Power Points Favorable for Eagles Basketball

Three weeks ago, the West Deptford High School boys’ basketball team had little trouble against Collingswood, opening up the game on an 18-2 run and never looking back in a 64-47 win.

Things weren’t so easy this time around.

Collingswood and West Deptford went blow for blow for 40 minutes Tuesday night, with the Panthers finally prevailing, 49-39 in double overtime.

The Panthers led by six entering the fourth quarter when the Eagles (10-6) picked up their play, outscoring Collingswood, 12-6, to send the game into overtime. When the first OT session was not enough to determine a winner, the teams went into a second overtime. The Panthers (6-11) took over in frame to the tune of a 12-2 advantage.

Despite the loss, the Eagles appear to have locked up a first-round home game in the NJSIAA South Jersey Group 2 playoffs.

This is the first time the NJSIAA has used power points to determine playoff seedings. The governing body elected to ditch the tradition win/loss format in favor of a system that factors in strength of schedule and quality wins. This is the same format football, soccer and wrestling, among others, have adopted.

The NJSIAA released its power points on Monday and the Eagles sat in fifth place. The loss could result in the team dropping a spot or two, but likely not below the top eight.

Below is a look at the rankings as of Monday.

Group 2

1. Haddonfield (15-1) 431
2. Middle Township (12-3) 381
3. Medford Tech (10-6) 379
4. Sterling (9-6) 326 
5. West Deptford (10-5) 309 
6. Woodstown (11-4) 301
7. Cinnaminson (9-8) 294
8.  Willingboro(7-9) 283
9. Pemberton (9-7) 256
10. Cedar Creek (10-6) 238
11. Deptford (6-8) 202
12. Pleasantville (8-7) 197
13. Collingswood (5-11) 193
14. Overbrook (6-8) 184
15. Pennsauken Tech (8-5) 179
16. Manchester Township (5-9) 160
17. Barnegat (3-13) 156
18. Bridgeton (4-8) 145
19. Buena (3-12) 119
20. Lower Cape May (0-13) 73
21. Atlantic Tech (0-13) 72

GIRLS STRUGGLE TO SCORE: Facing one of the top teams in the Colonial Conference, the West Deptford girls’ basketball team came out of the gates playing aggressive, inspiring defense against Collingswood. As a result, the Panthers scored just six points in the opening eight minutes.

Unfortunately, West Deptford scored zero during that span.

The Eagles struggled to score points throughout the evening, falling 43-16. Daijah Diggs led West Deptford with seven points. The Eagles played without their head coach, Casey Heitman, who was out with the flu.

Despite winning just two games this season, the Eagles remain alive to grab one of the final playoff seeds thanks to power points.

Group 2

1. Middle Township (12-4) 405
2. Cinnaminson (11-4) 347
3. Sterling (11-3) 344
4. Cedar Creek (11-2) 332
5. Collingswood (12-4) 310
6. Willingboro (11-2) 305
7. Lower Cape May (11-5) 266
8. Woodstown (9-5) 247 
9. Haddonfield (9-7) 234 
10. Deptford (7-6) 222 
11. Buena (7-6) 194 
12. Barnegat (7-9) 180 
13. Bridgeton (5-10) 153 
14. Manchester Township (4-12) 150 
15. West Deptford (2-14) 133 
16. Overbrook (3-13) 125 
17. Pemberton (1-10) 118
18. Pennsauken Tech (4-8) 89 
19. Pleasantville (0-13) 89 
20. Atlantic Tech (1-12) 80 
21. Medford Tech (0-11) 71

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS: The girls' basketball team is encouraging all supporters to come out and attend its Play 4KayBreast cancer Game on Saturday, Feb. 16. The Eagles will take on Kingsway, with JV set to tip at 10 a.m. and varsity at 11:30 a.m. The event benefits the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, in memory of the late North Carolina State’s women’s basketball coach.

Yow, who compiled 737 wins in her college coaching career and coached the 1988 U.S. women’s team to an Olympic gold medal, fought against breast cancer three times in her life, before finally succumbing to the disease almost exactly three years ago, on Jan. 24, 2009.

This will mark the third time in four years that the Eagles raised money for the foundation.