City of Basketball Love

CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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(Ed. Note: This article is part of CoBL's "Prepping for Preps," our series of articles previewing area high school teams for the 2015-16 season. For the complete list of schools previewed so far, click here)

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In no particular order, here are our teams to watch in District 1’s AAAA classification:

Abington
Head coach: Charles Grasty
Last year: 26-4 (16-0 Suburban One-National), won district championship (Plymouth-Whitemarsh, 53-35), lost in PIAA AAAA Round of 32 (J.P. McCaskey, 71-66)
Name(s) to know: Eric Dixon (Fr./PF), Robbie Heath (Soph./G), Joe O’Brien (Jr./PF)

Breakdown: The Galloping Ghosts had a magical run the last two years: making the PIAA Class AAAA semifinals in 2014, winning their first-ever Suburban One League championship this February and then backing that up with a run right through the District bracket, topped by a dominant win over the Colonials at Temple’s Liacouras Center. Gone are the two guards who powered that run, Matt Penecale (West Chester) and Amir Hinton (Lock Haven), but Grasty has some very talented underclassmen to build his program around. Heath, a 6-0 guard, started his entire freshman season and came up with some big buckets, and should be ready to shoulder the primary scoring load this year. Up front, Abington will have the 6-7, 220-pound O’Brien and 6-6, 240-pound Dixon to cause serious issues for opponents. Look for them to get better and better as the year goes on with a chance to make some real noise in February yet again.

Central Bucks West
Head coach: Adam Sherman
Last year: 19-7 (11-4 Suburban One-Continental); lost in district playoffs first round (Great Valley, 56-49)
Name(s) to know: Luke Irons (Sr./PG), Connor Lynch (Sr./SG), Cal Reichwein (Sr./G)

Breakdown: The Bucks are senior-laden, with six players in their final year who should be making serious contributions at the varsity level. They’re led by Reichwein, a Lafayette commit coming off a tremendous summer; the 6-2 wing guard is a tremendous 3-point shooter and passer, and is becoming a strong scorer off the bounce as well. But what makes Central Bucks West dangerous is that they’re more than the sum of their parts: all of their guards can dribble, pass, and shoot, but they’re also one of the more selfless teams around, often giving up a good shot for a better one. They’re not going to blow anybody away with size (6-4 Eric Hohenleitner is their presence in the middle) or raw athleticism but they are one of the better units around thanks to Sherman and have redemption on their minds after being upset in the opening round of the district playoffs in February.

Chester
Head coach: Larry Yarbray
Last year: 14-11 (7-3 Delaware Valley), lost in district play-backs (Coatesville, 57-55)
Name(s) to know: Khaleeq Campbell (Sr./PG), Jordan Camper (Jr./C), Marquis Collins (Sr./F)

Breakdown: A lot of the Clippers’ season will come down to the health of Campbell, who tore his ACL last December; without him, Chester missed out on the state playoffs for the first time in 23 years. With him back, they should be much closer to the Chester we’re all used to, the program that’s almost always vying for a state championship with one of the most rabid fanbases in the state. Their strength this year will be the frontcourt, with the 6-7 Camper looking primed for a breakout year, while the 6-6 Collins, a lefty, has expanded his game to the perimeter; another forward, 6-5 senior Jamar Sudan, does all the dirty work inside.

Cheltenham
Head coach: John Timms
Last year: 12-11 (9-6 SOL-American); lost in district playoff first round (Plymouth-Whitemarsh, 73-33)
Name(s) to know: Justin Sutton (Sr./PF), Anthony White (Sr./G), Khalil White (Sr./G)

Breakdown: The Panthers have been developing a tight-knit group of eight classmates for the last few years, and now as seniors it's their time to shine. This is a scrappy group led by Khalil White, a 6-0 scoring guard who plays at one tempo--fast--and can get hot in a hurry from all over the court. He's not the only one who can put the ball in the hoops: Anthony White (no relation) and fellow senior Maurice Valentine, the team's sixth man, can also reach double figures easily. Up front, the 6-4 Sutton and 6-3 Blair Brown bring toughness and a nose for the ball, and they're not afraid to go toe-to-toe with forwards several inches taller for loose balls and rebounds. They've had a strong summer with a number of notable wins, but now they need to bring that production into the regular season in Timms' third year.

