City of Basketball Love

CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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Here’s a look at Tuesday’s second-round games involving local boys teams; (District-Seed) in parenthesis:

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Boys 1A: Lancaster Country Day (3-5) vs. Phil-Mont Christian (1-2) (6 PM, Upper Merion HS)
Phil-Mont Christian, which has played without its best player Kendall Bratten since Jan. 26, got a balanced effort in its opening round 51-41 win over District 3 runner-up Greenwood. Seniors Peter Haviland (14), Luis Torres (13), Gabriel Williams (10) and junior Jameer Zachary (10) were all in double figures in the win. Haviland is a 6-foot deadeye shooter with Torress and Williams both capable of knocking down shots from outside. Zachary is a 5-foot-7 guard. The Falcons also dispatched Greenwood in the first round of states last season before taking down the District 3 fifth seed — then Mount Calvary — on its way to a quarterfinal run. There’s no reason to believe they can’t do the same this season.

Even with leading scorer Chris Dukes out for the postseason due to PIAA transfer rules, Lancaster Country Day dispatched District 11 champ Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg 41-33 in the opening round to improve to 17-9 on the season. The Cougars, under the direction of Jon Shultz, are back in the second round after a first-round exit a season ago. Sophomore 5-10 guard Jordan Ashby is the other top threat, averaging about 15 points per game and hitting more than 50 3-point shots this season. Junior point guard Jeremy Ouilikon, junior big man Ben Sponaugle and sophomore Kane Kirby are the others who have started throughout the season.

Boys 4A: Neumann-Goretti (12-1) vs. Berks Catholic (3-3)  (7:30 PM, Coatesville HS)
It’s Saints vs. Saints at Coatesville, as Philly takes on Reading in a battle of Catholic schools with matching nicknames and similar color schemes. Berks Catholic’s win over Blue Mountain last Friday was something of a breakthrough after first-round losses each of the last two years, but Snip Esterly’s group has a much stiffer test in its second-round opponent. Neumann-Goretti, on the other hand, made it to the state championship game last year and won it all in 2022, the latest in a string of titles for Carl Arrigale. This year’s N-G squad is playing shorthanded, as St. Joe’s-bound point guard Khaafiq Myers is out with a knee injury, so it’s senior forward Larenzo Jerkins (West Chester), sophomore guards Torrey Brooks and DeShawn Yates and senior wing Amir Williams having to carry the load for the Catholic League powerhouse.

BC’s picked up some really nice wins this year, beating Allentown Central Catholic, Cedar Crest, Exeter Township and Reading, all state tournament-quality teams in the 4A-6A classes, so this is a group that’s been battle-tested, and has already passed some tests. These Saints feature the McKoy brothers, senior Joshua McKoy and sophomore Kingston McKoy, both athletic 6-4/6-5 wings who can do a bit of everything on the court — but Kingston is out for the season with an injury; senior guard Parker Nein is a tough shot-maker as well. 

Boys 4A: Allentown CC (11-1) vs. Archbishop Carroll (12-3) (7:30 PM, Norristown HS)
The second half of this Carroll doubleheader pits the Patriots boys against the Vikings in an all-private school battle, which should be a good one in Norristown. Archbishop Carroll (18-8) brings one of the youngest rotations in the state to the table, head coach Francis Bowe without an upperclassman on the roster, but it’s an incredibly talented group. Freshman guard Darrell Davis (5-8) is electric with the ball in his hands, while sophomore Ian Williams (5-9) has the steady presence of a veteran; fellow sophomores Nasir Ralls (6-0), Luca Foster (6-5) and Drew Corrao (6-9) all have Division I futures along with Davis and Williams. Oh yeah, and so does 6-6 freshman wing Munir Grieg. How deep this group can go depends on their ability to weather pressure, but there’s nobody else around with as high a collective ceiling. 

