Upper Darby defeated Conestoga Thursday for a chance to defend its Central League title. Here's a snippet of our coverage, from Friday's Daily Times:

Mahamane Toure’s double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds helped Upper Darby get past Conestoga, 50-47, Thursday night in a Central League tournament semifinal and earn a chance to defend its championship.

The Royals (13-10, 13-4), who won the league crown last season with an unblemished mark, will face rival undefeated Lower Merion (20-2, 16-0) Saturday at Penncrest in an 8 p.m. tipoff.

Upper Darby lost to Lower Merion Tuesday night, going 0-2 against the Aces in the season series.

“Even though it’s for the championship, our kids don’t need any sort of motivation to get up to play Lower Merion,” said Upper Darby coach Bob Miller. “It doesn’t matter if we’re both 0-20. It’s still Lower Merion. Our kids are going to be ready.”

Ralik Wise scored seven of his 10 points in the fourth quarter, and finished with eight rebounds for the Royals. Kuity Slanger and Yusef Ross also helped UD’s balanced attack, contributing 11 and eight points, respectively.

So it's come down to this.

Upper Darby and Conestoga played 16 league games apiece. They both won 10 of them. Now, they have to win one more. Well, two more...but first things first.

The Royals, technically the home team, and the Pioneers will go at it tonight at Strath Haven High School for the right to play Lower Merion in Saturday's Central League championship game.

Here's what you need to know about these teams:
Upper Darby, which won its first league games, closed out the season by losing three of four ... one to Conestoga and another to Lower Merion. Coach Bob Miller's team doesn't have a legitimate scorer to stop, which might work in the Royals' favor. On any given night, Ralik Wise, Mahamane Toure, Yusef Ross (pictured) or Kuity Slanger could assume the scoring duties.

Conestoga, meanwhile, has won four in a row. The Pioneers, who lost their first game against Upper Darby Jan. 13, rebounded to take down the Royals in the second go-around Feb. 3. Mike Troy's team counts on Brandon Thompson and John Grib to handle the scoring duties.

Even after Tuesday's loss to Lower Merion, Toure remained optimistic: “It’s not the end of it for us," he said.

So did Miller, who said it's nice to know the Royals have at least one more game to polish things up. “Hopefully it’s two games," he said.

(Times staff photo / ROBERT J. GURECKI)