Playoff Push

Lauren Hanusey, Student Writer

The Pennridge Boys’ Basketball Team has already had a great start to their post season so far. The team won the Suburban One championship on February 10 after beating Cheltenham 52-50. Coach Dean Behrens said, “Winning the Suburban One championship was amazing because no Pennridge team has ever won it before.”  Coach Behrens stated that he knows the boys constantly give 100 percent effort into every game and he reminds himself that no win is ever guaranteed.

 Pennridge had a bye during the first round of the district playoffs. Then, on February 19, they faced North Penn in the second round of playoffs.  This was the third time they faced North Penn this season. Senior player Christian Guldin said, “North Penn is a very good team full of shooters and athletes. It comes down to who plays harder because both teams are strong.” A lot was on the line for this game, with the winner guaranteed a spot in the state tournament. 

Pennridge controlled the game from the very beginning, and came up victorious with a 55-41 win. Christian Guldin was the leading scorer for Pennridge with 22 points. With that win, the boys made it to the district quarterfinal, and guaranteed a state playoff berth. Their current record is 19-7. After making it all the way to the state championship last season, the boys know what to expect for districts and states. Guldin emphasized the type of preparation that takes place, stating, “We scout the team we are going to play by watching film, seeing what plays they run, and discussing personnel.” Coach Behrens added that “Many of the younger players learned from watching the boys last year and are inspired to keep winning like that.” The current seniors on the team know that their high school basketball careers are coming to an end, but they have a lot to look back on from past seasons. Guldin said that his favorite memory had to be winning the Suburban One championship this year, as it was the first one in Pennridge history. Reaching the state final is also another accomplishment that not many teams get to achieve. Guldin notes that he has been playing with his fellow four seniors since elementary school, and will miss playing with them. Coach Behrens says that he has coached many of the players for a very long time and loved watching them grow. He is very proud of how well his players play under pressure, and hopes that will help them in the high state playoff games. The team will play at Methacton High School on Friday, February 21. Tickets will be available at the door.