City of Basketball Love

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin) &
Michael Bullock (@thebullp_n)
--

It’s time for the final part of the 2016-17 high school basketball season: the state playoffs.

In the new, six-classification PIAA, the only bracket that looks largely familiar from a year ago is the small-school ‘A’ classification, perhaps the only one of six classifications where the favorite heading into the 32-team tournament doesn’t hail from the greater Philadelphia region.

Here’s a look at the Class A bracket:

~~~

More Previews: Class A | Class 2A | Class 3A | Class 4A | Class 5A | Class 6A

~~~

The Favorites
Kennedy Catholic (21-2)
With four substantial pieces still in place from a quality rotation that collared the 2016 PIAA Class A championship, let’s start with a Kennedy Catholic club tucked just inside Pennsylvania’s western border that’s been ranked at the top of CoBL’s Class 1A rankings all season long. Pitt-Johnstown recruit Drew Magestro leads Rick Mancino’s Golden Eagles in scoring at 20.8 ppg, but the 6-2 senior guard also adds 4.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists per outing. Super 6-4 soph Maceo Austin adds even more all-around play, checking in at 19.7 ppg yet also grabbing 7.0 rebounds and dealing 5.2 assists per outing. While Kennedy’s other returning standouts include 6-4 senior Mohamed Konate (9.8 ppg/4.8 rpg) and 5-11 senior Channing Phillips (6.9 ppg/3.9 rpg/2.5 apg), Mancino also plugged a quality big man in 6-7 senior Marcin Wiszomirsky (10.4 ppg/5.8) into the Eagles’ ridiculously talented lineup. If that’s not enough, KC also gets 8.0 ppg from 6-3 senior Clay O’Dell. Kennedy wheeled to its third straight District 10 title last Friday, showing no rust from a 20-day layoff by jumping all over Jamestown 95-22 behind 30 from Magestro and 24 from Austin.

St. John Neumann (25-0)
Back in the state field yet again after capturing a fifth consecutive District 4 title, Neumann’s Golden Knights are one of just three qualifiers (in all classes) still sporting perfect marks. And while Mike Kirby’s club was sidelined in the opening round of last season’s PIAA Class A tourney by Shenandoah Valley — two-time all-state selection Kevin Anderson was injured in the first half of that loss and did not return — Anderson and his teammates appear poised for a deep run after belting Millville 60-31 in Thursday’s final. Other key personnel for the Williamsport-based Knights — Anderson is the lone senior — include sophomore Jaiden Cioffi and juniors Jaiden Lynch and Andrew Fish. For those among the minutiae-gathering crowd, Neumann has won its last 89 regular-season outings.

Elk County Catholic (26-0)
Parlaying a quick start into a second consecutive District 9 championship, Aaron Straub’s balanced Crusaders spent Saturday trimming Johnsonburg 62-44. Straub’s bunch was up 21-6 after one quarter and 37-18 at the break. ECC will head into state play lugging a perfect mark — the Crusaders last season reached the second round before falling to Farrell — and with designs on a deep run. Gabe Kraus and Nate DaCanal shared 33 points in Saturday’s final, with the 6-2 DaCanal adding seven boards and four assists. Dan Stauffer and Logan Hoffman added seven points apiece as ECC won for the 24th time in 26 outings by 10 points or more.

Monessen (18-7)
Reclaiming the WPIAL title after tumbling in last season’s semifinals, Joe Salvino’s explosive Greyhounds popped Imani Christian 74-59 in Thursday’s title game behind 30 points from 6-2 senior Justice Rice. Monessen, which averages nearly 80 points per outings, also picked up 17 points from 6-2 senior Jaden Altomore, 13 from 6-5 sophomore Lyndon Henderson and 10 points from 5-10 sophomore Vaughn Taylor. Senior Jaron Youngblood also is key performer for Salvino’s ‘Hounds, who were ousted in last year’s opening round by Farrell.