Allentown Central Catholic (21-6) had an easy time in the first round, beating High School of the Future 68-33. The Vikings have some impressive wins under their belt, including Parkland and Pocono Mt. West, the District 11 6A and 5A champs, and a coach who’s closing in on 250 wins in Dennis Csensits. Junior wing Jahrel Vigo is an athletic 6-3 guard who just surpassed the 1,000-point mark, and he’ll be a key focal point for the Carroll defense along with 6-8 senior forward David Fridia, sharpshooting junior guard Lucas Mushrush, and a group of tough senior guards led by the coach’s son, Will Csensits and Tim Spinosa. 

Boys 4A: Overbrook (12-4) vs. Scranton Prep (2-1) (6 PM, Easton MS)
Overbrook secured its third state tournament win in program history by downing Pope John Paul II in overtime on the road. Omar Davis, the 6-3 First Team All-Public League guard, scored 17 of his 24 points in the second half, including eight in the extra period. He hit five three-pointers after halftime to spur the victory and 6-3 senior forward Tahmiere Manning was a handful with 17 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. The Panthers received an unexpected lift from 6-4 junior forward Omar Warring, who had five points, 12 rebounds and four blocks off the bench. Overbrook is now trying to do something it has never done and that’s advance to the state quarterfinals.

Packy Doherty had a monumental night for Scranton Prep in its 79-52 opening-round win over Fleetwood with 40 points. The 5-8 sophomore guard drilled nine three-pointers and managed to put 40 up himself without scoring in the opening quarter. Doherty racked up 13 points in the second quarter then 17 more in the fourth when he hit five shots from deep. The District 2 champions also received 10 points from Ambrose Rossi, Daniel Santaniello chipped in eight points and Brycen Martin made a pair of three-pointers as Cavaliers knocked down 12 on the night.

Boys 4A: Eng. & Sciences (12-2) vs. Danville (4-1) (6 PM, Catasauqua HS)
Sahin Rodriguez had one of his best performances of the season with 15 points as Engineering & Science pulled out a 51-44 win over Pottsville in the first round. Rodriguez and teammate Matthew McField (11 points) were a combined 7-for-8 from the foul line in the fourth quarter with McField sinking all four of his free throws to close out the victory. The win secured the second-ever state tournament win for Engineering & Science and first since 2006. Sophomore 5-7 point guard Fareed Brown is a speedster who’s fun to watch — and productive, earning second team All-Pub honors this season. Senior 6-4 forward Tali Simpkins is another important piece and leader for a team that can toss some length out on the court.

Daniel Walker had a career-high with 24 points, including 12 in the third quarter, and eight rebounds to propel Danville to a 63-50 win over Octorara and the program’s first state win since 2021. The 6-3 forward had his way inside, even scoring six points in two consecutive possessions, as the Ironmen shot an impressive 66.7% from the floor, including 10-for-14 in the third alone. Seniors Hayden Winn (17) and Carter Heath (15) combined for 32 points in the victory.

Boys 5A: Exeter Township (3-5) vs. Imhotep Charter (12-1) (6 PM, Coatesville HS)
Imhotep holds a widely known reputation for the amount of trophies in the case at the school in Northwest Philly — many of them coming from the boys and girls’ basketball teams. Imhotep, led by UConn commit Ahmad Nowell and Albany commit Ma'Kye Taylor also has excellent role players, such as sophomore guard RJ Smith who was the MVP in the PPL championship game. Not to mention, 6-6 senior forward Jeremiah White, and 6-6 sophomore wing Zaahir Muhammad-Gray. Another very well-coached Andre Noble Panthers team holds a record of 25-3 and are back to back defending state champions within the 5a classification. Since 2017, they have won 5 state titles and have always been a tough outing in March. Coming off a nonchalant 64-46 win over Pottstown (1-6) Imhotep will look to continue another state run at Coatesville on Tuesday night.

