City of Basketball Love

By Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue)
__

The Philadelphia Public League girls basketball playoffs start Wednesday. The six-round event features 32 teams chasing the coveted league championship with the top 16 teams getting a bye through the first round and the top eight teams getting a bye through the first two rounds.

The semifinals take place at Bobby Morgan Arena on the former University of the Sciences campus on Feb. 21 followed by the championship game at Temple University’s Liacouras Center on Feb. 24.

Audenried knocked off Imhotep Charter for its Public League title last season and the Rockets have been the class of the league once again this season. There are a few other challengers who would like their shot as well.

Here’s a quick break down of what to look for and who to watch in the tournament:

~~~

Audenried is the favorite to repeat in the PPL and follow with an even deeper state postseason run after a first-round win last year. Junior Shayla Smith (24.4 ppg, 10.0 rpg), the reigning Public League MVP, is back alongside even more help this season. Junior guard Senaya Parker (11.2 ppg, 5.7 apg) was one of the top scorers in the state with Samuel Fels last season and has played the role of floor general with more weapons around her. Senior forward Aniyah Howard (11.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg) was the championship game MVP a season ago, and 6-foot-2 freshman forward Nasiaah Russell is a matchup problem.

Freire Charter and Palumbob are two of the other top seeds in the tournament. Freire Charter was in the Final Four a season ago and still has senior Kyla Hargrove, a first team All-Public League selection last season, to lead the charge back. Palumbo grabbed the other top seed after an undefeated run through the ‘B’ division behind the play of 5-8 junior forward Aisha Muibi (20.7 ppg). The Griffins showed they can more than hang with the top squads in the league when they took down Freire Charter earlier this season.

Last year’s runner-up Imhotep Charter, the final No. 1 seed, finished third in the 'A' Division, but the Panthers gave Audenried its only scare in league play in a 62-56 loss Jan. 29. Senior guard Asia Taylor and senior forward Aubrey Wroten-Thomas are two of the vets for the Panthers. There’s plenty of talent in the Imhotep junior class in 6-1 forward Anise Geiger, 5-9 wing Sabria Mann and 5-7 guard Calista Gaymon.

Mastery North is two years removed from a title game appearance against the Panthers, bouncing back from a down year in 2022-23. The Pumas bounced back and now have goals of winning their first first league title since 2020. Mastery North, which beat Imhotep during the regular season, has a balanced offensive attack that includes junior guard Jordyn Searles, senior guard Zaakirah Edwards, senior 5-10 forward Leilany Ayala, senior 5-9 guard Kyjanae Cooper and senior 6-1 center Teniece Harris.

Masterman 5-10 forward Jocelyn Goldstein (25.6 ppg, 8.7 rpg) helped her team to an unbeaten run through the ‘C’ Division but the Dragons dropped their last two regular season contests to Central and Audenried. Central and Northeast round out the rest of the top eight.

Though aren’t too many other programs likely to make a deep run, Dobbins senior guard Elnora Span (25.5 ppg), Parkway Center City sophomore guard/wing Jessica Canty (22.7 ppg), Hardy Williams senior Eva Noel-Studevan (20.4 ppg) and Sayre 6-3 senior forward Brionn Veal-Costonare (19.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg) are some of those who had terrific individual seasons looking to carry their teams to a strong finish.

~~~

First Round
Wed., Feb. 7

Audenried Bracket
No. 5 Franklin Towne vs. No. 8 Sayre
No. 6 Hardy Williams vs. No. 7 School of the Future

Palumbo Bracket
No. 5 West Philadelphia vs. No. 8 Parkway West
No. 6 Science Leadership vs. No. 7 Martin Luther King

Imhotep Bracket
No. 5 Girls High vs. No. 8 Mast II
No. 6 Dobbins Tech vs. No. 7 Belmont Charter

Freire Bracket
No. 5 Kensington vs. No. 8 Southern
No. 6 Prep Charter vs. No. 7 Parkway NW

~~~

Second Round
Fri., Feb. 9

Audenried Bracket
No. 4 Constitution vs. Franklin Towne/Sayre
No. 3 Engineering & Science vs. Hardy Williams/School of the Future

Palumbo Bracket
No. 4 Parkway Center City vs. West Philadelphia/Parkway West
No. 3 Bodine vs. Science Leadership/Martin Luther King

Imhotep Bracket
No. 4 Frankford vs. Girls High/Mast II
No. 3 Phila. Acad. Charter vs. Dobbins/Belmont

Freire Bracket
No. 4 Roxborough vs. Kensington/Southern
No. 3 Lincoln vs. Prep Charter/Parkway NW

`~~~

Third Round
Tues., Feb. 13

Audenried Bracket
No. 1 Audenried vs. TBD
No. 2 Northeast vs. TBD

Palumbo Bracket
No.1 Palumbo vs. TBD
No. 2 Mastery North vs. TBD

Imhotep Bracket
No.1 Imhotep vs. TBD
No. 2 Masterman vs. TBD

Freire Bracket
No. 1 Freire vs. TBD
No. 2 Central vs. TBD

~~~

Quarterfinals
Fri., Feb. 16

~~~

Semifinals
Wed., Feb. 21
At Bobby Morgan Arena

~~~

Championship
Sat., Feb. 24
At Liacouras Center