City of Basketball Love

By CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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Out of Saturday’s first-round PIAA state playoff games, 23 CoBL-area teams advanced to Wednesday’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 parentheses)

Girls’ 1A
Sacred Heart (1-1) vs. Linville Hill (3-1) (6:00 PM, West Chester Henderson)
For the eighth time in nine years, Sacred Heart has advanced in the PIAA tournament. But the Lions have only gotten further than this round once in that span, a quarterfinal appearance in the 2023 2A bracket. Senior forward Keara McCaffrey, a 6-0 DeSales commit, is Sacred Heart’s centerpiece, but sophomore point guard Dani Jeffries, junior guard Megan Donahoe and senior Grace Brown all made big plays in their opening-round win over Lancaster County Christian. Linville Hill, which defended its District 3 title with a win over Mt. Calvary Christian, made the quarterfinals last year before losing to Greenwood. The Warriors (25-2) have a balanced group led by senior wing Desiree Smucker, the program’s first-ever 1,000-point scorer, with classmates Abrielle Fisher and Ellie Rishel plus juniors Courtney Good and Payton Smucker giving them a good bit of experience.

Boys’ 2A
Delco Christian (1-1) vs. Old Forge (2-1) (6:00 PM, Liberty HS)
This should be a really enjoyable small-school boys game in Bethlehem, as two 20-win teams go head-to-head. Delco Christian (26-2) is having a season to remember, the Knights winning the Bicentennial League for the first time and following that up with a district title, then beat SLA Beeber by 20 in the opening round. Old Forge is 20-5 and in the state tournament for the first time since 2022, when it made the 2A semifinals before losing to Constitution; it was in the 3A classification the last couple seasons. The Blue Devils’ junior class is one to watch wing Cameron Parker is their leading scorer at around 15 ppg, with point guard Ryan DeMarco a strong on-ball presence and forward Logan Fanning getting better and better as the year goes on. Delco Christian’s powered by its senior backcourt of Beau Lyren and Khamai Orange, the pair of 6-3 guards both highlight-reel quality, with 6-6 junior Bradford Berwick giving them size up front with junior Laverne Sambola (6-2) and sophomore Karter Freeman (6-2) providing, length, athleticism and slashing on the wings. 

Girls 4A
Neumann-Goretti (12-2) vs. Wyomissing (3-1) (7:30 PM, Spring-Ford)
This seems to be an annual date between these two. The only times the Neumann-Goretti pair of 5-foot-5 senior guards Carryn Easley and Amya Scott have ever been stopped in the state playoffs has been by District 3 Class 4A champion Wyomissing and Albany-bound center Amaya Stewart, Easley’s K-Low Elite 17U AAU teammate. Saints’ head coach Andrea Peterson has won five state championships in her 11 years, the last coming when Easley and Scott were freshmen in 2022. The last two years they lost to Wyomissing at this point in the tournament, by seven two years ago and by 10 last year. Last Saturday, the Saints (22-4) rebounded from their 77-66 District 12 championship loss to Penn State-bound star Shayla Smith and Audenried with an opening-round victory over District 11 No. 3-seed Northwestern Lehigh, 76-27. Wyomissing (22-2) struggled early, before getting by District 12 No. 5-seed Nazareth Academy, 59-43, with Stewart finishing with a game-high 27 points, 23 coming in the second half after she got into early foul trouble. The Spartans feature a veteran group that surround Stewart in senior guards Alexis Hardy and Lily Marshall, and senior forward Audrey Hurleman. 

Girls’ 5A
Radnor (1-1) vs. Strath Haven (1-5) (6:00 PM, Bensalem)
It’s a Central League rematch with a state quarterfinal berth on the line, which adds a whole extra dimension to this clash up at Bensalem. This is actually the fourth time they’ve met this season, with Radnor winning the first three: in the regular season by four and 18 points, then by 18 again in the District 1 5A quarterfinals. Strath Haven is young, with freshmen twin guards Maddie and Kenzie Fanning in the starting lineup and Ellie O’Connor coming off the bench while seniors Olivia Voshell (TCNJ), Kate Fox and Maryella Gill fill out the starting lineup. Radnor counters with a similarly guard-heavy lineup led by juniors Nyah Yao and Anna Reger, with forward Riley D’Entremont the team’s only senior; 6-foot sophomore Bree Simpson could be a difference-maker in this one as well. 

