City of Basketball Love

Michael Bullock (@thebullp_n)
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Here’s installment No. 9 of City of Basketball Love’s state basketball rankings, a package that will appear on the website every Monday throughout the season. 

Appearing below are all four of our top 10s, with PIAA district and this season’s record displayed in parentheses. Only those schools competing for PIAA state championships are eligible for ranking purposes.

CITY OF BASKETBALL LOVE STATE BASKETBALL RANKINGS
(records through games of Jan. 31/OW-others to watch/NR-not ranked)

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CLASS AAAA
Apparently back on track following a five-game skid, Archbishop Wood reintroduced itself to the top 10 after spending Sunday afternoon decking Philly Catholic League playmate Lansdale Catholic 79-45 and running its winning streak to five games. Tyree Pickron, Collin Gillespie and Tommy Funk shared 45 points for John Mosco’s Vikings, who won for the third time in as many days. Pickron totaled 52 points in Wood’s earlier conquests of Bonner-Prendergast, No. 10 La Salle College and Academy of the New Church. … Let’s add a special mention to Reading’s Lonnie Walker, who banked a career-high 32 points (including career point No. 1,000) and grabbed nine rebounds as the Red Knights blasted McCaskey 103-51 at the Geigle Classic. Rick Perez’s club outscored McCaskey 63-23 after the break. 

No.  School                                      Rec    Pvs
1.     Allderdice (8)                             17-1        1                          
2.     Roman Catholic (12)                 16-4        2
3.     Parkland (11)                             17-3        4                              
4.     Downingtown West (1)              19-1        3
5.     Coatesville (1)                           19-1        5
6.     Reading (3)                               17-3        6
7.     Plymouth-Whitemarsh (1)         18-1        8
8.     Ridley (1)                                   19-1        9
9.     Archbishop Wood (12)               13-7    OW
10.   La Salle College (12)                 15-5        7

Checked in: No. 9 Archbishop Wood.
Checked out: No. 10 Cheltenham.

Others to watch: Abington (1) 16-4, Abington Heights (2) 17-1, Academy Park (1) 14-5, Archbishop Ryan (12) 13-7, Baldwin (7) 14-5, Bethel Park (7) 13-6, Carlisle (3) 13-5, Cedar Crest (3) 16-5, Central Bucks West (1) 16-4, Central York (3) 17-2, Chartiers Valley (7) 15-4, Cheltenham (1) 15-4, Chester (1) 13-6, Conestoga (1) 14-6, Emmaus (11) 16-4, Franklin Regional (7) 13-6, Harrisburg (3) 14-3, Hazleton (2) 14-3, Latrobe (7) 18-1, Lower Merion (1) 14-6, Martin Luther King (12) 12-9, McCaskey (3) 15-5, Northeastern (3) 18-1, Penn Hills (7) 15-5, Pennridge (1) 16-3, Phoenixville (1) 19-3, Pine-Richland (7) 14-4, Pittsburgh Central Catholic (7) 12-5, Plum (7) 13-5, Pocono Mountain West (11) 17-3, Spring Grove (3) 18-2, Strath Haven (1) 17-3, Upper Merion (1) 13-6, William Allen (11) 13-6, York (3) 11-9.

Intriguing matchups of the week: We’re going to concentrate all of our resources on ‘Terrific Tuesday’ since there are three terrific matchups on tap — all of them return engagements and all of them in District 1. We’ll start with No. 5 Coatesville hoping to avenge a 10-point setback when it pulls into No. 4 Downingtown West. No. 7 Plymouth-Whitemarsh will be on the road at Cheltenham, which dropped a two-point decision to Jim Donofrio’s Colonials at P-W in the earlier matchup. And finally, No. 8 Ridley will visit Lower Merion’s Kobe Bryant Gymnasium for a scrap with Gregg Downer’s Aces. Ridley won the earlier game by a 61-40 count.

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CLASS AAA
Suburban Allentown was the setting Saturday night, as No. 2 Imhotep Charter and Class AAAA No. 4 Parkland scrapped and scrapped and scrapped until the surging Trojans bounced off their home floor with an 89-85 victory that needed three overtimes to settle. Jaekwon Carlyle poured in 30 points and Daron Russell added 22 for Andre Noble’s Panthers, who were trying to win for the third time in as many days. Imhotep also was chasing its 16th straight victory. Sam Iorio and Kyle Stout shared 44 points for Parkland, which played without talented senior guard Devante Cross. Cross was on a football recruiting visit to Virginia, committing on the spot.

No.  School                                       Rec     Pvs
1.     Neumann-Goretti (12)                18-2         1
2.     Imhotep Charter (12)                  17-3         2
3.     Archbishop Carroll (12)               18-2         3
4.     New Castle (7)                            19-0         4
5.     Scranton Prep (2)                        15-2         5
6.     Mars (7)                                       15-5         6
7.     Beaver Falls (7)                           18-2         7
8.     Pottsville (11)                               19-0         8
9.     Lewisburg (4)                               17-0         9
10.  Del-Val Charter (12)                      16-4      OW

Checked in: No. 10 Del-Val Charter.
Checked out: No. 10 Cathedral Prep.

