Rubber match: York High looking to reclaim YAIAA title against New Oxford

One team looking to take back its crown. Another looking to reach new heights. 

One team that cruised to victory in the semifinals. Another that hung on in a heart-attack inducing contest. 

One program a staple of York County basketball success. The other? 

Not located in York County. 

So York High and New Oxford have their differences. Bottom line: The teams that battled through two thrilling contests for the YAIAA Division I title will meet for a third time at 7 p.m. Friday at York College to decide the league championship.

And both are happy with the way things have played out. 

"We really want to get revenge on York High," New Oxford senior point guard Jaren Rex said. 

Added York High senior guard Dayvon Cortez: "We just need to run them off the line because they're good at shooting the ball. I think we'll come out with the win Friday." 

New Oxford reached the title game by outlasting Central York, 43-41, at Red Lion Wednesday in a thriller that came down to the final shot. The Colonials missed five free throws down the stretch that could have iced the game, and needed the Panthers to miss a 3-pointer and put-back at the buzzer to hold on. It was New Oxford's first win over Central in coach Sean Bair's six-year tenure. 

On the other hand, York High cruised past Littlestown, 74-51, in its semifinal game at Red Lion on Wednesday. The Bearcats led by 20 at the half and were only challenged early in the first quarter. 

Still, neither coach is sure the way its team played in the semifinals will have any indication on how Friday's game will go. 

The truth is, they're having trouble making a good prediction. 

"I don't know what to expect," York High coach Clovis Gallon said. "Honestly." 

He's not lying. Both matchups between the two teams followed very different scripts. 

In the first contest at New Oxford on Jan. 11, the Colonials won 79-73 despite surrendering a 22-point lead in the second half. New Oxford made 10 3-pointers, but also had to survive a 41-point night from York High star Clovis Gallon Jr.

The second time the teams met on Feb. 2, York High won 46-43 despite getting just eight points from Gallon and not having the services of standout big man Marquise McLean due to a hip injury. The Bearcats wrapped up the outright division title the following week. 

So who knows what will happen this time around. 

"Those were two really weird games," Bair said. "I'm guessing it will probably be a balance of the two, and it will come down to the defensive end." 

While they aren't mirror images of each other, the two teams do have similarities. Both like to play up-tempo and shoot the 3. Both have a clear go-to scorer, but also a lot of depth. 

New Oxford relies a ton on perimeter shooting from a host of players while 6-foot-3 wing Abdul Janneh (around 16 points per game) can get to the rim and guard any type of player. Rex is a smart player who runs the team's offense, but can score when needed. 

York High has been led by Gallon Jr. (20 plus points per game) this season, but the Bearcats have at least 10 players in their rotation who can contribute in a big way on any given night. Case in point: Gallon Jr. scored just eight points against Littlestown, while sixth-man Cortez led the team with 17. 

The Bearcats also have McClean back in the lineup, while sophomore Branden X. Mutunga has given the team a boost in the post down the stretch. 

"We're getting more consistent play out of our bench," Gallon Sr. said. "We put a lot of pressure on our guys to make the right basketball play. Obviously, kids have different skill sets, but we expect you to make a play. 

"Play within yourself and play to your strength. If you're doing that, you can be on the floor." 

This group of Bearcats is new to the YAIAA title game and the league playoffs in general. Still, York High reached the championship game seven straight years from 2009 to 2015 and won four times, the last victory coming in 2015. 

On the other side, New Oxford has never played in the league championship game. The Colonials are the first Adams County team to reach the finals since Littlestown in 2001. 

A bottom-feeder in Division I just a few years ago, New Oxford has been a winning team the past three seasons. The Colonials graduated one of the program's top all-time players in John Wessel last year, but were even better this season. 

The Colonials admitted to having extra motivation in the league playoffs as an Adams County squad. 

"I personally very much have a chip on my shoulder," Bair said. "I do feel like we're the place to fill out the rest of the league a little bit, and they don't want to see teams from Adams County win. I was really pumped seeing Littlestown win (over West York) the other night."

Added Rex: "We always feel discounted. This year we proved them wrong. We've been playing together since third, fourth grade, so we all know what each other can do. Chemistry has a big part in our success."