Lower Merion aces big test against Conestoga

The Lower Merion High School boys’ basketball team has experienced its share of heartbreaking defeats early in the season dropping four of its first five games. In three of those contests Lower Merion was unable to maintain a fourth quarter lead.

On Tuesday night, the Aces once again found themselves in that same position holding a tenuous 50-49 lead midway through the fourth quarter against a Conestoga team that occupied the top spot in the Central League.

Using the lessons they have learned throughout the year, Lower Merion was able to fend off a young, talented Conestoga team 60-57 to force a tie atop the Central League standings.

“This is a great win,’ said Lower Merion senior Justin McFadden, who finished with a team-high 14 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and one steal. “Anytime you play the first-place team you want to get up for the game. Right before the New Year we had a team meeting and talked about bringing up the intensity.’

The win by Lower Merion was its ninth in 10 games with the only blemish coming in a 62-59 overtime loss to perennial power New Castle on January 18.

Entering the season with players learning new roles combined with the fact of replacing 10 seniors from last year’s team including Division I players Yohanny Dalembert and BJ Johnson, Downer was unsure of what direction the team would go.

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