for the Pumas. Mastery Charter was the District 12 runner up but was 5-3 in the last 8 games. The Pumas were 19 of 50 from the field, including 3 of 17 from the behind the arc. Mastery Charter won the battle of the boards 32-30.

Aliquippa Quips  18 – 7 – 23 – 20 = 68
Mastery Charter North Pumas  12 – 10 – 10 – 17 = 49

Tags: Aliquippa