Juenger Gymnasium filled with rival student sections as the Fords and Aces warmed up before the long awaited Varsity Boys basketball match on Thursday, December 8th. The high anticipation was a result of two ever-evolving basketball teams, each with their share of trophy collections. Haverford and Lower Merion play each other every year, and each team becomes tougher to beat. According to Senior center Tommy Wright, this is due to Lower Merion’s culture. “They always have new guys coming in each year….and they play very good defense,” he said.

The first quarter began with Lower Merion taking the tip-off, immediately launching an aggressive period. Fords Senior guard Googie Seidman was the first to score, putting his team on the board. It was about five minutes into the quarter until Lower Merion’s Jordan Meekins was able to light up the board for the Aces. Both teams remained skillful in their defense, with the first quarter of the game ending with the Fords up 11-4. 

Starting the next quarter with a bang, Seidman immediately scored a three pointer. Thirty seconds later, he scored yet another three, setting the Haverford student section on fire. The rest of the quarter remained similar to the first, with stunning offense by both teams. However, it ended with Haverford Senior point guard Brian Wiener hitting a buzzer beater, finishing the half with the Fords up 27-18. 

The third quarter was as expected, with both teams scoring their share of points. Lower Merion Senior Sam Wright was faced with the task of guarding Seidman, creating an interesting dynamic throughout the game. Both athletes maintained first-rate defense, while also achieving expert-level offense, with Seidman scoring 11 points by the end of the game, and Wright scoring six. The quarter ended with the Fords still in the lead, but starting to lose momentum. 

The final quarter opened with assertiveness on behalf of both Lower Merion and Haverford, but turned in the Fords favor when Tommy Wright scored a basket. The success did not end there, however, as Wiener scored yet another three-pointer after two missed free throws by Haverford. The Aces did not give up there, as they hit a three, bringing the score to 41-40 Fords. 

After a few more successful shots by each team, Lower Merion’s Sam Brown made a three pointer, tying up the game 46-46. Cries of both frustration and pride erupted from both sides of the court. In the last 20 seconds, Lower Merion fouled, resulting in two free throws for the Fords. Senior Gorman Bright Jr. hit both points, making the score 48-46 in Haverford’s favor. As it came down to the final second, multiple timeouts were taken, adding to the tension. However, the Fords were able to successfully defend and win the game with a score of 48-46.  

Haverford students were so filled with excitement that the principals had to hold them back until both teams shook hands. Senior guard Kevin Gannon shared this joy, believing that the Fords were able to pull out the win because they “just wanted it more.” Gannon said, “The team will just keep working throughout the season to pull out more wins like this one.

 Catch the Boys Basketball team at their next home game on Friday, December 16th as they take on the Upper Darby Royals at 7:00 pm. 

Watch the Haverford Sports Media broadcast here. 

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