Dark Horses
York Country Day (19-4)
Packing all sorts of explosiveness and athleticism into a combustible mix, don’t overlook a YCD outfit that captured its second straight District 3 championship with an impressive 85-58 triumph over Lancaster County Christian. Jordan Ray, a 6-3 senior who will play football at FCS entry Hampton, uncorked a 39-point performance highlighted by seven treys. The Greyhounds also picked up 29 points from 6-0 senior DeAireus Brown and 13 more from 6-4 sophomore Jalen Gorham while pulling away from the Lions. While the Greyhounds aren’t all that deep — 5-8 junior D.J. Hamilton, 6-3 senior Greg Gladfelter and 6-3 junior Luke Greisler are the others in YCDs’ rotation — interim skipper Chris Charleston has them playing at a high level that’s extremely entertaining for those watching from the bleachers.

Girard College (20-8)
For the first time since winning the Class A championship game in 2009 behind eventual Division I guard John Johnson, Girard College is back in the state playoffs. And head coach Clyde Jones has one of the best players in the classification at his disposal in freshman Mikeal Jones, a 6-8 forward averaging 21.9 ppg and 8.7 rpg for the Cavaliers. Jones and junior Daquan Copeland (19.9 ppg) do the majority of the heavy lifting for Girard College, which has two freshmen (Jones, Aquil Stewart) and two sophomores (Brandon Smith, Kasim Toliver) in its six-man rotation. Girard tested itself early, taking losses to the likes of Archbishop Ryan, Math Civics & Sciences and Perkiomen Valley; now we’ll see if those early battles paid off for a team that’s still very much unproven against top-level talent.

Faith Christian (24-4)
While Tony DaCosta’s Lions have enjoyed a terrific season thus far, they just might be fed up with finishing second. That happened in the Bicentennial Athletic League’s postseason tourney, when Faith lost to Class 3A hammer Valley Forge in the championship game. And it happened again Saturday in the District 1 Class 1A final, when DaCosta’s bunch fell to Girard College. So, the Lions will be on the rebound when they open state play against another district runner-up in Lancaster County Christian. Zeke Snowden, a 6-5 senior who pocketed 13 points against Girard Colllege, will be one player to keep an eye on. Other standouts for a balanced Lions group that plays a lot of people include 6-4 senior Miki Vitek, 6-2 junior Charles Ervin and 6-3 junior Landon Coyle.

Saltsburg (24-1)
While it might be difficult to imagine a 24-1 club entering state play as a dark horse — and it is — Don Stitt’s Trojans have been plugging away in Indiana County and dominating just about everyone they run into. The one game Saltsburg lost to Ligonier Valley, Stitt’s Trojans avenged twice en route to a Heritage Conference championship. Saltsburg utilized a similar formula in winning its first District 6 title since 2003 last week, pulling away from a determined Williamsburg side in the final 12 minutes to claim a 64-45 triumph. Flush with experience, 6-0 senior Nick Porter (21.6 ppg), 6-2 senior Frank Plowman (13.4 ppg) and 6-0 senior Dan Shirley (12.2 ppg/8.2 rpg) are the Trojans’ top three scorers. Offensive output will come from other sources, too, as 6-6 junior Jake Roman (8.7 ppg/8.8 rpg), 6-1 senior Jordan Booth (7.0 ppg), 5-11 junior DeShawn Wofford (4.7 ppg) and 5-10 senior Skylar Sphon (3.2 ppg) are capable finishers. Has a difficult draw in the opening round against Vincentian (19-5), but the game will be played at Central Cambria High School in Ebensburg, where Saltsburg claimed its D-6 semi.

