Salisbury High School Boys Basketball Team Loses Close Game To Prep Charter

The Salisbury High School boys basketball team lost a tough game to Prep Charter, 40-36, Saturday in the first round of the PIAA 2A tournament at Parkland High School.

In a game in which neither team held a double-digit lead, Salisbury's chance at pulling ahead in the game's final quarter came up short. Salisbury (19-9) and Prep Charter (15-11) struggled to find their rhythm at the start of the game. The two teams combined for just 12 points, with the Salisbury Falcons putting up only four in the game's first quarter.

Trailing 8-4 after the first quarter, Salisbury guard Sean Baker led a second quarter run with eight points. Baker's steal and layup with 1:50 to play in the quarter closed Prep Charter's gap to one.

Salisbury outscored Prep Charter in the second quarter, 12-9, breaking the Huskies' full-court press numerous times for open layups. Despite being outscored, Prep Charter held a 17-16 lead at halftime.

 Both teams came out of the locker room at halftime with a sense of urgency. Compared to 12 total points scored in the first quarter, the teams combined for 25 points in the third. Salisbury captured its first lead of the game on their first possession of the quarter. Center Samuel Cochrane made a layup and was fouled with 7:18 to play in the quarter. He missed the free throw but Salisbury led 18-17. Forward Mike Schantz, who had  eight points in the quarter, hit a layup seconds later to put the Falcons up three with 6:35 to go in the quarter. Guard Byron Whiting and forward Mark Wilmer led the way for Prep Charter in the third quarter, scoring all of Prep Charter's 13 points. With the Huskies down three, Whiting hit back-to-back 3-pointers to regain the lead.

 Salisbury entered the fourth quarter down 30-28. The Falcons kept it close the entire quarter, but the Huskies' free throw shooting in the final three minutes sealed the deal for Prep Charter. Prep Charter made six out of 10 free throws in the final minutes, including guard Abraham Masserly, who hit five out of eight.

The Falcons had a chance in the final minutes when forward Justin Todora stole a Prep Charter pass with 1:32 to go, but Schantz' missed jumper essentially sealed the deal for Salisbury.

In a game that saw four lead changes and three ties, mostly in the game's third quarter, Salisbury could never gain control and take a substantial lead over Prep Charter.

Schantz led Salisbury with 12 points, and Baker added eight points for the Falcons. Cochrane and forward Lloyd Irons both notched six points.

Masserly and Wilmer both scored 13 points for Prep Charter. Whiting added six points in the victory over Salisbury.

Prep Charter will now advance to the next round of the PIAA 2A tournament, playing the winner of the Delone Catholic and Vaux contest.