Mackey, strong defense push Conestoga past Downingtown East at Unionville Tournament

EAST MARLBOROUGH >> Points were at a premium for most of Friday night’s season opener for Conestoga and Downingtown East. The two teams just did not seem in sync in the Unionville Tip-Off Tournament. But, Conestoga played flawless defense and shut down all but one of the Downingtown East players. Connor Shanahan led all scorers with 28 points, but the Cougars junior’s heroics were not enough as Conestoga came away with the 47-34 victory in the first round of the Unionville Tournament.

Conestoga led wire to wire. The Pioneers harassed Downingtown East into a cold 10-for-42 shooting night from the field and held the number of Cougars who scored to just three.

Senior Ryan Mackey led the way for the Pioneers with a team-high 14 points to go along with five assists.

“We had a great scouting report from the coaches on what they wanted to do,” Mackey said. “We knew they had the big guy (George Bousum) and the left-handed guard (Connor Shanahan) and we tried to take away their strengths. We played very good defense tonight and we were able to keep them out of the paint for the most part. It was an **** win but it is a win. It’s always better to win an **** game rather than lose one.”

Conestoga jumped out to a 19-8 halftime lead as Mackey and 6-foot-9 center Mike Walz dominated the first half.

Walz finished the game with 12 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists and got Bousum in foul trouble early in the first half. The Pioneers held East to five second-period points after the Cougars scored just three in the initial stanza.

After three periods, the margin was down to 21-14 for Conestoga, and Shanahan was just warming up for the Cougars. He scored 17 of his 28 points in the fourth as East tried to make a charge.
Shanahan rolled down the lane and scored on a floater early in the fourth to close the gap to 21-16. But, Mackey and Walz scored inside baskets on the Pioneers’ next two possessions for a 25-16 lead.

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