City of Basketball Love

By Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue)
__

There are a pair of boys smaller school semifinals featuring local squads taking place at different locations on Tuesday. Here's a look at the Class 3A local tilt between Devon Prep and MCS and Constitution's matchup with Holy Cross in Bethlehem:

~~~

3A: Devon Prep (12-1) vs. Math, Civics & Sciences (12-2)

Devon Prep and Math, Civics & Sciences had to learn on the fly when they met in the District 12 Class 3A championship game March 1.

The Tide had to replace two starters and the Mighty Elephants were without two key pieces, including their leading scorer for the PIAA playoffs due to transfer rules.

Devon looked the better of the two sides in a 53-33 championship win, but they’ve both had 18 days and three more games to prepare for Tuesday’s rematch in the PIAA Class 3A semifinals at Cardinal O'Hara.

“They’ve had a couple weeks to make some adjustments, and so have we so it will be a really good game,” Devon Prep coach Jason Fisher said.

Juniors Zane Conlon and Shane Doyle combined for 32 points in Devon Prep’s District 12 title win. Classmate Reece Craft, a 6-foot-6 wing/forward, has been in the starting lineup alongside them all season long. Conlon and Craft are two players that give the Tide “size and versatility,” MCS coach Lonnie Diggs said makes them tough.

With juniors Calvin Smith and Mason Thear both out during the postseason, others like seniors Zach Orchard, Ben Costello (Washington College) and junior Mike Pergolis have seen some extended run. Junior Ayinde McClendon and freshman Cooper Fairlamb have also stepped into the rotation.

After dominant wins over Delone Catholic and Riverside in the first two rounds, the Tide outlasted District 11 champion Executive Education in two overtimes for a quarterfinal win to get back to the semis for the second time in three years.

“Honestly, it’s been like the beginning of the season all over for us,” Fisher said. “We had a couple starters stay with us, but we’re learning what guys can do, what guys can't do and figuring things out very similarly to a November, December stage of the season. Guys have been surprising us every game.”

MCS has been without Maki Hill and Sair Alsbrook, the team’s leading scorer, since the start of the PIAA postseason. Senior guard Kevin Carter and forward Azeem Murphy have continued to be guiding forces. Sophomore guard Milak Myatt is another who has started all season and is arguably the team’s most talented piece, but the Mighty Elephants have also had players surprise in states.

Senior 6-4 forward Aiden Brown has played the best basketball of his career in the PIAA tournament, scoring in double figures in all three games, including a double-double in Saturday's win over District 4 champion Loyalsock Twp. Sophomore guard Zion Robinson has had the opportunity to showcase his talent. Freshman Rahkiy Mason has sparked the team off the bench. Junior Alantay Dawson can go off as well.

 “I feel like we’ve grown a lot from the (District 12 championship) game,” Diggs said. “We have a lot of guys playing in a more expanded role. I just think it took some time and even going into that game we were coming into it off a big emotional loss to Imhotep. I think it took some of the guys to pick some of the pieces up. We’re in a better spot right now.”

District 12 has won the last to Class 3A state championships with West Catholic winning last season and Devon winning the season before. The Mighty Elephants captured the Class 2A state title in 2019, and after missing out on an opportunity for a district title are looking to get past the Tide for a spot to add another PIAA championship to the trophy case.

“We’ve been talking about it all year,” Diggs said. “Even at the beginning of the year just looking at the 3A field, we felt like we had enough pieces in place to make a run. Our guys are putting it together the last three games, and I feel like we’re in a good spot for Tuesday. If we play the right way, I think we can win.”

~~~

2A: Constitution (12-1) vs. Holy Cross (2-1)

Constitution head boys basketball coach Rob Moore is a veteran of the PIAA tournament. He’s learned the ins and outs, like who to scout or even little things like the game day routine for the long state trips.

The Generals are 45-9 all-time in the PIAA Class 1A and 2A tournaments since their first appearance in 2011 under Moore, making deep state runs the norm. That’s what made last March so unusual when they were bounced in the second round of the PIAA Class 2A tournament.

This year Constitution, a four-time state champion, is back in the semifinals though — a win away from its eighth trip to Hershey heading into Tuesday’s Class 2A semifinal against District 2 champion Holy Cross at Liberty High School in Bethlehem at 7:30 p.m.

“Last year was unfamiliar territory,” Moore said. “Being done last year, was like what’s going on? “Now this is a new group of kids, so while it’s familiar to me as a coach, it’s not as familiar for the kids. … None of these guys have a mindset of what the states look like each round. (They’re) trying to figure out the things we need to figure out, but as coaches we know.”

After getting revenge on the team that knocked it out last season in Mahanoy Area in the second round (71-65) and knocking off reigning state champion Lancaster Mennonite in the quarters (69-38), the Generals face a Holy Cross program it has plenty of familiarity with.

Tuesday will be the programs’ seventh state tournament meeting in 12 years.

Prior to last season, Holy Cross was the last non-District 12 team to bounce the Generals before the state title game, knocking off Constitution 75-61 in a 2013 quarterfinal. Constitution’s won the last five matchups — one in the second round (2017), three in the semifinals (2014, 2019, 2022) and one in the title game (2018).

There will be a different face in charge on the opposite bench from Moore in Holy Cross first-year head coach Al Callejas Jr. Moore said the Crusaders play a little faster but it doesn’t appear he runs things too much different from his father, Al Callejas Sr., who was the only coach in program history until this year.

“They’re gonna run their stuff, they’re gonna be very organized, they’re gonna be very disciplined, so we have to come out and use our strengths, our speed, our athleticism, not settle,” Moore said. “I’m telling my guys get the lead, play disciplined early.”

Constitution is led by senior guard Kyree Latimer, who eclipsed 1,000 career points, earlier in the tournament. Classmates Perry Fields, a newcomer from Boys’ Latin this season, and Amir Speights, a 6-foot-5 wing/forward who had to sit out last postseason, are the other two big threats.

The Generals have missed senior Naamir Flowers, one of the team’s top defenders who has been out with an injury. Moore said juniors Khair White-Blaylock and Khaleek Johnson — the younger brother of former Generals star Keshuan “Champ” Hammonds — have also been big. Senior guard Kory Jones has had his moments, providing a defensive presence his team feeds off. Sophomore guard Nick Young has flashed some ability.

Holy Cross leading scorer Michael Hughes is back from last season’s state semifinal squad. Junior Matt Lyons is a 6-foot-6 forward who can score and freshman CJ Lyons was also in double figures in the team’s 62-52 quarterfinal win over District 1 champ Dock Mennonite that followed two Mercy rule victories to open the state tournament.

“We know what to expect. We know what they’re gonna run,” Moore said.

“I tell my guys, are we favored in a lot of these games? Yeah absolutely, but all it takes is one guy and Holy Cross always has that one guy.”