Chester season comes to an end

 By Terry Thomas

Chester (21-4) comes up short in its bid for a trip to Hershey at the hands of the Imhotep (27-4) Panthers 66-41 at Coatesville Area High School. The loss snaps the Clippers 16 game win streak. The Panthers showcased why there are ranked #12 in the nation using the overall height advantage taking the Clippers out of their comfort zone. Chester was also short-handed without the services of their Head Coach, Keith E. Taylor Sr, who was hospitalized last night. He is resting and should be returning home sometime this week. Assistant Coach Durell Moore led the team in his absence.

The Clippers scored first at the 5:50 mark on a bucket by Larenzo Jerkins for a 2-0 lead. However, four turnovers in their next six possessions allowed the Panther to go on a 10-0 run. Larenzo scored again to stop the run with 2:02 left in the quarter and Chester trailing 4-10. Imhotep scored consecutive treys to end the quarter with a 4-16 lead.

Sophomore Kyree Womack tried to ignite the Clippers in the second quarter scoring all of his seven points but it was not enough to offset the hot-shooting Panthers. Imhotep answered every Chester basket and converted their turnovers into easy points. Chester went into intermission trailing 18-39.

Chester opened the third quarter a little more aggressively with a 9-2 run to close the margin at 27-41 with 5 minutes to play. Over the next seven possessions, the Clippers could not find the bottom of the baskets and the Panthers responded with a 9-3 run. With 1:05 to play, Chester now trailed 30-50. The quarter ended 30-53.

Chester's shooting woes and weakness on the boards continued deep into the fourth quarter. With 3:28 to play, a Panther dunk by Justin Edwards put the score at 65-35. The Clippers continued to play hard until the final buzzer sounded. Today just wasn't their day.

Junior Breilynd White led the Clippers with 10 points, followed by Kevin Rucker (8), Larenzo Jerkins (8), Kyree Womack (7), Qadir Lowrie (5) and Isaiah Freeman (2). Freeman recorded 10 rebounds in his final game as a Clipper. Jerkins managed to match his career high of 4 blocked shots.

Chester Clippers Advance to Final-Four

 By Terry Thomas

Chester (21-3) overcame a first half deficit and captured the schools PA Record 30^th Final-Four appearance with a 65-59 victory over the Shippensburg (22-5) Greyhounds. Chester will face District-12 Champion, Imhotep Charter, on Friday, March 18 at a site and time to be determined.

The fans in attendance at the Manheim Township High School were fully entertained and did not leave disappointed at the performance of both teams. It was a game where there were no regrets regarding the effort put forth during the entire 32 minutes. 

After going scoreless in their first four possessions, the Clippers found themselves in a 0-8 hole before sophomore Kevin Rucker knocked down a trey at 5:00 for a 3-8 score. The Clippers seemed to have no answer for the Greyhounds, 6'8"- 290 senior, Anthony Smith who is heading to Minnesota on a football scholarship. Smith scored 9 first quarter points and got the Clippers Larenzo Jerkins sent to the bench with two personal fouls. Chester answered with 6'5" - 290 sophomore Jerry Young to battle in the paint. And, it was Jerry birthday, what a way to celebrate. After falling behind by twelve, 7-19, Rucker connected on a free-throw and sophomore Kyree Womack added an And-1 to close the gap to 8, 11-19 with just under 10 15 seconds to play. Smith scored once again before the quarter ended putting the Clippers in a 10-point hole, 11-21. 

In the second quarter, the sophomore combo of Rucker and Womack to the helm of the Clipper ship scoring 6 and 7 points respectively as the Chester put the heat on the Greyhounds. Chester opened the quarter with a 6-1 to pull within 5, 17-22, with 5:45 to play. The lead stayed at five until Womack's steal and layup got Chester within three, 23-26, with 2:25 to play. After two Rucker free-throws followed by a steal and lay-up from Jerkins brought the Clippers one point away, 27-28 with just under a minute to play. Smith closed the quarter with an And-1 and Chester trailed 27-31 at intermission. Smith accounted for 17 of the Greyhounds 31 first half points.

The Clippers began the third quarter with one of their patented runs, this the 16-5 version, resulting in a 43-36 Chester lead with 2:40 to go. Rucker scored 8 of his 13 third quarter points during the run. Larenzo, senior Qadir Lowrie and junior Breilynd White combined to score the rest. After the team exchanged baskets, Lowrie's free throw gave the Clippers a 49-41 lead with 48.8 seconds to play. The quarter ended with Chester ahead 49-43. 

Larenzo Jerkins opened the fourth quarter with a steal and a bucket and later after his second steal of the quarter ended with Breilynd White's three-point play, the Chester lead was up to 9, 54-45. Senior Isaiah Freeman recorded 1 of his 7 rebounds which led to two free throws from Womack and the Clippers and their fans were rejoicing with an eleven-point lead, 56-45, with 5:10 left in the game. As the wind left the Clippers sails, the Greyhounds took advantage of the situation and drew within three points, 60-57 with 1:07 to go. The Clippers turned the ball over on their next possession and now the lead was down to one, 60-59 with under a minute to play. Chester tightened their defense and Jerkins scored on their next possession, 62-59. Rucker stole the ball and Lowrie scored the bucket for a 64-59 lead with 5.8 seconds to play. Rucker finished the game with a free throw bringing his point total to 26 and the final score of the game. Kevin Rucker's 26 points was one shy of his career high of 27. 

