CCHS survives, beats Shikellamy 50-47 in PIAA 3A boys opener

FROM KEITH GROLLER

Central Catholic shook off a lackluster first half, grabbed a 10-point fourth quarter lead and then held on for a 50-47 win over Shikellamy on Friday night at Parkland in the first round of the PIAA Class 3A boys basketball tournament.

The District 11 champion Vikings (16-9) advance to the second round on Tuesday where they will meet Boys Latin from District 12.

Boys Latin (23-6) routed Pope John Paul II 70-49 in its first round game. A site and time will be released later this weekend.

Certainly, Central will have to play better against Boys Latin than it did against a surprisingly tough Shikellamy team (16-9).

In its first playoff appearance since 1979, the Braves battled hard. They took a 19-11 lead two minutes into the second quarter and led 24-21 at halftime.

It was 32-all after three periods, CCHS opened the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run to go up 41-32 and then a Jean Lee Baez free throw made it a 10-point spread with 5:26 eft.

But Shikellamy got back within 47-45 and 49-47 in the final two minutes.

A Seth Stoudt free throw with 23 seconds made it a three-point game and the Braves' Tyler Pratt had a 3-point shot at the buzzer, but it flicked off the front of the rim.

Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman led CCHS with 18 points and Mike Kammerer added 13, 11 in the second half.

C.J. Tyler led Shikellamy with 15 points, all coming on 3-pointers.

SHIKELLAMY (47)
E. Tyler 0-2 0-0 0, Delgado 3-7 1-2 7, CJ Tyler 5-10 0-0 15, Chaney 0-0 0-0 0, Eyster 0-1 0-0 0, Herbster 1-2 2-2 4, Pratt 3-5 3-4 9, Mantz 4-10 4-4 12. Totals 16-37 10-12 47.
CENTRAL CATHOLIC (50)
Baez 1-3 1-2 3, Stoudt 3-12 3-5 9, Vaughan 0-1 0-0 0, Abdur-Rahkman 7-11 4-4 18, McCarthy 0-1 0-0 0, Stevens 2-3 3-4 7, Kammerer 5-8 2-3 13. Totals 18-39 13-18 50.
Officials: Bill Murphy, Ed Clark, Jim Kimmel.
3-pointers: Shikellamy (5-11): CJ Tyler 5. CCHS (1-8): Kammerer.
Rebounds: Shikellamy 24 (Mantz 7). CCHS 18 (Baez 6).
Assists: Shikellamy 10 (Pratt 5). CCHS 9 (Abdur-Rahkman 3, Baez 3).
Turnovers: Shikellamy 16. CCHS 9.

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