LANGHORNE - At times this season, the road has been long and filled with potholes.
But as the Rosemont men's basketball team starts to reach the end of the rainbow, they are starting to play like a battle-tested team that could be awfully dangerous for whatever squad ends up meeting them in the post-season.
The Ravens placed their biggest feather in their cap on Saturday night, ending Cairn's quest to finish the Colonial States Athletic Conference season perfect with a 90-86 win over the Highlanders at the Mason Activity Center in Bucks County.
That's four wins in a row and six out of seven for the Ravens (11-12, 6-4 CSAC), who clinched a berth in the four-team CSAC playoffs, which begin a week from Wednesday. They could finish anywhere from second to fourth, depending on how they do in their two remaining games- home against Centenary on Wednesday, on the road at Bryn Athyn Saturday- and how Wilson (who currently holds the second spot) does in its final game at home against Cairn next Saturday afternoon.
KEY MOMENT: Â The difference on Saturday afternoon was the Ravens hot shooting in a 53-point second half that saw Rosemont go 16 of 28 from the floor (57.1 percent) and 8 of 13 from beyond the 3-point line (61.5 percent.) Perhaps the most impressive part for the Ravens was at the foul line, where they shot 13 of 15 in the second half and drained key free-throws down the stretch when the game was still very much in doubt.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
-
Keith Blassingale had 25 points, four rebounds and three steals in the win. It was Blassingale's ninth game with 20 or more points this season and second straight (he had 21 against Clarks Summit on Wednesday).
-
Marlon Sharpton had 19 points, including 7 of 7 from the foul line.  The 19 points are a new career high.
-
Jalil Myers had 14 points and nine rebounds.
- Â
Jacob Simonson had 10 points and four rebounds.Â
- The game saw 11 lead changes and six ties. Julian Collanzo lead the Highlanders with 26 points.
UP NEXT: Â Senior Night features a game with huge post-season ramifications for both the Ravens and Centenary. A Cyclones win would effectively lock the Ravens to fourth and a rematch at Cairn in the CSAC Semifinals. A Ravens win would keep Rosemont's hopes for a home game in the semifinals alive heading into the final day. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. with Senior Night ceremonies taking place immediately following the conclusion of the women's game that precedes it.Â