City of Basketball Love

By Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue)
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There’s only 12 teams in both Class 5A fields, but both tournaments are likely to bring plenty of excitement. After dominant runs by the Radnor boys and West Chester Rustin girls last season both Class 5A fields look to be a little more wide open this season with multiple squads capable of taking home titles

The 12-team brackets were announced earlier this week. We’ll have a more comprehensive look at the first round matchups later this week, but here’s a quick look at how the brackets stack up:

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Boys

Favorites: Unionville, Upper Dublin, Radnor

All three of these programs have terrific resumes, showing their capability to beat high-level competition. Unionville is the runner-up from last season with pieces like seniors JT Anderson and Ryan Brown and sophomore James Brenner eyeing the program’s first district title since 1981. After winning its first district title since 1961 last season, Radnor wasn’t supposed to be back, but all the Raptors have done this year is win with seniors like Elijah Sellers and Kessy Cox going from deep on the bench to two of the top players in the Central League and returners Michael Savadove and Henry Pierce back form last season’s championship run. Upper Dublin dominated a division full of 6A schools and then grabbed an SOL Tournament title on Tuesday night. Junior Ryan Mulroy is up there with the best players in this bracket with Brady Fogle and Idris Rines two of the others to look out for on a deep squad.

Contenders: Phoenixville

The Phantoms are two years removed from a semifinal appearance but missed out on the playoffs entirely last season. Senior point forward Max Lebiskty and junior wing Deacon Baratta lead a group that seems to be peaking at the right time after a two-game skid late in January. They’ve won by double digits win six straight, including an 80-56 win over Pottstown — their potential draw in the quarterfinals.

Dark Horse: Marple Newtown

Last year was the first time since 2018 that the top three seeds all advanced through to the semifinals in the 5A field and the fourth team was No. 12 West Chester Rustin, so definitely expect the unexpected from the Class 5A boys bracket. Marple Newtown seems like the best candidate for a Cinderella run with junior guard Matt Gardler already with a couple of buzzer beaters under his belt and senior PJ Esposito another player who can heat up.
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First Round
Fri., Feb. 16

8) Upper Moreland (13-9) vs. 9) Holy Ghost (12-10), 5 PM
Winner gets 1) Unionville (20-3)

5) Pottstown (17-6) vs. 12) West Chester East (11-11), 7 PM
Winner gets 4) Phoenixville (17-6)

6) Sun Valley (14-8) vs. 11) Marple Newtown (12-10), 7 PM
Winner gets 3) Radnor (19-3)

7) West Chester Rustin (14-9) vs. 10) Penncrest (13-9), 7 PM
Winner gets 2) Upper Dublin (22-3)
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Quarterfinals
Wed., Feb. 21
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Semifinals
Sat.., Feb. 24
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Championship
Thurs., Feb. 29
At West Chester University
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Girls

Favorites: Gwynedd Mercy, West Chester East, West Chester Rustin, Radnor, Villa Maria

It’s really hard to separate this back with many of them playing tight games against each other this season. Radnor beat West Chester East by two to open up the regular season.  Gwynedd Mercy and Villa Maria split their two-regular season games, including a triple overtime game. Rustin beat Villa by three in late January.

Gwynedd has a young core led by 5-11 wing Emilia Coleman and has senior forward Dylan Burke back in the mix. West Chester East’s balanced group includes a trio of three-year starters in senior guard Annie Kerns, junior guard Annalise Kubasko and junior forward Sofia Keith. West Chester Rustin senior Riley Stackhouse (Widener) leads a team with some size and good guard play. Radnor’s another team with a lot of weapons, including senior Kate Gallagher and sophomore Nyah Yao, who had big games in the Central League playoffs.

The top seed has won District 1’s 5A tournament five of the seven years since the state went from four to six classifications in 2016-17. However, Villa won as the No. 7 seed back in 2022, so there’s really no telling how the top of the bracket will shape up.

Dark Horse: Bishop Shanahan

That Villa run as a No. 7 seed two years ago came against Bishop Shanahan. The Eagles followed with a semifinal run last season. Shanahan has dropped pace with some of the rest of the top teams this season but seniors Sam Blumenthal (Catholic), Faith Ambrose and Abbey Wolfe were around for that run to the title game. 

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District 1 5A First Round (Girls)
Fri., Feb. 16

8) Upper Moreland (15-7) vs. 9) Bishop Shanahan (10-11), 7 PM
Winner gets 1) Gwynedd Mercy (19-4)

5) Lower Moreland (16-7) vs. 12) Upper Merion (13-10), 7 PM
Winner gets 4) West Chester Rustin (16-7)

7) Phoenixville (17-6) vs. 10) Chester (14-8), 7 PM
Winner gets 2) West Chester East (17-6)

6) Villa Maria (15-7) vs. 11) Sun Valley (11-11), 7 PM
Winner gets 3) Radnor (18-5)
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Quarterfinals
Tues., Feb. 20
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Semifinals
Fri., Feb. 23
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Championship
Wed., Feb. 28
At West Chester University