NEW HOLLAND >> The Devon Prep boys basketball team is two years removed from a PIAA 3A championship. On Saturday afternoon at Garden Spot High School, the Tide took a huge step back in Hershey by defeating a very tough Executive Education Charter team 62-57 in double overtime.
Devon (14-13) defeated the Raptors 7-2 in the second overtime to earn the win in the quarterfinals. They will face Match Civic & Science on a neutral ground in Tuesday's semi-final, with a time to be announced. Devon defeated MCS earlier in the season.
Reece Craft scored a game-high 23 points, and junior Zane Conlon added 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while battling the Raptors' 7-foot center Ramin San throughout the game. Conlon held the Sun to just six points and held them above his own points on the glass.
Conlon also hit three 3-pointers and caused two big turnovers for the Tide late in the first overtime.
“I was very tired, but I didn't consider myself tired,” Conlon said. “All my teammates were there to pick me up, so that gave me the energy to keep going. They were a very good team, but we played in the Philadelphia Catholic League and that gave me the energy to keep going. That will help us in this tournament because we will continue to compete against top athletes in the state games.”
Rylan Muniz led the Raptors with 19 points. He hit four 3-pointers and hit a jumper at the end of the first overtime to tie the game at 55-55.
Conlon hit a long three to start the second overtime session, giving the Tide a 58-55 advantage. The Raptors were moving the ball around the perimeter until Muniz missed a three with 1:15 left.
The Tide turned the ball over with 1:02 left in the second overtime. Gabe Hornberger was fouled and sank two free throws, trailing 58-57 with 49 seconds left.
Mike Pergolis then made two free throws with 33 seconds left to give the Tide a 60-57 lead.
The Raptors (22-5) were looking for Muniz, but he was stalked by Pergolis throughout the game. He forced a three that went wide. Craft went down on the rebound and was fouled with nine seconds left.
Kraft made two free throws for a 62-57 lead. The Raptors rushed the ball up the floor, Muniz misfired, Conlon grabbed the rebound, but time expired and things moved on.
“All the kids were tired from the game,” Devon Prep coach Jason Fisher said. “It took us a while to figure out their big man (Sun), but I don't know if we actually did that. But I thought our defense was great. It was our defense that won the game today. I think that's how it was.”
The Tide is two games away from winning its second title in three years, and Conlon said the group is just taking it one day at a time.
“The plan is to win a state title,” Conlon said. “But we know that the next game is the most important, so we will take it one game at a time.”
Devon Prep 62, Executive Education 57 2OT
Executive Education: Hornebeleger 5 2-2 15, Muniz 7 0-0 19, Shipley 4 0-1 9, Lopez 3 0-0 8, Sang 2 2-2 6, Manning 0 0-0 0. Total 21 4-5 57.
Devon Prep: Conlon 7 5-8 22, Costello 1 0-0 2, Doyle 3 0-2 7, McClendon 3 0-0 6, Pergolis 0 2-2 2, Craft 9 3-3 23, Fareham 0 0- 0 0, Orchard 0 0-0 0. Total 23 10-15 62.
Executive education 14 8 16 11 6 2 – 57
Devon Prep 7 18 16 8 6 7 – 62
3-point goals: Horne-Belleger 3, Muniz 4, Shipley, Lopez 2, Conlon 3, Doyle, Craft 2.