York Country Day keeps perfect record
Greyhounds ride a 23-point run to a District 3 Class A victory Friday
It's widely known basketball is a game of runs.
In Friday's District 3 Class A quarterfinal round game between Veritas Academy and York Country Day, the Greyhounds went on a run that isn't seen everyday.
The top ranked and undefeated Greyhounds found themselves down eight points with 1:20 to play in the first quarter, and that's when it started.
Country Day ended the quarter scoring seven straight points but still trailed by a point after the first eight minutes. Following two converted free throws by the Greyhounds in the opening minute of the second quarter, Country Day wouldn't trail again en route to a 60-39 victory.
The Greyhounds' run ended at 23-0 and by the end of it, the home team led 29-14 with 4:00 to play in the first half.
As great as that run was, it was the slow start that the Greyhounds know needs addressed in order to keep advancing in the district tournament.
"We're capable of that, but I tell you what, when we are playing our best basketball it's the beginning of the second quarter," Country Day head coach Corey Stiles said. "We're not playing our best basketball in the first quarter, and that's on me. We have to learn how to get out to better starts."
York Country Day (20-0) advances to play in Monday's semifinal at Manheim Township at 6 p.m. against No. 4 Lancaster County Christian.
"It's very fun," Greyhound junior DeAireus Brown said of continuing the undefeated season. "It's very exciting. It's a lot of pressure."
Brown's 25 points led all scorers, including 11 in the first half. The Greyhounds fought back after trailing 14-13 after the first quarter, to lead 31-19 at halftime.
"That's been a theme with us so far," Brown said of the slow start. "It's a bad habit, and we can't keep starting slow."
Jordan Ray added 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Greyhounds. But, it was the Country Day defense over the final 24 minutes that made Stiles happy.
"We were getting hands on balls, getting steals, getting deflections," said Stiles of his team forcing 19 Academy turnovers. "The second quarter we did a perfect job of speeding up the tempo and getting exactly what we wanted."
No. 8 Veritas Academy (12-9) was led by Trevor Saltsman's 20 points.
Veritas Academy (39)
Kessler 2 0-0 4, Hertzog 0 0-0 0, Bender 3 1-2 7, Rawlings 0 0-0 0, Seeger 2 0-0 4, Trevor Saltsman 8 1-1 20, Wells 2 0-0 4. Totals - 17 2-3 39
York Country Day (60)
Gertz 3 0-0 7, Hamilton 2 1-2 5, Yerg 0 0-0 0, Greisler 0 0-0 0, DeAireus Brown 8 7-10 25, Jordan Ray 3 6-8 13, Gladfelter 2 0-0 4, T. Wymard 2 2-2 6, J. Wymard 0 0-0 0. Totals - 20 16-22 60.
Veritas Academy _ 14 _ 5 _ 8 _ 12 _ — _ 39
York Country Day _ 13 _ 18 _ 12 _ 17 _ — _ 60
3-point goals: V 3, (Saltsman 3); Y 2, (Gertz, Ray).