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PIAA 4A: Neumann-Goretti boys run away from Bethlehem Catholic

03/14/2023, 11:15pm EDT
By Corky Blake

Corky Blake (@corkyblake)

POTTSTOWN -- PIAA Class 4A defending boys basketball champion Neumann-Goretti was ripe for an upset in Tuesday night’s second round.

“We were still on the bus in the first half,” Saints coach Carl Arrigale said. “It was a long bus ride, a lot of sleeping on the bus, and then we had a short warm-up, only 15 minutes, before the game. We really didn’t get into the game until the second half.”


Sultan Adewale (above, in February) had 18 points in NG's second-round win over Bethlehem Catholic. (Photo: Mark Jordan/CoBL)

This wasn’t coach-speak one bit.

District 12 champion Neumann-Goretti (24-3) scored 29 points in the first half and then matched that total in the third quarter alone to put away District 11 runner-up Bethlehem Catholic 74-49 at Pottstown’s Earl Strom Gymnasium.

“We weren’t playing with energy, we were missing shots,” said 6-foot-8 senior center Sultan Adewale. “In the second half we played with energy, especially on defense.”

“At halftime, Coach talked to us about some stuff,” added 6-6 junior swingman Amir Williams. “In the second half, we moved the ball more and played harder.”

Bethlehem Catholic (18-9), a much less experienced team than the one that only lost 53-42 to the Saints in last year’s 4A quarterfinals, trailed 10-9 after one quarter. Senior guard Alex Cercado (29 points) hit a running jumper and followed that with a 3-pointer just before the buzzer to give the Golden Hawks hope going into intermission behind at 29-22.

“I think we were 1-for-13 shooting 3s in the first half,” Arrigale said.

So what did the veteran coach do? With his team getting the ball at midcourt to start the second half, Arrigale drew up a play that freed star junior guard Robert Wright III to get an open look at a 3-pointer.

And the four-star Baylor commit delivered with nothing but net. 

“That play’s worked quite a bit for us,” Arrigale said.

Wright went on to register 20 of his game-high 33 points in the second half. Adelwale and Williams backed him with 18 and 10 points, respectively.

Williams’ 3-pointer was part of the Saints’ 17-6 spree to open the third quarter. By the end of the quarter, Neumann-Goretti led 58-37, and the Saints were content to tinker with different defensive and offensive sets in preparation for Friday’s quarterfinal.

They won’t know their opponent until Wednesday night because the game between District 1 champion Bishop Shanahan (10-15) and District 2 champion Scranton Prep (17-9) in Easton was postponed by snow.

Arrigale is hoping to get junior guard Khaafiq Meyers back on the court Friday night. Meyers suffered an ankle injury back in December, played on it through January, aggravated it in the Catholic League championship game and hasn’t played since.

Freshman Stephon Ashley-Wright has stepped into Meyers’ place in the backcourt with Wright III, his older brother, and has shown flashes of brilliance and other times has drawn the attention of his coach.

“If I had a nickel for every time I yelled his name … but he’s such a talented kid,” Arrigale said. “He has some growing to do, but he’s super talented. His defense could be better at times, but he picked it up in the second half.”

Ashley-Wright contributed seven points and was mostly content to find his teammates for easy baskets against Bethlehem Catholic.

He’s also able to lean on those same teammates, many of whom experienced last year’s state championship run.

“We’re definitely more experienced this year,” Adewale said. “That helps so much, especially communicating on defense. 

“We’re more together chemistry-wise,” Williams said.

~~~

BETHLEHEM CATHOLIC (49)

Mullaney 1 0-0 2, Cercado 11 2-4 29, Josh Benka-Coker 3 0-0 6, Brown 1 0-0 2, Drysdale 1 1-2 3, Rompilla 1 0-0 2, Fyrer 0 0-0 0, Roman 0 0-0 0, Holmes 0 0-0 0, Wickenheiser 1 0-0 3, Jared Benka-Coker 0 0-0 0, Jonathan Benka-Coker 0 1-2 1, Carrisquilla 0 1-2 1, Pearsall 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 5-10 49.

NEUMANN-GORETTI (74)

Ashley-Wright 2 3-4 7, Wright III 13 4-6 33, Adewale 7 4-5 18, Williams 4 1-2 10, Smith 1 0-0 2, Guokas 0 0-0 0, Yates 1 0-0 2, James 1 0-0 2, Clark 0 0-0 0, Brighin 0 0-0 0. Totals 29 12-17 74.

Bethlehem Catholic (18-9)   9   |  13  |  15  |  12  ||  49
Neumann Goretti (24-3)      10  |  19  |  29  |  16  ||  74

3-point goals: Cercada 5, Wickenheiser; Wright III 3, Williams.

~~~

Girls 6A
(3-1) Cedar Cliff 39, (1-6) Upper Dublin 26
(7-2) Upper St. Clair 42, (1-4) Pennsbury 31
(1-9) Abington 40, (1-8) Springfield-Delco 35
(12-1) Cardinal O’Hara 42, (1-3) Spring-Ford 39
(12-3) Archbishop Carroll 41, (1-1) Perkiomen Valley 38 (OT)

Boys 5A
(1-1) Radnor 75, (12-3) West Philadelphia 61
(12-2) Archbishop Ryan 59, (1-5) West Chester East 46
(12-1) Imhotep Charter 68, (3-5) Muhlenberg 32

Boys 4A
(3-5) Eastern York 75, (12-2) Overbrook 54
(11-1) Allentown Central Catholic 49, (12-3) Cardinal O’Hara 46
(12-1) Neumann-Goretti 74, (11-2) Bethlehem Catholic 49

Girls 3A
(4-1) Mt. Carmel Area 48, (12-2) West Catholic 38
(3-1) Lancaster Catholic 64, (1-1) New Hope-Solebury 54

Girls 2A
(1-1) Faith Christian 35, (4-1) South Williamsport 28
(1-2) Sacred Heart Acad. 42, (4-2) Line Mountain 40

Boys 1A
(1-1) Chester Charter 56, (4-2) Northumberland Christian 38
(3-1) Linville Hill 50, (12-1) City School 42
(1-2) Phil-Mont Christian 57, (3-5) Mount Calvary Christian 46


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