Lower Merion Fans "Assist" In Aces State Championship

By Mike Griffith

HERSHEY, PA – In the post-game interview session outside the jubilant Lower Merion lockerroom, winning coach Gregg Downer reserved his biggest smile  for the question about the estimated 1,000 fans who made the Giant Center feel like the Aces’ homecourt.

The fans, mostly made up of students dressed in Lower Merion maroon and white,  populated the corner near the Lower Merion bench inside the cavernous, 10,000-seat arena. They got louder and louder throughout the night as their team knocked off the two-time defending state champion Chester Clippers, 63-47.

It was Lower Merion’s first PIAA Boys Basketball AAAA Championship since 2006 and the victory avenged the 60-46 loss to Chester in the District I Championship Game earlier this month.

“We’ve got great fans and they’ve never let us down,” said Downer, validating their importance in this championship season.  “We can hear them.  We can feel their presence.”

The players provided additional validation for what some call the “dog pound” when they sprinted to the section to celebrate with the faithful following the final buzzer.  Then, after receiving their medals in the post-game championship ceremony, they sprinted back for another round of mutual admiration with the masses.  The fans gave the players energy.  The players wanted to reward them for their support and loyalty and their love for one another showed.

“Composure was important.  Believing we could win was important,” Downer offered when asked about his players’ performance, which included 22 points from star B.J. Johnson, who will play next year at Syracuse.  One of 10 seniors on a team that ended up 30-3, Johnson was outstanding.  He hit six of nine from the floor, including two of three from three-point range.  He added 11 rebounds, two steals, a block and an assist while helping to ice the game late with stellar free throw shooting.

Help came from classmates Raheem Hall, who had 12 points and Yohanny Dalembert, who had 10, including a dunk in the final two minutes that left no doubt about the outcome.  “When that happened, we knew we were not going to lose this game,” Downer concluded.

Another key contributor was Baird Howland, who had eight points in 12 minutes, never missing a shot and adding four rebounds, an assist and a steal.  Two of the Aces’ returning players for next year, juniors Jaquan Johnson and Justin McFadden, played important roles, handling Chester’s pressing defense and combining for 11 points, four steals and four assists.

As the players and coaches showed with their words and actions, the Lower Merion fans also had a big  assist, one that lasted all season long and ended with a championship.