City of Basketball Love

Michael Bullock (@thebullp_n)
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(Ed. Note: This story is part of CoBL’s “Prepping for Preps” series, which will take a look at many of the top high school programs in the region as part of our 2016-17 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed so far can be found here.)

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Well, here we go again.

Back for the second year, City of Basketball Love is going to take another deep rip at splicing together preseason rankings for each of Pennsylvania’s six classifications.

If that seems like a bigger venture than last season, it is since PIAA has upped the number of classes for the first time in 30-plus years — jumping from four to six.

That’s right, six.

And while we’ll spend today revealing Class 3A — Classes 2A and A were unveiled Monday at various times — check back periodically for the remaining classifications as we crescendo toward the season’s Dec. 9 start.

Should be fun.

Once the first full week of games is played, we’ll be back with weekly updates of our rankings, beginning on Dec. 19 and appearing on Mondays the rest of the way

As for our preseason No. 1, making that call really didn’t require any of those excruciatingly painful mind-bending exercises. Just go with the power program — in this case, Neumann-Goretti — and let everyone else slide in behind.

All the Philadelphia Catholic League hammer has done is hoist three straight PIAA Class AAA championship trophies and six in the last seven years.

Well, it certainly doesn’t hurt that Carl Arrigale’s Saints have a pair of all-state selections returning in Quade Green and Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree, who signed in November with national powers Kentucky and Villanova, respectively.

Addition of big-bodied Marcus Littles from the Academy of the New Church — dependable veterans such as Emil Moody and Mike Milsip and Dymir Montague likely will see their roles increase considerably — just ups the talent level that Arrigale has readily available every time he checks into practice.

Brief glimpses of our preseason top 10s appear below, with PIAA district and last season’s final record displayed in parentheses. Only those schools competing for PIAA state championships are eligible for ranking purposes.

NR — not ranked; OW — others to watch.

CITY OF BASKETBALL LOVE’S PRESEASON STATE-WIDE BOYS’ BASKETBALL RANKINGS — CLASS 3A

1. Neumann-Goretti (12, 27-4)

           Notables: Losing three starters from a high-octane squad that didn’t have much difficulty in winning its third straight state title might cause some programs to go reeling a bit, but don’t expect that to happen at Neumann-Goretti. The 6-1 Green nearly popped a triple-double (25 points/9 rebounds/8 assists) in last March’s state final and the word on Philly’s streets is he’s gotten even better. Cosby-Roundtree encountered foul problems in the state final, yet nearly popped a double-double (9 points/8 boards) in the Saints’ 99-66 win over Mars. Needless to say, there isn’t a program in the state that wouldn’t love to have a pair of all-state players on the floor every night. Watch out for Littles, too, since there’s a number of high-level D-I programs that have already offered.

           Season-opening game: Dec. 10 vs. Constitution.

2. Trinity (3, 21-7)

           Notables: Chasing a fourth straight District 3 championship is one thing at Trinity — and those titles the past three seasons came at the Class AA level — but the talented Shamrocks of Larry Kostelac Jr. appear to have all the pieces needed to make a run at state gold. Whether it’s quality guard play, size and/or experience you’re searching for, these guys have it. While senior 6-3 catalyst Austin Gilbertson (15.5 ppg/5.4 apg) is back for his final season — he’s a two-time all-state pick — so are 6-4 forward Timmy Edwards (15.8 ppg) and 6-3 defensive specialist Marcus Hall. A quality junior group headlined by 6-11 Sean Good (8.6 ppg/8.2 rpg/4.9 bpg) and 6-4 Jack Bucher (7.5 ppg/6.0 rpg) also is in place for Kostelac’s Rocks., who reached the state quarterfinals last season before falling to Mastery Charter North.

           Season-opening game: Dec. 10 vs. York Catholic.

3. Lincoln Park (7, 25-5)

           Notables: While the rapidly spreading perception is that Lincoln Park’s basketball program may take a backward step since three starters graduated from a squad that reached the state semis, Nelly Cummings is determined to prove those many doubters wrong. And the combustible 6-1 Bowling Green recruit, returning for his senior season, is capable of taking apart some teams all by himself. Geez, all he did last season was average 23.3 points per game for Mike Bariski’s high-octane Leopards and land his second all-state nod. So, expect more heroics from a multi-talented player who will enter his senior season with 1,521 career points. Another guy who could pitch in is sophomore guard Keeno Holmes.

           Season-opening game: Dec. 10 vs. Burrell.

4. Valley Forge Military Academy (1, 11-11)

           Notables: On an upward crescendo the past few seasons, Francis Bowe’s rapidly rising program may be ready to take a giant stride forward as the 2016-17 campaign plays out. And much of that well-placed optimism likely is centered around 6-10 junior big man Abraham Deng, a big-time prospect who has drawn the attention of some big-time schools. Deng has some other veterans around him in 5-9 senior Myles Bunyon and 6-8 junior Will Colleran, but there’s a wealth of talent waiting to step into an expanding spotlight — such as 6-4 junior Arion Lewis, 6-9 junior Marius Ntwari and 6-4 sophomore Rye Ahronson. While the rest of the Bicentennial League knows all about these guys and this program, the rest of the state may soon be checking out Bowe’s towering Trojans.

           Season-opening game: Dec. 10 at Morrisville.