Gwynedd Mercy (1-2) vs. Bethlehem Catholic (11-1) (6:00 PM, Norristown)
The Monarchs rebounded from their District 1 title game loss to Radnor with a decisive win over Archbishop Ryan to open state play. Gwynedd has a veteran group with 5-11 senior Cara Lapp, and classmates Megan McDonnell and Carsy Kelly some of the big pieces along with junior guards Bailey Balkir and Brooke Evans. After a pair of dominant victories over Pottsville and Bangor on the way to a District 11 title, the Hawks, a PIAA semifinalist last season, cruised past West Chester Rustin in the first round of states. Freshman 5-11 guard Palin Coleman has been a breakthrough star for BecaHi this season, and junior 5-9 guard Aliyah Brame, a Bryant commit, returned from an early season injury. The Hawks have some experience in the form of senior sharpshooter Daviana Jones. 

Boys 6A
Conestoga (1-1) vs. Hazleton Area (2-2) (7:00 PM, Freedom HS)
For the first time in 16 years, the Pioneers have advanced in the state tournament, Conestoga taking down Mechanicsburg 52-42 in the opening round. The outside shooting of junior wing Shane O’Brien (6-3) and aggressive attacking from senior guard Ben Robinson (6-1) were the standouts in that one, but what makes ‘Stoga dangerous is its ability to score from all five positions. Junior forward Cory Hogan (6-4), senior wing Sam Gibbs (6-5) and junior point guard Rowan Miller (5-11) have all had their turns as stars on any given night, the main reason the Pioneers captured the District 1 title for the first time since 1987. Hazleton’s a little more used to state tournament runs, the Cougars having made a few over the years, and beat District 11’s Northampton Area 60-41 to advance this time around. Senior Luis Guzman, a reserve forward, scored a game-high 23 points against Northampton, with junior Yohansel Moran and sophomore Dylan Stish adding 11 each in that one, Stish hitting three 3s in doing so.

Spring-Ford (1-5) vs. Father Judge (1-2) (7:30 PM, Norristown)
It’s been clear for a while that Joe Dempsey is one of the best coaches around, having taken La Salle on a few deep PIAA runs and now doing the same in four years at Spring-Ford, which beat a very good Central Dauphin squad in the first round. But he’s got one tough task ahead of him in the Catholic League champions, Judge having beaten Garnet Valley in the opening round for the first PIAA win in program history. The Crusaders are loaded, with seniors Kevair Kennedy (Merrimack) and Everett Barnes (Loyola Md.) plus juniors and D-I recruits Derrick Morton-Rivera and Rocco Westfield, with sophomore Naz Tyler, junior Max Moshinski, and more weapons for head coach Chris Roantree. Dempsey leans on seniors Jacob Nguyen and Tommy Kelly plus junior guard Syaire Barnes for most of his offensive punch, with senior and football standout Jordan Marsilio bringing a lot of toughness to the court. They’ll have to figure out a way to deal with the 6-9 Barnes — not to mention Judge’s electric perimeter group.

Imhotep Charter (12-1) vs. Chambersburg (3-4) (7:00 PM, Hempfield)
Imhotep’s first game in the 6A field was a wake-up call, the Panthers trailing in the third quarter at the hands of Central Bucks East before rallying for a win. Junior guard RJ Smith, the Panthers’ Division I-bound point guard, scored 19 points and 6-5 junior wing Latief Lorenzano-White added a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double. The journey for Imhotep to capture the state’s big-school crown in its first year in the 6A bracket continues with a tough Chambersburg squad led by senior wing JJ Kelly, an Ohio University commit. Kelly scored 20 points in Chambersburg’s opening-round win over Whitehall, with junior wing Landon Burhman adding 17. Kelly, a 6-5 wing who’s one of the best athletes in the state, will draw a lot of attention from the ‘Tep defense, which has the length and athleticism to guard him; the rest of the Trojans’ rotation will have to step up if they want to have a chance of pulling off an upset that would open eyes around the state. 