Kyree Womack and Larenzo Jerkins joined Kevin in double-digit scoring with 14 and 10 points respectively. Breilynd White and Qadir Lowrie each contributed 7 points and Isaiah Freeman completed the scoring with 1 point. Freeman led the team with 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Rucker also contributed 4 rebounds, 2 blocked shots and 1 steal.

Chester Wins a Thriller - Advances to Quarter-Finals

By Terry Thomas 

Chester (20-3) advances to the State Quarter-Finals for the fifth time under Coach Taylor with a come from behind 53-48 victory over Philadelphia Catholic League and District-12's #2 seed Archbishop Ryan Raiders. The game was a rematch of last year's semifinal between the schools except this time the game was played before a packed Cardinal O'Hara High School gymnasium. With the win Chester will face Shippensburg, District-3's #2 seed, on Tuesday, March 15 at a site and time to be determined. 

The Clippers last played in this venue on March 11, 2020 in the Second Round of the 2020 State Tournament when they defeated the Simon Gratz Bulldogs on a last-minute three-point shot by Zahmir Carroll which propelled them to the Quarters. The seniors on this year's team remember that game as it was played the day after two of their teammates, Edward "Lil Ricky" Harmon and Jermere Clark, were victims of street violence. Lil Ricky passed due to the gun shots while Jermere who is confined to a wheelchair sat behind the team bench during tonight's game. Both players were included in the Senior Day celebration during the last regular season game at Chester High School. Those two young men will forever remain in the thoughts and prayers of the Chester High Basketball Community. 

Archbishop Ryan entered the game with newly acquired 6'9" sophomore Thomas Sorber who holds offers from Drexel and LaSalle giving them an inside advantage over Chester's 6'5" sophomore Larenzo Jerkins. However, Larenzo received the support from his teammates, 6'4" sophomore Kevin Rucker and 6'3" Isaiah Freeman to offset the big man. He was constantly fronted and provided with weak-side help. The Clippers "Big-Three" combined for 31 points, 16 rebounds, 13 steals, 2 blocked shots and 4 assists. The defense supplied coupled with the outstanding man to man coverage of the guard by Qadir Lowrie, Breilynd White, Kyree Womack and Olayinka Itabiyi limited the Raiders to just one made trey in the game. The predominately Chester supporters stood to their feet numerous times applauding the defensive efforts displayed by the Clippers during the contest.  

The lead changed hands a couple times in the first quarter but Chester was on the short end 9-12 with the period ended. The Raiders took advantage of the Clippers second quarter miscues putting them in a deeper deficit, 18-26, at the intermission.

While the Clippers were finding their stroke to begin the third quarter, the Raiders responded behind a 5-point quarter from Sorber and their only trey of the game giving them their biggest lead, 36-24, with about 2:30 to play. Qadir Lowrie was fouled shooting a trey at the 2:22 mark. He made all three free throws which ignited a 10-1 run by the Clippers. Two possessions later, Rucker completed an old-fashioned three-point play, 30-36. Chester stole the ball on Ryan's next three possessions but was only able to convert on one, Jerkins scored with 50 seconds left bringing the score to 32-36. After a Ryan free throw Jerkins scored again to pull within three, 34-37, at the end of the quarter.  

Chester scored on their first two possessions, a basket by Rucker and two free throws from sophomore Womack of the fourth quarter to regain the lead 38-37. A couple made foul shots later and Chester was enjoying a 40-37 advantage. Time: 4:58. The Raiders scored on their next two possessions from the foul line and recaptured the lead 41-40 with 4:31 to play. The teams traded baskets and the lead. On Chester's next possession, Womack banked in a trey with 2:10 to go and the go ahead lead of 45-43 starting a Chester 8-0 run and a 50-43 lead with 1:23 to play. The decimal level in the O'Hara gym was deafening and the Chester faithful could taste the victory. However, the Clippers once again became careless with the ball with three consecutive turnovers and the gym became quiet as their lead dwindle to just two points, 50-48 with 35 seconds on the clock. 

Womack was fouled on Chester's next possession where he made 1 of 2 stretching the lead to three, 51-48, with 32.2 seconds on the clock. Chester forced a turnover and this time Freeman was fouled. He calmly stepped to the line and converted both shots with 12.6 second to go sealing the win. The Clippers had the ball and with less than 2 seconds remaining threw the ball in the air and the celebration was on as the fans rushed the floor. 

Chester Stat Lines: 

Womack - 13 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound, 1 steal

Rucker - 11 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals 

Jerkins - 11 points, 5 steals, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 assist 

Freeman - 9 points, 11 rebounds, 5 steals, 3 assists

Lowrie - 9 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds

White - 2 steals, 2 rebounds, 1 assist