City of Basketball Love

By Owen McCue
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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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Even after claiming the program’s first Pioneer Athletic Conference tournament championship in 14 years last season, the Pope John Paul II boys ended their 2024-25 campaign wanting more.

A loss to Bishop Shanahan in the District 1-4A championship game put an abrupt stop to a special season the Golden Panthers thought should have continued a little while longer.

It was a driving force this offseason as PJP prepared to protect its PAC crown and hopefully make a deep postseason run.

“They know what it takes to get to the mountain top, but they also know, losing in districts last year, that taste has been in our mouth all offseason long,” third-year coach Earl Wise said.

PJP bumped up to the Liberty Division with the larger schools in the PAC last season in the league’s first year of realignment. The challenge didn’t give the Golden Panthers too much trouble as they put together a 19-7 campaign overall, which included an 8-2 mark in the division.

Wise’s squad tied with local rival Spring-Ford atop the division after splitting the regular season series before taking down the Rams in the PAC championship game to win their first title since 2021 (COVID season) and first league postseason championship since 2011 — PJP’s first year in the league.

“We’re definitely going to be having a lot of people gunning for us in the league, but we’re just excited,” said senior guard Jason Green, whose brothers Justin and Kevin were on the 2021 championship team. “Keep working hard, be ready for the season and trust each other.”

Green, a 6-2 guard who splashes threes, was a first team All-Liberty Division selection a season ago. Classmate Ayden Wise, an athletic 6-1 point guard and the coach’s son, was a second team all-league selection; he just committed to Kutztown earlier this week.

The Golden Panthers lost some key pieces in their frontcourt like Jake Robinson, Bradey Bass, and Denny Owens, but both Green and Wise lead an experienced returning core.

Though undersized, seniors Jack Kessler (6-4), Zahaid Edwards-Boone (6-2), and junior Jude Schuberth give Coach Wise a few different looks in the frontcourt. Junior guard Lucas Pekofsky is another returner.

Sophomore 6-5 wing Madden Brady, who played at Norristown last season, could be a difference maker as the season progresses.

“Last year, we were deep, but I just feel like we’re getting deeper and deeper as the year goes on,” Kessler said.

His head coach agrees — depth will be a major strength for PJP this season. 

“We return seven guys that all have been in fires,” Earl Wise said. “For us this year, it’s a matter of trusting the next man. … Most high school teams will rise and fall with three to four guys and a couple of role players. I legitimately have seven, eight kids that all could start.”

The team’s mantra this season is “We Over Me”.

Green and Wise may be one of the area’s most underrated backcourts and two of the league’s most capable scorers, but the Golden Panthers are focused on turning that mantra into their greatest strength this season.

The Golden Panthers will use their depth to adjust their lineup from game to game depending on the opponent as well.

“Best of luck scouting us,” Earl Wise said.

An undersized group will have to work collectively to finish defensive possessions on the glass. It’s the same story on the offensive end.

“We’re very connected as a team,” Green said. We have a lot of trust in each other. We always make the extra pass. We move the ball very well. Our offense flows smoothly. That’s something we’ve been emphasizing in the offseason just to get good at that before the season comes and make that one of our strong suits.”

Despite missing out on the PAC postseason, Wise won a District 1-4A title in his first season at PJP in 2023-24. The Golden Panthers were bounced by Overbrook in the first round of states with an overtime loss.

Last season, he and his team added to the school’s trophy case with their league championship victory before Shanahan got its revenge in the district title game.

Two more trophies to set up a state playoff run that’s eluded this Golden Panthers’ group would be a fitting end for Wise’s senior class.

“As a team, we definitely want to repeat what we did last year winning the PAC again and making a far state run, win districts,” Green said. “That was something we were kind of bummed out about falling short to Shanahan last year. We thought we could have won that game.”

The success of the last two seasons has ensured the path won’t come easy for PJP.

“It’s definitely going to be challenging,” Ayden Wise said. “We’re up for that challenge though.