Roman Catholic (12-3) vs. Central York (3-1) (6:00 PM, Reading)
The fans at the Geigle Complex at Reading High School are in for a treat on Wednesday night, with a fantastic 6A boys doubleheader. It starts with this one which could easily be a game held in Hershey a couple weeks from now had the bracket been organized a little differently. Central York is the defending 6A champions, the Panthers winning the District 3 title this year for the first time ever. The senior duo of guard Ben Natal and forward Ben Rill are both returning starters and a terrific 1-2 punch, with senior wing Byron Pinkney, senior guard Saxton Suchanic and juniors Ryan Brown and Doug Layer Jr. all back from last year’s rotation. But they’ll have their hands full in Roman Catholic, the four-time state champs and Catholic League powerhouse which last won the state three years ago. The battle between the 6-8 Rill and 6-7 Lafayette commit Shareef Jackson will be one to watch, as well as the matchup between Natal and Roman sophomore Tyler Sutton, an electric lead guard in his own right. The Cahillites also boast 6-7 junior wing Sammy Jackson, 6-7 senior forward CJ Miller and 6-4 Sebastian Edwards — who had 22 points in the opening-round win over Lower Merion — in a sizable starting lineup. 

Coatesville (1-3) vs. Cumberland Valley (3-7) (7:30 PM, Reading)
As if Roman/Central York wasn’t enough, the Reading crowd gets what should be another terrific 6A matchup as the Raiders and Eagles match up. Cumberland Valley’s seeding is a little deceiving — last year’s District 3 champions were upset in the district quarterfinals this year but have a 24-5 record after beating a very good New Castle squad in the opener. Senior guard Nolan Buzalka and his classmate Creston Auston are the top two offensive options for St. Joe’s, which also has a couple impressive sophomores in guard Jared Dolimpio and wing Aiden Diehl, with senior wing guard JJ Lebo in a 3-and-D role. Coatesville’s got the size advantage up front thanks to 6-7 juniors Larry Brown and Jonah Chester plus 6-6 sophomore Max Hiller, whose younger brother — 6-4 wing Colton Hiller — has been the most impressive freshman in the area this year. That’s all before mentioning senior guards Nasir Williams and Amon Fowlkes, both of whom have a ton of varsity experience and on-court moxie.

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PIAA Second Round CoBL-Area Games (Weds., March 12)
Girls’ 1A
Sacred Heart (1-1) vs. Linville Hill (3-1) (6:00 PM, West Chester Henderson)
Delco Christian (1-2) vs. Northern Bedford (5-1) (6:30 PM, East Pennsboro HS)

Boys’ 2A
Constitution (12-1) vs. Linville Hill (3-2) (7:30 PM, West Chester Henderson)
Delco Christian (1-1) vs. Old Forge (2-1) (6:00 PM, Liberty HS)

Boys’ 3A
West Catholic (12-1) vs. Warrior Run (4-2) (6:00 PM, Martz Hall)
Overbrook (12-4) vs. Riverside (2-1) (7:30 PM, Liberty HS)
Audenried Charter (12-2) vs. Holy Cross (2-2) (7:30 PM, Easton MS)

Girls’ 4A
Neumann-Goretti (12-2) vs. Wyomissing (3-1) (7:30 PM, Spring-Ford)
Villa Joseph Marie (1-1) vs. Northern Lebanon (3-3) (6:00 PM, Spring-Ford)
Audenried Charter (12-1) vs. Valley View (2-2) (6:00 PM, Easton MS)
Lansdale Catholic (12-3) vs. Forest Hills (6-1) (5:00 PM, East Pennsboro)

Girls’ 5A
Radnor (1-1) vs. Strath Haven (1-5) (6:00 PM, Bensalem)
Freire Charter (12-2) vs. Crestwood (2-1) (7:00 PM, Whitehall)
Gwynedd Mercy (1-2) vs. Bethlehem Catholic (11-1) (6:00 PM, Norristown)
Archbishop Wood (12-1) vs. Villa Maria (1-3) (7:30 PM, Bensalem)

Boys’ 6A
Conestoga (1-1) vs. Hazleton Area (2-2) (7:00 PM, Freedom HS)
Spring-Ford (1-5) vs. Father Judge (1-2) (7:30 PM, Norristown)
Imhotep Charter (12-1) vs. Chambersburg (3-4) (7:00 PM, Hempfield)
Roman Catholic (12-3) vs. Central York (3-1) (6:00 PM, Reading)
Coatesville (1-3) vs. Cumberland Valley (3-7) (7:30 PM, Reading)