ALAPOCAS — Archmere and Wilmington Friends may not have put a lot of points on the board, but the teams were locked in a battle most of the night before the host Quakers pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 39-28 boys basketball victory on Feb. 5.
John Orsini scored twice in a matter of seconds late in the second quarter to put the Auks on top, 10-9, and Drew Duncan added a turnaround 8-footer to extend the lead to three. Ryan Tattersall answered for the Quakers just before the end of the half, and Archmere headed into the locker room with a 12-11 lead.
Charlie Malloy opened the third quarter with a three-pointer, and, after an Archmere rebound on the defensive end, Miles Kempski hit a stop-and-pop to give the Auks a 17-11 lead, their largest of the night. But Friends would battle back.
Steven Morris went inside for the Quakers’ first points of the second half with 3:45 remaining in the third, their first points in nearly a quarter. He followed that with a three-pointer. Tattersall, following an Archmere turnover, drained a three to extend the Quakers’ run to 8-0, giving them a 19-11 lead. But Duncan found the net from the corner in the final minute of the third, and the Auks had a one-point lead going to the fourth.
Two Duncan free throws with 5:54 left put Archmere on top, 25-23, but the Auks went scoreless for the next five minutes. During that time, Friends hit some shots, caused a few Auks turnovers and played solid defense.
Joey Winchell swished a three-pointer after a timeout to put the Quakers in front to stay with 5:35 to go. Tattersall came up with an impressive block on the defensive end, and Morris turned that into a layup at the other end. Winchell took advantage of a turnover by nailing another triple. The lead grew to 10 before Archmere stopped the Quakers’ run.
Morris had 16 to lead Friends, and Winchell added 10. The Quakers made all eight free throws they attempted. Friends (10-5) hits the road on Tuesday for a game at Wilmington Christian at 6:30 p.m.
For the Auks, Orsini had 11, and Malloy had 8. Archmere (7-7) travels to Conrad for a 5:45 game on Thursday.
Photos by Mike Lang.