Shanksville-Stonycreek (24-1)
Winners of 23 consecutive contests, Robert Snyder’s defensive-minded Vikings are bouncing into state play after downing Southern Fulton in Saturday’s District 5 final 41-38. Fitting result since S-S went into the 5-1A final yielding 40 or so points per outing. Led by the backcourt trio of 5-10 senior Aaron Smith, 5-10 senior Jesse Bittner and 6-0 sophomore Dawson Snyder — Snyder, the coach’s son, bagged three freebies with 1.8 seconds to play in the district final — the Vikings don’t possess a great deal of size yet that has not been a hindrance thus far as all these guys do is win and win some more. Snyder scored 12 points in the win over Southern Fulton, while Smith checked in with 11 and Bittner added six.

Players to Watch
Kevin Anderson, St. John Neumann
Two-time all-state selection might be headed for a third after leading Golden Knights to fourth consecutive District 4 title and fourth straight unbeaten regular season. Headed for Delaware, the 6-3 Anderson popped fourth triple-double in District 4 final, scoring 16 points while grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out 10 assists.

DeAireus Brown, York Country Day
Returning all-state selection has had another terrific season for the Greyhounds, playing significant role as YCD captured second straight District 3 championship. Scored 29 points in the final, an 85-58 triumph over Lancaster County Christian, and capable of collecting numbers such as that each and every time he steps on the floor.

Justice Rice, Monessen
Talented 6-2 senior was determined to collar WPIAL championship, as the returning all-stater scored 38 points in the semifinal round before netting in Monessen’s 74-59 win over Imani Christian in championship game. Averaging 19 points per contest.

Kenny Robinson, Imani Christian
Although he’s ticketed for West Virginia on a football scholarship, the 6-2, 200-pound Robinson has spent the winter flashing his basketball skills for an Imani Christian bunch that will make its first appearance in a PIAA tournament Friday when the Saints meet Juniata Valley. While the talented senior, who averages 25 ppg, collected 21 points in a 74-59 loss to Monessen, he’d piled up 71 points in the three victories that earned Imani a title shot.

Thomas Schultz, Lourdes Regional
While the 6-5 wing may just be a sophomore, he’s already pocketed more than 1,000 career points during his two seasons in the Shamokin-area program, including 22 more late last week as first-year coach James Sandri’s Red Raiders smacked Sullivan County 74-43 to claim District 4’s third-place game and earn a state invite. A talented baseball player as well, Schultz already has committed to play at Vanderbilt.

~~~

First-Round Schedule (District-Seed in Parentheses; all games 3/10)

(3-1) York Country Day vs. (1-3) Jenkintown -- West York HS, 6:00 PM
(4-2) Millville vs. (11-3) Notre Dame ES -- Shamokin Area HS, 6:00 PM

(11-2) Natavity BVM vs. (4-3) Lourdes Regional -- Martz Hall, 6:00 PM
(1-1) Girard College vs. (3-4) West Shore Christian -- Bensalem HS, 8:30 PM

(11-1) Lincoln Leadership vs. (3-6) Lancaster Country Day -- Freedom HS, 6:30 PM
(4-1) St. John Neumann vs. (3-3) Mount Calvary -- Milton Area HS, 6:00 PM

(3-2) Lancaster County Christian vs. (1-2) Faith Christian -- Garden Spot, 6:30 PM
(12-1) Sankofa Freedom vs. (3-5) High Point -- Father Judge, 7:30 PM

(7-1) Monessen vs. (9-4) North Clarion -- Peters Twp. HS, 7:30 PM
(5-1) Shanksville vs. (7-3) Union -- Pitt-Johnstown, 7:30 PM

(9-2) Johnsonburg vs. (10-2) Jamestown -- Clarion, 6:30 PM
(6-1) Saltsburg vs. (7-4) Vincentian -- Central Cambria HS, 7:00 PM

(9-1) Elk County Catholic vs. (7-5) Eden -- Clarion, 8 PM
(6-2) Williamsburg vs. (6-2) Southern Fulton -- Hollidaysburg Area HS, 7:30 PM

(7-2) Imani vs. (6-3) Juniata Valley -- Northgate HS, 7:30 PM
(10-1) Kennedy Catholic vs. (9-3) Otto-Eldred -- Sharon, 6:00 PM