JAN. 26
INTER-AC LEAGUE
Malvern 53, Germantown Academy 33
  The Malvern Basketball team squared up with Inter-Ac foe Germantown Academy on a Tuesday afternoon at the O’Neil Center Gym. This was the second meeting between the two, the first one resulting in an overtime thriller won by the Friars.  Coming into the game, Malvern was 16-4 overall and looking to respond off a tough loss at Archbishop Carroll.
  The tip was won by Malvern, who attacked quickly with a Lamon Church layup. On the next two offensive possessions, sophomore phenom Brendan “L-Murph” Kilpatrick drained two buckets from beyond the arc, and it was already an eight point game. It was evident from the start that Malvern was in control of the basketball game with their exceptional defensive play, running a 2-3 mostly throughout the game. After a Germantown timeout, GA responded with a three of their own to close the gap to 5. Next possession, DeQuann “Bootsie” Walker drove through the lane and finished a brilliant and-1 to cap off the first quarter. It was a 13-7 game, still very much in reach. To start off the second quarter, Malvern went on a 7-point run to stretch the lead to 13. Germantown answered with an eight-point run of their own, and cut the lead to 5 once again. Driving down the court, Bucknell-bound Cameron Ayers drove through the lane for what looked to be an easy layup. Malvern center Tracy Peal reacted quickly and took a charge that was pivotal in stopping Germantown’s run. The first half was coming to an end. Lamon Church brought the ball quickly down the court. He drove past one defender, crossed over another, and dished a no-look pass to Tracy Peal who was on the baseline. Peal spotted up for a 15 foot jumper and drained it as time expired. The score at the end of the half was 25-18 in Malvern’s favor.
  The second half was when Malvern really pulled away. The Friars started off with an and-1 by Peal. His dominant low post presence was definitely a force to be reckoned with. Germantown could not even manage to bring it down the court, for the and-1 was followed with a steal by Senior Captain Ryan Creighton, who dished it to Church for an easy layup. A few possessions later Germantown, trying to get back into the game, attacked the basket. An Ayers drive resulted in a charge taken by Ryan Creighton. This key defensive stop was important in deflating any chances Germantown had of coming back. Following the charge, Malvern took matters into their own hands. They scored on their next two possessions to stretch the lead to 22. The score was 42-20. The game was becoming out of reach, and a few more insurance baskets by Kilpatrick sealed it.  Both teams replaced their starters for the last two minutes of the game. The final score ended up being 53-33, Malvern winning the series 2-0.
  Four of Malvern’s five starters scored in double digits. It was evident that Malvern was the better team, for they controlled the game at both ends of the floor. The leading scorer for the friars was Kilpatrick with 13. His 3 point shot was automatic when he had space to shoot. Walker and Peal both finished with 11 each. Peal was the leading rebounder for the Friars as well. Church finished with 10, and had exceptional drives and assists throughout the game. Mike Dougherty stepped up off the bench and finished with 8. For Germantown, Cameron Ayers was held to just 6 points and had a tough time getting anything off.
  Next up for the Friars is Chestnut Hill Academy. This Friday night matchup could determine Malvern’s chances at an inter-ac title, for Chestnut Hill defeated Malvern earlier in the season. Friar Nation (Malvern’s student section) will be in full force for the game so expect a wild, loud gymnasium. The game is going to be played at the O’Neil Center, Friday night….be there.

DEC. 9
NON-LEAGUE
Friends' Central 66, Malvern 53
  The Malvern Prep varsity basketball team traveled to the Shimada Athletic Center to face the Friends' Central Phoenix on a cold, December night. Both teams had a lot of confidence going in, for Malvern was returning four of five starters from a year ago, and Friends' Central was downright loaded. They were both undefeated. Malvern Prep is, in my opinion, a very young and explosive team. They can drive the ball inside and shoot long range. They are also very versatile and athletic. Their top players include senior captain Ryan Creighton at the point, junior swingmen Lamon Church and DeQuann “Bootsie” Walker, sophomore guard Brendan Kilpatrick, and a strong junior center in Tracy Peal. Young, and all having experience from last year, they look to take a big step for the basketball program and take control of the Inter-Ac.   The Friends' Central varsity squad is rumored to have seven Division 1 prospects… SEVEN! Their top players included Dom Morris, Travis Robinson, Devon Coleman, Amile Jefferson, Malqui Killings, and HJ Gaskins. Morris, Robinson, and Gaskins are all committed to Boston University. Coleman and Jefferson are still underclassmen and are serious recruits. They were the favorite going in to the game, and took control early. The tip was won by Lamon Church and Malvern had the first possession. Tracy Peal had the first points of the game with a quick fifteen foot jumper. The ball was going back and forth and neither team could establish a tempo for the first couple possessions. Malqui Killings, Friends' Central’s point guard, had to leave the game with two quick fouls and was replaced by HJ Gaskins.  Friends' Central quickly answered with a Jefferson layup, and three strait buckets from beyond the arch by Gaskins and Coleman. Within two minutes of the opening tip, it was already an 11-2 game. Tracy Peal responded with two more layups of his own, scoring Malvern’s first six points. Three-point shooting really helped the Pheonix, which helped them make an early lead. Once they were ahead, they never looked back. At halftime it was a 33-19 game. At the start of the third quarter, FC drained two quick baskets. Malvern countered with a jumper by Church, and a highlight reel dunk by Walker. Malvern tried to make a run to get back into the game, but all attempts were shortly ended by a Gaskins buzzer-beating three to end the third quarter. There was more of where that came from, for Amile Jefferson went on to sink a jumper from beyond the arch to start off the 4th quarter. The game was simply out of reach for the Friars and every time they tried to make a run, FC answered right back. The final score ended up to be 66-53. The leading scorer for the friars was church with 19 points, followed by Peal with 14   and Walker with 13. Creighton had a quiet night with only 3 points, although he was a key figure on defense and finding his teammates open jumpers. For friends central, Coleman was the leader with 23, followed by Jefferson with 12, Gaskins with 11, and Morris with 10. The Friars look ahead to a matchup with Monsignor Bonner on Friday night, 7 o clock, at Bonner.