City of Basketball Love

By Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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The Sweetest Place on Earth is just one win away.

The PIAA state semifinals take place this upcoming weekend — Friday, March 21 and Saturday, March 22 — at high school gyms across the state, with 48 teams still alive in 12 different brackets across six classifications on the boys and girls’ sides. That includes 16 teams from the Philadelphia area still alive, with eight local squads playing on Friday and eight on Saturday. 

Here’s a look at each of Friday’s semifinals involving local teams:

Boys’ 1A
Sankofa Freedom (12-1) vs. Lancaster Country Day (3-4)
Plymouth Whitemarsh HS, 5:30 PM

Sankofa Freedom is back in the state semifinals for the first time since winning the 2019 PIAA Class 1A title, the Warriors’ first and only state championship run. Sankofa’s had a quality run so far, taking out a one-loss York Country Day squad by 29, then beating District 11 champs Bethlehem Christian 75-66 and District 1 champs Chester Charter 67-56. Lancaster Country Day is this deep in the state tournament for the first time in program history, the Cougars shutting out The Christian Academy in overtime in a 54-47 win; that came after beating North Penn-Liberty (57-46) and Phil-Mont Christian (56-53) in the first two rounds.

LCD coach Jon Schultz has a talented trio of guards he relies on heavily in senior Chris Dukes, junior Jordan AShby and sophomore Cam Harris, who combined for 48 of LCD’s 54 points in their quarterfinal win, Ashby leading the way with 19. Harris was a defensive presence as well with seven steals, while Dukes is a skilled lefty who played hard and downhill all game long, adding four rebounds and four assists to his total. Senior point guard Jeremy Ouilikon doesn’t take many shots but is a strong ball-handler and defender who knows how to get his teammates good looks. 

Sankofa counters with a versatile attack led by 6-3 junior wing Nafis Dubose, who scored 22 points in the quarterfinal win over Chester Charter, along with senior point guard Asim Hardy and junior combo guard Nasir Brown. They also got a huge boost from sophomore wing forward Samad Geary-West, who compiled a massive 22-rebound effort along with 11 points and two blocks against the Sabres. That interior presence could be useful against an LCD squad which doesn’t have a true post on the roster, though it didn’t bother the Cougars against a taller Phil-Mont Christian squad. 

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Sabria Mann (above) and Imhotep Charter are playing for their first PIAA state championship game appearance. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

Girls’ 3A
Imhotep Charter (12-1) vs. Loyalsock Twp. (4-1)
Parkland HS, 6:00 PM

People around the state certainly equate Imhotep Charter with championships, but so far that’s been all on the boys’ side. This is actually the deepest that the Panthers’ girls have made it into the state tournament, and David Hargrove has a squad that’s certainly looked like a championship contender thus far. Imhotep’s been impressive so far, beating Pequea Valley by 30 in the quarterfinals, but now faces a tough test in a Loyalsock group that’s set the program record for wins (28-2) and just beat District 2 powerhouse Dunmore by 24 in the quarterfinals.

Hargrove has been able to lean on a deep group, as he’ll go as many as five or six deep into his bench to complement an already-start starting lineup. Seniors Anise Geiger (Delaware State), Sabria Mann (Chestnut Hill) and Calista Gaymon (Univ. of DC) are all scholarship recipients, and junior wing Geren Hawthorne is a powerful 5-11 wing forward who’s tough to stop around the rim. Off the bench, sophomores Ashlee Boykins and McKenna Alston and senior Kayla Thompson all bring ball-handling, defense and shooting as Hargrove can go big or small as needed. 

Loyalsock, which lost to eventual state champs Lancaster Catholic in last year’s semifinals, has never made a state championship game either, so there’s certainly a lot on the line Friday night in the Lehigh Valley. The Lancers got 24 points in the semifinals from senior wing Lacey Kriebel, a Lock Haven commit who played her summer ball locally with the Lady Runnin’ Rebels. Junior post Alaina Dadzie, junior guards Jaekairah Harden and Jillian Kennedy and senior wing Julianna Ellis round out the starting lineup for ninth-year head coach Curtis Jacobson, who’s turned the program into a northern PA powerhouse.

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Mason Thear (above) and Devon Prep impressed in a 24-point win over Bishop Shanahan over the weekend. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

Boys’ 4A
Devon Prep (12-1) vs. Valley View (2-1)
Parkland HS, 7:30 PM

Devon Prep expected to be at this point in the season, the Tide coming off a Class 3A championship a year ago and boasting an all-senior starting lineup under head coach Jason Fisher. Valley View (23-5) won 20 games a year ago and lost in the second round of the playoffs, the Cougars winning a couple more state playoff games this year to reach the PIAA semifinals for the first time since 1997. 

Devon Prep put together perhaps its most complete postseason performance yet in a 64-40 win over Bishop Shanahan in the quarterfinals after dispatching Bishop McDevitt (77-63) and Eastern York (60-40) in the first two rounds. The Tide are getting strong play from all five seniors in their starting lineup: point guard Mason Thear (5-11), wings Calvin Smith (6-2) and Shane Doyle (6-3), and forwards Zane Conlon (6-5) and Reece Craft (6-7). Craft, a left-hander and Swarthmore commit, was especially impressive against Shanahan with 21 points and 14 rebounds, 

Valley View earned its spot in the semifinals by downing Big Spring (64-42), Saucon Valley (42-25) and Shamokin (53-46). They’ve gone on monster runs in each of the last two games, a 23-2 run against Saucon Valley and a 21-2 run against Shamokin, their defense leading the way both times. The Cougars aren’t quite as big in the frontcourt, starting 6-3 Beyon McLean on a team full of football standouts who play hoops during the winter. Senior guard Noah Veno led the way against Shamokin with 22 points, with senior Nick Kucharski a major part of their defensive activity as well. But they haven’t played anybody at the level of the Philadelphia Catholic League this year, and could be in for a tough one on Friday.

