The Strath Haven varsity boys basketball team had a rough end to their Valentine’s Day, losing to the Marple Newtown Tigers 64-40.
Held at Marple Newtown High School, the game was the first PIAA District 1 playoff round.
“They got a lot of easy things like layups and stuff,” senior center Justin Wilson said. I think we played hard. We played good, but didn’t pull it out.”
The Panthers started the game strong, pulling ahead of the Tigers by five points within the first five minutes.
“We were down a player [senior guard Jacob Wenke] they’ve grown to lean on for the entire season,” head coach Tim Livingstone said. “They just kept competing for the results regarding shots not going in or referees not making calls in our favor. They just kept not using that as an excuse and kept competing.”
The Tigers managed to win the last minute of each quarter, putting up point after point.
According to MaxPreps, the Panthers reached the 12th seed in the PIAA District 1 5A playoffs for the first time since 2020.
“I’m just grateful. It’s been a blessing,” Livingstone said. “It succeeded my expectations from the staff I convinced to work with me, their expertise on and off the court, the leadership they’ve brought to the boys, and the camaraderie we have in the community now.”
The loss concludes the 2024-2025 season for the Panthers.
