City of Basketball Love

Rich Flanagan (@richflanagan33)
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(Ed. Note: This story is part of CoBL’s “Prepping for Preps” series, which will take a look at many of the top high school programs in the region as part of our 2023-24 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed thus far can be found here.)

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Bonner-Prendergast has come storming out of the gates in Billy Cassidy’s first two seasons at the helm. Despite the traditional roster turnover and introduction of new players into different roles, Cassidy and the Friars got off to a 7-0 start before Philadelphia Catholic League play in 2022-23 then last season the team was 7-2 entering the league slate.

Those fast starts equated to two postseason appearances and a state tournament berth. 

The former Friends’ Central standout has found immediate success in his first head coaching gig and even though he will be without two of the top scorers in the league last season, Cassidy may have his deepest crop of players yet.

“The first couple years will always have challenges with different kids leaving and coming in, but I’m super excited with this group I have right now,” Cassidy said. “We have some guys with experience then others who are just itching to get minutes at the varsity level.”

Cassidy will be without a host of versatile guards in Reggie Selden (University of Hartford), Kyree Womack (Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology), Kevin Rucker Jr. (Yavapai College) and Touri “Deuce” Ketner (Millersville). Rucker and Ketner were Second Team All-Catholic and All-State Class 5A selections after combining for 867 points last season. The tandem could score in a variety of ways and the Friars went as they went. For Cassidy, not having them in the lineup for the first time in two seasons presents a daunting yet welcomed challenge.

“They had some successful moments the last two years, and they’ve helped me and the rest of the coaching staff put together the type of program with kids we want to try and help,” Cassidy said. “We want to get our kids to the next level, and they all did an awesome job of setting the example and making sure they were handling their academics to give themselves an opportunity at the next level.”

The void left by Rucker and Ketner leaves the primary leadership role empty and what will make this season particularly special for Bonner-Prendergast (12-13, 4-9 Philadelphia Catholic League) is the player who will be filling that hole didn’t play a single minute last season. 

Devon Nelson transferred in from Upper Merion prior to last season as his family relocated to Drexel Hill and he looked primed to be one of the better impact transfers in the Philadelphia Catholic League. Yet, he was ruled ineligible during a PIAA appeal hearing in December and forced to sit out the season. He never wavered throughout the process and as a result, he went from not playing to dominating with Team Final Black to becoming a college basketball recruit, thus leading to his commitment to Millersville in August.

Cassidy has seen Nelson grow up before his eyes with his maturity in handling a difficult situation like this and now the league is finally going to get to see him play.

“His story is unbelievable when you actually think about it,” Cassidy said. “For him to do what he did in the spring and summer and give himself a chance to play at the next level is pretty amazing. He stuck with it the whole way and never once has he complained about his situation. He’s never said, ‘Why me?’ He dealt with it and now in his senior year, he’s ready for his final ride and we’re expecting huge things from him.”

The 6-3 guard will be one of the focal points of the offense as he looks to return to the player that averaged 10.2 ppg as a sophomore and earned All-Pioneer Athletic Conference Frontier Division First Team. Alongside Nelson will breakout sophomore guard Korey Francis, who earned offers from Bryant and Albany this offseason and is looking to build on a solid freshman campaign.

The 6-3 wing averaged 7.0 ppg, 2.4 rpg and 2.1 apg while shooting 43% from the field. He closed out his first varsity season on a high note, scoring in double figures in all three postseason games including a career-high 20 points against Abington Heights in the state tournament opener. Francis “never seems uncomfortable or sped up. He plays under control and the biggest jump of all is his leadership,” according to Cassidy.

Kam Jackson and Jakeem Carroll should see jumps in both minutes and production as sophomores. Jackson, a 5-10 guard who played in 19 games, “is super-fast and skilled with great instincts and a strong basketball IQ. He’s a tough on-ball defender. Those are all the things he’s going to bring,” as Cassidy notes. Carroll, a 5-11 sophomore guard who appeared in six games, is “the example of an underdog. He’s a tough kid with a chip on his shoulder and not scared of the moment. He wants to be on the floor and make winning plays.”

Ketner was tasked with defending most of the bigger forwards in the league last season, despite playing most of the game on the wing, and with Kenny Gatling having moved on to Friends Select and his brother, Kenjai transferring to DeMatha Catholic (Md.) for football, there are not only spots but, even more so, depth on the interior. Aydin Scott comes over from St. Mark’s (Del.) and the 6-7 junior wing is rangy and, as Cassidy notes, “he can do a bit of everything, especially be a terrific defender and rebounder.”

Ty’sicere Jackson joins the Friars after spending the first three seasons of his career down Lansdowne Avenue at Upper Darby. The 6-6 senior forward scored 13 points against Pope John Paul II last season and “can play the four of the five. “He’s a great athlete and just jumps out of the gym. He can make a catch-and-shoot three. Defensively, he can switch onto guards and protect the rim,” per Cassidy.

Bonner-Prendergast might have its first true big man since Rider forward Tariq Ingraham graduated in 2019. Peyton McClendon arrives from Cheltenham and the 6-8 forward can affect the game with his “shot blocking and rebounding” and while his offense game is evolving, Cassidy emphasized “he’s finding ways to be the first one down the floor and running to the rim while finishing some layups and putbacks.”

Kweli Jackson played JV last season and will get an opportunity to showcase why “he’s probably our best defender,” as Cassidy stated. The 6-5 junior wing has long arms and can get into passing lanes while using that length to bother smaller guards. There is also a freshman Cassidy is high on in 6-3 guard Ramee Davis who should see playing time in year one.

The Friars will open the season against Abraham Lincoln on Dec. 2 then face off against Malvern Prep, Plymouth Whitemarsh, St. Elizabeth (Del.) and Salesianum (Del.) in nonleague play plus play multiple games at St. Pius X (Ga.) in the Coca-Cola Christmas Classic. Cassidy’s team will open the league portion of the schedule with Archbishop Wood on Jan. 3 then Neumann-Goretti three days later.

This should be a telling season for the Friars as a flurry of guards and stockpile of skilled bigs have given Cassidy the deepest team of his tenure and one that has the ability to make another league postseason and state tournament appearance. The question will be how far it goes and the ceiling is a potential run to the Palestra.

“That’s the goal and the plan,” Cassidy said. “This group works really well together and we’re super excited about this group. They’re really smart kids and it makes it very fun for us to not have to worry about any slip-ups anywhere.”