Last week, Garnet Valley Boys Basketball headed into the Central League Tournament ranked fourth. The boys pushed through the regular season with grit and determination, their impressive 16-5 record showing their strength. 

The boys played in round one of the tournament at home last Thursday night against the 6th seed, Lower Merion. While the Jags defeated the Bulldogs earlier in the season, 69-60, they later fell to the tough team 52-43 at the end of January, making this round one matchup a highly competitive game.

The packed 2020 Center cheered on the Jags as they fought hard against Lower Merion. Refusing to let up all game, Garnet Valley took down the Bulldogs 66-46. Junior Grayson Golek carried the Jags with his aggressive offense, scoring 22 points throughout the game. 

While the Jags celebrated their victory, their celebration was short lived, with the Central League semi-finals just a day away. Going into the semi-finals as the underdog, Garnet Valley prepared to play Penncrest, first seed in the Central league, who they lost too earlier in the season 36-54. Some fans worried the Jag’s past loss would cause them to give up hope, other fans looked forward to the fire the loss would spark in the team. 

Last Friday night, the boys headed to Penncrest’s home gym to face the Lions. Both teams came ready to compete, as the close game kept fans on their toes. 

With just over four minutes left in the fourth quarter, the game was tied 31-31 after a back and forth battle for a score lead between teams. The Jags refused to lose hope and pushed till the very end, avenging their past loss with an amazing 41-38 win over the first place seeded Lions in their home gym. 

While this intense semi-final upset showcased the team’s pure talent, dedication and teamwork, they still have one final game to play to claim the Central League Title, which the team hasn’t won since 2021. 

The Jaguars will face Conestoga, the third place seeded team who also upset their opponents, Springfield (seeded 2nd), in the other semi-final game. Having both beaten and lost to Conestoga earlier in the regular season, the Central League Championship Game is sure to be a competitive match-up. 

The big game has been postponed from tonight to Tuesday, February 10th at 7:45pm at a TBD location. Check your email for more details if you are interested in attending and cheering on the Jaguars!!

Congratulations to the Boy’s Basketball Team who has already accomplished so much this season, and best of luck at the Championship Game!