An unpleasant ending to a wonderful ride for Liberty

Do yourself a favor. If you like high school boys basketball, watch the PIAA 4A boys title game on Saturday on PCN.

I know, I know, you'll likely have a full weekend of March Madness as the Sweet 16 is sliced to the Final Four.

But Penn Wood-Plymouth Whitemarsh will be a heck of a game. Maybe one of the best state finals we've had in a long time.

The college basketball season in Philly may have ended early with the opening-weekend demises of Temple and Villanova, but these two Philly-area teams will put on a showcase of future college prospects Saturday night at Penn State.

Temple's Fran Dunphy, St. Joe's Phil Martelli, Drexel's Bruiser Flint and Rutgers assistant Sal Mentesana were among the coaches on hand at Council Rock South on Weds. night to see Penn Wood's demolition of Liberty.

Penn Wood had three or four guys who will play Division I basketball, but hopefully those D-I coaches liked what they saw from Liberty's Darren Hillard, too, because he more than held his own against a superior team. (That's Darrun below on the left, expressing the emotions of a difficult night).




I know Liberty kids, coaches and fans are disappointed. I know they thought they would do much better. I know it hurts to come so far to get so overmatched.

And, all of the talk about how great it was to be in the final four and playing in the final week of the season won't soothe them. At least not today.

However, this is about as good as it's going to get for one of our 4A teams.

You're always going to run into one of these Philly-area team full of Division I recruits at this time of year. And while we have great athletes, you'll note that three of the four Division I caliber kids in Liberty's starting lineup will be playing football, not basketball, at the next level.

I don't intend to re-open the whole discussion about AAU ball here that seemed to ruffle the feathers of so many coaches at mid-season, at least not here.

But when you get closer to the city you see a different type of player, and generally, those players are playing a different brand of basketball -- quicker, faster, more explosive -- than we see here. And even though we're more effective at running halfcourt sets and play better zone defense than many of these teams, they have the physical talent to simply impose their will on our kids and dictate the pace of the game. Penn Wood was determined to get after Liberty and not let the 'Canes slow it down and get comfy.

All of that said, it was a very good boys basketball season and while we will miss Anthony Gonzalez, Jarrod West, Brandon Holland and the Liberty seniors, along with Al Blount, Brian Stevko, Kyheim Hall, Josh Case, Paul Pammer, Matt Greene, Bobby Beldo and many other terrific seniors across the area landscape, there are a number of outstanding kids coming back and 2010-2011 might be even better than this year.

I've got a few more basketball items to take care of, including Sunday's Via event and the all-area package which will now run next week.

And then it will be time to think spring for awhile, but by the time the Stellar tournament comes around right after the 4th of July, I will be ready for more hoops.

FROM KEITH GROLLER