Post Season Awaits The Great Valley Boys

Fans of Great Valley boys basketball rejoice; the post season awaits as the Patriot boys received a berth in the 2011 District 1 AAAA tournament which begins this weekend.

Although Jim Nolan's squad fell into the lower portion of the bracket and must face a stellar opponent in the first round, considering how things were shaking out coming down the stretch of the regular season, it's rewarding that the Pats found a spot among the 32 teams selected.

The mathematical equation used to determine seeds replaced the former selection process whereby coaches and athletic directors would assemble and spend hours "discussing" where each team should be ranked. Some of the stories from those meetings are legendary among high school sports people with timeless bantering on subjects such as "quality losses" taking center stage.

All that is history now as wins-losses, strength of schedule, records of opponents, bonus points and other info known only to the jedi masters of the district shake out 32 schools hoping to fill one of the nine awarded spots to District 1 in the boys state tournament.

Great Valley at Council Rock North
  Friday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m.

The Patriots slipped into the tournament as the number 31 seed with an 11-11 record and went 5-7 in the Ches-Mont League American Division, losing twice to division champion and Final Four participant West Chester Rustin.

They have lost three of their last five games but broke a two-game losing trip on Saturday with a 48-38 win over New Hope Academy Charter School.

Great Valley is paced by the play of 6'3" sophmore Brad Sherry, 5'11" junior Ryan Aker, 6'2" senior William Patton, 6'2" freshman Nate Cohen and 6'7" senior Shakore Grant. Grant is a force in the middle but has missed games this season due to injuries and suspensions from the team.

One highlight of the season was the Pats non-league crossover game at Coatesville where they came within a few seconds of upsetting the talented, number 10 seeded Red Raiders, 51-48.

To say that the Patriots have a tall task ahead of them at Council Rock North is an understatement.

The Indians finished the season 21-1, their only loss coming Dec. 19 when they fell to Montrose Christian School of Maryland, 68-53. Since then, The Rock, as they are known, have won 19  straight games, including 14 consecutive to go unbeaten and win the Suburban One National Conference.

It doesn't stop there, however. These Indians are big, even for a high school team, and include:

•  6'6" senior forward Charlie Anastasi

•  6'6" senior forward John Raymon

•  5'10" junior guard Aaron Morgan

•  6'4" junior guard/forward Aaron Goodman

•  6'7" senior forward Hunter Spence

 The Patriots know the task at hand. Should they weather the storm of the first round, they would take on the winner of 15-seeded Wissahickon and 18th seed Spring-Ford on Tuesday, Feb. 22. 

 A team that gets to the second round and loses continues their season in the "playback" round to determine the 9th seed for the state tournament.