Penn Wood's opponent Wednesday in the PIAA Class AAAA semifinal has made a habit of rallying in games. Mt. Lebanon, of Pittsburgh and District 7, posted a comeback win over quarterfinal draw Erie Cathedral Prep, 51-41.

Here's how the Blue Devils (24-5) did it:
Exhibit A. Evan Pierce (pictured), a junior guard who scored zero points in the first half, went off for 15 in the final nine minutes of the game.

Exhibit B. Deion Turman, a junior 6-8 center, posted an all-around game - with seven points, 15 rebounds and four blocked shots. He also threw down a dunk with 2:57 remaining, one that broke open the game and broke Erie's hopes.

Apparently, Turman's size is not a fluke. The entire lineup has a lot of size, much like Penn Wood's. In that regard, the cross-state opponents will match up well.

And then there's that rallying thing. Let's not forget that Penn Wood erased Pennsbury's 16-minute lead midway through the third quarter to advance to this round, the Western State title game.

A couple news items regarding tonight's semifinal game:

TICKETS. Tickets are still available for purchase. Interested spectators can pick up $6 general admission tickets and $3 student tickets at Chester High School between 12 noon and 2:30 p.m. today.

PARKING. If you're heading to the Palestra tonight, be advised to make a carpool, take public transportation or get there early. With a PIAA Class AAA girls basketball semifinal taking place at 6 p.m., parking undoubtedly will be limited. And the streets around the Palestra will be chaotic. Plan accordingly.

PREVIEW SECTION. To help wait out the start of the 7:30 p.m. Chester-Pennsbury game, bring a copy of the Daily Times to the Palestra. Included within are the latest stats and information, projected starting lineups, a feature on Nasir Robinson and what Pennsbury is saying about tonight's game.

Nasir Robinson didn't take a page out of Joe Namath's book. There will be no guarantees coming from Robinson's mouth, but the senior forward is optimistic Chester will beat Pennsbury Wednesday, then go on to win the PIAA Class AAAA state championship.

Before Monday's practice, I asked Robinson if all of the games the Clippers have won would be for naught should they not win the state crown. His response:

"It's definitely been worth it, all of it. Even the hard losses," he said of his time at Chester. "It's my pride for Chester — playing here and being from here — that keeps me going. It would hurt not to win it, so I don't even want to think about not winning it."

For a feature story on Robinson and preview coverage of the Clippers' matchup with Pennsbury, pick up a copy of Wednesday's Daily Times.

The team Chester will face in the PIAA Class AAAA semifinals closely resembles the Clippers.

That's partly because Pennsbury coach Frank Sciolla said he used the Clippers' scheduling process as a model for his own team.

"We've always tried to overschedule," he said over the phone. "When we did that in the beginning, we lost some and won some. The last couple years, we've been able to win more than we're losing. ...We're not at the level where Chester is where they can play any team in the country on any given night, but we're getting there."

The Falcons (30-2) have beaten the likes of Lower Merion, Penn Wood (twice) and Ridley (twice). They beat New Jersey Section IV champ Linden and narrowly lost to Oklahoma's Putnam City, which is home to four Division I players.

Most of that can be credited to junior Dalton Pepper (pictured), a 6-6 guard-forward who is receiving plenty of recruiting attention. Word has it when West Virginia was in town to play Villanova, Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins skipped out on his team's walkthrough to see one of Pepper's district-playoff games.

For more of the Chester-Pennsbury match-up, check back to Gettin' Schooled leading up to the game. Wednesday's edition of the Daily Times will have plenty of coverage as well.

The Chester Athletic Department has made tickets available for purchase for Wednesday's PIAA Class AAAA semifinal game.

If you wish to see the Clippers take on District One's third seed Pennsbury at the Palestra, tickets can be purchased at Chester High's Athletic office each of the next three days.

• Monday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Tuesday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Wednesday, 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Adult tickets cost $6 while student tickets run $3.

I'll be the first to tell you all that I love my job - I really do. Covering games, meeting new people daily and telling their stories is like nothing else.

But I can't be everywhere.

So here's my pitch: if you're a player and you're headed to college to play basketball, let me know. And I'll reciprocate with some much-deserved coverage. This goes for coaches and parents, too, or simply anyone who can confirm a student-athlete's commitment to a school (Division I, II, III or otherwise).

I'd like to think I have a good relationship with most - if not all - of the coaches in Delaware County. But in case something slips by me or the coaches (Hey, we're all busy. It can happen), just drop me a line either through e-mail or right here on the blog. And I'll make sure that player gets some ink ASAP.

IN PLAYOFF NEWS
The District One Class AAAA championship might have been pushed back to Sunday, but there are some good games out there today. Here are my must-see tilts.

• AAAA: Ridley vs. Souderton, 1 p.m., at Plymouth Whitemarsh. Going into states on a winning note will be on Ridley's mind.
• AAAA: Penn Wood vs. Pennsbury, 1 p.m., at Norristown. The third seed in states is on the line.
• AAA: Holy Ghost Prep vs. Upper Moreland, 1 p.m., at William Tennent. Gotta pull for HGP, my alma mater, in this one. Winner gets a berth in the state bracket.