Steve Pendleton '15 and the Aces will look to rebound in the District playoffs.

The Aces fell to Ridley 55-41 in the Central League Semifinals on Saturday. LM came out flat as the Green Raiders took an early 9-0 lead and seized command of the game. The Aces closed the gap at 11-8 behind two threes from Corey Sherman, but that was as close as LM would come the rest of the way. Though they never broke the game open, the Green Raiders led by double-digits throughout the second half.

Corey Sherman '15 led the Aces with 14 points. Steve Pendleton '15 added 12 points and KJ Helton '16 chipped in with nine points.

After finishing the regular season on a high note, LM seemed primed to make a push for another Central League title. They had beaten the same Ridley team two nights earlier in one of their better performances and had blown out Upper Darby in the season finale. But the Aces failed to bring their A game against a tough, hungry Green Raiders squad that simply outplayed them. To the Aces’ credit, they battled hard to the wire and showed no quit. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. Poor shot selection, shaky rebounding and head-scratching turnovers prevented any chance of a comeback.

Despite the loss, the Aces’ postseason hopes remain very much alive. Though the District tournament has not been set, the Aces are expected to have a home playoff game next weekend. LM’s seed and a possible opponent have yet to be determined. One thing is certain, however. The Aces can play much better than they did Saturday and they will need to do so if they have any hope of advancing to round two.