Sayed, Gordy, Propel Chichester Past Sun Valley

Rivalries, you can't beat them, right? The other night, I was asked by a good friend of mine what game I was going to on Thursday. I told him plain and simple, Chichester vs. Sun Valley, and in response, he asked, "You're going there? There are some other really good matchups going on that night."

In all honesty, I was shocked and appalled that the question was asked. Records aside, this was a rivalry game. One of the oldest in Delaware County, and I know how much the game means to both schools that are nine minutes away from each other, and also play each other each year in football on Thanksgiving Day. This game was also pivotal for both teams, as Sun Valley is looking to begin to move up in the District One 5A playoff standings, and Chichester trying to get back in contention for a playoff spot. Put that on top of the fact that this was neighborhood rivalry, I knew I anticipated that I was going to witness a very competitive contest.

And competitive it was!

It took five quarters to settle, but Chichester prevailed 66-65 over Sun Valley in what was a back and forth contest, all the way up until the last shot; a game-winning three by sophomore guard Carlton Gordy, who ended the night with 12. Yes, you read it right, the Eagles trailed 65-63 with time winding down, and with the floor open and only needing a two, Gordy instinctively shot a three on his catch in the corner to deliver the Eagles their second win of the season, closing this year's chapter of the rivalry.

"I just knew that my teammates were counting on me to hit a shot at that point," Gordy said. "It was a battle until the last second."

This was no exaggeration. In a game that had a total of seventeen lead changes, both teams displayed a high level of competitive spirit. The Vanguards, who gave a valiant effort, jumped out to an early lead thanks to the shooting of junior guard Chris Kwaidah who led all scorers with 19, and most of his points almost exclusively from downtown, and senior forward Buck Grayston who ended the night with 16 points and double-digit rebounds. Grayston's prescience on both ends early on helped the Vanguards build a 10 point lead heading into the locker room at halftime, as he imposed his will inside and on the glass. As his toughness helped throttle momentum Sun Valley's way, sophomore point guard Noah Griffin found his touch, scoring from all three levels, finishing with 11, and able to find Kwaidah for kick-outs as well. The Vanguard's defense also forced the Eagles into nine turnovers in the first half and did a great job of making multiple efforts, forcing the Eagles into tough shots.

"Steve Maloney is a heck of a coach." Said Chichester boss Clyde Jones. "Anytime you come into his gym, you're going to have to be prepared, understand runs, and play through things."

In the second half, Chichester's energy picked up on the defensive end, and it helped them to begin to find confidence on the offensive end, outscoring the Vanguards 21-13 in the third period to draw within a score at its' end. The Eagles began to pressure more in the full court, getting the Vanguards out of their rhythm on offense, and into turnovers. Gordy and senior forward Eddie Swinton anchored the Eagles' defense with two steals each, as they showed more urgency when guarding the ball and increased activity in the passing lanes, disrupting the Vanguard offense for 12 turnovers. Their traps presented a challenge in which ball handlers had a difficult time stepping through and seeing the next pass, creating very difficult passing angles. The efforts and energy of Swinton and Gordy began to help shift momentum toward the Eagles' way.

"We wanted to make sure that there was always pressure on the wings. They do a great job of running offense, and we figured if we stayed long they have to make plays." Said Jones of the Eagles defensive adjustments. "It helped us build momentum thanks to a few deflections and steals."

As the Eagles' defense began to help pave a path to momentum, they needed to find the bottom of the basket at a consistent rate. Junior point guard Mazen Sayed provided the solution and found his way into the lane and at the free-throw line. Coming off of an ankle injury from the fall, he had been slowly getting back to his usual self on the court. On this night Sayed was able to play with pace, making winning plays, and find his way into paint touches that ended with some tough finishes and going through contact from time to time, leading the Eagles with 17 points. His confidence seemed to grow after each drive and the rest of the offense stayed poised, following his lead. As he began to draw attention in the lane, he would be forced to kick out to teammates and the Eagles offense turned to Gordy, who displayed great confidence with the ball in his hands. Aside from his game-winner, he had connected an additional two times from three, with nine of his twelve points coming from downtown.

The back and forth affair spilled into the overtime period, where both teams continued to trade blows in the lane and at the free-throw line. After Griffin dumped the ball off to Grayson in the dunker spot for the go-ahead layup with under 30 seconds to go, the Eagles spread the floor and held the ball for the last shot, and after the Vanguards defense cut off an Eagle drive, the ball was swung to Gordy who drained the go-ahead three with time winding down to secure the win, one which the Eagles hope will build momentum as they look to rejoin the race for the postseason and a third straight trip to the district playoffs.

"We needed that win." Said Sayed. "This game boosted our confidence going forward and hopefully we can keep it up from there."