City of Basketball Love

By: Greg Levinsky (@GregLevinsky)
__

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Standing at the end of the Imhotep Charter bench Jeremiah White, near spit out his water. The senior watched sophomore Zaahir Muhammad-Gray sky for a thunderous fourth-quarter slam, holding his right hand over his mouth in disbelief. 

 White, an uncommitted 6-foot-6 senior forward is the ultimate team player for the Panthers, and helped them to a 58-41 victory over DeMatha Catholic (Maryland) Sunday with all 6 of his points in the first half as part of the Spalding Hoophall Classic at Blake Arena on the Campus of Springfield College. 

“That was his first body, ever,” a still-excited White said postgame. “My role – definitely that energy guy, just being all over the court at all times doing anything I can possible to help my team out. I’m technically the only big-type, but I really just play.” 

The Panthers (10-2) got a game-high 17 points, 9 assists and 3 steals from senior guard Ahmad Nowell. Junior guard Carnell Henderson added 11 points and Muhammad-Gray tossed in 8 points for Imhotep, who had eight players score. 

A four-year varsity player, White missed the second half of his freshman year due to a family COVID-19 situation and an injury kept him from playing a single minute as a sophomore. White began carving out his niche last year and continues to fortify it this season with it on full display at the Hoophall Classic. No matter what Imhotep coach Andre Noble asks White to do, start or come off the bench, play big or on the wing, he always obliges. 

“You know how tough he was out there today?” Imhotep coach Andre Noble asked. “All over the place. Getting us extra possessions. Fighting. Waring. Offensive rebounding.

“Just being a dog.”

White plans on playing college basketball. He picked up his first and only Division I offer, from Fairfield University, in June of 2022. Noble said he’s hearing from Division II and Division III schools and could end up at home in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. 

“My recruitment is definitely still open,” White said. “I have a couple schools looking at me but definitely looking for more.” 

A traditional basketball powerhouse in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia tri-state area, DeMatha Catholic (15-4) roster featured a name to know for Philadelphia hoops fans, Malcolm Thomas. A 6-foot-8 senior forward and three-star recruit committed to Villanova. The springy left-hander showed flashes of what made the Wildcats interested, but went down with a leg injury on a blocket shot midway through the second quarter. He returned to start the second half and finished with a pedestrian 2 points, 4 rebounds and a blocked shot. Sophomore guard Ashton “Ace” Meeks led DeMatha with 12 points. DeMatha scored just 10 total points in the second and fourth quarters, making one field goal apiece in the even frames. 

Imhotep and DeMatha traded buckets early, with neither team led by more than a possession until DeMatha junior Cole Bowser hit a left-wing 3-pointer to make it 14-8 midway through the first quarter. The Panthers responded with a 10-3 run to close the quarter and take the lead, capped by a 3-pointer from sophomore guard RJ Smith ahead of the buzzer. 

Imhotep pulled further ahead behind Nowell. After assisting on four baskets in the opening quarter, found a scoring touch. Nowell, a UConn commit ranked No. 30 in the senior class per 247Sports Composite, hit a 3-pointer and added a trio of driving layups in the second quarter to help the Panthers stretch to an 11-point halftime lead. 

The lead guard for a young team, Nowell embraces his leadership role and plans on taking it with him to UConn. The main lesson? Over-explain rather than expect teammates to know something. 

“If you know something, just say it,” Nowell said. “Stepping into that role, it’s giving them assurance for what they’re thinking by saying it out loud.” 

DeMatha made just one of its 12 field goal attempts in the second quarter, unable to create any momentum with Imhotep’s active defenders cutting off passing lanes. Imhotep stymied DeMatha Catholic in the second half, always leading by at least 8.

Riding a three-game winning streak, Imhotep plays Tuesday at Abraham Lincoln in a Philadelphia Public League ‘A’ game before heading to a tournament in Quincy, Illinois.

White, one of four seniors on the roster, looks to continue setting a strong example for his younger teammates with consistency, toughness and a relentless motor. Imhotep runs sets, not plays. The program’s free-flowing offense fits its White and the rest of its dynamic roster.

“Our play style and how I play, it correlates a lot,” White said. “I’m the person who’s always bouncing around, always finishing and being in the right place at the right time.” 

By Quarter
Imhotep Charter:  18  |   16   |  12  |  12  ||  58
DeMatha Catholic: 17  |  6  |  14  |  4  ||  41

Shooting
Imhotep Charter:  22-52 FG (6-23 3PT), 8-11 FT
DeMatha Catholic: 10-45 FG (2-14 3PT), 19-25 FT

Scoring
Imhotep Charter: Ahmad Nowell 17, Carnell Henderson 11, Zaahir Muhammad-Gray 8, RJ Smith 7, Jeremiah White 6, Zion Green 4, Kody Colson 3, Latief Lorenzano-White 2

DeMatha Catholic: Ashton Meeks 12, Charles Thomas III 6, Jamaal McKnight Jr. 5, Kade Sebastian 4, Jacob Wallace 4, Cole Bowser 3, Malcolm Thomas 2, Danny Abass 2, Derek Daniels 2, Kaden Walton 1