City of Basketball Love

By Jared Leveson (@jared_leveson)
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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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Upper Darby finished last season with a 7-14 overall record, went 5-11 in Central League play, and finished in ninth place. 

It was a less than ideal 2021-2022 season.

The team added three new players last year, but their chemistry development and offseason workouts got hampered due to COVID-19 restrictions. The result was a roller-coaster-type year with big wins, disappointing losses, and “a lot of learning pains,” according to head coach Bob Miller.  

However, the 14-year head coach and his players believe this season will be different. The Royals had an uninterrupted offseason where their hardworking, talented and deep roster has grown together as teammates and friends. 

“With two years of Covid,” Miller said. “We weren’t able to get into our gym and get a lot of work.” 

“These kids have been in the gym non-stop. [Our] shooting has been so much better because of it, and we have done so much conditioning this preseason.”

Upper Darby senior Nadir Meyers, right, will be one of the team leaders this season. (Photo: Jack Verdeur/CoBL)

Upper Darby’s two remaining starters, seniors Nadir Myers and Niymire Brown, are leading the turnaround effort. 

Myers, the team’s point guard who averaged 25 points per game last season, is a quick-footed and dynamic player with an impeccable basketball IQ. Brown is a physically imposing big man with guard skills. 

“He can score at the block, he can score from fifteen, and he can score from three,” Miller said of Brown.

Myers spent his offseason improving ways he could get his teammates more involved and make more shots. Brown has looked to strengthen his left hand and make that one-more pass, which could be the difference in a successful or empty scoring possession.   

Aside from skill development, Miller’s message to his team this year is to play together. Myers and Brown heeded their coach’s message and spearheaded the team’s cohesion on and off the court. 

“We weren’t all together as friends off the basketball court, we were just playing basketball, we weren’t together,” Myers said of last season. “I think this year we got more chemistry, we’ve been working all off season, and getting to know each other, and everyone is better friends and basketball players.” 

Upper Darby senior Shaun Cain will be an important piece for the Royals this season. (Photo: Jack Verdeur/CoBL)

Brown echoed similar sentiments.

“I’ve been working on trying to get my chemistry right and better with my team so we can be better during the regular season,” he said.  

The senior stretch forward understands how critical team chemistry is to winning. Brown transferred to Upper Darby from the Public League’s Sayre High School last year and had to sit out of games until mid-January. The team did not see much improvement until the end of the season when Brown had more minutes on the floor to gel with his new teammates. 

“They accepted me as one of them and I really appreciate them for bringing me in,” Brown said. 

Myers first met Brown in their first-period class at the beginning of the last school year. 

“I saw how big he was, so I asked him if he was gonna play for the team,” Myers remembered. “And after that, he came to a workout, and we’ve been cool after that ever since.” 

The two seniors have also embraced their newfound leadership roles. 

“I say last year I was a more quiet leader on the floor,” Myers said. “I wasn’t talking, but this year since I’m a senior and we have some young guys, I’m trying to talk more and get everyone involved.”

“I like to lead the charge for everybody,” Brown added. “I want everyone to know they have someone they can depend on and that I’m there for them.”

Miller is enthusiastic about returning starters but is even more excited about his roster’s depth this season. Depth has been a hard luxury to come by during his tenure at Upper Darby. 

“We have so much depth, and that’s gonna be the secret to us this year, I think we go about 8-9 deep,” Miller said. 

Upper Darby's Lovo Mulbah dribbles the ball during a game at the West Chester Big 64 this offseason. (Photo: Jack Verdeur/CoBL)

Returning varsity seniors Khysir Slaughter and Demetrois Taylor will add defensive toughness, speed and physicality. Senior Ash Bamisaye looks to provide some size for the Royals. Crishaun “Shaun” Cain, another senior, is primed for an impactful season on the defensive end and will provide a knockdown three-point shot and leadership. 

Other pieces include sophomores Ziggy Parks and Alex Brown. Parks had a promising junior varsity campaign last season and is someone that Miller believes will contribute immediately. Brown played junior varsity as a freshman and improved enough this offseason to make the varsity jump. 

“He’s going to become a handful for teams down the road,” Miller said of Brown. 

So far, the Royals’ turnaround has played out well. They went 4-0 this fall at the West Chester Big 64, defeating William Penn (Del.), Cherokee (N.J.), Council Rock North, and Rocktop Academy. But the real test will come during the regular season when play begins in the Central League.

Last year’s top three teams are looking for another big season. Radnor is led by Princeton commit Jackson Hicke, 6’7” St. Joe’s Prep transfer Jackson Gaffney, and point guard Danny Rosenblum. Lower Merion, which features Penn commit Sam Brown and senior Teddy Pendergrass III, will again be a strong side. Lastly, Haverford High has a recent Catholic University commit, Googie Seidman, returning for his senior year. 

“The Central League is gonna be brutally tough like always,” Miller said. “I think it’s the best coached league in the area. So every single night you got to compete.” 

Lower Merion is one matchup that Myers has circled on his calendar. “They beat us two times in a row, one at home and one away, and they blew us out.” Myers said. “We feel that we can beat them.” 

On the other hand, Miller is not focused on beating one team or another. “I think the biggest expectation is that we’re more consistent, where we would play one really good game and then awful the next game,” he continued. “So our expectation is that obviously we wanna win every game we play, but to be more consistent with our effort.” 

Miller believes that if their deep roster can play consistently, they can start playing a good brand of Upper Darby basketball. “Upper Darby used to be known for good, hard, sound, pressure defense that just wears teams out,” Miller resumed. “We gotta get back to that.”