A year ago, Allderdice was just happy to make it back to the top of the City League after losing in the 2020 title game and missing out on the 2021 postseason in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Dragons defended their City League title with a 66-45 win against Obama Sunday at Duquesne University’s UPMC Cooper Field House, but this time, they aren’t satisfied. Boasting a ton of depth and experience — plus a plethora of playmakers up and down the lineup — Allderdice is setting its sights on some lofty goals with the PIAA Class 6A playoffs now just around the corner.
“By any means, we weren’t looking past this game at all,” senior Sam Kelly said. “I just think it’s a different dynamic, because we know we can go a lot further than we did. We’re just ready for what’s next.”
Of course, the Dragons know it won’t be easy to get back to the state final, especially in Class 6A. But with the momentum of a 14-game winning streak and some marquee wins against several top-tier WPIAL foes, this is one confident bunch that won’t be an easy out for any team in Western Pennsylvania on their side of the bracket.
“When you get to the final game, anything can happen,” Allderdice coach Devin Crummie said. “The bright lights, the different atmosphere — I’m glad we had that experience under our belt.”
Ethan Anish led the Dragons with 16 points to go with 4 rebounds and 4 assists, while Kelly finished with 15 points and 6 rebounds, and Logan Golle added 14 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Torrien Perkins led all scorers with 18 points for the Eagles, and Xavier Rodgers added 15 for Obama.
And although Anish, Kelly and Golle orchestrated most of the offense for Allderdice, it was Major “Bean” Rainey who closed the show with a monstrous alley-oop dunk after nearly missing on an even more spectacular slam moments earlier. Rainey did a little bit of everything on Sunday, finishing with 8 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 assists and 2 steals.
Turnovers plagued the Dragons early on, as a handful of miscues allowed Obama to erase a five-point deficit in the first quarter. Allderdice also committed seven fouls compared to only three for the Eagles in the opening quarter, but the Dragons still managed to carry a 17-14 lead into the second.
Two driving layups by Golle followed by a contested 3-pointer by Anish extended Allderdice’s lead to 26-18, but Obama kept answering. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Torrien Perkins made it a 28-26 score, then Golle and Anish responded with consecutive 3s to give the Dragons a 34-26 halftime lead.
“Our depth is key,” Crummie said. “If we don’t have that, it’s really difficult. … I don’t mind if they keep downplaying us, because that’s good motivation.”
Another 3-pointer and layup by Perkins early in the third cut the Eagles’ deficit to 36-31, but that was as close as they would come the rest of the way. Kelly kick-started a 12-0 run for Allderdice with a 3-point play, then the Dragons turned defense into offense as two steals by Kelly and Golle led to easy buckets in transition for Anish. Golle then capped the run with a steal and fastbreak layup, and Allderdice took a 48-35 lead into the fourth.
“Steals definitely were a big difference in the game,” Golle said. “That’s how we usually play, and we weren’t really playing like that to start it off. But once we started getting those steals going, we were back in our rhythm and went on a run.”
Kelly then opened the final quarter with back-to-back buckets in the lane to make it a 17-point lead for the Dragons, who then cruised the rest of the way for back-to-back crowns. Rainey then sent the crowd into a frenzy with his ferocious alley-oop flush to put the finishing touches on the win.
“I will say, he throws them down harder than I do,” said Kelly, who also is known for his high-flying dunks. “I’ll throw down a windmill or 360 or something, but he dunks hard.”
Now, Allderdice turns its attention to the PIAA Class 6A playoffs, when it will look to make it back to the state championship for the first time in seven years. The Dragons still face a long road, but this certainly appears to be their best chance of getting back to Hershey since 2016.
“As a locker room, everybody is thinking, ‘Make a run to the state finals,’ ” Anish said. “Last year, it was iffy in that sense. Everyone wanted that, but this year, we have centralized that goal.
“Everybody is 100% into that.”
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
