City of Basketball Love

By Jeremy Goode
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St. Joseph’s Prep continues to stack wins despite whatever the Philadelphia Catholic League throws at them. 

The Hawks kept their PCL winning streak alive against Neumann-Goretti, improving to 11-0 in the PCL with an 80-70 win over the Saints on Monday.. With the win, combined with a Father Judge loss later in the evening, the Hawks locked up the No. 1 seed in the PCL playoffs.

“Our whole team is committed to winning. We push each other as hard as we can in practice, so the wins are rewarding; no one likes to lose,” Jaron McKie said. “So, I feel like going undefeated in the Catholic League would really change the Prep program for years to come.”

When asked if he was surprised to still be undefeated in the PCL on Feb. 3, given that it’s arguably the most talent-filled year in the league’s history, the word that came to mind was gratitude for St. Joseph’s head coach Jason Harrigan. 

“We’ve been pretty good in this league from the last couple of years,” Harrigan said. “I’m just thankful that the guys have gotten the job done. But I’m not surprised, because we have senior leading guards.”

Those senior leading guards are McKie, Olin Chamberlain Jr. and Jordan Ellerbee. Ellerbee (FGCU) and McKie (Dayton) are both Division I commits and two of the best guards in the region, Chamberlain a three-year starter at point guard who’s getting all sorts of his own collegiate recruitment. Based on their familiarity and experience on what it takes to win in the PCL, the three senior guards are applying everything they have learned during their last chance at a championship. 

All three of the guards can handle, pass, and shoot the basketball at a high rate. When shots may not be falling for one, they get the others involved. It is simply a lot of talent and offensive ability on the court at once, making it hard for defenses to contend. 

The three senior guards have built a bond over the years and are really looking out for each other during their final high school season, according to Chamberlain. They work together and work off of each other. After freshman year, when Prep went just 8-13 (2-11 PCL), the three really clicked, and have built the last few years to be in this moment. 

They saw themselves enjoy a solid season last year, as the Hawks finished 10-4 in the PCL, but lost to Archbishop Ryan in the PCL quarterfinals. As seniors, the trio guards are trying to take everything they have learned and seen in the Philadelphia Catholic League and get to the Palestra for the first time in their careers.

What also might be responsible for the Prep’s 11-0 record in the PCL is their depth. Rounding out the starting five is Mehki Robertson, a bouncy 6-foot-4 sophomore guard who” is as good as it gets for the “fourth option” any high school basketball team. Will Lesovitz, the fifth starter and 6-foot-4 “big” the Prep uses, is able to hold strong down low on defense, while being also able to score inside or by stretching the court and stepping beyond the arc. 

As a freshman, Jaron’s younger brother Julian McKie is able to use his size at 6-foot-5 to add physicality and defense to different Prep units. His solid scoring ability and option to hit shots beyond the arc is a bonus. 

Prep sophomore guard Myles Peterson and senior guard Gavin Pennington offer depth in the backcourt for Chamberlain, Mckie, and Ellerbee.

So, there is a lot to be intrigued with this Prep team this season. 

Like starting off the game against Neumann-Goretti up 23-6 after the first quarter, with Chamberlain knocking down two three-pointers and Lesovitz scoring seven points early on. Jaron McKie took over for the Prep in the second quarter scoring seven points himself. They finished the half with 16 made baskets and held a 39-25 lead. 

The Prep’s offense continued to show its versatility in the Philadelphia Catholic League as all six scorers converted on at least one three-ball. Chamberlain, McKie, and Lesovitz often made backdoor cuts that resulted in easy layups thanks to Ellerbee’s play making ability at the top of the key. 

After a slow six-point first quarter, Neumann-Goretti scored 64 points in the final 24 minutes, out-scorcing its hosts in the second, third and fourth quarters. The Saints stayed in the game until the final few minutes. But St. Joseph’s Prep always had an answer to keep the contest at a 10-to-12-point game for most of the second half. 

With the loss, Neumann-Goretti falls to 10-10 and 5-6 in the PCL, which is good for seventh place. For a historic program, it has been a challenging season for the Saints, who have fallen to high level PCL basketball programs including Father Judge, Roman Catholic, Devon Prep, and now the Prep. 

The Saints’ Alassan N’Dyiaye scored 25 points while making 10 baskets. Junior guard Kody Colson also played well for the Saints, recording 14 points.

“I am glad we fought, and with a couple games left, we will keep plugging away,” Neumann-Goretti head coach Carl Arrigale said. “There are a couple little things here and there that are keeping us from being the team we can be. We don’t get stops early, and then we are in an uphill battle on the road for the rest of the game.”

St. Joseph’s Prep’s defense helped the Hawks separate themselves from Neumann-Goretti early on. Their balanced and consistent scoring also helped the Prep never trail or have their lead shortened by less than nine points. 

Jaron McKie finished with a team high 21 points. Chamberlain contributed 17. Robertson scored 14. Ellerbee had a down game by his standards and still put up 12 points. The Prep rode Lesovitz in the first half with nine as Julian McKie scored eight points off the bench, all in the second half, including two 3-pointers. 

While the Prep has been able to smile after every PCL game so far, their final two games will not come easy. They wrap up their regular season with fifth-place Bonner and then fourth-place Judge. They’ve already beaten the two teams right behind them in the standings, Devon Prep and Roman Catholic. 

So, it will be a challenge to end the regular season perfectly in PCL play. But with this established St. Joseph’s Prep team that nearly rosters double digits in seniors, this could very much be the team to finish 13-0 in league play. 

So far, their methods have worked well. 

“We have a lot of talent but sometimes, we have an off night,” Harrington said. “We have to find different ways to win. Tonight, we scored 80. Against Roman, we only scored 40. So, we have found different ways to win, and it is a testament to the kids.”

By Quarter
Neumann Goretti:   6   |   19   |   21  |   24   ||   70   
St. Joseph’s Prep:  23  |  16   |   19   |  22    ||  80

Shooting:
Neumann Goretti: 25-55 (6-16 3PT), 14-17 FT
St. Joseph’s Prep: 29-61 (11-28 3PT), 11-17 FT

Scoring:
Neumann Goretti: Alassan N’Diaye 25, Kody Colson 14, DeShawn Yayes 11, Keon Long-Mtume 11, Stephon Ashley-Wright 9

St. Joseph’s Prep: Jaron Mckie 21, Olin Chamberlain 16, Mehki Robertson 14, Jordan Ellerbee 12, Will Lesovitz 9, Julian McKie 8