Abington Heights still had a shot in its first-round state playoff game until Upper Moreland’s Larry Hughes cleared the game’s final rebound with less than two seconds left.
Tom Robinson | For Abington Journal
CLARKS SUMMIT — Abington Heights limited Jadon Cybok to two errant 3-point attempts in nearly 20 minutes of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 5A boys basketball playoff opener Friday night, March 7.
When Cybok got free, however, he created the surge that carried Upper Moreland past the host Comets 60-57, ending the season for the District 2 champions.
Cybok hit five straight 3-pointers in a span of less than three minutes during the third quarter to erase the last Abington Heights lead and create the biggest margin of the second half at just seven points. Scoreless until the 4:15 mark of the third quarter, he made six of his last seven 3-point tries and finished with 20 points.
“He found a rhythm in the second half and he just started lighting it up,” said Larry Hughes, who provided 16 points, eight rebounds and two blocked shots to the Upper Moreland victory.
Hughes, on the inside, and Cybok, on the outside, helped the Golden Bears advance despite the Comets holding 1,000-point scorer Colson Campbell to 12 points. It was Campbell who provided the game’s last two points on free throws with 19.4 seconds left after Abington Heights got within a point for the only time in the last 12:15.
Upper Moreland was able to offset 20 points from Jordan Shaffer and 17 points by Robby Lucas in his final game.
Shaffer made four 3-pointers and also contributed nine rebounds and four blocked shots.
Lucas, whose career at Abington Heights included 1,000 points and three district titles, also had three assists.
“Captain America, that’s what we call Robby Lucas,” coach J.C. Show said.
Show’s first season as head coach ended with a 14-11 record and the district championship after the rebuilt team hit mid-January with just a 5-7 record.
“He’s been a rock for our team,” Show said. “The reason we had the success that we had this season is because of the leadership of Robby Lucas. He never let people quit on the season.
“He never quit on the season and we were able to win the district and go to the state playoffs. He was able to score his 1,000th point and there were a lot of things that he should be very proud of.”
Andrew Kettel added eight points and four assists and hit both his 3-point tries.
Shaffer’s 3-pointer and Finn Goldberg’s basket off a Billy Johnson assist gave Abington Heights a 5-0 start. Johnson finished with six points, six defensive rebounds and three assists.
Hughes had the last two baskets of the first quarter as the Golden Bears completed an 11-3 run to a 16-11 lead.
Upper Moreland opened the game’s biggest lead at eight points twice in the second quarter.
Lucas and Shaffer made 3-pointers to start an 11-1 run. Lucas hit two free throws in the final second for a halftime tie and Shaffer opened the third quarter with a drive for a 29-27 lead.
The teams traded scores over the next three minutes with Lucas and Shaffer giving the Comets their last two leads.
Colson Campbell added 12 points while Nate Best had nine points, six rebounds and four assists for Upper Moreland.
The Golden Bears advanced, but the Comets had the reward of getting to host a state playoff game.
“Incredible energy in the gym,” Upper Moreland coach Dan Heiland said. “The atmosphere was great.”
Show said the team appreciates the support that created that energy.
“I don’t take for granted and we encourage the boys not to take for granted the community here,” Show said. “They want to see us succeed and want to see us do well. We use this as an opportunity to say ‘thank you’ for coming out to support us.
“Our boys play hard. We play hard for our community.”
