He was released Thursday night, but wasn't feeling well enough to coach Friday. So with associate head coach and longtime partner Mike Hannigan taking over the Patriots' sideline, GA earned a nail-biting, 60-59 win against visiting Inter-Ac League foe Haverford School.
Though Fenerty was absent, he still was credited with the victory because he is the head coach, putting his record at 500-322 over 32 years.
"Well, it was quite a way to do it, that's for sure," Fenerty said by phone after the game. "I'm thrilled beyond belief. I'm so proud of the guys. I'm dying here. I wish I could be there."
If anything, Fenerty would have been proud of his team's resolve. The Patriots (17-6 overall, 6-2 league) saw a six-point halftime lead evaporate early in the third, when Haverford (15-8, 5-3) used a 10-2 run in opening three minutes to go ahead. GA was outscored, 19-9, for the quarter and trailed by four entering the fourth.
"The kids really played hard, and they knew we were down a man - and that's Coach," said Hannigan, Fenerty's assistant for 28 seasons. "I think [the players] got a little insecure for a while on the floor looking for Jim, and I'm standing there."
The Patriots, though, kept their poise. They opened the fourth on a 5-2 run, reclaiming the lead on James Drury's three-point play with 6 minutes, 7 seconds remaining. Haverford tied the score three times in the final six minutes, but never retook the lead.
Point guard Nick Linder's six fourth-quarter free throws helped seal the win.
"It means so much to give back to [Fenerty] when he's given so much to us," said Lindner, who finished with a team-high 20 points and eight assists.
GA forward Greg Dotson added 16 points and 10 rebounds.
