City of Basketball Love

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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As we’re at the midway point of the 2023-24 season, it’s time to take a look around the local college scene and see how things are going.

Here’s a look at the men’s and women’s programs at the five Division II schools in Southeastern Pennsylvania:

Women’s
Chestnut Hill
The Griffins have perfectly alternated wins and losses in their first 10 games under new head coach Reggie Daniels, putting them at 5-5 (1-1 CACC) thus far; three of the six losses have come by three points or fewer, including a 57-51 loss at home to Jefferson on Dec. 2. It’s a group that’s learning how to play together still, with a bunch of new faces and others in featured roles for the first time. Bonner-Prendergast product and Siena transfer Bridie McCann is averaging a team-high 15.1 ppg while hitting 43.1% from 3-point range; junior center Emily Sekerak (11.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and sophomore point guard Avery White (10.3 ppg, 4.4 apg) are both in double figures. 

Holy Family
The Tigers are perhaps the story of the area’s small-college landscape thus far — we haven’t gotten to them yet, but that’ll change this weekend. Now 11-1 (2-0 CACC) after beating No. 8/14 Bentley 53-43 on the road on Dec. 18, Bernadette Laukaitis’ group is absolutely rocking and rolling, having won 11 straight after a season-opening loss to Franklin Pierce. Laukaitis has 10 in her rotation averaging double-digit minutes, led by sophomores Taylor Hinkle (11.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg) and Skyler Searfoss (10.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg), with quality contributions from a host of others: Caly Bolivar (7.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg), Carolyn Prevost (7.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg), Ava Morrow (6.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg), and more.

Jefferson
The Rams have had three weeks to think about what happened on Dec. 9, when Bloomsburg came to Philly and won 107-97 in three overtimes, dealing Jefferson its first loss of the season in its 10th game. Tom Shirley’s squad might not be built for regular 55-minute contests, but his top group is terrific, led by senior Haley Meinel (16.3 ppg), junior Sam Yencha (15.9 ppg, 11.6 rpg) and junior Cassie Murphy (14.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg); the 5-11 Yencha has been putting up some crazy numbers, including a 20-point, 24-rebound effort against Bloomsburg. If this squad has a weakness, it’s behind the 3-point arc (28.9%), but they’re so good at moving the ball and finding good looks around the rim it hasn’t much mattered.

Lincoln
A loss to Livingston College on Dec. 18 snapped a four-game winning streak for Lincoln (7-4, 3-1 CIAA), which has a Dec. 31 date at Holy Family before resuming league play in January. Head coach Janice Washington has maintained the program momentum she took over in 2021-22, has had one significant roster turnover (due to graduation) after her first year and is now building on a core she largely returns from last season’s 19-win campaign. Junior guard Ciani Montgomery (West Catholic) is the team’s leading scorer at 11.7 ppg and 4.2 rpg, while five others average between 5.4 and 10.4 ppg. The Lions are forcing more than 21 turnovers per game and turning those into 20 points per game the other way.

West Chester
WCU had won seven of its first eight games, rising up to the top 10 in the D-II polls, but hit a little resistance before the break, dropping road games at Mercyhurst and Gannon to leave the Rams at 7-3 (2-2 PSAC) coming out of the break. Senior point guard Leah Johnson (15.1 ppg, 4.7 apg, 2.0 spg) leads the attack at both ends, but D-I tranfers Emily McAteer (14.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg) and Michelle Kozicki (11.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg) have been all-league quality as well. They’re dominating the glass, winning the rebound battle by an average of 7.5 rpg, and are shooting more than 51% on 2-point attempts.

Men’s
Chestnut Hill
Andrew Radomicki has had some frustrations in his first season as head coach, with five losses by 10 points or less as his Griffins have come out of the gate 1-10. But the one win is a good one to hang his hat on, a 70-59 win against archrival Jefferson on Dec. 2, getting 20 points from Noah Charles and 19 from IV Pettit. Sophomore forward Adam Angwafo (12.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg) has been their leading scorer, with Charles (12.0 ppg) and Pettit (10.5 ppg) behind him. A big differentiator has been the 3-point arc; CHC is 29.7% overall from deep (65-of-219) while opponents are 38.8% (87-of-224).

Holy Family
The Tigers are 4-7 (1-1 CACC), having alternated wins and losses in their last seven games, but play five of their next six at home in a good stretch to get going. They haven’t all played in all 11 games, but Ryan Haigh has six guys averaging between 10.3 and 12.1 ppg, with a bunch of new faces joining holdovers like Aamir Hurst (11.4 ppg) and Tazir Cantey (11.5 ppg) to give them some real offensive pop; as a team, they’re shooting 45.4% overall and 38.3% from deep, but are getting out-rebounded by six rebounds per game and have more team turnovers than assists.

Jefferson
The Rams have won four of their last five games, beating an NE-10 program (St. Anselm) at home 110-82 on Dec. 16 with six players in double figures as they shot 64.2% (43-of-67) overall and 14-of-28 (50%) from 3-point range in the win. CACC Player of the Year candidate Erik Timko (19.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg) continues to lead them in scoring, with junior wing Ahmed Barba-Bey (15.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and senior forward Antonin Kemkeng (14.1 ppg, 8.9 rpg) right behind. They’ve had a few players go through injuries, but when healthy Jimmy Reilly has the pieces to be playing into March.

Lincoln
It’s been a busy first couple months of the season for Lincoln, which at 7-7 (3-1) has played more games than any other around, its non-league games entirely out of the way. Sophomore guard Freddie Young Jr., junior guard Bakir Cleveland, junior guard Reggie Hudson and junior forward Peter Sorber are all in double figures for head coach Jason Armstrong, whose squad is forcing more than 17 turnovers per game (+3.0 margin). Difficult stretch upcoming with five of the next six on the road, the downside of having played three of their four previous league games at home.

West Chester
A five-game win streak got interrupted before the break by Gannon, who overcame an otherwise-strong WCU defense to put 114 points on the Rams. West Chester’s now 6-4 (3-1 PSAC) with only league games ahead, and they’re getting back to full health now that Robert ‘Man Man’ Smith (13.9 ppg) is back in the rotation. Junior guard Elijah Allen (18.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg) leads four in double figures, including junior forward Joshua Walker (12.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and 6-5 grad student Jordan Kellier (10.7 ppg, 9.5 rpg), a Siena transfer who also played at Utah and in the JUCO ranks.