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Prepping for Preps '21-22: Friends' Central (Boys)

11/02/2021, 9:00pm EDT
By Rich Flanagan

Rich Flanagan (@richflanagan33)

(Ed. Note: This story is the latest in 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 2021-22 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed can be found here.)

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Every day Mike Cook walks onto the court at Friends’ Central School, he sees his name up on the wall.

He left the program as the all-time leading scorer with over 1,800 career points and helping the Phoenix win two Friends Schools League titles during his time as a player. Back then, he was walking onto the court with the likes of Mustafa Shakur (Arizona) and Jason Polykoff, his predecessor. Now, he’s mentoring the next crop of standout players at Friends’ Central after being hired in May in the hopes of lifting his alma mater back to a place it once was.

For Cook, what he achieved as a stalwart player on City Avenue has transcended into unceasing motivation to find success on the sideline.


Fazl Oshodi (above) and a new-look Friends' Central are under new leadership this season. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

“I want to get the program back to where it used to be,” Cook said. “I experienced that as a player and as a spectator watching Devin Coleman, Amile Jefferson and De’Andre Hunter’s teams. To now be the head of the program and trying to replicate what Jason and [former head coach] Ryan Tozer did is a tremendous honor and I’m not taking that lightly.”

Cook played at East Carolina and Pittsburgh, where he was a member of the 2008 Big East Tournament Champions under head coach Jamie Dixon. Despite tearing the ACL in his left knee as a senior, he turned in an impressive professional career overseas with stops in China, England, Iceland, India and Poland. He’s back in Philadelphia hoping to get Friends’ Central back to its winning ways.

The Phoenix have not won a Friends Schools League title since 2011 when Jefferson — who won a national championship at Duke — roamed the court, but Cook is driven to reach those heights once again as he builds a foundation at his former school. 

Polykoff accumulated a 113-28 record during his first stint as head coach of Friends’ Central (2007-12) before becoming an assistant at the University of Pennsylvania. That stint included two league titles as well as four consecutive Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISAA) crowns. His second stint only lasted two seasons.

The biggest departure from the lineup is Ed Holland III, who finished his career with 961 points. The 6-foot-6 Pa. All-State Non-PIAA First Team selection and Penn commit averaged 25.4 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists as a senior in a shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Friends’ Central (3-2) also lost Ben Satz (Suffolk University), T.J. Lewis (Neumann University) and Basim Horshaw (Drew University), who averaged 15 points, three rebounds and eight assists last season.

Cook’s staff consists of several assistants who were as successful as he was during his high school career. 

Former Clemson and Temple player Devin Coleman, whose name is also written in the Friends’ Central gym under Cook’s on the 1,000-point banner, is on the staff. Vinny Simpson, a former All-Catholic standout at Cardinal Dougherty who played at Hampton before a 10-year overseas stint, and Nick Daggett, who started on Roman Catholic’s 2007 PCL championship squad, are also on board. 

Dixon had a huge influence on Cook’s trajectory into coaching and much of what Dixon instilled in his former player will be part of the ideology Cook will be sharing with his new team.

“The biggest thing is Coach Dixon always complimented me on my composure and poise,” Cook said. “I had a talk with him when I retired from playing overseas and he told me, ‘You have the poise to do it,’ but just have to figure everything else out. Also, being a straight shooter and always acknowledging the positives while also not being scared to challenge people.”


Sophomore guard Reid Belcher (above) is a hard-nosed point guard who transferred in from Harriton. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

Fazl Oshodi will take command at the point guard spot. The 6-3 Roman Catholic transfer played in three games last year for the Cahillites and comes over with a lot to prove as he prepares for his sophomore season.

Already pegged as a premiere defender, Oshodi wants to showcase his all-around game in his first season under Cook.

“He’s been telling me to play 94 feet and pressure the ball the whole game,” Oshodi said. “He’s been pushing me to learn the plays, get teammates involved and create opportunities for everybody else.”

Cook notes that Oshodi “has the opportunity to be one of the best defenders in the city if he decides to do it” and “he’s one of those players that can do multiple things and it will be difficult to take him off the court.” 

Joining Oshodi in the backcourt is Reid Belcher, a 5-11 sophomore who transferred in from Harriton. Cook “trusts when (Belcher) has the ball in his hands” and “offensively, the guys look at him as a leader. He runs the show and puts people in position to be successful.”.

Another good chunk of the Phoenix’s scoring should come from two wings in Collin Bowman and Joe Green. Bowman, a 6-4 junior guard, avg. 15.1 points per game and hit 31 three-pointers for Upper Merion last season. The talented lefty had 26 points against Phoenixville and 19 versus Boyertown. He is “a spot-up shooter who can get to his spots. We have to bring out that confidence in him that he can do it,” according to Cook.

Green is a rangy combo guard who can nail shots from deep and get to the rim at ease. 

“Consistency is his biggest thing this year,” Cook said.”He has the potential to play at the next level but I don’t know what level that is yet. If you’re talking about ability, he has all of the tools but it’s up to us to maximize that.”

The Phoenix will have to count on sophomore forward Isaac Moore (21) to provide a presence inside. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

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Friends’ Central is limited on big men, but Cook will have versatility in 6-6 sophomore forward Isaac Moore, who played on the Philly Pride 15U team with Oshodi, Ryan Williams (Malvern Prep) and Jeremiah White (Imhotep Charter) this summer. He was also a participant in the 2021 Pangos All-American Camp All-East Frosh/Soph Camp in Mt. Laurel (N.J.) in October. 

“We don’t have much size but he’ll be playing out of position,” Cook said.”He’s 6-6 and can pretty much do everything from shooting to putting the ball on the floor. He’s a rim protector when he puts his mind to it.” 

Kahmai Clark, a 6-4 senior forward, will also be an option in the front court.

With a team of brand-new faces and players from last year’s team seeing increased minutes, Oshodi knows he has the responsibility to ensure he and his teammates take off when the season begins on Dec. 1 with a matchup against the Haverford School.

“I want to come in there as a sophomore and be a captain and a leader,” Oshodi said. “Playing point guard means getting my teammates open shots because I know when I drive, I have to hit the open wing or corner when the defense collapses.”

The Phoenix will also play Episcopal Academy and Penn Charter in non-league games. The Friends Schools League will be tougher and deeper than it has been in years past with the Westtown School, George School, Shipley School and Academy of the New Church all vying for the title.

While it has been a decade since Friends’ Central last hoisted a league championship, Cook knows what it takes to win it as a player and he is confident he can do the same as head coach.

“This is probably where I need to improve as a coach because as a player, I always want to play for a championship,” Cook said. “I remember when I got to Friends’ Central, no one expected us to do anything and we made it to the championship game. It’s all about the work you put in. We’re one of the best programs historically in our state and those are the expectations we want to live up to.”


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