City of Basketball Love

Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue)
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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 2022-23 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed thus far can be found here.)

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The Plymouth Whitemarsh program has been a staple of postseason boys basketball in District 1 and the PIAA playoffs during Jim Donofrio’s 25-year tenure.

Though certainly considered one of the area’s powerhouse programs, it’s been a handful years since the Colonials entered a season as true contenders for titles in either tournament.

This season they are putting that tag back on themselves.

PW was on the doorstep of stepping back into that conversation last year. Heading into 2022-23 the Colonials’ mission is to knock that door down.

“You go down to Cheltenham last year, and you’re a game away from being back at Temple,” Donofrio said. “How do you win that game? I know (Qudire Bennett) and (Jaden Colzie) as the two leaders of the team, I know that’s bugging them how to get over that hump.”

The 2017-18 group was the last Colonials squad to make deep postseason runs.

Led by seven-footer Naheem McLeod (Florida State) and plethora of other college-level talent in Ahmin and Ahmad Williams, Ish Horn, Alan Glover and Danny Cooper, that group took an undefeated record into the postseason before falling in the District 1 title game and second round of states.

This year’s team might not have that type of talent level, but the Colonials believe they’re constructed in a way that’s built to contend.

“The expectation is to win a state title, a district title and do it as a team,” Bennett said. “I feel like we have the correct pieces. We got a big, we got a point god and we got everything we need to go far this season. It’s going to be a good season for us.”

Bennett and the aforementioned junior Colzie are the two captains at PW this season. Both in their third year of varsity hoops together, the duo was part of a district opening loss as a No. 3 seed in 2020-21 and then a run to the District 1 6A quarters and the first PIAA berth since 2018 as a No. 22 seed in the district last season.

Those runs and the lessons learned through them have fueled increased expectations this season.

“We were eager to win, we were excited, but I think we kind of folded in the tough moments, especially me,” Colzie said of last season. “Right now me and Q are more experienced. Now, we know when we get in that position I think we’re going to know what we’re doing. We’ll be steady and not be nervous because we’re veteran guys. I think it’s going to be better this year. We’re just going to be ready for it.”

Colzie is a 6-foot-1 point guard who can use his quickness to get to the basket or catch fire from deep. Bennett may be one of the area’s most underappreciated players. A 6-3 guard/wing who plays tough on both ends, he consistently produces and is another player who can get hot in a hurry.

The Colonials have to replace two starters — Marshall Baker and Zende Hubbard — and another good chunk of last season’s playoff rotation in Trey Jones and Taji Hubbard.

However, they have three players back from last season who had to watch during the postseason due to PIAA eligibility rules.

Senior Rodney Willis (a 6-8 big man), senior Jimmy Flowers (6-4 wing) and junior Jahseir Sayles (6-4 wing) are back in full this season for the Colonials. They add some more size and athleticism in Lincoln Sharpe, who didn’t play last season as he focused on baseball.

Junior shooting guard Chase Coleman, who started his career at Archbishop Carroll and played at Keystone Academy in Erie last season, provides another go-to scoring option alongside sharpshooters Bennett and Colzie.

“We’re going for a district title and a state title,” Colzie said. “That’s our expectation. Our expectation this year is mad high. I think we got the correct team to do it.”

PW getting past the District 1 quarterfinals and winning a state playoff game for the first time since 2018 would not be a surprise. The Colonials’ talent is on par with the other District 1-6A contenders. 

Donofrio said in order to achieve their even loftier goals, there has to be a shift mentally from the past several seasons. It’s something he’s seen materialize at times this offseason.

“The idea is not even so much your talent as your mindset,” Donofrio said. “You have to believe you’re as good as anybody around and you can compete with anybody. You gotta compete with everybody around. 

“The last couple years, there’s been a little blink in the eye when all of the sudden you’re playing against the highest of highest levels. Some of it was youth and some of it was understanding how confident you have to be and how tough you have to be and how concentrated you have to be every time the clock is moving on the floor.”

It won’t take long for the Colonials to see if they blink or stare a fearsome foe straight in the eye. They will get an early test of how far or close they are from their ultimate goal during an early-season match up with reigning Class 6A state champion Roman Catholic.

“We’re ready for that Roman game, first game,” Colzie said. “That’s a statement game right there.”

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