City of Basketball Love

Michael Bullock (@thebullp_n)
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Here’s installment No. 4 of City of Basketball Love’s state basketball rankings, a package that will appear on the website every Monday throughout the season. 

All four of our top 10s appear below, with PIAA district and this season’s record displayed in parentheses. Only those schools competing for PIAA state championships are eligible for ranking purposes.

CITY OF BASKETBALL LOVE STATE BASKETBALL RANKINGS
(records through games of Dec. 27/OW-others to watch/NR-not ranked)

CLASS AAAA

Just a swap of positions in the bottom half of the Class AAAA rankings, as Harrisburg moved up one spot thanks to a 66-59 victory at Carlisle (OW) highlighted by 28 points, 8 rebounds and 7 blocked shots from Anthony “Big Ten” Johnson. Kirk Smallwood’s unbeaten Cougars also played without wing Chris Whitaker, who is averaging 25 points per game. Reading’s loss to a Clinton (Md.) Christian side that lost to Martin Luther King a day later also played a role in the rankings flip-flop.

No.  School                                      Rec    Pvs
1.     Roman Catholic (12)                  6-1        1
2.     Allderdice (8)                              4-1        2                           
3.     Archbishop Wood (12)               4-0        3
4.     Plymouth-Whitemarsh (1)          6-0        4
5.     Coatesville (1)                            7-0        5
6.     La Salle College (12)                 9-0        6
7.     Downingtown West (1)               8-1        7
8.     Harrisburg (3)                             6-0        9
9.     Reading (3)                                5-3        8
10.   Parkland (11)                              6-3      10                               

Checked in: No one.
Checked out: No one.

Others to watch: Abington (1) 6-2, Abington Heights (2) 7-0, Baldwin (7) 5-0, Carlisle (3) 7-2, Cedar Crest (3) 6-2, Central Bucks West (1) 6-1, Central Dauphin East (3) 4-3, Central York (3) 8-0, Chartiers Valley (7) 7-2, Chester (1) 2-3, Emmaus (11) 8-0, Franklin Regional (7) 6-2, Gateway (7) 6-2, Hazleton (2) 4-2, Latrobe (7) 7-0, Lower Merion (1) 5-2, Martin Luther King (12) 4-5, McCaskey (3) 7-1, Nazareth (11) 7-2, North Allegheny (7) 5-2, Pennsbury (1) 7-1, Penn-Trafford (7) 6-1, Peters Twp. (7) 6-2, Phoenixville (1) 9-1, Plum (7) 6-1, Pocono Mountain West (11) 9-0, Ridley (1) 7-0, Spring Grove (3) 5-1, St. Joseph’s Prep (12) 6-2, Upper St. Clair (7) 6-2, Whitehall (11) 6-2, William Allen (11) 5-2, Williamsport (4) 5-2, Wilson (3) 7-1, York (3) 6-3.

Intriguing matchup of the week: No. 10 Parkland will entertain No. 6 La Salle College in the championship game of the Parkland Play-by-Play Classic Holiday Tournament Monday night in suburban Allentown.  

CLASS AAA

Moving into the Class AAA array at No. 10 is Philadelphia’s Del-Val Charter, which stretched its winning streak to five games Wednesday with a come-from-behind 68-64 triumph in overtime at Germantown Academy. Semaj Motley, Antwain Butler and Makhi Morris shared 53 points for the Warriors, who trailed 35-30 when the fourth quarter began. Up next for Jason Harrigan’s club is a Monday date against Clinton (Md.) Christian at Philly’s Girard College.

No.  School                                       Rec     Pvs
1.     Neumann-Goretti (12)                4-1         1
2.     Imhotep Charter (12)                  5-2         2
3.     Mars (7)                                      6-3         3
4.     Beaver Falls (7)                          8-0         4
5.     Archbishop Carroll (12)              8-0         5
6.     New Castle (7)                           9-0         6
7.     Strong Vincent (10)                    5-3         7
8.     Scranton Prep (2)                       5-1         8
9.     Lewisburg (4)                             6-0         9
10.   Del-Val Charter (12)                   7-1     OW

Checked in: No. 10 Del-Val Charter.
Checked out: No. 10 Allentown Central Catholic.

Others to watch: Allentown Central Catholic (11) 5-4, Benjamin Franklin (12) 7-1, Bishop McDevitt (3) 4-1, Blue Mountain (11) 6-2, Cathedral Prep (10) 6-2, Cocalico (3) 6-2, Crestwood (2) 5-3, Eastern Lebanon County (3) 8-1, Girard (10) 7-0, Highlands (7) 4-3, Hollidaysburg (6) 7-1, Holy Ghost Prep (1) 6-2, Lampeter-Strasburg (3) 9-0, Lower Moreland (1) 6-1, Meadville (10) 6-0, Milton Hershey (3) 6-0, Nanticoke (2) 6-2, Octorara (1) 9-0, Pottsville (11) 7-0, Salisbury (11) 5-0, Shamokin (4) 8-0, Somerset (5) 6-3, Steel-High (3) 4-2, Steel Valley (7) 6-1, West Mifflin (7) 5-1.

Intriguing matchups of the week: While No. 5 Archbishop Carroll will take on Allentown (N.J.) in the divisional finals at Trenton Catholic’s event Monday night, the spotlight will brighten significantly Wednesday night when Paul Romanczuk’s Patriots meet national power St. Benedict’s (N.J.) Prep on Day 2 of the Pete/Jameer Nelson Classic at Chester’s Widener University.  

