City of Basketball Love

By Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue)
& Andrew Robinson (@ADRobinson3)
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Catholic League champion Archbishop Wood, a perennial state power, has been on a tear through 5A, while Public League champion Audenried, on it deepest run to date, has rolled through 4A in the first three rounds of the state playoffs. Both squads look to continue their dominance in semifinal action Tuesday night:

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4A: Audenried (12-1) vs. Scranton Prep (2-1)

Kevin Slaughter never got a chance to suit up in a state playoff game back when he played at West Philadelphia in the Public League.

District 12 teams didn’t play in the state tournament back then, so Slaughter asked friends from places like Upper Darby, Lower Merion and Bensalem: What’s it like to go on a state run?

After a breakthrough for the program’s first state win a season ago, Slaughter and his team are finally getting the full March experience this season, rolling their way into Tuesday’s PIAA Class 4A girls semifinal at Liberty High School on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

“Now that I’m coaching and the further I get in every round, you can see who important the games are,” Slaughter said. “You just can't’ make mistakes. Everything has to be just razor sharp, and you have to be just locked in. It’s fun, it’s also nerve wracking, but I love the challenge, and I think the kids love it too.”

The two-time defending Public League champion Rockets watched the Catholic League’s Lansdale Catholic win the state crown a season ago and set out to replace them atop the PIAA Class 4A division at the start of the season.

It’s all gone to plan thus far. After winning the Public league for the second year in a row, the Rockets grabbed their first District 12 title over Nazareth Academy, 69-47 on Feb. 29 before storming past Eastern York (75-34), Valley View (64-46) and District 3 runner-up Delone Catholic (79-53) on Saturday behind a 41-point outing from junior star Shayla Smith, who is fasting for Ramadan throughout the playoffs.

Senior wing/forward Aniyah Howard was the team’s second star last season. This season the additions of junior guard Senaya Parker and sophomore Heaven Reese have helped. Smith had a relatively quiet night (12 points) in the second round win over Valley View as she dealt with the effects of fasting, but Parker, Howard and Reese joined her in double figures and senior Sakina Nelson brought her typical defensive effort to help the Rockets advance and showcase the team’s depth this season.

“We have a great supporting cast this year with Senaya Parker, Aniyah Howard,” Slaughter said. “Those girls sometimes think if they don’t score a lot of points, they didn’t have a good game. But I try to tell them they do so many other things for the game. Defensively, rebounding, and Senya Parker’s such a great leader and floor general. And I’m pretty sure you’ve got to witness and seen the growth of Heaven Reese.”

Scranton Prep similarly dispatched its opponents with ease during the first three rounds of the state tournament. The District 2 champs defeated North Schuylkill (55-22), District 1 champion Villa Joseph Marie (58-39) and District 4 champion Central Columbia (46-24) to get back to the state semifinals for the second straight year.

Maya Jenkins is a returning all-state player, leading the way in the backcourt alongside Jenna Hilebrand. They’re joined in the lineup by undersized frontcourt player Bella Dennebaum. 

With a few rounds of state basketball under his belt, Slaughter understands the challenge still ahead of his team. But he still likes their chances.

“Last year’s team, we were pretty good, but we weren’t as talented as this year’s team,” Slaughter said. “This year, we’re younger and we’re a little more talented.”

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5A: Archbishop Wood (12-1) vs Bethlehem Catholic (11-1)

The Vikings have made a couple trips to the Lehigh Valley on their state run, now they’ll face the best of the Lehigh Valley for the chance to take a trip to Hershey.

Wood has won three state titles in a row, two in 4A before bumping up to 5A last year for the three-peat. The Vikings have won three in a row before, in 2010, 2011 and 2012, but they’ve never won four; so that’s the goal.

It’s been a typical Wood playoff run, the Vikings have defended well and they’re spreading out the scoring for the most part. Saturday’s win over District 2 Scranton was a good example, Wood putting together a strong defensive plan while getting three players in double figures offensively.

Seniors Ava Renninger, Alexa Windish and Lauren Greer know their time left is limited and their teammates are rallying behind them.

“That first five are just five kids who really get along and want to do it for each other,” Wood coach Mike McDonald said. “We’re fortunate that way where nobody says ‘I need to score points today,’ they just want to win another one.

“The seniors want to go out with a win. Emily Knouse loves the seniors, Sophia Topakas is happy being a part of that starting five and she wants it for them too.”

Knouse, a junior committed to St. Joe’s, has been Wood’s leading scorer in the state tournament with 15, 12 and 14 point outings. Renninger and Windish both had 11 against Scranton while Greer had produced 15 and 12 in the first two rounds, the senior adding an extra boost with her determined offensive rebounding.

The Hawks have been pretty stout defensively themselves this postseason. Becahi put the clamps on Abington Heights in their quarterfinal, holding the Comets scoreless for an 11:30 spell and taking control of the game.

Senior Cici Hernandez (Mercyhurst) is a dynamite point guard who can shoot, score, pass and defend, forming a core trio with classmates Akasha Santos and Ella Bincarosky (DeSales). Santos, a forward, and Bincarosky, a shooting guard, led the way in the second round against West Chester East with Hernandez in foul trouble.

Junior Davina Jones broke out of a slump on Saturday, giving the Hawks a timely career best with 16 points. Aliyah Brame has played at a high level all season as a sophomore for Becahi.