City of Basketball Love

By Evan Hartenstein (@EvanHartenstein)
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NORRISTOWN — Leading by five with just over 30 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, it looked like Penncrest was going to move on to the PIAA Class 5A state semis.

But Deshawn Yates and Neumann-Goretti had other plans.

The junior standout had a game to remember against Penncrest in the quarterfinals, putting up 34 points. He scored 26 of those points after the half, and his clutch play late in the game helped Neumann pull away for a 76-69 overtime win at Norristown Area High School. 

Neumann-Goretti moves on to take on Upper Moreland next Friday in the 5A state semifinals. The Golden Bears, having their best season in program history, beat Bonner-Prendergast by one point earlier in the evening at Norristown. 

The winner of that semifinal game will move on to the state championship in Hershey to play either Chartiers Valley or Hershey.

Yates shot 9-for-14 from the field and 13-for-14 from the free throw line in the win. His game was highlighted by a game-tying layup at the end of regulation, but arguably wasn’t the best part of his performance. 

Despite the layup to finish the fourth quarter, it was the overtime period where Yates would make his biggest mark on the game. Yates went to the foul line five times in overtime, nailing nine of his 10 attempts. He showed poise and comfort under pressure which helped the Saints push through.

“That’s the guy we want with the ball in his hands,” Neumann-Goretti coach Carl Arrigale said. “Once we started getting the ball to him and he started getting to the line I felt pretty good.”

Yates wasn’t the only Neumann-Goretti player making his impact felt. Junior forward Alassan N’Daiye, who hit a clutch fourth-quarter 3-pointer, added 13 points to the score sheet. Senior guard Keon Long-Mtume scored 10 points, mostly coming from the mid-range, and freshman Ernest Stanton Jr. hit four of his seven 3-point attempts for 13 of his own. The Saints also did an excellent job at protecting the ball throughout the game, only allowing four turnovers compared to Penncrest’s 11.

The last time Neumann-Goretti made it to the state semifinal was in 2023, prior to their move to class 5A. The Saints have won nine state championships since 2010 and look to add a tenth this year. 

Before Yates could lead his team to victory, the Saints struggled dealing with Penncrest’s guards.

Juniors Sean Benson and Connor Cahill were seemingly unguardable for the majority of the game, scoring 24 and 19 points respectively. Benson used his tight handle and composure under pressure to penetrate through the defense, while Cahill was lethal from beyond the arc. 

In the first quarter alone, Benson and Cahill combined for 10 of Penncrest’s 15 points, while Neumann-Goretti just managed to score nine.

Yates knows that if they want to play better in the semifinal against Upper Moreland, they need to get things going early.

“[We need to] get out to a stronger start,” Yates said. “And not doubt the other team.”

The Saints had a much stronger second quarter and outscored the Lions 17-10 to take a 26-25 lead at the half. Arrigale made the switch to full-court pressure, which gave the Saints more opportunities offensively as they forced five turnovers in the period and capitalized in these moments.  

Arrigale credited his players for being successful in full-court pressure, despite the difficulty.

“It’s hard when you put that pressure on people,” Arrigale said. “When you're down, you gotta sell out.”

Throughout the third period, Neumann-Goretti and Penncrest traded baskets but nobody was able to grab a significant lead. A Yates 3-pointer from beyond half-court at the buzzer gave Neumann momentum going into the fourth, but the Lions combatted this well.

Theo Gladue gave the Lions a 49-46 lead with 6:01 remaining and didn’t look back. Penncrest held onto this lead for most of the final minutes of the fourth quarter and a diving rebound by junior forward Mikey Mita that led to a made free throw with just 35 seconds left almost solidified a win. 

The Lions held a five-point point lead with the state semis in sight, but Neumann-Goretti wasn’t finished. N’Diaye nailed a three with 12 seconds remaining and then the Saints forced a jump ball with just under 10 second remaining. Yates proceeded to drive inside for a tough layup with four seconds left, sending the game to overtime.

“I wasn’t ready to go home,” Yates said when asked how he felt after his 34-point performance. “I remembered how we went out last year and it just motivated me to push through.”

Carl Arrigale has a long and storied history with Neumann-Goretti, winning 12 PCL titles since he joined the program as head coach, along with more than 600 games overall. If someone knows how to win, it’s Arrigale.

“You just gotta get the kids to believe,” Arrigale said. “Then you just try to hope enough good things can happen and you get a chance to do what we did.”

Penncrest’s season comes to a close after taking down Pottsville Area and Holy Ghost Prep in the first and second round of states. Mike Doyle’s Lions will be picked to finish high up in the Central League and District 1 5A yet again next year, with a returning core of four juniors in Cahill, Mita, Benson and Will Stanton. 

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By Quarter
PC 15 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 6  69
NG 9 | 17 | 16 | 21 | 13  76

Shooting
Penncrest: 24/46 FG, 6/18 3PT, 14/20 FT
Neumann-Goretti: 24/51 FG, 7/20 3PT, 20/28 FT 

Scoring
Penncrest: Sean Benson 24, Connor Cahill 19, Mikey Mita 8, Will Stanton 4, Jeffrey Cooper 4

Neumann-Goretti: Deshawn Yates 34, Alassan N’Diaye 13, Ernest Stanton Jr. 13, Keon Long-Mtume 10, Stephon Ashley-Wright 6