City of Basketball Love

Jerome Taylor (@ThatGuy_Rome)
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DEVON — With the nearest defender several feet away from him, Jacen Holloway elevated for a slam.

The play was supposed to give Devon Prep even more momentum as it began to pull away from Constitution. But midway in the air, Holloway lost his grip, and the dunk attempt went from a potential highlight to a low-light airball. 

But the most important thing about that sequence wasn’t the result but Holloway’s reaction. 

“For him to be able to respond with laughter, realize he makes mistakes, and that's okay, and he'll learn from it,” Devon Prep head coach Jason Fisher said. “I don't know if he does that two years ago. … Little things like that, it's why you coach, to see these guys grow up and become young men.”

That maturity is what’s leading this year’s Tide team. And it’s coming from their two seniors, Holloway and his longtime teammate Lucas Orchard. Both will carry a large share of the responsibility for sustaining the level of success of a Devon Prep team that’s coming off its first state championship in school history. 

Before Tuesday’s game, that 2022 group was presented with their rings for winning the 2022 PIAA Class 3A state championship. A pre-game event like that can understandably throw off a team’s focus, but that wasn’t the case for the Tide. 

“We absolutely were worried how they were gonna come out, if they were gonna come out nervous,” Fisher said. “But there's a couple of really good leaders in [Devon Prep’s locker room], and they made sure that everybody stayed focused, they enjoyed the ring ceremony, and then just got down to business.”

Orchard and Holloway certainly handled their business, combining for 29 points in Tuesday’s 70-55 throttling of Constitution, pushing the Tide to 3-0 on the young season. 

And even though the Tide’s 2022 results were acknowledged on Tuesday, this year’s team understands that it can’t replicate last year’s success. Fisher likens it to the Greek philosopher Heraclitus’ most famous saying: “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river, and he’s not the same man.”

This quote directly applies to this year’s Devon Prep team. Their roster is different; last year’s leading scorer,  IV Pettit, now plays for the Phelps School. The Tide will look for added production from Orchard and Holloway, but junior Ty Mishock will have to step up as well, and sophomores Zane Conlon and Shane Doyle will likely see more prominent roles throughout the season.

Devon Prep has a sign honoring last season's PIAA Class 3A championship team on its campus. (Photo: Jerome Taylor/CoBL)

“I don't know how it really happened. We have six seniors, we have got four juniors, and then three sophomores that are all in the rotation,” Fisher said. “To get them out there playing and figuring out different lineups and things, it's just going to help us when we get to catholic league play.”

And the roles on the team are different too. Orchard and Holloway will not only have to up their offensive production but their leadership skills off the court as well. 

“Just doing the right things, just being mature,” Holloway said about what his new role entails. “We're all growing adults… making sure we're doing the right things and not acting stupid.”

“Definitely working on being a little more vocal with the team,” Orchard added. “Trying to make sure the younger guys are getting the plays, not acting stupid, just trying to continue to lead us on and off the court, hopefully back to another championship.”

On the court, their chemistry shines through, and the two are incredibly synced up, thanks to their time on the AAU circuit (most recently with Fisher on Prim3Tim3) since they were in eighth grade.

And in what could possibly be their last season playing together –  with Holloway off to West Point and Orchard still deciding where he wants to play college ball – they’re trying to make the most out of it. 

“We've been playing together since eighth grade from AAU up all the way now, senior year. So definitely a lot of nostalgia from that,” Orchard said. “Definitely gonna miss it when it's over.”

Devon Prep 70, Constitution  52

By Quarter

Devon Prep: 13  |  20  |  17  |  20  ||  70

Constitution:  11   |  7  |  15  |  22  ||  55

Scoring

Devon Prep: Holloway 17, Orchard 12, Mishock 11, Doyle 9, Costello 6, Regan 3, Conlon 3, Kamara 3, Craft 2, Oakes 1

Constitution: Latimer 23, Speights 14, Henderson 8, Similien 3, Jones 2, Browns-Smalls 2

The Devon Prep boys basketball team was honored with state championship rings before Tuesday's game against Constitution. (Photo: Jerome Taylor/CoBL)