City of Basketball Love

Rich Flanagan (@richflanagan33)
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(Ed. Note: This article is part of CoBL's "Prepping for Preps," our series of articles previewing area high school teams for the 2015-16 season. For the complete list of schools previewed so far, click here)

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With continued success on the basketball hardwood, it's easy to for a team to get complacent and forget how it got there. For Rob Moore and Constitution High School, it's always business as usual, and now a new season brings about a new set of changes for his program.

Advancing to the state championship is no longer a dream; it’s an expectation. Constitution has won three PIAA state championships in the last four years, including last season’s Class A title win over Farrell, 85-53.

Moore, who is entering his seventh season as head coach of Constitution, feels playing deep into the season should happen every season.

“I look at it like an opportunity. People assumed things were going to go downhill,” Moore said. “It’s the expectation to be playing until the end of March.”

The core pieces who contributed to Constitution’s last two state champions have graduated and moved on. Former two-time All-State Class A Player of the Year Ahmad Gilbert, who scored 1,491 points in his career according to Philly hoops historian Ted Silary, is now at Minnesota. Gilbert, a dynamic scorer and the team’s “only outside threat” according to Moore, led Constitution with 21.2 points per game during their five-game run to the state title.

Also gone are Kimar Williams (1,245 points), Chad Andrews-Fulton, Haneef Vaughn and Akeem King. Williams, a strong all-around combo guard is playing at Florida International. Andrews-Fulton, a 6-6 post was a viable third scoring option, and Vaughn and King were valuable contributors in the backcourt.

Moore knows last year’s team left a lasting mark that the holdovers can hopefully replicate and learn from.

“Everybody has that expectation, and people have to live up to it,” Moore said. “This new group has been given an opportunity, and we expect the same level of success. I’m just excited about this team. I think we have a team that’s bigger, more athletic, as tough if not tougher. Not as skilled as last year, but deeper. We’re excited for outlook, and we don’t think we’ll take a step back.”

One of the holdovers is returning sixth man Anthony Satchell. The 6-foot senior is the team’s leading returning scorer (5.9 ppg) and led the team defensively, according to Moore. Satchell comes into the season as the most experienced player on Constitution, and will be looked upon to increase his scoring output while still being a shutdown defender.

“Before, I was that guy who talked on defense, played hard and got buckets here and there. Now, it’s 24/7, I have to lead,” Satchell said. “I have to talk. I have to be here. I have to know all the offensive plays. I have to be the perfect example for everybody. Before it was Kimar and (others), so they would lead the offense and I would fit in with the offense. Now, I need to know the offense, for sure. It isn’t just about fitting in. I’m a big part of the offense now.”

When speaking of his teammates, Satchell said they are taking on two different roles this season: 1) they will have a “target on ‘their back” because “we’re known for winning at Constitution” and 2) they are “kind of the underdog” because they have several players “nobody knows about.”  While they may not have many players opposing teams know about, they will discover how talented this team is.

Joining Satchell in the starting lineup will be senior guard Nasir Randolph. Randolph has been “getting better each year” and has “waited for his turn,” as Moore described. Randolph epitomizes several aspects of what Moore preaches at Constitution: waiting for your opportunity and making the most of your opportunity when it presents itself.

Some other players who have followed Moore’s concept are junior Youssef Diabate and senior Khalif Kroma. Diabete, at 6-5, and Kroma, at 6-8, have developed and should provide scoring and rebounding in the frontcourt.

Two players who have vastly improved are junior Tamir Green and sophomore Hakim Hudson. Moore said Green is “fast, lightning quick” and “could potentially start.” He said Hudson can “really shoot the ball well.”

Both Green and Hudson have caught Satchell’s eye as well.

“They’re coming back ready to lead. They’re not scared to make mistakes,” Satchell said. “I tell them to talk all the time. Their overall games have gotten better. I think they’re [playing with] more heart and stepping up into their roles.”

Several of the underclassmen will have to play significant minutes and contribute right away. Sophomore Jerry Andrews-Fulton, Chad’s brother, figures to play a lot, but Moore has said he “needs to get physically stronger.” Another sophomore, LeeRon Wills-Worthy, is a 6-4 power forward who Moore described as “hard to guard in the post.”

Freshmen who could see time this year are Jihad Saunders, Kaire Locks and Abdul Riggins, whose brother Tamir Bulger was the starting point guard on Constitution’s first state title team in 2012.

Rounding out the team are two transfers: Jamal Brown and Maurice Waters. Brown played at Imhotep Charter, who defeated Constitution in the Public League title game, and Waters played at Bartram.

Moore understands his team is inexperienced but he said guys like Gilbert and Williams really helped shape the new core group and showed what it takes to compete against higher level programs.

“They did more than anything preparing these kids on how to win. They come in and they know what it takes to play a national schedule,” Moore said. “It’s not going to be handed to them, but they’ve seen firsthand what it’s going to take.”

Constitution begins its national schedule in the First Annual Shirts vs Skins Classic in Baltimore against St. Frances Academy on Dec. 5 and Calvert Hall on December 6. They will play Imhotep on Dec. 10. They will play Wings Academy, who won the Public Schools Athletic League & New York State Federation titles last season, on December 19.

They will also play defending PIAA Class AA state champion Conwell Egan Catholic at Chestnut Hill College in the 11th Annual Pete and Jameer Nelson Classic on Dec. 30.  

With a national schedule, Moore exposes his team to increased expectations and continually keeps them on their heels. Satchell believes it will help drive and push this year’s team.

“We don’t have the same talent as last year and we need to know that. We can’t be going out and not playing hard,” Satchell said. “We have to compete. We all have to get better. (Coach Moore) always makes sure to tell us, ‘None of you guys have FIU or Minnesota (looking at you).' He knows what to say to us to keep us going. Until we have that, we should have that type of attitude to stay humble and keep working hard.”