Unsung players help Cougars roll

Pierce Elliott had news for Jake Silpe in school on Wednesday.

"He told me, 'Silpe, I'm ready,' " Silpe said. "He said, 'I'm going to knock them down.' "

Elliott, a junior, was ready to play a strong game for Cherry Hill East in its showdown with archrival Cherry Hill West in the South Jersey Group 4 boys' basketball quarterfiinal.

So were senior Josh Brown and junior Olin McClendon.

Cherry Hill East's unsung trio were the difference in an impressive 61-45 victory for the Cougars over the Lions before a near-capacity crowd in DeBart Gymnasium.

"We needed those other guys to step up and they did," Cherry Hill East coach Dave Allen said.

Silpe, the Penn-bound senior guard, generated 17 points with eight rebounds and eight assists for third-seeded Cherry Hill East (23-5), which advanced to face second-seeded Atlantic City in Friday's sectional semifinals.

Cherry Hill East also got strong work from 6-foot-8 junior center Tim Perry, who collected 10 points and 12 rebounds and was an intimidating defensive presence.

But with Cherry Hill West shading its defense toward Silpe and Perry, the Cougars' three complementary players seized the spotlight on the big stage.

Elliott scored 12 points with four three-point jumpers. Brown scored nine on a trio of three-pointers and dished three assists. McClendon scored 13 and played sturdy defense on Cherry Hill West's leading scorer, senior Can Oztamur.

"[Coach Allen] says, 'Play your role,' " McClendon said. "That's what we did. It's all about the team."

Oztamur scored 14, with seven coming in the final minutes. Fellow senior Elijah Bey generated nine points and junior Danny Buckwalter finished with 16 points and seven rebounds for sixth-seeded Cherry Hill West (17-10).

Cherry Hill West coach Hamisi Tarrant was moved to tears in discussing his seniors.

"Everybody else has another game except the seniors," Tarrant said. "That's what so heart-breaking."

Cherry Hill East made 10 three-pointers, with the long-range shooting of Elliott and Brown, in particular, punishing the visitors for shading their defensive coverage toward Silpe and Perry.

"Good teams have good players," Allen said. "Great teams have great teammates. Olin, Pierce and Josh are great teammates."

Elliott was a junior-varsity player and deep reserve at the varsity level at the start of the season. But he seemed at home in a high-stakes game in March - with chanting student sections and a berth in the sectional semifinals on the line.

"I feed off it," Elliott said. "Once the crowd gets into it, it makes it even more exciting."

Cherry Hill West 13 7 10 15 - 45

Cherry Hill East 17 11 17 16 - 61

CHW: Can Oztamur 14, Elijah Bey 9, Danny Buckwalter 16, Jack Goan 1, Nick Krake 3, Chris Burlotos 2.

CHE: Jake Silpe 17, Josh Brown 9, Olin McClendon 13, Tim Perry 10, Pierce Elliott 12.