New-found confidence has Jacob Zimmerman leading the way for Panthers
2023 Berks basketball coverage presented by
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Jacob Zimmerman says he doesn’t mind being at the foul line in the final seconds of a tight game. He hit a couple free throws in the final seconds last season to ice a win over Octorara and he did the same Friday night in Schuylkill Valley’s Berks Conference opener.
“I really don’t feel the pressure,” he said after hitting twice at the line in the Panthers’ 46-42 victory over Berks III rival Wyomissing at Leesport. “It’s more about being consistent with my routine, and (my shooting) motion.”
The Spartans got three baskets from Danny Fleischood in less than a minute to slice Schuylkill Valley’s lead to two with four seconds left.
Zimmerman, a 6-1 senior, was fouled immediately on the inbounds pass. He sank both ends of the two-shot foul to make it a two-possession game, essentially clinching it.
In the Panthers’ season-opener against Garden Spot Zimmerman faced the same situation, his team up two with a few seconds left. He missed both shots that time but he hasn’t much since. He was good on 5-of-6 free throws Friday and finished with a game-high 15 points. He has made 17-of-21 from the line over the last four games.
“He’s been doing it all year for us,” said Schuylkill Valley coach Taylor Grim. “He’s gotten a little bit stronger, and that’s (been) the difference (in his game).
“He can get to the basket now and not get bumped off his line like last year. He’s finishing right now; he’s got the touch going.”
He had it going in the fourth quarter when he scored nine points, helping the Panthers erase a six-point deficit.
They changed the game with their fullcourt press, one the Spartans – playing their first game – weren’t ready to face. They turned it over six times in the first four minutes of the final quarter, allowing the Panthers to regain control.
Kowen Gerner, who also scored nine fourth-quarter points – matching Wyomissing’s total – gave Schuylkill Valley the lead for good when he put back a rebound, was fouled, and converted the three-point play for a 36-35 lead with 4:03 left.
“We stayed in the game, fought back, then we went on our run,” said Gerner, who finished with 11 points. “Once we started pressing that’s what really turned it around.”
The Spartans scored just two points over the first six minutes of the fourth quarter. They went from leading 33-27 to trailing 42-35 after Gerner’s transition bucket with 2:09 to go. Wyomissing had more turnovers (seven) than baskets (four) in the final quarter.
Grim was thinking about switching to a different press, to give the Spartans a new look, but Gerner and Dominick Giuffre convinced him to stick with the 1-2-2 fullcourt.
“That’s what they wanted to go with,” he said. “They made it work.”
Wyomissing had an extended football run and played in a state semifinal just two weeks ago; that’s why it was the last team in the league to play a game. First-year head Garrett Etzel put in a new offense and had less than two weeks to work with his full team. He admits that not everything was ready to go for the opener.
“We were able to get in what we could,” Etzel said “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to focus on going against a fullcourt press, with the limited time we had. That’s something we’re going to have to work on.”
Despite losing the late lead Etzel was good with what he saw.
“They have four games under their belt,” he said of Schuylkill Valley. “This is our first game. I was very, very pleased with the way our guys played, the way they competed. We have a very good future ahead the rest of the season.”
The Spartans used their own press to take control of the game late in the third quarter. They forced five turnovers over the final two minutes and ended the quarter on an 8-0 run.
“Our guys got after it, especially when we went into the 1-3-1,” Etzel said. “Defense is going to be our main focus, and we have a good group of kids; they’re athletic, that can create some havoc.”
Zimmerman scored off an inbounds pass from Gerner to open the fourth quarter and start a game-changing 15-2 run.
“That fourth quarter . . . maybe our legs weren’t under us,” Etzel said. “We made a few mistakes, but it’s something that’s going to get corrected.”
Zimmerman was a role player for the Panthers last season but he’s stepped up his game. He’s averaging a team-best 16.0 points per game and playing with the confidence he lacked last year. He has been Schuylkill Valley’s leading scorer in four of its five games.
“It’s my teammates believing in me, and I’m starting to believe in myself a little bit,” he said. “That’s what’s happened right now. I feel stronger. (It’s been about) getting my shot right and being comfortable with the ball in my hands.”
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Wyomissing | 13 | 7 | 13 | 9 | 42 |
| Schuylkill Valley | 15 | 7 | 5 | 19 | 46 |
| Spartans (0-1) | FG | FT | 3’s | A | R | Points |
| Fleischood | 4-9 | 0-0 | 1-3 | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| Latourelle | 0-9 | 5-6 | 0-3 | 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Campbell | 2-5 | 0-2 | 1-4 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Schippers | 5-9 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| Hyde | 2-4 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Hardy | 3-8 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 5 | 6 |
| Ziegler | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Totals | 17-46 | 5-8 | 3-12 | 4 | 18/22 | 42 |
| Panthers (4-1) | FG | FT | 3’s | A | R | Points |
| Giuffre | 0-3 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Zimmerman | 5-13 | 5-6 | 0-4 | 1 | 2 | 15 |
| Dissinger | 2-4 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Spotts | 4-11 | 1-2 | 0-1 | 0 | 6 | 9 |
| Gerner | 5-7 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 3 | 11 |
| Hohenadel | 1-4 | 0-0 | 1-4 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Cammauf | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Kemmerer | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Totals | 18-44 | 8-11 | 2-10 | 4 | 24/30 | 46 |
Turnovers: Wyomissing 12, Schuylkill Valley 17. Team rebounds: Wyomissing 4, Schuylkill Valley 6.
