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Prepping for Preps '22-23: Friends' Central (Boys)

10/26/2022, 8:00pm EDT
By Jared Leveson

By Jared Leveson (@jared_leveson)

(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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Friends’ Central head coach Mike Cook knows winning.

As a player for the Phoenix, Cook won two Friends School League championships in 2001 and 2002. 

During his college career, Cook’s teams made three NCAA tournament appearances at the University of Pittsburgh. They also won the 2008 Big East Tournament under head coach Jamie Dixon.


FCS adds 2024 guard Muhsin Muhammad, who was a first team All-FSL selection at Germantown Friends last season. (Photo: Owen McCue/CoBL)

Unlike the rest of his career, winning was hard to come by for Cook’s team during his first season as head coach at FCS. 

The team was young and inexperienced, with only one player who had varsity experience, senior forward Kahami Clark. 

The Phoenix finished with a 7-15 overall record and a 2-6 league mark for a sixth-place finish in the nine-team league. Cook’s youthful squad struggled to finish games and many losses came in the fourth quarter. 

Cook understands learning from those defeats is integral to creating a winning culture, or in FCS’ case, bringing back a winning culture. The Phoenix won FSL titles in 2010 and 2011 and last had a league title-game appearance in 2016.

Cook’s first season at FCS was about teaching, growing, and establishing a culture. However, now with a full year’s experience, Cook and his under-the-radar Phoenix squad are focused on one thing this season — winning. 

“We’re all about wins this season,” Cook said. “I mean if you’re asking me I’ve been winning all my career.” 

“So, I’m expecting to win a championship, or at least be in the Friends League championship, and do the same thing in the states.”

FCS’ expectations for themselves have shifted because of an upperclassmen-laden roster that has some intriguing pieces. 

Collin Bowman, a 6-4 guard, headlines FCS’ senior class. Bowman, who started his high school career at Upper Merion, is a physical player who can shoot, pass with excellent vision, and defend at an elite level. 

“The sky’s the limit with him,” Cook said.

Liam Foley, a 6-5 center, is “one of the toughest guys in the state, if not the country,” according to Cook. Foley’s effort on the glass is unparalleled; his physicality and post-defense set the tone for this Phoenix squad. They will need him to play big against some of the sizable front courts of the FSL.

Joe Green is the other senior that Cook relies heavily on for his play and leadership. The 6-2 guard is spectacular when attacking off the dribble, making him a hard cover for any defender.  

The Phoenix’s junior class is perhaps even more impressive, led by 6-3 guard Fazl Oshodi 6-6 forward Isaac Moore, 5-11 point guard Reid Belcher and 6-4 combo guard/forward Muhsin Muhammad, who transferred from Germantown Friends.

Oshodi turned heads on the AAU circuit this summer and received his first Division I offer from Radford University. Moore is a tremendously gifted and versatile player who can do a little bit of everything. The 2021-2022 FSL honorable mention point guard, Belcher, is the Phoenix’s captain who can shoot, play off the pick and roll, and lockdown opponents on the defensive end. 


Friends Central guard Reid Belcher is one of the top returners for the Phoenix. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

Muhammad, however, has tons to prove this season after last year’s breakout campaign. He averaged 21 points and six rebounds per game at Germantown Friends and earned first team All-FSL first team and all-state honors. The junior, who recently received his first offer from DII West Chester University, plans to take his game to another level. 

“I know I can score the ball, but I’m looking to create more,” he said. “Maybe instead of averaging 21 and six I can average 17, six and four.” 

Transferring to a different school is not an easy task. Still, the FCS squad welcomed Muhammad and quickly brought him into the fold. This is a true testament to the culture that Cook is creating at FCS. 

“We went to Blair and Hun,” Muhammad recalled of playing at the Mid-Atlantic Prep Shoootouts with FCS during the June high school live periods. “Traveling around we just had fun moments in the van. It felt like a family and I didn’t feel like I had to adjust to anybody.” 

“We swing the ball and look for each other. So, it really feels like a family.” 

The Phoenix’s underclassmen also have a chance to play a role this season. Sophomore Nigel Pierman (6-6) provides size, rebounding and shot-blocking potential. Another sophomore, 6-foot guard Gabe Moore, is a knockdown shooter with the length and athleticism to become a lockdown defender. 

FCS’ practices are all about iron-sharpening-iron. When that first practice whistle sounds, the family atmosphere gets replaced with a game-like intensity and fierce competitive spirit. 

“It feels like you never know who is gonna start,” Muhammad said. “And everyone is fighting for the same minutes for the same spot.”

“I love the dynamic. I love how competitive it is and that nothing is given to you. You gotta earn everything.”

With raised expectations, Cook has become tougher on his players, organizing demanding practices and accepting little margin for error. But Cook has stepped up his preparation and coaching style because he grew along with his team last season and expected better things from himself. 

“I also had to grow and take a look in the mirror,” Cook said. 

“When I say it’s time to win now,” he continued. “I also have to step my game up and coach that way.”

“I’m watching more films, opening the floor up a little bit more, but also slowing it down when we have to. I think that’s probably why we lost so many close games.” 

FCS is attempting to break into the FSL’s talented top half after last season’s sixth-place finish. Seth Berger’s Westtown School enters this year as the perennial favorite, with seniors Matt Mayock and Seyphon Tripplett and whole bunch of talented underclassmen.

Academy of the New Church placed second last year in the FSL. But with a young and inexperienced roster, head coach Kevin Givens will have to help grow and develop this year. 

The George School, led by Xavier commit Kachi Nzeh and junior guard Christian Bliss, is gunning for Westtown’s crown after finishing in third place.

In his second year at Shipley, Alvin Williams is looking to improve off a fourth-place finish last season and compete with their talented seniors, guard Darien Grady and wing Will Lange.

The Phoenix also have games scheduled against Springside-Chestnut Hill, Penn Charter, and Phelps School — programs they look to challenge in the PAISAA postseason, where they were the 16-seed and lost to top-seed and eventual champion Westtown in the first round. 

Their schedule is daunting, but Cook wants it that way. He wants premier matchups to get coaches, writers and the FCS community engaged. 

The goal is for FCS to regain its winning pedigree. The means to that end are for his squad to focus on the things they can control like playing physical defense, creating easy offense and competing for every possession for four quarters. 

“If we lose games,” Cook said. “We wanna lose our way, we wanna go down fighting, and let the chips fall where they may.” 

The Phoenix have a talented bunch, and they feel they can beat anybody when playing their game. 

“Just watch out for us this year.” Muhammad said with a smirk. “Keep your eyes open.”


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