City of Basketball Love

Andrew Robinson (@ADRobinson3)
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(Ed. Note: This story is part of CoBL’s “Prepping for Preps” series, which will take a look at many of the top high school programs in the region as part of our 2025-26 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed thus far can be found here.)

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The first day of official practice for CB South might involve nametags this year.

While the Titans have their starting frontcourt set, there’s a lot of unknowns just about everywhere else as a mostly new and relatively inexperienced group takes over in Warrington. CB South has been a playoff team each of the last two years and that’s the goal again as this new roster takes shape.

“It is exciting, we have some nice leadership with a lot of experience then some young ones who are finding their way,” Titans coach Beth Mattern said. “We have some people who were on our bench last year that are ready to step up.”

A District 1 Class 6A playoff team last season, the Titans will be looking to seniors Jules and Gabby Tropea early and often this year. It’s something the twins, both 6-foot forwards, know is coming

Jules and Gabby won’t be finished as teammates after this year either. The twins announced their commitment to Rowan University on Nov. 2, both deciding early on they wanted to stay together wherever they went at the next level and choosing the Owls from a final four of candidates.

“I’m just looking forward to coming out one last time with this team,” Jules said.

“I’m excited to see how much we can grow,” Gabby added. “We’re starting young.”

Both have been fixtures in the lineup the last few years, Jules earning Second Team All-SOL Colonial honors last season, and they know it’s their group to lead this year. Mattern said everything will start with them, whether it's their ability to protect the paint on defense or act as the hubs on offense and the twins are hoping the Titans can push the pace a little bit offensively too.

“They’re such a dynamic package of what they can do,” Mattern said. “With the twins, between the two of them just their size, their agility, their skill level, I’m excited to see where this journey goes for them this year.”

They’ll be adding a third Tropea to the mix this year as their younger sister Alex, a 5-foot-9 junior looks ready to join them in the frontcourt mix.

CB South will have to replace a pair of all-league contributors from last season. Mia Klein was a first team All-SOL Colonial division pick, a consistent scorer who also added a strong rebounding punch out of the backcourt. Ella Wheeler was an All-SOL Honorable Mention, the guard also an outstanding softball player who is now at Jefferson as an outfielder.

Seniors Anna Granito and Riley Campbell return in the backcourt, the 5-foot-6 Granito likely to take a lot of reps on the ball while Campbell is a combo guard who can get her shot up but also attack off the dribble. Sophomore Riley DiCesare is another returning piece in the guard lineup who got varsity minutes as a freshman.

“It’ll be fun to see how much they can do as they step up into those positions,” Gabby Tropea said.

“If me or Gabby aren’t having a good game in the paint, we know we can always pass it out for a shot,” Jules Tropea added. “We should be able to get a lot of different looks this year.”

The Titans’ roster will be bolstered by some current fall athletes as well, so the team hasn’t had a real look at its complete group yet in the lead-up to the season. When she was told the Tropeas were hoping to play a little faster this year, Mattern agreed it’s something she’d like to see too and this roster could do it.

“We’re pretty athletic,” Mattern said. “I think that should be fun to see what they can do athletically putting things together and hopefully causing some defensive pressure and turning that into points.”

Mattern isn’t expecting a finished product on opening night. This is a group that needs to get to know each other first, then start building once that foundation has been set so it may not be until later in December or January before the Titans have their identity established.

When the twins were freshmen, CB South went 8-14 overall and missed the district playoffs by one spot. They’re not shying away from the fact that this looks like another rebuilding year, instead the seniors are eager to be the leaders for this group and see if they can surprise some people.

“It’s a long season and we just have to push through it,” Jules Tropea said. “We have to keep our heads up, no matter the outcome of any game and just get better every time we play.”