City of Basketball Love

Andrew Robinson (@ADRobinson3)
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Year after year, the Philadelphia Catholic League playoffs deliver.

The past few years have seen some spectacular championship games on the girls’ side, with Archbishop Wood outlasting Archbishop Carroll in a two-overtime slugfest last year at The Palestra. This year, the top part of the league proved plenty competitive once again and while top seed Neumann-Goretti and defending champion Wood in the No. 2 slot seem like favorites, there’s a lot of championship experience on the top five rosters.

Thursday’s quarterfinals will be held at the higher seeds, a last home game the reward for finishing in the top four of the league table. The boys’ quarterfinals were also moved up a day, now set for Thursday instead of Friday, in advance of the Eagles’ Super Bowl parade on Friday and closure of all city schools for the celebration.

The winners will take to a new venue for a Presidents’ Day semifinal doubleheader. After two years at St. Joe’s University City campus (also the former USciences), the PCL girls’ final four is moving to the Main Line as Villanova’s Finneran Pavilion will play host to both games on Monday Feb. 17.

The championship is still at the Palestra, it’s just on a different day. This year, the PCL finals will take place on Sunday, Feb. 23 with the girls playing at noon and the boys’ contest to follow after.

Here’s a rundown on all four quarterfinals on tap for a suddenly busy Thursday night in the PCL.

1) Neumann-Goretti vs 8) Conwell-Egan

The Saints have been the class of the league since opening night, their 51-50 win over Cardinal O’Hara on Dec. 19 opening a lot of eyes and an 80-53 win over defending champion Archbishop Wood on Jan. 31 serving as a statement. It’s not like Andrea Peterson’s group came out of nowhere, but following a surprising quarterfinal round exit in last year’s playoffs, Neumann-Goretti has played with plenty of purpose this season. While they’re motivated and focused, this is also a team that is having plenty of fun as it chases its first PCL hubcap since 2015. The Saints are led by a fantastic backcourt of seniors Amya Scott (Delaware State) and Carryn Easley (Fordham), the architects of the team’s “chaos” system looking to add a PCL title to their legacy before trying to end their careers with a second state title. They’re supported by superb sophomore Reginna Baker and experienced juniors Kamora Berry and Zion Coston, all three ranging between 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-8 and well-tuned in the team’s system. While the Saints won’t be winning the size war with anyone, there aren’t many that can keep up with their pace or their tenacity either.

The Eagles, save for one very prominent senior in the center, have leaned into a youth movement this year. Lily Milewski is a certified presence on the interior, the Bloomsburg recruit has put together a few big outings this year and Conwell-Egan will need to establish her early if it wants to advance. Outside of her, it’s a group of sophomores and juniors that coach Chris Brennan has relied on this season. Brianna Jackson is pretty experienced for a second-year player, the spunky guard a mainstay as a freshman who plays bigger than her stature. Junior Ariella Parks and sophomores Olivia Della Vecchio and Charlie Bennett round out a guard-heavy lineup that has multiple players able to handle the ball and set up offense, plus Milewski isn’t bad on the perimeter either.

2) Archbishop Wood vs 7) Nazareth Academy 

This is the Vikings’ time of year, Wood seeking what’s proven to be an elusive repeat PCL title before heading off in search of a fifth-straight PIAA championship in March. Mike McDonald put his team through the ringer in December and January to prepare his group for the postseason and the Vikings certainly have the pieces to get back to Penn’s campus. Emily Knouse is the team’s lone senior, the St. Joe’s recruit is still a lethal shooter but she’s also capable inside the arc and a tough rebounder. Sophomore Ryan Carter has thrived in her first season with the Vikings, the 6-foot guard putting up her best numbers against the best team while her athleticism adds a different dynamic to Wood’s lineup and she’s an outstanding defender as well. While Wood lost Colleen Besachio to a knee injury in January, the Vikings still have plenty of depth starting with junior Sophia Topakas and sophomore Mikayla Finnegan who both played plenty on last year’s PCL and state title team. Sophomore Emma Seckinger has stepped into a starting spot, another solid athlete at the wing spot while junior Emma Yogis and sophomores Regan Przepioski, Mackenzie Rogers and Sophia McDonald will see time off the bench.