The Eagles of Exeter Township are faced with a tough task in Imhotep in the first game of a doubleheader at Coatesville, which is a a rematch of last season's PIAA title game. The Eagles lost to Mechanicsburg (21-5) in the 2nd round of the District 3 playoffs. They’re led by Reece Garvin, Jayden Ware, and Alex Kelsey. Ware, the defensive stopper, should get the chance to guard Nowell. Exeter will need another big performance from Garvin who had 26 against Upper Dublin on Friday. 

Boys 5A: Unionville (1-1) vs. Dallas (2-2) (7:30 PM, Liberty HS)
After winning a District 1 title in dominant fashion, the Longhorns kept things rolling in the first round of states with a 56-31 win over Manheim Central. The Longhorns are coached by Chris Cowles, who has his team at a 24-2 record and back-to-back state playoff appearances. Unionville features senior guards James Anderson, Ryan Brown, and Charlie Kammeier, all quality small college propsects. The Longhorns also have rebounding machine in 6-7 forward Nick Diehl, a Tulane baseball commit. You can’t forget about 6-5 sophomore forward James Brenner, who holds offers from Bryant University and Sacred Heart University. Unionville last went to the state quarters in 2020 before that it was 1981.

Dallas coach Mark Belenski has a pair of Class A state titles from his time at Bishop O’Reilly of Kingston, which has since been merged with others to create Holy Redeemer in Wilkes-Barre. He led Dallas (21-7) to the 4A state semis in 2022 and after a first round 71-61 win over West Philadelphia, he and his teams are looking to make similar noise this season. Mikey Cumbo, a 6-foot-2 leaper and a unanimous first-team, all-star choice by Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 coaches, has been a clutch performer down the stretch. Long-range bomber Zach Paczewski and 6-3 post player Nick Williams were second-team choices. Cumbo averages 17 points and is joined in double figures by Paczewski and Williams. Paczewski went 8-for-11 on 3-pointers between the first- and third-quarter buzzers while scoring a career-high 28 points against West Philadelphia. The Mountaineers average six 3-pointers per game with Paczewski leading the way while Cumbo, Jude Nocito and Cameron Faux each hit more than one per game. Nick Farrell, a physical presence underneath at 6-3, 205 pounds, leads a deep bench.

Boys 5A: Archbishop Ryan (12-2) vs. Radnor (1-5) (7 PM, Bensalem HS)
This is a rematch of last year’s state quarterfinal, which Archbishop Ryan won 69-65 in front of a wild crowd at Bensalem, ending the run of what’s likely the best team in Radnor history. That game was in itself a rematch of a Radnor win earlier in the season, Jackson Hicke & Co. getting the better of Thomas Sorber’s group before Sorber led his team to a victory in the rematch. Hicke is off at Princeton now, along with the rest of the Raptors’ impressive 2023 class, and Radnor’s under new direction now in first-year head coach Tim Smallwood, but the Raptors (22-5) are back in the second round of states anyways after a 63-44 win over District 11 champs Pocono Mt. West in the opening round. 

Back from last year’s Radnor run are starting wings Michael Savadove and Henry Pierce, both seniors. Savadove is one of a number of lacrosse players who are donning basketball sneakers for potentially the last time, the future Harvard stick-wielder the key to Radnor’s offensive attack, which is predicated on precision movement by players and the ball alike. Kessy Cox, Elijah Sellers, Sawyer Smith and others join with Savadove and Pierce to form a group full of 6-2 to 6-4 wings who all serve as interchangeable parts. They’ll have to contend with the 6-10, Georgetown-bound Sorber, along with 6-2 Darren Williams (Florida Gulf Coast), but the Raiders (18-9) have even more weapons under Joe Zeglinski. Seniors Jaden Murray (6-6), Rocco Morabito (6-3) and Ryan Everett (6-2) plus sophomore point guard Matt Johnson (5-10) are all big pieces for a group that made it to the PCL championship game.