Friends' Central tops Germantown Academy

Instant classic.

That's the best way to describe what happened yesterday at Malvern Prep.

When Travis Robinson made a layup with five seconds remaining in overtime, the Friends' Central boys' basketball team all but clinched the Pennsylvania Independent Schools tournament title.

A desperation three-pointer by Germantown Academy's Cameron Ayers rimmed out at the buzzer, and the jubilant Phoenix escaped with a 60-58 overtime victory.

"I knew I was going to finish," Robinson said of his game-winner. "I had to. I had to step up for my team."

The victory enabled Friends' Central, ranked No. 9 in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer, to finish the season at 28-2. Germantown Academy ended its season at 25-6.

If not for Robinson and Malique Killing, the Patriots could have been the players celebrating a victory.

Killing, a reserve point guard, hit a three-pointer to knot the score, 58-58, with 20 seconds remaining in overtime.

On the ensuing possession, Killing stripped the ball from a Germantown Academy guard near the Patriots' foul line. Robinson got it, raced up the court, and scored the decisive layup.

The junior shooting guard finished with a team-high 21 points. He scored six of Friends' Central's nine overtime points.

Sophomore guard Devin Coleman, who forced overtime with a pair of free throws, added 17 points.

Senior center Jeff Holton (24 points) and Ayers (14) led Germantown Academy.

In the girls' championship game, Germantown Academy defeated Notre Dame Academy, 65-39, in an all-Inter-Ac League final.

The Patriots, ranked third in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer, finished with a 31-0 record.

The eighth-ranked Irish finished the season at 24-7. Three of Notre Dame's losses were against Germantown Academy.

Yesterday, the Patriots were led by junior guards Maggie Lucas and Jesse Carey.

Lucas scored a game-high 21 points, while Carey added 17.

Boys' championship

Germantown Acad. 16 6 18 11 7 - 58

Friends' Central 18 9 12 12 9 - 60

GA: Peter Haines 5, Eric Yuschak 7, Austin Curry 2, Dean Malchionni 6, Cameron Ayers 14, Jeff Holton 24.

FC: H.J. Gaskins 3, Devin Coleman 17, Malique Killing 6, Travis Robinson 21, Amile Jefferson 4, Dominic Morris 9.

Girls' championship

Notre Dame 10 5 13 11 - 39

Germantown Acad. 24 13 13 15 - 65

ND: Erin Clawson 6, Kelly McCallion 3, Meghan McCullough 3, Colleen Olinger 6, Bridget Borgese 7, Fiona Flanagan 14.

GA: Jesse Carey 17, Tory Thierolf 8, Alexa Gallagher 2, Jessica Erb 8, Dana Lotito 2, Monica Schacker 5, Maggie Lucas 21, Maggie Ebbott 2.