Conestoga
Head coach: Mike Troy
Last year: 23-8 (17-4 Central), lost in PIAA AAAA round of 32 (Parkland, 53-42)
Name(s) to know: Darryl Caldwell (Sr./PG), Andrew Larkin (Sr. G), M.J. Lezanic (Sr./G)

Breakdown: After yet another successful season in Berwyn, Pa, Conestoga will look to replace the trio of Andrew Diehl, Martin Dorsey and Dan Vila that produced three District playoff appearances and a pair of State playoff appearances. Pioneer head coach Mike Troy will surely miss the size of last year’s team, as ‘Stoga boasted three starters over 6-foot-4. The Pioneers also lost senior point guard James Vandeventer to graduation, a 5-foot-11 guard that was instrumental in assisting the trio. Now, Conestoga will rely on speedy 5-foot-9 point guard Darryl Caldwell to direct the offense. Troy will be counting on several players to contribute heavily after being buried in very strong Conestoga rotations. The Pioneers are expected to employ a four-senior lineup of Caldwell, 6-foot-1 guards Andrew Larkin and M.J Lezanic, who came off the bench last year, as well as 6-foot-5 forward Jack Baker. Junior forward Charlie Martin is projected to round-out the lineup.

Coatesville
Head coach: Chuck Moore
Last year: 17-0 (10-2 Ches-Mont), Lost in district playbacks (Downingtown West, 70-63 OT)
Name(s) to know: Rome Boyer (Sr./G), Justus Martinez (Sr./C), Chapelle Parker-Turner (Sr./G)

Breakdown: If there’s one difference between last year’s Coatesville Red Raiders--which experienced some tension and disappointment--and the 2015-16 installment, it’s team mentality. With Rome Boyer, a versatile 6-foot guard with a smooth jump shot, leading the new-look Red Raiders both on and off the floor, this year’s team is much more prepared to gel as a unit and play competitive team basketball. Boyer and his backcourt mate, the 5-10 Chapelle Parker-Turner, are two of the five seniors that will comprise Coatesville’s starting lineup, with both having seen a good amount of playing time as juniors. Justus Martinez, a 6-6 forward, is the most experienced in terms of his playing time, having started alongside now graduated big man Amir Ealey in his junior season. Entering the new season, the Red Raiders have fully embraced the role of the underdog--and the chip-on-the-shoulder mentality it brings--in the Ches-Mont league behind the defending champion Downingtown West Whippets, who ended Coatesville’s most recent campaign.

Downingtown West
Head coach: Jason Ritter
Last year: 24-6 (11-1 Ches-Mont); won district ninth-place game (Penncrest, 50-29), lost in PIAA AAAA Round of 32 (Roman Catholic, 68-52)
Name(s) to know: Josh Warren (Sr./C), Ryan Betley (Sr./SG), Dom Guerrera (Sr./F)

Breakdown: After returning four starters from last year’s Ches-Mont champion and state playoff team, the Downingtown West Whippets look to be the team to beat in their conference, and one of the top contenders in District 1 AAAA. With their two Division I-bound seniors, Warren (Cornell) and Betley (Penn), the Whippets’ focus is set fully on what they hope will be another conference title and a deep playoff run. Betley, a 6-4 guard, has the chance to be one of the best shooters in the region. Coupled with Warren’s ability to play both inside and out in his 6-8 frame and the 6-6 Guerrera’s offensive spark and shooting ability, West should be able to light up the scoreboard, but also play tough defense with their impressive length, and the paint prowess of Warren and 6-7 junior George Gordon. The only real question for Ritter’s squad is the starting point guard, which has yet to be definitively set with the season opener against Freire Charter looming on Friday.

