Knights can't beat back the Tide, settle for silver ending to great season

​The ending might not have been what they wanted, but the company was well worth the journey, as Franklin fell to Devon Prep 60-56 in the PIAA Class 3A State Championship Saturday at Giant Center.

“We came so far, and we were close to reaching our ultimate goal… but at the end of the day, I wouldn’t rather do it with anybody else,” Franklin guard Jalen Wood said following the runner-up finish. “These eight seniors, the rest of the squad is my family. I’d rather take second place a million times over with this group.”

Wood was the first to hit paydirt for the Knights with a jumper about 90 seconds into the afternoon contest.

​He went on to record 16 points on the day and maintained the tough level of defense that has been his benchmark all season.

Teammate Cole Buckley continued his post-season offensive surge, leading the Knights with 20 points, including two from behind the arc – a rare thing for the senior guard who has a knack for the jump shot and penetrating the paint.

“(Coach Logan Way) was pounding into my head that I need to attack, attack, attack. He finally broke me in the playoffs, and it went from there,” Buckley said of his offensive run in the final five games of the season.

This effort helped “carry the team to Hershey,” according to the stats and head coach Jason Fulmer.
Buckley averaged 17.2 points per game during the state playoffs.

“Let’s face it, Cole Buckley carried us through the state playoffs. He struggled during the regular season trying to find his role. But in all reality, Buckley’s five games in the state playoffs should honestly be … all-state (team) conversation because of how tough he was.”

With teams often keyed on Damon Curry, who ends his career third on the list of Franklin’s all-time top scorers, Wood, Buckley and brothers Damarco and Dreyden Payne had to make the most of the dish-outs from Curry.

Saturday was no exception. Curry was held to a single basket each half and only five points total.

So Damarco stepped up to join Wood and Buckley in the double digits with 12 points, including a pivotal three-pointer in the closing minute of the contest. Dreyden Payne added three more to wrap up Franklin’s offensive front.

It was a hard-fought game. Devon Prep jumped out to a quick 10-2 lead, but the Knights battled back to just a three-point deficit at the end of the first quarter. They tied it up at 6:57 in the second on a basket by Dreyden Payne.

​Franklin pulled ahead on a baseline jumper by Buckley at 6:32 and the team seemed to hit a rhythm that slowed down the Tide. The Knights remained in the lead with less than 45 seconds in the half when Devon Prep’s Shane Doyle hit for three and the Tide rolled into the locker room with a 25-24 advantage.

Devon Prep’s domination of the offensive boards continued into the second half as did Franklin’s struggles shooting what normally are their go-to shots.  

“We didn’t shoot that well from beyond the arc or from the line. I guess (that’s) the hard pill to swallow,” Fulmer said.

At the end of three, Devon Prep had gained a nine-point lead at 46-37. But Franklin never stopped battling.

“We fought and clawed. That’s what’s so special about these guys,” Fulmer remarked about his team’s tenacity heading into the final eight minutes of the season.
With 3:27 left in the game, Buckley hit for two and finished with a plus one to bring the Knights up even with the Tide at 50-all.

Unfortunately, Devon Prep answered and then some, regaining control of the scoreboard. Wood put in two more free throws before taking a seat based on fouls. Damarco Payne hit from behind the arc with 5.6 seconds to play, to pull the Knights within three. But the final seconds didn’t fall for Franklin, who had to settle for a silver ending to a great season.

“It’s a loss tonight, but I feel like it’s a huge character builder for these guys to be able to handle it,” Fulmer said after the game. “We talked about it - win or lose… go lay it all out there, and I felt like they did today.”

And they accomplished something greater than winning a single game – they reestablished Franklin’s standing as a “basketball town.”

“This run will help out Franklin basketball immensely in the future,” Fulmer said of how his team has inspired younger players who admire their talents and their obvious friendship. Characteristics that went hand-in-hand with their success in the 2023-24 season.

“A big part of it is that we are playing for each other … and that’s why we got so far,” Damarco Payne said of the team’s run to the end of the bracket.

“We are all so close to these coaches. They taught us a lot about life, basketball, everything in general,” Wood said. “For these eight seniors, this isn’t over for us. We are still family outside of this. I’m just glad I’ve got them behind my back the whole way through no matter what.”
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“As time comes and we get older, we will start to value and really appreciate the hard work and effort it took just to get here,” Curry said. ​​