BOYS BASKETBALL: Pope John Paul II settles the PAC-10 playoff race

By Jeff Stover
jstover@pottsmerc.com

Pope John Paul II's Jamel Stinson

Through the stretch run of the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s 2012-13 regular season, there was ample opportunity for playoff hopefuls to control their own destiny.

That was particularly true of those schools in the Frontier Division, where a foursome with hopes for reaching the league’s Final Four playoffs went head-to-head in all, or most of, their remaining games. And it was particularly in evidence Saturday afternoon, when Pope John Paul II and Pottstown met at Pottstown High’s Strom Gymnasium to continue their individual charges toward again reaching the circuit’s postseason.

In this instance, it was the Golden Panthers who maintained their modest three-year qualification process. With their 59-40 victory over the Trojans, they secured one of the two Frontier berths while bumping Pottstown from the other.

Taking care of business.
“That’s what we did,” PJP head coach Jack Flanagan said afterward. “I said to the kids before the Upper Perk game (Tuesday), we have to go 1-and-0 three times. We did it Tuesday, and we did it again today.” 

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