Lower Merion
Head coach: Gregg Downer
Last year: 18-12 (15-5 Central), lost in district playoff quarterfinals (Plymouth-Whitemarsh, 47-36), lost in PIAA Class AAAA first round (Cedar Crest, 63-47)
Name(s) to know: K.J. Helton (Sr./G), Jeremy Horn (Sr./C), Terrell Jones (Jr./G)

Breakdown: Just as Conestoga will move on from their senior trio, Lower Merion must replace four players that led the Aces to yet another appearance in the State playoffs last season. Most notably, Lower Merion will be without 6-foot-6 forward Jule Brown, who is currently playing at Dickinson alongside his sharpshooter teammate Corey Sherman, who destroyed opponents on the perimeter in his time in an Aces uniform. Point guard Steve Pendleton and forward Asher Barry have also graduated. This season, head coach Gregg Downer will rely on 6-foot-8 center Jeremy Horn down low with 5-foot-11 guard K.J Helton in the backcourt. The Aces always have an experienced roster, and 2015-2016 will be no different.ones and 6-foot-6 wing forward Dion Harris have emerged as juniors that can fully utilize their athleticism. After years of domination, Lower Merion will enter this season with a few question marks that need to be answered. Thankfully, Downer’s teams usually do answer them.

Methacton
Head coach: Jeff Derstine
Last year: 25-6 (12-1 PAC-10) lost in district playoff quarterfinals (Pennsbury, 68-58), lost in PIAA Class AAAA second round (J.P. McCaskey, 65-52)
Name(s) to know: Patrick O’Neill (Jr./G), Stephan Savage (Sr./F), Jake Cardarelli (Sr./G)

Breakdown: The Warriors enter the 2015-2016 season fresh off the most successful season in school history, however they lost all five starters, and seven players total, to graduation. Most of the perennial contenders in District 1 will be forced to reload due to graduation, but Methacton might have the biggest overhaul in the district. The Warriors lose First Team All-Conference players in 6-foot-6 center Chris McCarthy and 6-foot-3 guard Justin Ardman, along with steady contributors in 6-foot-6 forward Tom Dyer and 6-foot-3 wing T.J. Tornetta. Methacton used size and efficient play en route to its 25-6 (12-1 PAC) season in 2014-2015, but the Warriors will be without its size in the upcoming season. 5-foot-11 junior guard Patrick O’Neill returns as the one player with notable varsity experience to dictate the offense. 6-foot-3 senior forwards Stephan Savage and Jake Cardarelli will have their chance to shine down-low as undersized forwards. It would be foolish to count out a program that has qualified for five consecutive district playoff appearances, but head coach Jeff Derstine has a brand new team out in Eagleville, Pa.

Pennsbury
Head coach: Bill Coleman
Last year: 25-7 (12-4 Suburban-One), lost in district playoff semifinals (Abington, 49-40) lost in PIAA AAAA Quarterfinals (Pennsbury, 58-57)
Name(s) to know: Rob Daly (Sr./G), Mark Flagg (Jr./F), Isaiah Carpenter (Jr./F)

Breakdown: Following a loss to Roman Catholic in the PIAA quarterfinals, the Falcons graduated five players including a pair of Division I recruits in Cameron Jones (St. Peter’s) and Derrick Woods (St. Bonaventure). To fill the void left by Woods in the post, the team will turn to a pair of 6-8 juniors, Flagg and Carpenter, both of whom saw varsity action as sophomores a season ago. Pennsbury will have to depend heavily upon a large junior class this season in the Suburban One National Division. The lone returning seniors, Daly and Zach Roy will help provide depth and experience in the backcourt. The Falcons will face a tough test right off the bat as they open with St. Joe’s Prep on Saturday at Widener.

