PLYMOUTH – For the primary time in program historical past, Plymouth South punched its ticket to the Div. 2 boys basketball semifinals Friday night time.
Due to a robust defensive effort and a clutch three from senior Max Arnold, the No. 4 Panthers outlasted No. 5 Mansfield 50-42 at residence Friday night time within the Div. 2 quarterfinals.
“These children have put in a lot work,” stated Plymouth South coach Dave Costa. “Folks see the good season they’re having. An awesome season? This has been two nice years and so they’re operating. These children have put in a lot work during the last 24 months to get the place they’re.”
With only a 33-32 lead after three, Plymouth South (20-3) and Mansfield (19-6) traded buckets and leads all through the ultimate body.
The Hornets went up 42-39 with 3:25 left on a Darrian Sanders triple, however the Panthers had the final chortle with an 11-0 run, together with the go-ahead triple from Arnold with 2:10 remaining to make it 45-42.
“Coach Costa is at all times telling me to shoot with confidence,” Arnold stated. “So, I attempt to try this on daily basis and it was actually nice (to see that go in). It’s a fantastic crew I’ve and so they at all times inform me to be assured. So, it was a very good feeling.”
Junior captain Logan Volkringer led the best way with 23 factors with 12 of these coming within the second half. Arnold added eight and senior captain Shane McDonald chipped in with 10.
Within the first half, Mansfield began off on a 7-2 run earlier than Plymouth South exploded with a 13-1 run to finish the body with junior captain Logan Volkringer hitting a buzzer beater within the lane to make it 9 within the opening body to make it 15-8.
After that, the Hornets’ protection took over and allowed 1-of-11 taking pictures from the sector to outscore the Panthers 13-2 with senior Gabriel McIntyre netting 10 within the first half with 5 in every quarter to steer 21-17 on the half.
“Mansfield is a superb crew,” Costa stated. “They defend actually exhausting. We knew we needed to get slightly bit extra movement on the offensive finish and we performed nice within the first quarter. We knew they might come again and punch us within the mouth and so they did (within the second). … We needed to modify at halftime. We advised our children to calm down, let’s make a pair changes after which attempt to get the ball transferring extra.”
Within the third, Plymouth South went up 26-21 to start out the third on a 9-0 run earlier than Mansfield settled in. A clutch triple for Arnold made it a 33-32 benefit after three for the Panthers.
Subsequent up, Plymouth South will face top-seeded St. Mary’s of Lynn early subsequent week at a website/date to be decided.
