Bartram edges Frankford in four OT marathon

It was the ultimate endurance challenge.

With the help of three bench players forced into duty, Bartram outlasted Frankford, 89-87, Saturday in a four-overtime Public League Class AAAA boys' basketball quarterfinal playoff marathon at Ben Franklin High.

In the final OT, Bartram was without three starters who had fouled out: wing guard Tyrone Garland, who averages nearly 25 points per game, point guard Quasim Jones and 6-foot-5 forward Dijon Wright.

"That's the first time all year that I've seen our bench step up like that," Garland said. "I have to give them credit for what they did."

Garland fouled out with 2:38 left in the first OT. The Virginia Tech signee produced 18 points, five rebounds and two assists in 29 minutes. He shot 4 for 16 from the field (1 for 3 from beyond the arc) and 9 for 10 from the free-throw line.

Garland's replacement, Michael Burton-Young, chipped in nine points, including a big three-pointer in the second overtime. Darrell Robinson, a 5-foot-10 junior, posted six rebounds, four points and five assists; and Darrell Lane contributed six points (four in the fourth quarter) and a late-game blocked shot.

Afterward, Bartram's Devin Moore, a 6-5, 175-pound senior, said he was in dire need of some sleep. Moore and fellow starter Zaahir Allen, a 6-1 senior guard who totaled a team-high 20 points and 10 rebounds, lasted until the final buzzer.

"I was really, really tired at the end," said Moore, who spoke with a pair of Alvernia College coaches afterward. "I started cramping up in the last minutes."

With the hard-fought victory, Bartram advanced to today's Public League semifinal (4 p.m. at Southern) versus Dobbins. In the first part of yesterday's doubleheader, Dobbins topped Simon Gratz, 58-57, in overtime in a Class AAA contest.

Also, Bartram will play La Salle, of the Catholic League, for the District 12 Class AAAA crown on Saturday at Southern, time to be determined.

Frankford is still alive and also assured a berth in the PIAA Class AAAA state tournament. The Pioneers will take on Roman Catholic, of the Catholic League, in a consolation game next weekend at a site and time to be determined to decide District 12's third and fourth seeds.

Against Bartram, Frankford received 20 points from Dehaven Brown and 18 from Terrell Clark. Carl Wallace, a 6-4 forward who notched 17 points, missed most of overtime after fouling out.

"For them, Tyrone Garland was out, so losing Carl kind of leveled the playing field at that point," Pioneers coach Ben Dubin said.

Frankford has been without Shaquille Duncan, a 6-8 senior center headed for Niagara, for the last two games. Dubin said he was dismissed because of conduct detrimental to the team.

Moore delivered nine boards and eight points; Allen blocked three shots, and Jones, who fouled out early in the first OT and was soon joined on the bench by Garland, scored 14 points.

"Losing is difficult to deal with," Dubin said. "But our kids played their hearts out. What else can you say?"

Bartram   18 12 18 13 10x11x2x5- 89

Frankford   14 13 17 17 10x11x2x3 87

B: Zaahir Allen 20, Mike Burton-Young 9, Tyrone Garland 18, Quasim Jones 14, Darrell Lane 6, Devin Moore 8, Darrell Robinson 4, Dijon Wright 10.

F: Karon Blackman 5, Dehaven Brown 20, Terrell Clark 18, Harold Hicks 6, Steffon Poole 12, Carl Wallace 17, Rodney Walters 6, Keith Washington 3.