Boys basketball: Tony Chapman's experience pays off for Holy Ghost Prep in playoffs

BENSALEM — Tony Chapman carefully considered the situation and made a decision.

Rather than let his Holy Ghost Prep team have it while trailing by five points at halftime of Friday's night District One Class 5A playoff game against visiting Upper Moreland, Chapman trusted his players and opted for a calmer approach.

The Firebirds responded with a superb second half, especially at the defensive end, limiting the Golden Bears to two made field goals over the final two quarters, in a 54-36 first-round victory. Holy Ghost held a 31-8 scoring advantage after intermission.

"I told the kids at the end of the game there are a lot of teams I've had in the past where I would have been a raving maniac at halftime, which probably at the time I thought was the right thing to do," said the 69-year-old Chapman, who is in his 45th year as coach at his alma mater. "In the end, it probably was the wrong thing to do.

"I have a lot of confidence, especially the last month or so with the way we've been practicing and the effort we've been getting in the games. I just said 'We got to ratchet it up on defense. We're playing hard, but they're playing a little bit harder.'"

Senior reserve Noah McDermott, who hit a pair of second-half 3-pointers among his eight points to help Holy Ghost pull away, wasn't sure how Chapman would react in the locker room at halftime.

"Sometimes he screams at us," said McDermott, smiling. "… He knew that our heads were still intact and he didn't want to kind of mess up our momentum and he knew we could get the job done. We came back and were able to win."

After falling to second-seeded Chichester 71-61 on Wednesday night in the 5A quarterfinals, the Firebirds can still make states with a home victory over No. 11 Upper Merion on Saturday in a first-round consolation game to secure their first state berth in four years (Holy Ghost lost to state finalist Archbishop Wood in the 2019 opening round). Six District One teams qualify in 5A.

"Our defense was phenomenal (in the second half)," said Chapman following Friday's win. "I couldn't ask for any more."

Sophomore Adrien Varella led the Firebirds with 16 points vs. Upper Moreland, while senior Colin Lucas added 12.

Members of senior-laden Holy Ghost Prep have yet to experience the state playoffs, which they desperately want to do.

"A state run is special for every team," McDermott said. "Getting to that point would be a huge milestone."

Chapman will be there, wearing his customary suit and tie, each step of the way. His players understand how significant that is.

"(Playing for Chapman) means everything," McDermott said. "I grew up coming to the camp here and watching him coach other teams. He coached my brother (Jack). It's just really special being able to play for such an amazing coach. He's remarkable."

Public school rankings (with record)

1. CB East (22-4)

2. North Penn (19-6)

3. Neshaminy (14-10)

4. William Tennent (16-8)

5. Pennsbury (16-8)

6. Pennridge (15-9)

7. Abington (13-12)

8. Upper Moreland (13-10)

9. Bensalem (12-10)

10. CR North (10-10)

Private school rankings (with record)

1. George School (23-6)

2. Archbishop Wood (15-7)

3. Dock Mennonite (24-2)

4. Holy Ghost Prep (13-10)

5. La Salle (9-12)

Games to watch

Phelps Academy at George School, Friday (6) in a PAISAA semifinal: Friends School League champion Second-seeded George School defeated No. 3 Phelps School 70-63 earlier this season. The Cougars downed Malvern Prep 73-63 in Tuesday's quarterfinal behind 25 points apiece from Christian Bliss and Kachi Nzeh.

Neshaminy at Perkiomen Valley, Friday (6): After falling to second-seeded Lower Merion in the second round, No. 18 Neshaminy can advance to the Class 6A state playoffs with a district consolation-round victory at No. 7 Perkiomen Valley. Neshaminy's most recent trip to states was five years ago as the ninth seed when it won two games before losing to District 12's Abraham Lincoln 65-55 in the quarterfinals.

Downingtown West at CB East, Friday (7): With both teams having qualified for the state playoffs, the fourth-seeded Patriots host the Whippets (21-5) in the quarterfinals for a spot in the final four. CB East, which upended visiting Abington 59-46 in the second round, captured its third straight SOL Colonial Division championship, while No. 5 Downingtown West finished first in the Ches-Mont National.

North Penn at Plymouth Whitemarsh, Friday (7): The 6A quarterfinal game is a rematch of the SOL tournament semifinal in which PW pulled away with a big third quarter on the way to a 75-57 victory. The Colonials, who went undefeated in the SOL American, won the tourney. North Penn outlasted Coatesville 65-60 in the second round.

Tom Moore: tmoore@couriertimes; @TomMoorePhilly

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Boys basketball: Tony Chapman's experience pays off for Holy Ghost Prep