City of Basketball Love

By CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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Out of Friday’s first-round PIAA state playoff games, 22 CoBL-area teams advanced to Tuesday’s second second round. 

Here’s a look at some of the more intriguing games involving local teams that night; a full list of contests can be found below:

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(District-Seed in parenthesis)

Boys 4A
Devon Prep (12-1) vs. Eastern York (3-2) (6:00 PM, Pottstown)
If you like big, physical wing play, this is the game for you. Eastern York’s centerpiece is 6-7 senior Carter Wamsley, a tough two-way combo forward and Gannon commit who can play bully ball down low or create his own shot from the perimeter. But Devon Prep has the pieces to guard him in 6-7 senior Reece Craft (Swarthmore) and 6-5 senior Zane Conlon (Nova Southeastern), along with the rest of a Tide squad that doesn’t mind battling in the trenches. Devon Prep’s playing in a tougher bracket than the 3A field it won a year ago, and Eastern York will present a reminder of that.

Bishop Shanahan (1-1) vs. Susquehanna Twp. (3-4) (7:00 PM, Hempfield)
Shanahan impressed in its state opener, the Eagles getting strong play from its whole top six in beating Archbishop Carroll. Senior forward Sean Griffin is a versatile threat at 6-8, and the perimeter is strong with junior guards Danny Keenan and Andrew Corcoran, senior guard David Maddry-Rylander and senior wing Ryan Ambrose. Susquehanna has good size in 6-6 freshman Jahkai Sloane-Marks with a number of other role players 6-4 and taller, with guards Mekhi Slappy and Alfonso Burnett the other primary scoring options.

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Boys 5A
Upper Dublin (1-1) vs. Bonner-Prendergast (12-3) (7:00 PM, Bensalem)
This should be an excellent one at Bensalem, the District 1 champs going up against a Friars squad that was in the middle of the pack in the Catholic League but still packs one heck of a punch. Bonner’s young, with sophomore guards Korey Francis and Kam Jackson forming a potent combination in the backcourt along with 6-2 senior and Millersville commit Devon Nelson, who’s playing in his first state tournament. Upper Dublin got a big boost in the first round of states with the return of junior guard and sharpshooter Noah Cohen from a broken arm, giving them another piece along with seniors Ryan Mulroy and Idris Rines plus sophomore Justin Ragsdale and more. 

Upper Moreland (1-4) vs. York Suburban (3-4) (6:30 PM, Coatesville)
Upper Moreland got to 21 wins with a three-point win over Abington Heights in the opener, earning a date with York Suburban, which beat Roxborough by 19. The Golden Bears have had a strong season, tying for the SOL Freedom title for the first time in four decades. It’s been the trio of senior guards Colson Campbell, Nate Best and Jaden Cybok plus junior forward Larry Hughes who’ve done much of the heavy lifting offensively, that group scoring all but three points against Abington Heights. York Suburban features the Styhn brothers, senior Kai and junior Kane, plus junior wing Silas Leonard and junior forward Trent Weinstein in a lineup that has good overall team size. 

Penncrest (1-5) vs. Holy Ghost Prep (1-2) (7:30 PM, Upper Merion)
These two met just three weeks ago in the District 1 5A quarterfinals, Holy Ghost Prep coming from down 14 points in the third quarter to ultimately beat Penncrest 52-48 in overtime, pulling off the upset on Penncrest’s court. Now they’ll meet in neutral territory with a spot in the state quarterfinals on the line. HGP had balanced scoring in that first matchup, senior Adrian Varella — one of nine on the team — had 14 points as six others hit the scoring column. But the Firebirds had problems with Lions junior forward Mikey Mita, who had a game-high 21 points. 

Neumann-Goretti (12-1) vs. Pottsgrove (1-3) (7:00 PM, Norristown)
This has been a breakthrough year for Pottsgrove, which is 23-4 going into the second round of states, the Falcons prompting 83-39 over Pittston Area in the opening round of the state tournament. Now they face arguably their stiffest test of the season in the Saints, the Catholic League traditional powerhouse which has dozens of state playoff wins and nine championships under head coach Carl Arrigale. This year’s Neumann-Goretti squad features senior wing Keon Long-Mtume, junior guard Stephon Ashley-Wright and junior forward Alassane N’Diaye, who combined for 53 points in the opening-round one over Marple Newtown. 

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Girls 6A
Perkiomen Valley (1-1) vs. Lebanon (3-3) (8:00 PM, Coatesville)
The final game of a tripleheader at Coatesville has arguably the state’s overall favorite in Perkiomen Valley facing a tough Lebanon squad which beat Conestoga by 10 in its opening-round win. The Cedars have a terrific inside-out combo in guard Kailah Correa (Delaware) and forward Liliana Harrison with junior guard Olive Brandt also averaging double-digits. These teams met back in December, Perk Valley beating Lebanon 60-45 behind 19 points from post Quinn Boettinger (Navy) and 13 from wing Grace Galbavy (Wake Forest). 

