By David Comer
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NEWTOWN — On Senior Night, it was a junior who stole the show for George School in a convincing 74-59 win over Westtown School that clinched the regular-season Friends Schools League title for the Cougars.
Kasey Fleming, an 11th grader, led all scorers with a career-high 26 points as George School improved to 15-4 overall and 7-0 in league play. The Moose, who were led by 13 points each from senior guard and Temple commit Cam Wallace and senior guard and Binghamton commit Jayden Kelsey, fell to 14-8 overall and 5-2 in the FSL.
Kasey Fleming (above) is having a breakout junior year for George School. (Photo: David Comer/CoBL)
Even though George School did not have a game last night, it didn’t mean Fleming, a 6-foot-3 guard with limitless range who is also fearless taking the ball to the basket, wasn’t in the George School gym. He was there. Until 9:30 p.m. Taking jump shot after take shot after jump shot.
“I shoot, and my dad rebounds for me,” Fleming said.
This has become Fleming’s daily routine. He goes to school and practice and then comes home for dinner. After dinner, it’s back to campus with his father, Justin, who played college basketball at Widener University, to get up shots - usually 100 during the season and 200-300 in the offseason. Then it’s to the Newtown Athletic Club to lift weights.
His hard work was evident last night. He scored 15 points in the first half - fellow junior Peyton Miller added 12 before intermission - as George School took a 32-29 lead into the locker room before an energetic standing-room-only crowd at the George School Fitness & Athletics Center.
“He’s one of the hardest workers I’ve been around,” Cougars coach Ben Luber said. “He’s worked his butt off. He’s gotten stronger and quicker. He’s a better basketball player because he’s worked to become a better basketball player. I’m really proud of him.”
Fleming finished the game with one layup, five 3-pointers and made 9-of-12 from the foul line for his 26 points. Last night’s performance came the game after he scored 22 points in a double-overtime win over Academy of the New Church on Wednesday night.
“He has improved tremendously since last year,” George School assistant coach and former Temple star Mike Vreeswyk said. “The most improvement in Kasey is his confidence. The improvement he’s made this year has been tremendous. He’s as tough as nails. He makes hard cuts, and, as a result, he’s open. He set the tone for us tonight.”
Fleming comes from a basketball family. Not only did his dad play college basketball, but his uncle, Chris Fleming, played professionally in Europe and is currently an assistant coach with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Fleming started his high school career at La Salle College High School and spent two years playing there. But in the summer of 2023 he was looking for a change.
“I was looking at schools and came here on a visit,” Fleming said.
He admits he did not know much about George School’s basketball program or its coaching staff when he showed up that summer day to take a tour. And Luber had no idea a player who started for a Philadelphia Catholic League school was thinking about coming to the George School.
“I didn’t know Kasey from a hole in the wall,” Luber said.
The admissions office called Luber and told him that a basketball player was there to tour the school.
“I ran up the hill to the admissions office,” Luber said. “It’s funny how things work out.”
Fleming enrolled at the George School and reclassified. He started last season as a sophomore and has blossomed as a junior.
Last night was Fleming’s finest performance for the Cougars, and the fact that it helped his team win the regular-season league title isn’t lost on him.
“It means everything,” he said.
That his exceptional performance came on Senior Night made it even more special for him. The team has four seniors. The most heralded, 6-foot-11 Luke Bevilacqua, a Lafayette commit, remained out with a back injury but nonetheless did not stop cheering and encouraging his teammates from the bench.
The other three seniors all contributed to the victory. Luke Melniczak finished with 11 points, and he and his freshman brother, Ryan, made 9-of-10 from the foul line in the final 2:02 of the game to seal the victory. Fellow senior Reeve Sysko made three 3-pointers - all in the second half - and scored nine points. And senior Fallou Diouf swished a key trey from the right wing in the fourth quarter.
“They were all huge,” Luber said. “It was dagger after dagger.”
George School pressed the entire game - and only played seven players.
“We’re in the best shape,” Fleming said. “We know we can wear teams down. We take a lot of pride in our defense.”
Luber said that during the summer when they were without Bevilacqua they decided they may have to play differently and the team made a commitment to get in the best shape they could to be able to press for 32 minutes.
“They are competitive kids and they train to play like this, but you can’t teach the heart that these guys have,” Luber said. “They had a test tonight, and they passed the test. I was proud of them. You could not have scripted this any better.”
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By Quarter
Westtown School: 13 | 16 | 10 | 20 || 59
George School: 10 | 22 | 17 | 25 || 74
Scoring
Westtown School: Jayden Kelsey 13, Cam Wallace 13, Jordan Forsythe 9, Adam Walker 9, Marshall Bailey 6, Jahmara Memphis 6, Wilson Udo 3
George School: Kasey Fleming 26, Peyton Miller 16, Luke Melniczak 11, Ryan Melniczak 9, Reeve Sysko 9, Fallou Diouf 3
Tag(s): Home High School Kasey Fleming Boys HS Friends' Schools (B) George School Westtown School David Comer