On Friday night, the semifinal round of the Delaware County Boys High School Basketball tournament was completed.
After two very different games, we now know who will play for the championship on Saturday night at 8 p.m.
6 p.m. Yorktown vs Cowan
The Yorktown Tigers hit the ground running after the opening tip-off. They used team basketball en route to their 81-61 victory.
The Tigers proved quickly that they weren’t there to fool around. They forced multiple Cowan turnovers in the first half. Blocks, steals and just good defense were the key components to Yorktown's dominant game.
Cowan's defense tried to keep the Tigers at bay. But just when fans thought they did, Yorktown would pass the rock once again to set up a basket.
While Cowan’s second half was a little bit better, the Tigers' defense kept the pressure and set up the offense.
The Tigers were led by senior AJ Dunn who had 21 points.
8pm Delta vs Wapahani
Unlike the first game, this match would come down to the final seconds. In the end, Wapahani defeated the defending champion Eagles 57-53.
Wapahani head coach Matt Luce spoke about how important it was for his guys to play a complete game.
“A lot of tense moments and a lot of gray hairs, but I am proud of our guys for sticking together,” he said. “They could have easily panicked and gotten nervous there but they didn't. They hung in there and showed a lot of grit.”
The Raiders opened the game with a 10-0 scoring run. After calling a timeout, the Eagles returned the favor with a 9-0 scoring run. The rest of the night would be similar as both teams had multiple scoring runs.
Throughout the game, the Raiders were able to keep their distance from the Eagles. But the home team did not go quietly. Delta fought back to Wapahani’s dismay.
In the final few minutes, the Eagles cut a 13-point deficit to a 5-point deficit in 39 seconds. But after good Wapahani free throw shooting and missed shots, the former county champions ran out of time.
The Raiders were led by junior Issac Andrew with 18 points. He was followed by senior Nathan Nelson with 16.
The championship will be a special one for Wapahani. One reason is that the girl's basketball team will play in their championship as well. The other is that the boys have made it to the championship game for consecutive seasons, but they have been defeated in both games.
“It's not easy to win them and we're gonna do our best and hang in there,” coach Luce said. “Wapahani's never won girls and boys in the same year, so you know, we're really pulling for our girls as well.”
The championship will take place Saturday at 8 p.m., right after the girl's championship at 6 p.m.
Contact Zach Carter with comments at zachary.carter@bsu.edu or on Twitter @ZachCarter85.
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