PENNSBURY BASKETBALL: Falcons draw No. 4 seed

By Bill Kenny
For Buckslocalsports

Pennsbury High School made out like something of a party crasher last Sunday in the PIAA District One boys basketball committee’s version of Selection Sunday.

The event’s hosts were obligated to give the Falcons a place at the table. Yet, they weren’t about to name them the guests of honor.

Rather, defending champ Chester High School — with its first-year head coach in Larry Yarbray and lone returning starter in Temple University-signee Rahlir Jefferson — kept its hold on the captain’s chair for another year. Pennsbury, undefeated against Pennsylvania opponents this season and ranked No. 1 in the most widely recognized state poll, got the No. 4 seed.

The Falcons will host a familiar foe in Suburban One League National Conference rival Council Rock South in the first round on Friday at 7 p.m. Tickets go on sale at Pennsbury at 5 p.m. that day.

If Pennsbury beats CR South for a third time this season, it will host either Owen J. Roberts or Downingtown West. Neutral sites will begin in the third round, when the Falcons could face No. 5 Central Bucks South (19-3) or a tough No. 12 in Glen Mills (15-6). Pennsbury could then see Chester in the semifinals in a re-match of last year’s state semis won by Chester in a 75-64 thriller at The Palestra.

Among other SOL National schools, Bensalem (17-5) is seeded 14th in the 32-team bracket. CR North (13-9) is 21st and CR South (11-11) 29th.

Bensalem stumbled late in the regular season with back-to-back SOL losses to Neshaminy and CR North. But the Owls returned the favor at North, 54-53 in overtime, on Feb. 4, then thumped Abington, 71-55, on Feb. 6.