CLASS AA

Had a slight shift in the bottom half of the Class AA rankings, as once-beaten Avonworth slides into the top 10 after slipping past then-No. 8 Quaker Valley 66-59 in overtime Tuesday night at home. Zach Chandler (14 points/15 boards) and Garrett Day (10 points/11 boards) posted double-doubles as the Antelopes handed QV its first loss. The wonderfully named Coletrane Washington’s 13 points paced QV. As for the rematch, that game is slated for Jan. 26 at QV. Bonus side note: Both sides meet WPIAL Section 5 playmate Aliquippa between now and then.

No.  School                                            Rec    Pvs
1.     Aliquippa (7)                                     5-0        1
2.     Conwell-Egan (12)                            6-1        2
3.     Lincoln Park (7)                                 7-1        3
4.     Mid Valley (2)                                    7-0        5
5.     Church Farm (1)                               5-1        7
6.     Greensburg C.C. (7)                         6-1        6
7.     Trinity (3)                                           6-2        4
8.     Minersville (11)                                 6-1        9
9.     Camp Hill (3)                                    6-2      10                                      
10.  Avonworth (7)                                    7-1   OW

Checked in: No. 10 Avonworth.
Checked out: No. 8 Quaker Valley.

Others to watch: Bellwood-Antis (6) 5-0, Bishop Canevin (7) 6-2, Calvary Christian (1) 7-1, Danville (4) 3-3, Dunmore (2) 4-3, East Allegheny (7) 6-2, Fairview (10) 5-2, Greenville (10) 6-1, Laurel (7) 7-1, Mahanoy Area (11) 4-3, Neshannock (7) 6-1, Our Lady of Sacred Heart (7) 6-2, Penns Valley (6) 6-1, Quaker Valley (7) 7-1, Richland (6) 6-1, Seton-La Salle (7) 3-3, Shady Side Academy (7) 6-2, Southern Columbia (4) 2-0, Tyrone (6) 5-2, Washington (7) 3-4, West Branch (6) 5-1, West Middlesex (10) 3-3, Westmont Hilltop (6) 5-2, York Catholic (3) 6-1.

Intriguing matchups of the week: No. 3 Lincoln Park will collide with Class AAAA No. 2 Allderdice in an opening-round matchup (Blue Division) at the C.J. Betters Tournament Tuesday night in Monaca. Win or lose, the Leopards could meet Class AAA No. 4 Beaver Falls one night later in a division title game or consolation.

CLASS A

No. 10 Clarion-Limestone maintained its unblemished record — barely — by rallying for a 72-69 victory in a backyard scrap with previously unbeaten Clarion. Freshman Julian Laugand snapped a 69-all tie with 12.4 ticks showing by canning the front end of a two-shot look, but his second missed, Clarion rebounded and was called for traveling. Noah Rankin, who earlier knocked down three freebies, bagged two more to give C-L its three-point victory. According tod9sports.com, C-L played without 6-7 frontcourt hammer and three-year starter Dan Callen (concussion). Rankin responded with 24 points, while the Smith brothers, Taylor and Christian, tacked on a shared 38. Jonathan Smith popped a double-double for host Clarion (27 points/10 boards). For those keeping track, these squads meet again on Feb. 10.  

No.  School                                             Rec    Pvs
1.     Kennedy Catholic (10)                       4-1       1
2.     Monessen (7)                                     6-2       2                                  
3.     Farrell (10)                                         4-1       3
4.     Constitution (12)                                4-6       4
5.     St. John Neumann (4)                        8-0       5
6.     Sewickley Academy (7)                      8-0       6
7.     Elk County Catholic (9)                       6-0       7
8.     Homer-Center (6)                               7-0       8
9.     Lincoln Leadership (11)                      7-0       9
10.   Clarion-Limestone (9)                        7-0     10

Checked in: No one.
Checked out: No one.

Others to watch: Bishop Carroll (6) 5-1, Clarion (9) 4-1, Coudersport (9) 6-0, Delco Christian (1) 4-2, Eden Christian (7) 7-1, Faith Christian (1) 5-1, Ferndale (6) 6-1, Jeannette (7) 6-2, Lourdes Regional (4) 7-0, Math, Civics & Sciences (12) 3-7, McConnellsburg (5) 6-0, Millville (4) 7-1, North Penn-Mansfield (4) 5-2, Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg (11) 4-3, Old Forge (2) 4-1, Paul Robeson (12) 8-3, Phil-Mont Christian (1) 7-1, Portage (6) 5-1, Ridgway (9) 6-0, Saltsburg (6) 8-0, Shanksville-Stonycreek (5) 9-0, Shenandoah Valley (11) 6-1, Southern Fulton (5) 5-1, Sullivan County (4) 8-0, Union-Rimersburg (9) 7-1, Vincentian (7) 6-1, West Shore Christian (3) 6-1.

Intriguing matchups of the week: No. 1 Kennedy Catholic will square off against No. 6 Sewickley Academy Monday night in the Coast-to-Coast Classic at Aliquippa. Some 24 hours later at the same event, Rick Mancino’s Golden Eagles will take on Class AA No. 1 Aliquippa.