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PIAA Class 6A Second-Round Preview: Tough challenges ahead for Philly squads

03/15/2017, 9:30am EDT
By Rich Flanagan

Izaiah Brockington (above) and Archbishop Ryan are going for their second-ever state win, five days after their first. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

Rich Flanagan (@RichFlanagan33)
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Archbishop Ryan had never experienced the atmosphere and expectations that come with playing in the PIAA state playoffs.

Playing not only at a neutral site but in a gym well outside of the Philadelphia area against teams they had no experience playing against made the preparation for the state tournament much more different than getting ready for a Philadelphia Catholic League playoff game.

While they had no background on who they would play, the Raiders also knew the opposition did not know much about them, either. After having a season which began with the first 10-0 start in school history followed by back-to-back trips to the Palestra in the PCL semifinals (also a program first), Archbishop Ryan (21-5) defeated Frankford to make the state playoffs for the first time then also won its first state playoff game in a 77-55 rout of Parkland at Freedom High School in Bethlehem.

In a season of firsts, the Raiders want to continue to add to that list and senior guard Izaiah Brockington (NJIT), who scored 22 points in the opening round victory, feels playing in an unknown environment brings about more possibility for this team.

“The atmosphere definitely changed because every game is at a neutral site and we’ve never played at any of these places. It’s great playing against new teams and it feels like a completely new season for us,” Brockington said. “Even though we didn’t win a PCL title, we still feel like we can leave this season with some hardware.”

Last season, the Raiders fell to Simon Gratz, 60-55 in a play-in game that would have qualified them for the state tournament. This season, they took full advantage of their second chance to make it with their current roster of Brockington (18.4 pgg), versatile 6-foot-7 forward and Bowling Green commit Matiss Kulackovskis (17.7 ppg), senior guard Chris Palantino, who chipped in 12 points vs Parkland, and 6-8 senior forward Fred Taylor (West Chester).

Second-year Joe Zeglinski knows that while the state tournament brings about its own set of challenges, having been through the grind of the PCL helped prepare his team for games of this magnitude.

“That definitely prepares you for the state tournament. The scouting is so well done by the coaches in the [PCL] that it’s nice when you’re able to run some sets and they work a little better when teams haven’t seen you as much,” Zeglinski said. “It’s a grind in the Catholic League and you have to work to score the ball. Sometimes you can surprise some of the teams that haven’t seen some of your sets before.”

The Raiders will take on a gritty Central Dauphin East (17-10) squad, which downed District 1 6A champion Abington in overtime in the first round, 64-63 behind guards Evan Chandler (16 points) and Justin Henry (14). Add in bulky 6-9 forward Brennan Jackson, who added 10 points vs the Ghosts, and the Panthers will challenge the Raiders’ size with their strong perimeter play.

CD East, the No. 6 seed out of District 3, pulled one of the many surprises in the opening round of the 6A Tournament. Roman Catholic, defending PIAA champion from 4A a year ago, Cheltenham, Coatesville and Downingtown West all fell on the first night of the tournament, giving the Raiders perhaps a more favorable path to potentially accomplishing another first.

Brockington knows it won’t be that easy.

“When we found out about [those teams losing] we were excited, at first, because [many people] had those teams picked [higher than] us,” Brockington said. “When we saw those teams go down, it was excitement but we also realized that upsets can happen at any time. Any team can get hot at any given time.”

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Naheem McLeod (above) P-W take on arguably the top team in 6A, Pocono Mountain West on Thursday. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

In other 6A action involving District 1/12 teams on Thursday:

6A: (1-3) Plymouth-Whitemarsh vs. (11-1) Pocono Mt. West
5:00 PM, Santander Arena, Reading
Each game that Pocono Mountain West plays could be the final one for Brad Pensyl and a tremendous group of seniors, as the 28th-year head coach has said he will retire whenever the season’s over. But the Panthers have what it takes to win the next four and earn the school’s first title; it split off from Pocono Mountain HS in 2002, with Pensyl moving with the team after spending 13 seasons as head coach there. Seniors Jalen Vaughns, Isaiah Wiggins and Lance Singh lead the way for the Panthers (23-4), who dispatched Lower Merion 71-57 in the first round. Plymouth-Whitemarsh (24-5) didn’t struggle much against Lebanon in an 80-64 win, getting 15 points from Matt Walker and 13 points from Cheo Houston.

6A: (1-8) Perkiomen Valley vs. (3-3) Reading
8:00 PM, Santander Arena, Reading
Fresh off a win off two-time defending champion Roman Catholic, Perk Valley yet another gauntlet ahead: playing Reading at the 7,100-seat Santander Arena right in the city’s downtown, which is sure to be packed to the brim to see Red Knights star Lonnie Walker in what could be the Miami commit’s final game in town. Walker, a 6-5 wing guard, went for 15 points in a 58-45 opening-round win over North Penn, two behind fellow senior Tyrone Nesby’s team-high 17. The Vikings, as usual, were led by senior guard Justin Jaworski, who had 27 of his team’s 57 in the two-point win over the Cahillites; he picked up his first Division I offer, from American, on Wednesday.

6A: (12-2) Lincoln vs. (3-5) Carlisle
7:30 PM, Garden Spot HS, New Holland
To claim its first ever PIAA state playoff victory, Lincoln needed overtime but escaped Conestoga with a 66-60 victory. Senior Marlon Sharpton led the way with 15 points, junior Khalif Mears added 14 and First Team All-Public League National Division selection Nassir Coleman chipped in seven for the Rail Splitters. Carlisle claimed its third PIAA state victory in two years by downing Coatesville, 64-56. Deshawn Millington posted 21 points and six assists, junior Nikhi Barnes had 14 points, six rebounds and five assists, and senior Nate Barnes just missed a double-double with nine points and 10 boards for the Thundering Herd.


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