Muhls battle but see season come to end against nationally ranked Imhotep
By Mike Mitchell Jr. — MikeDragoSports.com correspondent
BETHLEHEM – Defending state champ Imhotep Charter was as good as advertised Tuesday against Muhlenberg.
The Panthers were taller than the Muhls. They were quicker. They were stronger. From a physical perspective they looked like a college team compared to the Muhls.
The Muhls were strong in two areas: They played with tremendous heart and they were extremely prepared to take on their nationally ranked opposition.
That wasn’t enough, of course, as Muhlenberg saw its season end with a 68-32 loss in a PIAA Class 5A second-round game at Bethlehem Freedom High School.
“Everyone wants to win gold,” said Muhlenberg coach Matt Flowers. “Tonight we saw the standard of 5A basketball in Pennsylvania. That was a very good, well-coached, and classy basketball team we played tonight.
“That being said, I am proud of our kids. We battled. We battled. It’s been our way all season. We started strong, hit some road bumps, bounced back and made it to states. We played a tough non-league schedule and we battled. We battled all year. That’s what this team is all about. They are all heart.”
Muhlenberg did not appear to be intimated. With 3:10 left in the first quarter Imhotep led just 8-6. The Muhls (18-11) were playing lights-out defense. They took two charges (and five total in the game).
They evenly rebounded with the much taller Panthers. They even were pretty close in turnovers at that point. They passed the ball, controlled the tempo, and got open shots. Unfortunately, shots the Muhls typically hi, just did not go in. The quarter ended with the Muhls trailing 13-8.
The Panthers (27-3) went on a 20-3 run in the first six minutes of the second quarter. Cold shooting (6 – of-20) in the first half doomed the Muhls. Kentucky recruit Justin Edwards scored nine of his game-high 19 points in the run and Ahmed Nowell added six.
The Muhls’ cold shooting continued in the third quarter as Imhotep added to its lead. The Panthers outscored the Muhls 44-14 in the second and third quarters to invoke the mercy rule.
At no point did the Muhls allow anything easy for the Panthers. They contested every shot. They hustled back on every fast break. They played hard and smart basketball for 32 minutes.
“We worked extremely hard to get to this stage,” said Muhls senior Jay’Daniel Mosquera. “We played one of the best teams in the nation and we battled them hard. We practice intensely. Our coaches prepare us every day. Our practices are harder than our games.”
Mosquera scored nine points; Josh Alcantara had six. Mekhi Adonis played tremendous defense, took a couple of charges, and held his own on the boards while giving up several inches. Luis Valentin scored four of the eight Muhlenberg points in the first quarter.
The Muhls were held to a season-low scoring total, and nearly 30 points below their average.
Despite the loss, Flowers is optimistic about the state of his program.
“These kids have bought in,” said Flowers, in his second year as head coach. “My first 5 a.m. open gym, we had 60 kids there ready to go. We are headed in the right direction. I can’t say enough about these seniors. They are our first group to go through our program and they have set the tone. We have work to do to get to the next level, but I am confident in these kids.”
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Muhlenberg | 8 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 32 |
| Imhotep | 13 | 22 | 22 | 11 | 68 |
| Muhls (18 – 11) | FG | FT | PTs |
| Mosquera | 4 | 0-0 | 9 |
| Alcantara | 2 | 0-0 | 6 |
| Collado | 2 | 0-0 | 4 |
| Robertson | 1 | 0-0 | 2 |
| Archie | 1 | 0-0 | 2 |
| Towles | 1 | 1-2 | 3 |
| Adonis | 0 | 2-2 | 2 |
| Valentin | 2 | 0-0 | 4 |
| Miller | 0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| LeClair | 0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Zaballa | 0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| McGovern | 0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Esstott | 0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Totals | 13 | 3-4 | 32 |
| Panthers (27-3) | FG | FT | PTs |
| Edwards | 8 | 2-2 | 19 |
| Nowell | 5 | 1-2 | 13 |
| Barno | 3 | 0-0 | 6 |
| Satterfield | 2 | 0-0 | 6 |
| Hunter | 2 | 3-5 | 7 |
| Carter | 2 | 0-0 | 5 |
| Smith | 1 | 0-0 | 2 |
| Saunders | 1 | 0-0 | 2 |
| White | 1 | 0-0 | 2 |
| Henderson | 1 | 0-0 | 3 |
| Muhammad | 1 | 0-0 | 3 |
| Muhammad Grey | 0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Kennedy | 0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Myatt | 0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Totals | 27 | 6-9 | 68 |
3-point field goals: Alcantara 2, Mosquera; Nowell 2, Satterfield 2, Edwards, Henderson, Muhammad, Carter.
