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High School Basketball (Playoffs): Monday, March 2, 1998
By Art Redd March is the month where high school basketball teams compete in their version of March Madness. The two-week tournament began with the first round playoff games in the South Jersey Tournament. At Maple Shade, the Wildcats hosted the Palmyra Panthers in their Group 1 tournament game but could not advance to the next round. Palmyra's Clayton Brown worked his inside and outside game and dominated the Wildcats and gain a 54-44 victory. Palmyra advances to the next round against Burlington City.
As the first quarter began, both teams didn't waste anytime setting up plays. The open player just launched the shot in their attempt to gain the early lead. It was the Panthers whose shots would count the most at the end of the first quarter. The Panthers would take a 16-9 lead into the second quarter. Maple Shade would switch to the full court press to slow down the Panthers. But once the Panthers got the ball over the 10-second line, Clayton Brown switched his inside game to the perimeter game. He drained a 3 pointer with 3:58 remaining in the half to take a 23-11 lead. The Wildcats' Brian Datzman responded with an 8-foot jumper to pull within 10 points. Maple Shade worked hard to get inside to get points but the Panthers' Brown (6-6) and Steve Ladany (6-5) dominated the interior and cleaned up the boards on both ends. Ladany's 4-foot jumper would increase their lead to 27-13. The Panthers would go into the locker room at the half with a 31-15 lead. Palymra would take their largest lead of the game 36-16 with 5:07 remaining in the third quarter. But Maple Shade would fight back. They would pull within 8-points with 30 seconds remaining in the game on Brien Datzman's second consecutive 3 pointer. Palmyra would use the clock wisely and advance to the next round. Clayton Brown had a game high 24 points for Palmyra. Maple Shade's Brien Datzman lead his team with 19-points and James Johnson had 12 points.
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©1998 South Jersey Sports Online |
