Unified Lower Merion makes statement in capturing crown

NEWTOWN SQUARE >> Arms interlocked, dressed in black t-shirts, Lower Merion presented a united front as the national anthem played Tuesday night at Marple Newtown High School.

“I am a Muslim,” the shirt worn by all members of the Aces boys basketball team read in white script. “I am a refugee. I am an immigrant. I am an American. I am an Ace.”

United in advocating for citizens’ rights in an American climate where they are increasingly under fire, the shirts were a collaborative show of defiance, crystallizing various forms of protest the Aces have displayed in recent weeks. Once the whistle blew, that unity manifested itself in another form. Lower Merion shot lights out from the field, running rampant over Strath Haven, 82-60, to claim the Central League title, the first for the powerhouse program since 2014 and evidence that once again the Aces are peaking late. The t-shirts are more than a statement to the outside world, a peaceful protest of the travel ban from seven Muslim-majority nations enacted in recent weeks via executive order of President Donald Trump; they’re a statement of consensus among a diverse group of players and what they believe in.

“People’s lives are bigger than a ball going through a hoop,” said Najja Walker-X, a senior guard who spearheaded the production of the shirts.

The Aces’ protests have taken sporadic forms in recent weeks, including sitting or kneeling during the national anthem. That has drawn attention, not always positively so, and it hasn’t communicated the thrust of the Aces message effectively enough for their liking. So Walker-X and his teammates sought a more unified and explicable front, hence the slogan crafted via a team discussion over an issue weighing on the minds of many, one they hope to start selling soon with proceeds benefitting the American Civil Liberties Union.

“What we do want to convey, however — as a full team — is that no matter where you come from, no matter who you are, you should be welcomed, respected and heard,” reads a team statement Walker-X crafted in consort with teammates. “As a team, we believe in fighting for the rights of all — protecting, defending and giving voice to those who feel marginalized, who live in fear and who face injustice.”

“Once we started wearing the shirts like this, everyone can read our message,” senior guard Noah Fennell said. “Instead of just someone kneeling and (people wondering), ‘why is he kneeling?,’ we can be like, this is our message. And we’re put on a good stage to do that. It’s humbling to be able to support something like this.”

An illustration of unity, the articulation of their cause has brought the Aces closer as a team. And that has effects on the court as well for a team that has won seven straight games. Tuesday, they simply dominated Strath Haven (14-10), the fourth seed. And the Aces couldn’t miss — like literally, in the third quarter, when they connect on 12 of 12 field goals attempts. Point guard Steve Payne, who scored a team-high 26 points, supplied 15 in the third.

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