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Larry Hughes (above) has been a strong inside presence for Upper Moreland. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

Boys’ 5A
Upper Moreland (1-4) vs. Neumann-Goretti (12-1)
Pottstown HS, 7:00 PM

Neumann-Goretti’s tour through District 1 — the Saints have beaten three Philly suburban teams to reach the state semis — continues with perhaps its most unlikely opponent yet. Upper Moreland (23-7) is having its best season in program history from a postseason perspective; the Golden Bears entered this month without a state playoff win, ever, and now have three to their name. Neumann-Goretti, meanwhile, has nine championships to its name, one of the most successful programs in the state since the PCL joined the PIAA in 2008-09.

Upper Moreland’s breakthrough season has come thanks to a balanced group under fifth-year head coach Dan Heiland. Senior guard Colson Campbell, a 1,000-point scorer and muscular 6-1 combo guard, has often been their leading scorer, like in a 22-point outing in the quarterfinal win over Bonner-Prendergast — but so has sharpshooting senior guard Jadon Cybok, a fearless sniper who had 20 points against Abington Heights in the opening round, and bouncy 6-4 wing Larry Hughes, who had 17 points in the second-round overtime win over York Suburban, which saw senior guard Luke Roussel come off the bench to chip in 11 points. Guards Nate Best and Anthony Carson are two more seniors in the starting lineup, while 6-4 freshman Cannon Campbell (Colson’s brother) is a high-upside sixth man who contributes in a variety of ways.

Neumann-Goretti might not have a Quade Green or Ja’Quan Newton on this year’s roster, but Carl Arrigale is getting the most out of a scrappy group that’s getting some big-time performances. The latest came from junior DeShawn Yates, who scored 34 points in the Saints’ overtime win over Penncrest in the quarterfinals. His classmates, guard Stephon ‘Munchie’ Ashley-Wright and forward Alassan N’Diaye, have also come up big in the postseason, while freshman guard EJ Stanton has improved by leaps and bounds over the course of the year. Both of these teams have been in close games all postseason, and we’re expecting another tight one on Friday.

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Alexis Eberz (above) and Archbishop Carroll are aiming for their second title in three years. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

Girls’ 6A
Perkiomen Valley (1-1) vs. Archbishop Carroll (12-1)
Plymouth Whitemarsh HS, 7:30

The Vikings knew that at some point, they were going to have to get past the PCL to win a state title. That showdown comes in the final four, PV’s senior core in the semifinals for the first time after two quarterfinal and one second round exit the last three years. Carroll’s made it a round further than last year as well, the Patriots just two years removed from a state title run but with a vastly different cast this time around. 

Aside from three games against national-tier programs, the Vikings have rolled through pretty much everyone they’ve gone up against and enter the semis coming off a strong win against previously unbeaten Hazleton. This group is solid in just about every area. The Vikings have a true post threat in 6-foot-3 senior Quinn Boettinger, a three-level scorer in senior Grace Galbavy, a conductor in senior Bella Bacani and a do-it-all piece in senior Lena Stein plus a pair of experienced role players in seniors Grace Miley and Julia Smith. Two years ago, it was Carroll that stunned the Vikings in overtime in the second round at PW, so they’ll need to exorcise those ghosts to get to Hershey.

On paper, the Patriots don’t have the size to match up with PV, but most teams fall into that category. Carroll, coming off a scrappy win over Central Dauphin, will need a big game offensively from junior Alexis Eberz and freshman Kayla Eberz, the sisters already having put together a couple prolific tandem outings this season. Last round, Carroll got a huge boost from the return of senior Maddie McFillin from an ACL injury and her sister, sophomore Abbie McFillin, is the one who guides Carroll into its offense. The Patriots will need seniors Olivia Nardi, Brooke Olender and Bridget Archbold, along with sophomore Cate Schumacher to chip in, whether that’s a couple baskets,  on defense or helping to try and negate some of PV’s advantage inside.

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Garnet Valley's Kylie Mulholland was the hero the Jaguars in a 2OT win over Cardinal O'Hara. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

Girls 6A
Garnet Valley (1-2) vs. Upper St. Clair (7-1)
James Buchanan HS, 5:00 PM

The Jaguars’ path through the state bracket started at home, took them to the midstate, back close to home and now again back to the midstate. While their travel has been on a bit of a see-saw, their play this season has been anything but, GV maintaining a high standard with few blemishes. Coming to meet them halfway across the state is an Upper St. Clair group that’s finally been able to put together a long state run and has hit its stride in the late stage of the season.

This is Garnet Valley’s second straight trip to the final four, the Jaguars outlasting Cardinal O’Hara in a double OT slugfest thanks to plenty of heroics from senior Kylie Mulholland and her 25 points. Mulholland and senior Haylie Adamski have been the offensive catalysts for GV all season while senior Savannah Saunders is the team’s defensive spark to complete the trio of fourth-year leaders. Haylie’s younger sisters, twins Addison and Kylie Adamski, round out the starting five for longtime coach Joe Woods, the two playing well off the attention their senior teammates attract.

USC has won each of its state games by at least 14 points, the Panthers following the lead of senior Rylee Kalocay. The Kent State recruit, who returned in January after an ACL injury last year, is top option for the WPIAL champions but she’s not alone. Seniors Meredith Huzjak and Olivia Terlecki, like Kalocay, can really shoot the ball on the perimeter while 6-foot senior Claire Rosenberry adds some size on the interior. USC coach Pete Serio prioritizes defense and his group has allowed just 34.6 ppg through three state rounds.