The Aces stormed to a 12-0 first quarter lead and never looked back in a 52-35 romp over Public League power Simon Gratz at the Jameer Nelson Classic at Widener University. Greg Robbins earned game MVP honors, leading all scorers with 20 points and adding 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Alon Seltzer (9 pts), Harley Williamson (8 pts), Oliver Cohen (7 pts), Marquise Hall (6 pts) and Nick Bibbs (2 pts) also scored for the Aces, who won their fourth consecutive game. The Aces outrebounded the taller Bulldogs 23-17 and controlled tempo throughout the contest.

Friday's game was a much-anticipated test for the Maroon & White. Despite injuries, the LM roster has become more consistent of late; this was to be a showcase game against a premier program and an important gauge of progress. The Aces, despite the relative inexperience of the lineup, displayed key tenets that have come to define Lower Merion Basketball -- gritty defense, unselfish team play, and a willingness to go toe-to-toe with a high-octane opponent. But even the the most faithful fans in Aces Nation couldn't have predicted such a dominant performance. LM held the Bulldogs to their lowest scoring output of the season and weathered every Gratz run, maintaining a double-digit margin for most of the game.

This was the first match-up between the two programs since March 2007, when the Bulldogs knocked the Aces out of the state playoffs in a quarterfinals heartbreaker. On Friday, the Aces exacted a small, but significant measure of revenge. The season is young, but the Aces showed they were deserving of their first opportunity in the spotlight.

The going doesn't get any easier for LM; on Monday the Aces take on Inter-Ac power Germantown Academy in the Norristown Triangle Club tournament at Norristown High School. Gametime is 6:30 PM.