Fourth-quarter collapse costs Muhlenberg trip to Class 5A semifinal
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YORK — Muhlenberg is getting the rematch coach Matt Flowers sought but not in the manner he was hoping for.
The Muhls will play at Exeter Monday night but it’ll be in a state qualifier, not in a District semifinal, after each lost their Class 5A quarterfinals Thursday.
The 11th-seeded Muhls went into the final quarter tied before York Suburban freshman Nasir Barnes broke out, leading the Trojans into the semifinals with a 53-39 victory.
Barnes, who averages a team-leading 19.4 points, was held scoreless in the first half before finishing with a team-high 15, nine in a final quarter which saw the third-seeded Trojans (21-6) outscore the Muhls (15-10) 22-8.
The Trojans made a pair of 3-pointers and hit 6-of-8 shots from the foul line in the final quarter.
Shermar Killen and Kyle Archie each finished with 12 points for Muhlenberg. All-Division pick Alex Collado, the Muhls No. 2 scorer, was held to a season-low two points before fouling out.
The 39 points matched Muhlenberg’s lowest scoring total this season; it lost to Berks Catholic 64-39 in January.
Muhlenberg, along with each of the other quarterfinalists, clinched a berth in the PIAA Tournament with its 42-37 win at West York on Monday. District 3 will send eight teams to the state tournament.
The Muhls and Eagles are part of a four-team playback bracket. The team that wins its next two games will be District 3’s No. 5 seed for the state tournament; the team that loses its next two will be the No. 8 seed.
Muhlenberg beat Exeter 59-56 on Jan. 15 in a Berks Conference crossover game at Laureldale. The Eagles get the home game for the rematch because they are the higher seed; it will be their final home game of the season.
Exeter lost its quarterfinal at Mechanicsburg 47-38.
Had both the Eagles and Muhls won Thursday they would be playing a semifinal in Reiffton.
The Muhls went without a 3-poiner in Thursday’s game. The Trojans made five 3’s and have 199 for the season.
