City of Basketball Love

By Joseph Santoliquito (@JSantoliquito)
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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 2023-24 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed thus far can be found here.)

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West Catholic boys basketball coach Miguel Bocachica walks around with a contagious, boundless energy.

He needs it. The sixth-year coach had to overhaul a dormant West Catholic program in 2018.

He came armed with enthusiasm and the intention of turning things around, watching the steady climb up from a 6-17 overall finish (3-11 in the Philadelphia Catholic League) in his first year, to last year’s 20-10 finish, resulting in a District 12 title — the Burrs’ first Philadelphia City Championship since 1953 — and first state title in school history.

That means a new banner that says “2023 PIAA Class 3A State Champions” will join the blue banner that has City Champions: 1949, 1952 and 1953 on it — with the new digits “2023” being added — hanging from the far wall in West Catholic’s bandbox gym

Now comes the fun part — building it up again.

West Catholic lost every starter from last year’s championship team, including stalwarts Adam “Budd” Clark (Merrimack) and Zion Stanford (Temple).

“The expectations remain the same — we want to win basketball games, win the Catholic League, play at the Palestra, just give ourselves an opportunity to win,” said Bocachica, whose team won two-thirds of the trifecta, taking the city and state championships, while losing to Neumann-Goretti 69-56 in last season’s Catholic League semifinals. “My guys rewarded themselves by winning the last game of the season in Hershey, which is always our goal.

“We have no starters back. But we have guys back who have been in the program, and they know our expectations. Our backups played in game-day conditions against our starters every day in practice.”

Bocachica will figure out the rotation as the season progresses. What is certain is that Saaid Lee, a 6-foot-1 junior guard transfer out of MCS, will start and be expected to pick up the role of court leader that Clark held last season.

He will get help from twins Isaac Cole (6-6 junior wing) and Israel Cole (6-5 junior wing), who Bocachica promises will have a breakout season. More experience comes in 6-7 sophomore forward Kingston Wheatley, 6-6 senior wing Tariq Jennings, 6-5 junior wing Isaiah Muhammad and 6-3 junior guard Micah Waters. Freshman 5-10 guard Jayvon Byrd and freshman 6-2 sharpshooter Xavier Fauntroy had their moments throughout the fall as well.

“Defense will be a key for us, we’ve always been a defensive team — being able to guard and guard at a high level, and playing 10 guys at a high level, that will be our strength,” Bocachica said. “I like Israel Cole as our breakout player. He’s ready. I saw that this summer. He opened up a lot of eyes. He’s been about the team, and he plays beautiful basketball. This team wants to create their own identity. The past is the past. Last year will always be remembered, but this is a new year with a new team.”

But who leads?

Bocachica relied heavily on Clark and Stanford a season ago. He would remind them the Burrs were “their team,” run by and governed by them.

“Same with this team,” Bocachica said. “This team wants the trifecta, too. Saaid is a leader. Finding the rest of our leaders may take the rest of the fall. We get to January, we get to February, being in the right space, our leaders will emerge. Our team has multiple leaders. We will empower them to lead. It’s just up to them to lead.”

Lee said he’s ready to steer the West Catholic ship.

“I’m still learning to be a leader,” Lee said. “I do my talking on the court through my actions. I’ll encourage my teammates and encourage them in the right way.

“We’re still forming our chemistry. We have a lot to work on, but this summer we made great strides. We all think the same. We know what we can do. We’re still figuring things out. Once we do, we’re going to be good.”

Wheatley started a few games with the seniors. He knows what it is like to be in the city and state playoffs. He knows what it’s like being in the crucible of the Palestra.

“I’m going to try to keep everyone’s heads up,” he said. “We have to play with a lot of energy every game. The scoring will come. We are going to have to share the ball, because I would not say we have any go-to players right now. Personally, I have to help in the paint, rebounding and blocking shots. I learned from last year’s season to play with energy, that no matter what, I’m running down the floor on offense and defense.”

This will be a step-up year for Israel Cole, who is three minutes younger than Isaac. He played junior varsity last year. He said he has done a lot of growing up in a year’s time and is ready to blossom into a force who wants another state title.

“We need to listen to our coaches and execute, everything will come together,” Israel said. “If we share the ball, be unselfish, we will make each other better. There is pressure with defending a state championship. I watched from the stands last March in Hershey. It wasn’t easy. It took a toll on me. I didn’t get a state championship jacket.

“You have to earn it. I think this team is ready to earn it.”

Bocachica would not want it any other way.

“We need to reach our steps, because everyone on this team can play,” he said. “We can play 10 guys and wear teams out. Everyone is certainly going to play.”

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Joseph Santoliquito is a hall of fame, award-winning sportswriter based in the Philadelphia area who began writing for CoBL in 2021 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter here.