Underdog ANC takes crown from Friends'

Academy of the New Church arrived seeking its third straight Friends Schools League championship. Friends' Central was trying for its first crown since 2001-02 and, maybe more important, looking for revenge from last year's blowout loss.

ANC's desire to keep what it owned - and Friends' Central's hunger for a return to league supremacy - brought forth a pulsating night of hoops at Haverford College.

In the end, it was the underdog Lions that persevered and triumphed, 57-52, in overtime against the stunned Phoenix. It was the program's fourth title in the last five seasons.

"I thought the kids played well - hard, aggressive, attacked the ball," ANC coach Kevin Givens said. "They did a lot of good things."

Warren Gillis, a 6-foot-2 junior guard, powered ANC (14-10) with 21 points. He hit a pair of three-pointers in the fourth quarter, including a left-wing heave that gave the Lions a 48-46 advantage with 30 seconds to play in regulation.

Friends' Central, ranked No. 2 in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer, forced an extra session when Devin Coleman converted an inside feed from Dominic Morris with eight seconds showing on the clock. ANC's final attempt, a successful layup by Jonathan Riles, came just after the final buzzer.

A key overtime basket for the Lions came on an alley-oop pass from Kenny Ross to 6-11 sophomore center Malcolm Gilbert (16 points).

With 13.6 seconds to go, Savon Goodman, ANC's star 6-5 freshman, made one of two free throws to make it a 55-52 game. A three-point attempt by Coleman, taken from the left of the top of the arc with six seconds left, was off the mark.

Gilbert posted 14 of his 16 points in the second half. Riles chipped in 11 points, including a right-wing trey in the fourth quarter that put the Lions in front, 45-42, with just over two minutes remaining.

Friends' Central, which won the regular-season meeting, 50-42, had a 16-game win streak snapped. The other loss for the Phoenix (23-2) came against Malvern Prep, also in overtime.

Travis Robinson, a 6-4 junior for Friends' Central, netted 17 points and Morris scored 13. Coleman, with 11, also reached double figures.

Next for both teams is the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Tournament. ANC, seeded No. 7, opens against visiting Episcopal Academy on Tuesday at 4 p.m. On the same day, the top-seeded Phoenix host Mercersburg at 4:30.

ANC 6 17 10 15 9 - 57

Friends' Central 11 10 13 14 4 - 52

ANC: Savon Goodman 6, Malcolm Gilbert 16, Warren Gillis 21, Kenny Ross 3, Jonathan Riles 11.

FC: H.J. Gaskins 3, Devin Coleman 11, Malique Killing 6, Travis Robinson 17, Amile Jefferson 2, Dominic Morris 13.