Archbishop Carroll (12-1) vs. Wilson (3-5) (7:30 PM, Spring-Ford)
The Wilson girls pulled off a big win in their state opener, beating Upper Dublin on the road for their 20th win of the season, earning the Bulldogs another high-level opponent in the Patriots. Carroll, which beat Council Rock South by 19 in its opener, features a fantastic pair of sisters in junior Alexis Eberz and freshman Kayla Eberz, with strong support roles from sophomore Abbie McFillin, senior Olivia Nardi, sophomore Cate Schumacher and more. Sophomore forward Kailani Hardy, her classmate Ryan Leaman and juniors Laura Crocona and Violet Houck give them a great core to build around.

Cardinal O’Hara (12-3) vs. Dallastown (3-1) (5:00 PM, Coatesville)
O’Hara’s typical smothering defense was on display in a 48-28 win over Central Bucks East in the opening round, a young pride of Lions figuring things out over the course of the season. They’re led by Drexel commit Molly Rullo, but the sophomore class of Brigidanne Donohue, Leah Hudak, Penny Miller, and Carly Wakefield stepped up in the opening round, a great sign for their future. Dallastown, which beat Abington 52-39 in its opener, hasn’t lost since Dec. 23, a 23-game run. Senior forward Praise Matthews, a St. Francis commit, will battle Rullo in the post, while senior guard Alonna Dowell and junior Ava Jamison are their best perimeter options.

Downingtown East (1-7) vs. Haverford High (1-5) (6:00 PM, Upper Merion)
It’s an all-District 1 matchup at Upper Merion as the Cougars and Fords meet for the first time this season. Haverford beat Easton 52-50 in the opening round; Downingtown East topped Red Lion 50-45. The Fords feature 6-1 senior Rian Dotsey, the St. Joe’s-bound wing/forward who presents a matchup problem for most teams along with 5-11 senior Natalie Wright up front. Downingtown East has 6-0 junior Charlotte Alridge and a few others that might be able to keep Dotsey somewhat in check, but it’ll also be on both groups of guards to produce. For Downingtown, that’s sophomore Kendall Chiavelli and juniors Chloe Hunold and Grace Hodges; Haverford turns to seniors Megan Kelly and Mya Foley plus freshman Grace Maloney.

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PIAA Second Round CoBL-area games
Boys’ 1A
The Christian Academy (1-2) vs. High Point Baptist (3-1) (6:00 PM, Spring-Ford)
Phil-Mont Christian (1-3) vs. Lancaster Country Day (3-4) (7:30 PM, Pottstown)
Sankofa Freedom (12-1) vs. Bethlehem Christian (11-1) (7:00 PM, Central Bucks South)
Chester Charter (1-1) vs. Shalom Christian (3-2) (7:30 PM, Central Dauphin East)

Girls’ 2A
Renaissance Academy (1-1) vs. Mountain View (2-1) (6:00 PM, Stroudsburg HS

Girls’ 3A
Imhotep Charter (12-1) vs. Hughesville (4-2) (6:00 PM, Pleasant Valley)
West Catholic (12-2) vs. Loyalsock Twp. (4-1) (7:30 PM, Pleasant Valley)

Boys’ 4A
Devon Prep (12-1) vs. Eastern York (3-2) (6:00 PM, Pottstown)
Bishop Shanahan (1-1) vs. Susquehanna Twp. (3-4) (7:00 PM, Hempfield)

Boys’ 5A
Upper Dublin (1-1) vs. Bonner-Prendergast (12-3) (7:00 PM, Bensalem)
Upper Moreland (1-4) vs. York Suburban (3-4) (6:30 PM, Coatesville)

Penncrest (1-5) vs. Holy Ghost Prep (1-2) (7:30 PM, Upper Merion)
Neumann-Goretti (12-1) vs. Pottsgrove (1-3) (7:00 PM, Norristown)

Girls’ 6A
Perkiomen Valley (1-1) vs. Lebanon (3-3) (8:00 PM, Coatesville)
Archbishop Carroll (12-1) vs. Wilson (3-5) (7:30 PM, Spring-Ford)
Cardinal O’Hara (12-3) vs. Dallastown (3-1) (5:00 PM, Coatesville)
Garnet Valley (1-2) vs. Altoona Area (6-1) (5:30 PM, Mechanicsburg)
Downingtown East (1-7) vs. Haverford (1-5) (6:00 PM, Upper Merion)