Boys Basketball: Norwood makes history, then pushes Penncrest to final

NEWTOWN SQUARE >> In the minds of many around the Penncrest boys basketball program, the number 1,551 loomed large this season. For Tyler Norwood, the only one who ultimately had the power to vault that historic standard, it would be more of a byproduct than a long-term goal, merely something that might happen one day if Norwood accomplished many more granular goals.

“Every night, I just went out and played basketball,” Norwood said Sunday. “I didn’t really worry about if I was breaking a record or not. All I worry about is winning championships. It just so happened that I was close and able to do that.”

Sunday, Norwood was able to do both. The Penncrest senior guard and reigning Daily Times Boys Basketball Player of the Year scored a game-high 22 points to get past Upper Darby, 52-39, in the Central League semifinals at Marple Newtown and set the Penncrest all-time scoring mark.Norwood has 1,559 career points, surpassing the mark of 1,551 set by Corey Johnson to become the most prolific scorer in Lions history.

He passed Johnson at 2:42 of the third quarter with a pull-up jumper in the lane for his 15th and 16th points of the night. Norwood finished with 22, the only Lion in double-figures. Justin Heidig (eight rebounds), Matt Arbogast (10 boards, three blocks) and Malcolm Williams (seven rebounds) each provided eight points and vital defense.

The latter commodity set Penncrest (21-2) apart to book a spot opposite No. 2 seed Lower Merion in Tuesday’s final at Harriton (8 p.m.). The Royals were held scoreless for the first quarter, Penncrest amassing a 9-0 lead. It took six minutes for the fourth-seeded Royals (16-7) to even attempt a two-pointer, and that low-post domination manifested in Penncrest’s 37-26 edge on the boards.

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Penncrest’s Tyler Norwood goes in for a layup in the second quarter during the Central League semifinals Sunday. (Mikey Reeves/For Digital First Media)