On Tuesday, the boys’ basketball team defeated Garnet Valley 48-43 to claim the 2026 Central League Boys basketball championship; their first title since 2008.
The game was tight from the start, with both teams driven to gain an early lead. Senior Shane O’Brien started strong, getting Conestoga onto the scoreboard early into the game. Seniors Cory Hogan, Ty’gee Clark and Rowan Miller scored multiple layups to counter Garnet Valley’s own baskets and keep the game close. Miller continued to play aggressively, scoring two 3-pointers. However, Conestoga fell behind Garnet Valley with a score of 19-16 in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Conestoga started to catch up and gain a slight lead. Clark assisted a 3-point shot by Miller, and Senior Adhvik Mani caught a quick offensive rebound, scoring another two points. Miller and Clark each scored another layup to extend the lead. Reaching halftime, O’Brien scored a three-pointer, pulling Conestoga’s lead to 29-23.
Clark scored the first basket for Conestoga in the third quarter, assisted by Hogan. Junior Sunny Tummala dribbled in for a layup, giving the Pioneers a tight 37-35 advantage going into the tension-filled final quarter.
The final quarter was a back-and-forth battle, with the lead constantly changing hands every few minutes. Clark scored two lay-ups, but Garnet Valley kept surging ahead bit by bit. Miller swished a 3-point game changer, giving Conestoga the lead 44-42 with two minutes to go. With 23 seconds left on the clock, Clark sank two foul shots, securing Conestoga’s Central League Championship with a score of 46-43.
Miller was awarded the Most Valuable Player title of the match. The next game of the boys’ 2025-26 season is the PIAA District 1 6A Round against Chester Henderson this Friday.
Check out photos from the game below!
Grace Lu can be reached at [email protected].
Rishika Bhattacharya can be reached at [email protected].
