Coatesville storms into final after blowing out Whippets

WEST CHESTER — Saturday night at Hollinger Field House, the Coatesville boys put on a clinic on how to play basketball as the Red Raiders destroyed Downingtown West 98-65 in a Ches-Mont League semifinal.

Coatesville will try for its third straight league title Tuesday against Bishop Shanahan at Hollinger at 7:45 p.m.

Coatesville got a game-high 34 points from Colton Hiller and 23 points from Larry Brown to fuel the win. The Raiders put four players in double figures for the game.

“Coach (John) Allen has been working with us at practice sending two and three guys at me and Larry. We have worked hard on passing the ball to open guys and tonight they knocked down shots.

“We really played together tonight. If we play together like we did tonight I do not see a team that can beat us.”

Coatesville (18-5 overall) held a 44-41 lead on the Whippets (14-10) at halftime, but the Raiders blew the game open in the second half, outscoring West 54-24.

The Raiders shot a torrid 34-for-54 from the field and forced 15 West turnovers for the game. Coatesville also went 19-21 from the foul line.

The Raiders took complete control of the game in the third period. After a West turnover, Hiller threw down a monster slam for a 59-47 lead with 3:23 left in the third quarter.

After a Whippets miss, Brown scored inside. The Whippets – who were led by Aidan Malliard with 20 points – then misfired on a three-pointer. Brown hit Hiller in stride for a windmill slam and the crowd exploded.

“I am not really surprised we had four guys in double figures,” Brown said. “We expect to play like we did tonight. It feels good to be going for a three-peat but it is not surprising to us. Everybody on this team is talented and everybody can score.”

Things got more out of hand in the fourth period that saw Coatesville hit its first 10 shots and put the game into the mercy rule with a little more than three minutes to play. Coatesville outscored West 31-13 in the final quarter.

“The guys played very well tonight,” Raiders’ coach John Allen  said. “Guys have to contribute when teams send multiple guys at Colton and Larry. That is why they are on the team and tonight they all played well.”

Coatesville 98, Downingtown West 65

DOWNINGTOWN WEST – Bricker 1 0-03, Whitfield 2 0-0 4, Ross 2 2-2 6, Gelling 0 1-3 1, Critchley 2 0-0 5, Moore 4 6-9 14, Goode-Kimble 4 0-2 10, Malliard 8 2-2 20, Brown 0 2-2 2, Regan 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 13-20 65.

COATESVILLE – Allegra 1 0-0 3, Brown 5 12-13 23, C Hiller 12 7-8 34, Chester 2 0-0 7, Allen-Brown 6 0-0 13, Thedford 7 0-0 16, M. Hiller 1 0-0 2, Towles 0 0-0 0, Norman 0 0-0 0. Totals 34 19-21 98.

Downingtown West 22 19 11 13 – 65

Coatesville 28 16 23 31 – 98

Three-point goals: Bricker, Critchley, Goode-Kimble 2, Malliard 2, Allegra, Brown, C. Hiller 3: Chester, Allen-Brown, Thedford 2.