City of Basketball Love

Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue)
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The area’s Division II programs mostly finished up the first part of their schedules on Monday with many not back in action until 2023 or just before the start of the new year. It seems like a good time to check on how the local programs are faring a little more than a third of the way and a little before the halfway point of their seasons:

CACC

Chestnut Hill (5-7, 0-2 CACC)
The Griffins were able to reverse an early four-game losing streak with three straight wins before falling to Adelphi on Sunday for their first loss since Dec. 3. Chestnut Hill’s top four scorers remain the same as last season with Sophomore wing MJ Iraldi (17.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg) was leading the team in scoring again, but he’s missed the last six games. Graduate guard Amir Warrick (14.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg) has missed three games as well. Senior guard Treveon Pitts (Cheltenham) has been the top scorer off the bench, averaging 8.7 ppg and 4.8 rpg.

Georgian Court (6-4, 2-0 CACC)
Head coach Terrence Stewart has quickly turned things around after last season’s 4-22 campaign. Georgian Court’s two conference wins are one shy of the total they had last season, and Stewart’s squad also has a win over Division I Delaware State (75-69 on Dec. 10), the first D1 victory in program history. Junior guard Clint Wright Jr. (16.7 pp) and redshirt-sophomore forward Jamaal Waters (16.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg), a Sacred Heart transfer, lead the way offensively. The Lions have 10 players averaging 15-or-more minutes per game, including senior guard and La Salle College High product Titus Beard (4.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg in nine starts). 

Goldey-Beacom (4-7, 1-1 CACC)
Goldey-Beacom has had people in and out of the lineup throughout the season with 10 different players starting games. Freshman forward Zayon Marsh (18.2 ppg, 8.9 rpg), sophomore guard David Aikens (13.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and sophomore guard Tyshon Judge (11.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg) are averaging double figures. Freshman guard Omari Banks (Phelps School) is one of the top reserves, averaging 7.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg.

Holy Family (7-6, 0-2 CACC)
The Tigers entered Monday’s win over District of Columbia with five losses in their last six. Freshman guard Aamir Hurst (Neumann-Goretti) knocked down a pair of late free throws as part of a 19-point outing in the win. Four locals are the top of Holy Family’s stat leaders in junior guard and MCS product Malik Archer (15.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg), sophomore forward and SCHA product David Robinson Jr. (12.5 ppg, 10.2 rpg), Hurst (11.6 ppg) and senior forward and Conwell-Egan product Eric Esposito (10.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg). Archer missed the last four games, while Esposito missed three games before returning for Monday’s win.

Jefferson (6-5, 2-0 CACC)
Quite possibly the biggest story in local small-college hoops this season is Jimmy Reilly taking over for the legendary Herb Magee. Following a hot stretch earlier in the month, the Rams dropped their last two games — one to nationally-ranked Bentley. Sophomore guard Erik Timko (Methacton), has picked up where he left off last season, averaging 21.4 ppg and 4.1 rpg. Sophomore guard Ahmed Barba-Bey (11.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg), junior forward Antonin Kemkeng (11.2 ppg, 8.5 rpg) and junior guard and Neumann-Goretti product Hakim Byrd (10.5 ppg), who previously had stops at Marist and UMBC, are all in double figures as well. St. Joe’s Prep product Darius Kinnell (7.8 ppg) has been a big piece too in the eight games he’s played.

Wilmington (7-4, 1-1 CACC)
The Wildcats have erased a 1-3 start with six wins in their last seven games, including a three-game win streak. Senior guard Justin Thomas (14.8 ppg), senior guard Randy Rickards (14.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg) and sophomore guard Jordan Jackson (12.7 ppg) lead the team in scoring while junior guard and Archbishop Carroll product Amiri Stewart joins them in double figures at 10.1 ppg.

CIAA

Lincoln (6-8, 1-2 CIAA)

The Lions ended their final game of 2022 with a victory, snapping a six-game skid in the process. Senior guard Korey WIlliams had 28 in the win over Johnson C. Williams. Williams is leading the team at 17.7 ppg and 3.9 rpg and sophomore guard Bakir Cleveland (10.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg) is the only other player averaging double figures. Lincoln goes pretty deep in the rotation. Freshman forward Gabe Harris (Academy of New Church) has seen some limited minutes.

PSAC

Bloomsburg (0-8, 0-4 PSAC)
First-year head coach Chris Bess, who previously served as an assistant for the men’s and women’s program at Edinboro, has had a tough go of things taking over for longtime coach John Sanow, still looking for his first victory as the Huskies’ head man. Senior forward Jake Nelson (West Chester Rustin) leads the team in scoring (12.8 ppg) and rebounding (9.5 rpg). Graduate guard Desmond Freeman (11.9 ppg) is Bloomsburg’s other leading scorer. Junior guard Louie Wild (Roman Catholic) has cooled off after a hot start to the season when he put together two 20-point outings in his first three games but he is still averaging 11.4 ppg.