5. Steel Valley (7, 17-8)

           Notables: Might take Dale Chapman’s bunch some time to find their footing — especially since a number of Steel Valley’s players will be chasing a PIAA Class AA football title on Saturday morning — but once an Ironmen program that reached the Class AAA state tournament last season slides into a comfortable groove watch out. That’s because 6-6 junior Ja’Mier Fletcher (18 ppg) is back for another season and he’s likely to raise all sorts of havoc on the low blocks while tormenting opposing frontcourts with his interior repertoire. Looking for more? That’s mighty easy since Pittsburgh football recruit Paris Ford, an athletic 6-2 guard, is expected to suit up for the Ironmen. Ford starred at Seton-LaSalle before transferring.

           Season-opening games: Dec. 9-10 at Brentwood Tournament.

6. Mid Valley (2, 21-5)

           Notables: While it looked like Mike Abda’s Spartans were headed for a berth in the PIAA’s Class AA playoffs last season, a Riverside outfit Mid Valley had beaten twice during the regular season claimed the District 2 quarterfinal-round scrap and ended a promising campaign. Well, with a trio of starters returning from that guard-oriented squad — 5-11 senior Brad Kalinowski, 5-8 senior Noah Tanner and 5-9 junior J.J. Glinsky — Abda’s Spartans may be ready to issue some payback. Seniors R.J. Gouldsbury and Brendan Davies also logged valuable minutes a year ago for a Mid Valley side that opened 2015-16 by reeling off 14 consecutive victories.

           Season-opening game: Dec. 9 at Montrose.

7. York Catholic (3, 17-6)

           Notables: Fueled by early exits from the YAIAA’s postseason tournament and the District 3 Class AA playoffs, count Blaine Claiborne’s experienced yet athletic Fighting Irish among those squads definitely hoping to make plenty of noise. With 6-5 senior forward Melik Martin, electric 5-10 junior guard D’Andre Davis and 5-11 senior guard Andrew Forjan spearheading a veteran lineup that also returns 6-3 senior forward Kyle Derowski and 6-1 senior forward Steven Nigro, things could get mighty loud inside cozy Forjan Gymnasium. While 5-11 junior Torrey Thomas, a transfer from York Suburban, is part of what’s expected to be a nine-man rotation that wants to play fast, he could force his way into the starting lineup at some point.

           Season-opening game: Dec. 10 at Trinity.

8. Lancaster Mennonite (3, 13-14)

           Notables: While the final record didn’t turn many heads, a late-surging Mennonite squad that sidelined York Catholic in the District 3-AA quarterfinals and nearly toppled Trinity one round later was so close to reaching the PIAA’s Class AA tournament — only to fall to Upper Dauphin on a buzzer-beating heave. Since a guard-dominated unit returns such stalwarts as Richie Rosas, Carter Hurst, Jon Gillespie and Timmy Stefanofsky, Geoff Groff’s Blazers should be off and running at the start. An interior presence should be part of Mennonite’s mix, too, since 6-3 senior Javan Terry is back after missing all of last season with a knee injury. Isaac Beers, a 6-3 junior transfer from Lampeter-Strasburg, adds needed size and depth.

           Season-opening games: Dec. 9-10 at Gettysburg Tip-Off.

9. Girard (10, 22-5)

           Notables: Hardly the biggest team in its northwestern Pennsylvania neighborhood, Darren Mayes’ Yellowjackets likely will continue to frustrate all sorts of opponents with their ability to control tempo and get after people defensively. Worked quite well last season as Girard locked up a third-place finish in the District 10-AAA playoffs and qualified for states. The ‘Jackets didn’t last long, however, falling to Highlands in a two-point thriller (46-44) despite holding a double-digit lead at one point. One guy with size and plenty of ability is 6-4 senior Marcus Rickard, an all-around player who can stroke it with the best of them yet doesn’t hesitate to get on the floor for 50-50 balls. Since Mayes’ bunch is used to dueling with some of the heavyweights in District 10 and succeeding — Girard played Strong Vincent and Cathedral Prep in its last two 10-AAA outings — that competitive edge should play well going forward.

           Season-opening games: Dec. 9-10 at Lakeview Tip-Off.

10. Central Cambria (6, 12-11)

           Notables: It’s always a mighty big plus having four returning starters at the start of any basketball season and that’s the favorable situation Central Cambria skipper Adam Stephan finds himself in these days. And three of Stephan’s tested veterans — 6-3 senior Evan Bopp (15.2 ppg), 6-5 junior Matt Holsinger (11.3 ppg/11.5 rpg) and 6-0 senior Nate Gillen (10.7 ppg) — averaged 10 points or more for a Red Devils side that bowed out of the District 6-AA playoffs in the opening round. Since Stephan’s starting five also figures to include 5-11 junior Luke Bennett (7.1 ppg), Central’s experience should give the Devils a competitive edge as they wind their way through a perennially testy Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference schedule that features a slew of lengthy road trips.

           Season-opening games: Dec. 9-10 at Central Cambria Tip-Off.

OTHERS TO WATCH: Camp Hill (3, 21-7), Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic (7, 20-9), Dunmore (2, 19-7), Fairview (10, 17-10), Greenville (10, 21-6), Loyalsock (4, 11-12), Notre Dame-Green Pond (6, 14-10), Riverside (2, 12-14), Steel-High (3, 12-10), Titusville (10, 18-5), Wellsboro (4, 17-9), Westmont Hilltop (6, 14-10).