Nazareth Academy was the surprise team of last year’s postseason, the Pandas making the PCL semifinals in their first year in the league. It’s a senior-heavy group stocked with future college athletes, although they’ll all be playing soccer and not hoops at the next level. First year coach John Crouse’s group is led by its double Dragons, seniors Reese Power and Gracie Sullivan off to continue a decade-plus run as teammates next year with Drexel’s soccer program. Power, a 1,000-point scorer, clearly isn’t bad at her secondary sport while Sullivan, an outstanding goalkeeper, adds toughness inside. Natalie D’Alfonso (Immaculata), Rileigh Donohue (Chestnut Hill) and Abby Rock (Bloomsburg) are all soccer standout seniors with their college futures set. Last year, the Pandas parlayed that quarterfinal win into a state playoff bid but if this senior class wants to make it three PIAA tournaments in a row (NA went as the District 1 4A champion prior to joining the PCL), they’ll need to spring a few upsets to get there.

3) Archbishop Carroll vs 6) West Catholic

The Patriots have a good mix of veterans and talented underclassmen that have made them a pretty balanced and potentially fairly deep team for coach Renie Shields. Junior Alexis Eberz is still the focal point offensively, the 5-foot-9 guard and Division I prospect able to get rolling in a hurry from deep but also poised scoring in the paint and her younger sister, freshman Kayla, has looked right at home playing in the PCL. Unfortunately, Kayla’s twin sister Kelsey is out for the season with an injury, but had been a starter earlier in the year. Carroll’s breakout player this year has been Abbie McFillin – the sophomore taking over point guard roles with plenty of motivation to play for her injured older sister Maddie – able to set the table but also scoring some timely hoops as needed. The Patriots are supported by a trio of seniors comfortable in their roles in forward Brooke Olender (Scranton), wing/forward Bridget Archbold (Catholic) and sharpshooter Olivia Nardi with junior Bridget Grant and sophomore Cate Schumacher also fixtures in the rotation.

The Burrs certainly have the players to make some noise this postseason. While the PCL is a grind, West Catholic did gain some valuable experience in the state playoffs last year and fourth year coach Messiah Reames would like to see it translate into a league playoff win. He’s got a group that’s pretty experienced now, led by senior Nyla Coleman (Bowie State) and a pair of juniors in forward Ciani Scott and guard Ciana Blake that are third-year starters. Coleman and Scott are a formidable force inside, both forwards able to control the paint and the glass. Freshman Milan Trusty has played above her years in the backcourt, giving Blake and the Burrs another skilled player who can score and set up others with ease. 

4) Lansdale Catholic vs 5) Cardinal O’Hara

Certainly the most intriguing of the four quarterfinals, the Lions will make the trip back to Lansdale for the second time in three weeks looking to reverse a 51-45 setback to the Crusaders on Jan. 28. It’s a different group than the team that won the PIAA 6A title last year, senior Molly Rullo (Drexel) the only returning starter with her younger sister Megan (Drexel) still sidelined after an ACL injury this summer, the elder Rullo still a driving force who can take over a game if not checked. O’Hara coach Chrissie Doogan has led her alma mater to plenty of success and she’s got a solid crew of underclassmen now with a season’s worth of experience to their names heading into the postseason. Sophomore Brigidanne Donohue was a spot starter last year and a key bench player on the state run, the smooth-shooting guard playing a little more assertive this year while few will outwork senior guard Brigid MacGillivray in any area, especially the glass. Junior Natalie DiBlasi and sophomore Leah Hudak round out the starting lineup, both guards with a little bit of size but still coming into their own on the court. Sophomore Carly Wakefiled and freshman Catie Doogan are the team’s main reserves and sophomore Penny Miller can see time in defensive situations.

LC still has a couple of players who put a lot into the program’s first and so far only PCL title two years ago in seniors Sanyiah Littlejohn (George Mason) and Nadia Yemola (Kutztown). However, those two and senior Grace McDonough (JMU) also remember the sting of losing at the buzzer to Archbishop Carroll in last year’s quarterfinal and ending their season earlier than planned. McDonough, a 6-foot-2 forward, is the keystone on both ends with nice touch offensively out to around 15 feet while the athletic Littlejohn is a slasher and threat in the open floor and Yemola a lights-out shooter. A major offseason change saw veteran coach Tom Longeran take over the program and while it took some time, LC has morphed into a stalwart defensive team that feels like it can stay in any game on that end of the floor. Sophomores Allie Esposito and Ali Kaltenbacher – an offseason transfer from Gwynedd Mercy Academy – round out the starting five with Esposito a tall guard who can in the midrange and Kaltenbacher a relentless rebounder. Junior Aubrey Mobley is the top option off the bench as a spark in the backcourt while freshman Lily Clair has stepped up on a couple occasions this season.