Suffering a lopsided loss in a state playoff game isn’t exactly a drawback to a program.

Just ask Northampton.

It is about playing meaningful games in March.

The Konkrete Kids had a difficult time adjusting to Lower Merion during a 64-41 defeat in an opening-round PIAA Class 6A playoff game at William Allen High School Saturday.

There was 6-foot-8 sophomore center Demetrius Lilly (22 points), who the Kids didn’t have a legitimate answer against, along with senior forward James Simples and freshman guard Sam Brown – son of the Sixers’ head coach Brett Brown – that paced a clinic at times.

“We knew everything that was coming,” said Kids’ head coach Coy Stampone. “We knew they were going to go high-low to (Lilley) and we knew he was going to get second chance points. We had defenses for it, but with (Lower Merion) knocking down shots and how athletic they are, it’s tough.”

Instead of dwelling on a frustrating defeat, the Kids can relish a 16-10 overall season that further solidified a rising foundation.

“It’s to a point with this program where you want to get here, but you also want to take the next step,” said Stampone. “We want to take the next step and our kids have practiced that way.

“But I am proud of how our kids played all season. They always play hard. We made it to the district championship two of the last three years. It wasn’t a bad run for them.”

Stampone took special pride in his team’s run in the district playoffs.

“I’ll remember them beating the number-two seed (Liberty), which no one thought we could do. Then we beat the number-three seed Easton to get to the championship game. Everybody counted us out and no one gave us a shot as the seventh seed. They thought we would be like a lot of Northampton teams that would be one and done. These guys didn’t like that.”

They will lose a productive eight-player senior class that helped take the program to another level, producing two district championship game appearances over the past three years, and also gain more respectability in Lehigh Valley basketball circles.

Seniors Zac Gula lead the Kids with 12 points and Donte Rodriguez had 11. The duo paced the team in scoring all season, and they were an integral part of the program for the past three years.

Other seniors who will leave the program will be starters Jake Christman and Spencer Cole along with reserves Zach Christman, James Robinson, Jared Saul and Isaiah Taylor.

“It has been a long time, but it has been all good,” said Gula, who will continue his education and playing career at Wilkes University in the fall. “We were 7-5 at one point during the season, and we were able to string together a pretty good run. But it was tough at one point of the season.”

Rodriguez knew the longtime camaraderie would be a key. Most of the seniors played together since seventh grade.

“We just believed in each other,” said Rodriguez, who will likely continue his education and playing career at Northampton Community College. “We started playing together better as a team, and it clicked for us. It will be tough to move on, but it was a great time.”