East Stroudsburg (9-1 overall, 3-1 PSAC)
The Warriors broke into the national rankings for the first time since 2018-19 with their 8-0 start, but they took their first loss on Sunday against Seton Hill on a last-second 3-point shot. Mastery North product Lakeem McAiley (17.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.1 spg) is leading the way in his redshirt-sophomore campaign, and redshirt-senior forward Carlos Pepin (17.4 ppg, 9.7 rpg) is averaging a near double-double. McAiley isn’t the only CoBL-area product chipping in for the Warriors as Rider transfer Jaelen McGlone (Cheltenham), Justin Paz (Bethlehem Catholic), Nasir Griffin (West Catholic), Mike Millsip (Neumann-Goretti) and David Duda (Methacton) are all in the rotation as well.

Kutztown (3-6, 3-1 PSAC)
After an 0-5 start, the Golden Bears have bounced back in conference play with three victories. Their lone loss in their last four games came to Indiana (Pa.), the No. 2-ranked team in the country. Senior guard Welsey Butler, a Reading High grad, is averaging a team-best 17.2 ppg to go along with 4.2 rpg. Senior center and Paul Robeson product Robert Tucker (16.3 ppg, 10.4 rpg) is tied for third in Division II with six double-doubles in night games, breaking a five-game streak on Monday. Senior guard Kyree Generett (12.8 ppg, 4.9 apg) has heated up in conference play with games of 19, 16 and 26 points before a nine-point, 10-assist game on Monday.

Lock Haven (7-2, 3-1 PSAC)
The Bald Eagles look much improved from the squad that went 11-16 last season. They had won five straight games before lopsided loss to Mercyhurst on Monday. Senior guard and Hatboro-Horsham product Jayy Davis is averaging 15.6 ppg and 4.0 rpg while shooting 48.6 percent from the field and 43.2 percent from deep in his first season at Lock Haven. He previously had stints at Northampton Community College and Washington Adventist. Junior guard Eli Washington (11.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg) and senior forward James Price (10.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg) are also in double figures and senior guard Dymir Montague (Neumann-Goretti) is just behind at 8.8 ppg and leading the team in minutes at 30.4 mpg.

Mansfield (2-6, 1-3 PSAC)
The Mountaineers have dropped six of their last seven games, including four straight losses. Sophomore guard Idris Ali (16.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and freshman forward Saraj Ali (10.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg), brothers from Loyalsock High School, are teaming together at the college level. Sophomore forward Scott Woodring (12.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg) is second and scoring and rebounding. A couple of locals, junior guard Gabe Perez (Roman Catholic) and sophomore guard Manir Waller (Abington) round out the starting five.

Millersville (6-4, 3-1 PSAC)
The Marauders had a five-game win streak snapped on Monday against Pittsburgh-Johnstown, their first conference loss of the season. Sophomore forward Drew Stover (Upper Dublin) is leading the team at 10.9 ppg off the bench along with 5.1 rpg. Junior forward Matt Dade (Episcopal Academy) is just behind him at 10.0 ppg and 5.2 rpg after transferring from West Chester. Redshirt-senior forward Justin Nwosu (9.5 ppg) and redshirt-sophomore guard Jahme Ested (8.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg) are the other top scorers as Millsersville has seven averaging 7.9 ppg.

Shippensburg (5-5, 3-1 PSAC)
The Raiders got back on a winning note against Gannon on Monday with a 60-56 win. Senior forward Carlos Carter (17.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg), redshirt-senior wing and Simon Gratz grad Rashon Johnson (16.1 ppg and 5.1 rpg) and graduate forward Dom Sleva (14.2 ppg, 12.3 rpg) are an experienced trio leading the way. Sleva ranks second in Division II in rebounding. Graduate forward Luke Nedrow (7.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg) is a fourth starter back this season and had one of his best games of the season Monday with 12 points and seven boards.

West Chester (6-4, 1-3 PSAC)
Sophomore guard Robert Smith (Bishop McDevitt) appears to be taking another step forward for the Golden Rams, averaging 17.0 ppg after leading the team in scoring as a freshman. Junior guard Kyle McGee (16.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg) and sophomore guard Elijah Allen (12.7 ppg off the bench) are the others averaging double figures for West Chester, which has dropped its last two. Senior guard Dame Wall (Constitution) and freshman guard Anthony Purnell (Cardinal O’Hara/Kiski) round out the rotation.