Williams' free throws push Penn Charter past Boys' Latin
With 3.6 seconds left in overtime, Penn Charter senior Harrison Williams stepped to the free-throw line with the game tied.
With 3.6 seconds left in overtime, Penn Charter senior Harrison Williams stepped to the free-throw line with the game tied.
Boys' Latin's Jibril Noble-Pagese had just made two free throws, so the pressure in the Make-A-Wish Showcase at Germantown Academy fell squarely on Williams.
"Basically, I'm a senior, I've been doing this for four years and I just have to knock these down and show everyone else that in big moments like that, you can't let the crowd or the stage get to you," Williams recalled thinking. "You just have to knock them down."
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound wing made the first, and after a timeout, made the second, giving the Quakers a 70-68 triumph and an all-important fifth victory of the season.
"It's a big win," said Williams, who finished with 18 points. "We have a couple young guys on our team, and we had a tough loss [Friday against Shipley], so it's good that they have to learn to come back after a loss, don't worry, don't harp on the loss, and win the next one."
Bouncing back was especially difficult last season during a 4-21 campaign in which the Quakers finished just 1-9 in Inter-Ac play.
Now at 5-2 overall, Penn Charter has already eclipsed last season's win total.
"Last year," Williams said, "I guess the pieces weren't falling together. We had all the parts, but we just couldn't get it going. But this year we have a bunch of guys who have bought into the program, and it's showing this year."
Evan Ferrell (13 points), Adam Holland (11), and Mason Williams (10) all scored in double figures. Dylan Burnett added seven steals and seven rebounds.
With the Warriors (6-3) of the Public League ahead by three with 33 seconds left in regulation, Mason Williams tied the game with a three-pointer. Michael Berk deflected the ensuing inbound pass, which led to a steal by freshman Ryan Holmes.
Holmes (nine points) was fouled en route to the basket and gave the Quakers a two-point edge with 25.3 seconds left after making both attempts. He also hit two late free throws in overtime.
Cameron Gardner-Nicholson (10 points, four blocks) also hit critical free throws in regulation for the Warriors, who were led by Noble-Pagese's 18 points.
Penn Charter 10 17 12 17 14 - 70
Boys' Latin 13 14 14 15 12 - 68
PC: Harrison Williams 18, Mason Williams 10, Ryan Holmes 9, Michael Berk 6, Evan Ferrell 13, Adam Holland 11, Dylan Burnett 3.
BL: Jibril Noble-Pagese 18, Ibrahim Ahmad 12, Chris Slater 4, Nasair Powell 3, Jelani Mauge 2, Julian Morris 6, Cameron Gardner-Nicholson 10, Tim Moore 9, Gus Sephes 4.
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