City of Basketball Love

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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The Central League is up for grabs.

There isn’t anything close to an odds-on favorite in the 12-team league of Montgomery and Delaware County public schools, the conference as wide-open as any of the coaches in the league can remember. Last year’s champs, Radnor, graduated almost the entire rotation; runner-up Lower Merion saw Sam Brown finally depart for Penn along with a big senior class; Upper Darby also graduated its entire lineup from the third-place finishers. 

That should make for a fun year in the Central League, whose teams all play 16-game league slates, making up the majority of their regular seasons. With conference play beginning just a week into the season, it won’t take too long to see if anybody starts to assert themselves, or if it’s going to be one big mess of possibilities heading down the stretch. 

Here’s a look at how we see the Central League breaking down in 2023-24:

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Garnet Valley (18-11, 10-6) has established itself as a regular top-five contender in the Central under head coach Mike Brown, and this year should be no exception. The Jaguars have the league’s best scoring threat — and perhaps its best overall player — in junior wing Jake Sniras, a third-year starter who poured in some big-time scoring performances as a sophomore, as well as hit the game-winning bucket in the Jaguars’ state playoff win. Add in returning senior point guard Quinn O’Hara, and that’s a really strong backcourt. But they’ll need some youth to step up and contribute in a big way.

Conestoga (11-12, 6-10) finished in eighth place last year, but the Pioneers have a good core returning joined by a key newcomer to give them a nice boost. Senior guard Brendan Styer and junior guard Ben Robinson are both returning starters, and the addition of sophomore guard Rowan Miller from Malvern Prep gives them a nice triumvirate in the backcourt. 

Speaking of regular contenders, Lower Merion is always in the mix with Gregg Downer at the helm, now almost midway through his fourth decade on Montgomery Ave. The Aces for the last four years featured Brown, the left-handed sharpshooter now at Penn, but they’re also without Teddy Pendergrass III (doing a post-grad year at the Phelps School), Jordan Meekins and Langston Foster from last year’s rotation. Senior guards Owen McCabe, John Mobley and Adam Herrenkohl plus juniors Carson Kasmer and Gus Wright will have to carry the torch. 

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Dark Horses
Harriton has mostly been an afterthought since joining the Central League in the mid-00s, the smaller of two public schools in Lower Merion constantly in the Aces’ lofty shadow. But after finishing 8-8 in the league last year (13-11 overall), Harriton returns its starting backcourt of Marquis Kubish and Jadyn Gaskins, a thunder-and-lightning type combo, plus 6-4 senior wing Cameron Sullivan from last year’s group. Jesse Rappaport has some length coming up in the program, too. But they’ll have to lean heavily on the above trio offensively.

Marple Newtown (12-13, 7-9) has one of the league’s best guards in junior guard Matt Gardler, who’s the latest in his third-generation Delco hoops family to star on the hardwood. Gardler’s got some returning experience around him in senior guards Steven Tansey and PJ Esposito, plus 6-3 junior Ryan Keating. All of the above were around when Marple won two PIAA 5A state playoff games in 2022, and so they know what it takes to win.

Springfield (Delco.) went 12-12 (10-6) a year ago and returns a good bit of its core, including York College-bound senior Colin Treude. The 6-5 forward has a reliable post game and can step out to knock down a jumper, and he’s a strong two-way rebounder. Senior guard Jake Adams returns to the starting lineup, and remember the name TJ Valletti, as the 6-1 freshman looks like he’ll be a contributor sooner rather than later. 

Penncrest might be a year away, the Lions coming off a 5-17 season (2-14 Central League), just one spot out of last place. But they have one of the league’s most intriguing underclassmen in 6-6 wing forward Mikey Mita, a developing inside-out talent. And head coach Mike Doyle has plenty of hoops acumen, plus the 2017 and 2018 district titles. Keep an eye on sophomore guard Connor Cahill as well. 

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Players to Watch

Garnet Valley’s Jake Sniras is a high-usage, tough shot-maker. His jumper is good from anywhere inside the arc, but he can knock it down from beyond it too. As a senior at Conestoga guard Brendan Styer, who recently committed to Wilkes, brings skill and experience to the Pioneers’ backcourt. He can create his own shot and make plays on both ends of the floor. Sophomore Rowan Miller can bend the defense off-the-dribble, while junior Ben Robinson scores on the perimeter. Marple Newtown junior guard Matt Gardler wins with quickness and feel. He’s difficult to contain or keep track of, leading to paint touches and open threes on offense and him intercepting passes on defense. A two-way standout on the Harriton football team, senior guard Marquis Kubish brings all of that talent to the court too. He's a physical guard who can finish through contact or stop & pop in the mid-range. His classmate, Jadyn Gaskins has the craft to set the table for him or get a bucket on his own. Springfield Delco’s Colin Treude, a York College commit, is a skilled finisher below the rim who can space the floor too. Penncrest’s sophomore big man, Mike Mita, a 6-6 stretch forward, has the talent to be their offensive hub on the block and at the high post.