Pennridge
Head coach: Dean Behrens
Last year: 26-7 (14-2 SOL-Continental), lost in district playoff quarterfinals (Abington, 58-49), lost in PIAA Class AAAA second round (Plymouth-Whitemarsh, 73-70)
Name(s) to know: Danny Long (Sr./G), Stephen Lowry (Sr./G), Max Wagner (Sr./F)

Breakdown: The Rams have a lot to replace from a stellar senior class that included Zach Muredda (Ursinus), Joe Molettiere (Monmouth baseball) and more, but Behrens has a stellar player to build around in Long. The 6-2 guard, who will also be playing baseball at Monmouth next year, is a scholarship-level basketball player in his own right, a strong athlete capable of creating his own shot against tough defenders from anywhere on the court. They'll be boosted by Wagner, a New Hope transfer; the 6-8 forward can stretch the floor with his perimeter shooting but will provided size inside that most teams in the Suburban One league can't match up with. After those two, a number of players including Lowry, junior forward Kyle Yoder and others will need to contribute if Pennridge is going to hope to earn the No. 3 seed in the district again.

Phoenixville
Head coach: Eric Burnett
Last year: 18-8 (10-3 PAC-10), lost in district play-backs (Downingtown West, 67-44)
Name(s) to know: Christian Kelly (Sr./SG), Marquise McDuffee (Sr./PG), Matt McLaughlin (Sr./F)

Breakdown: One of the top teams in the Pioneer Athletic Conference this season should be the Phantoms, who lost to league champion Methacton in the PAC-10 playoffs last year--the same team that then denied them a berth in the state bracket with a second-round district playoff defeat before Downingtown West ended Phoenixville’s season. They’ll be riding Kelly, a 6-4 do-everything wing who can score inside and out as well as lead the team’s full-court pressure defense and create for his teammates, as much as possible, though he has some help. McLaughlin, a 6-5 transfer from Pope John Paul II, brings them an interior presence, while the 5-10 McDuffee is back to run the point after averaging 6.2 ppg a year ago. Another 6-5 wing, Avery Close, brings more versatility to the court.

Plymouth-Whitemarsh
Head coach: Jim Donofrio
Last year: 28-4 (14-1 Suburban One-American), lost in district final (Abington, 53-35), lost in PIAA Class AAAA Quarterfinals (Martin Luther King, 59-43)
Name(s) to know: Simeon Fryer (Sr./SG), Mike Lotito (Sr./F), Xzavier Malone (Sr./SG)

Breakdown: The Colonials have to replace two very good guards in Jimmy Murray (Moravian) and Andre Mitchell (Catholic U), but they’ve got the pieces to do so. They’ll be led by Malone, who had a breakout season last year at P-W after spending most of his first two years of high school riding the bench at Martin Luther King. The 6-4 guard become a dangerous scoring threat, which earned him several Division I offers over the summer and led to an eventual commitment to Rider in October. To help replace Murray and Mitchell, P-W added Upper Dublin transfer Simeon Fryer, a 6-5 scoring wing to the mix; Lotito, a 6-6 forward, gives them more size and length on the interior, though he’ll need to show he can bang bodies with some of the more physical forwards around for them to really be successful.

Ridley
Head coach: Mike Snyder
Last year: 22-8 (14-5 Central), lost in district playoff semifinals (Plymouth-Whitemarsh, 44-41), lost in PIAA AAAA round of 32 (La Salle, 58-54)
Name(s) to know: Brett Foster (Sr./G), Julian Wing (Sr./G), Ryan Bollinger (Sr./G)

Breakdown: The defending Central League champions are hungrier than ever, with a group of seniors desperate to add some more hardware to the trophy case before they leave for their next destinations as student-athletes. They’re led by Foster, an attacking 5-11 point guard who’s being recruited by a bevy of Division II and Division III programs to play both guard positions, thanks to his speed, athleticism and ability to get to the rim as well as make plays for others. Those “others” include Wing, a 6-2 small forward who became the team’s designated sharpshooter down the stretch last year, making key 3-pointers in nearly every playoff game they played. Senior guard Bollinger, a sharpshooter, will be counted on to splash 3-pointers for head coach Mike Snyder