Others to watch: Allentown Central Catholic (11) 12-7 Benjamin Franklin (12) 13-5, Berks Catholic (3) 12-6, Bethlehem Catholic (11) 12-7, Bishop McDevitt (3) 15-4, Blue Mountain (11) 15-4, Boys’ Latin (12) 16-4, Cathedral Prep (10) 13-5, Clearfield (9) 17-1, Cocalico (3) 15-4, Crestwood (2) 13-4, Eastern Lebanon County (3) 18-3, Eastern York (3) 17-4, General McLane (10) 14-4, Girard (10) 15-3, Hampton (7) 13-6, Harbor Creek (10) 13-5, Highlands (7) 16-4, Hollidaysburg (6) 14-2, Holy Ghost Prep (1) 16-4, Lampeter-Strasburg (3) 20-1, Lower Moreland (1) 15-3, Meadville (10) 15-2, Middletown (3) 13-7, Milton Hershey (3) 18-1, Nanticoke (2) 14-3, Octorara (1) 18-2, Palmyra (3) 16-4, Salisbury (11) 17-3, Shamokin (4) 18-1, Somerset (5) 14-5, Steel Valley (7) 14-3, Strong Vincent (10) 12-5.

Intriguing matchups of the week: We’ll begin with several Tuesday rematches, one in the eastern half of the state and the other out west. No. 5 Scranton Prep will visit Class AAAA hammer Abington Heights — Heights won the first meeting 57-52 — in a key Lackawanna League pairing. And while that game is playing out, the same thing will be taking place in suburban Pittsburgh since No. 7 will visit No. 4 New Castle in a five-star WPIAL encounter. New Castle popped Doug Biega’s Tigers 75-53 the first time around. Finally, on Sunday, No. 3 Archbishop Carroll will play host to Class AAAA No. 9 Archbishop Wood as both sides wrap up the regular-season portions of their respective schedules.  

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CLASS AA
Receiving 23 points from Jassir Jordan — including 18 before the break — No. 1 Aliquippa maintained its perfect mark Sunday by turning back dangerous Class AAAA entry Chartiers Valley 58-46 in the second of four games at the Pittsburgh Basketball Classic. Earlier in the week, Nick Lackovich’s Quips dispatched Northgate 89-27 and Our Lady of Sacred Heart 63-44.

No.  School                                            Rec    Pvs
1.     Aliquippa (7)                                   19-0        1
2.     Conwell-Egan (12)                         13-6        2
3.     Lincoln Park (7)                              17-3        3
4.     Greensburg C.C. (7)                       18-1        4
5.     Church Farm (1)                             15-3        5
6.     Mid Valley (2)                                  17-1        7
7.     Camp Hill (3)                                   15-4        6                                     
8.     Quaker Valley (7)                            17-2        9
9.     Minersville (11)                                16-3        8
10.   West Branch (6)                               16-1      10

Checked in: No one.
Checked out: No one.

Others to watch: Avonworth (7) 13-7, Bellwood-Antis (6) 16-2, Berlin Brothersvalley (5) 15-1, Bishop Canevin (7) 14-4, Bishop McCort (6) 12-5, Cambridge Springs (10) 13-4, Dunmore (2) 12-6, Fairview (10) 12-6, Greenville (10) 13-5, Hanover (3) 13-6, Holy Cross (2) 11-6, Hughesville (4) 13-4, Laurel (7) 16-4, Mastery Charter North (12) 19-1, Meyers (2) 11-6, Neshannock (7) 15-4, Northwestern (10) 14-4, Our Lady of Sacred Heart (7) 14-5, Penns Valley (6) 15-3, Richland (6) 10-7, Shady Side Academy (7) 13-6, Titusville (10) 15-3, Trinity (3) 12-6, Tyrone (6) 11-5, Upper Dauphin (3) 18-3, Washington (7) 13-5, West Middlesex (10) 11-7, Westmont Hilltop (6) 10-8, York Catholic (3) 16-4.

Intriguing matchups of the week: While rematches are on tap Monday and Tuesday nights — No. 10 West Branch visits Bellwood-Antis before No. 8 Quaker Valley takes on unbeaten No. 1 Aliquippa — No. 2 Conwell-Egan will have a difficult Philly Catholic League proposition Sunday when Class AAA No. 1 Neumann-Goretti stops by for both sides’ regular-season finales.

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CLASS A
Those in the National Basketball Association making millions don’t even attempt what No. 2 Monessen and No. 7 Homer-Center did last week, so obviously winning five times in five tries is quite the feat. Monessen knocked off Avella, Geibel Catholic, Belle Vernon, West Greene and Ambridge, averaging 95.6 ppg in those five victories. Bob Rado’s Homer-Center bunch didn’t roll up those sorts of numbers in wins over Purchase Line, Blairsville, United, Ligonier Valley and Derry Area, but the Wildcats did win on average by just over 32 ppg.

No.  School                                             Rec    Pvs
1.     Kennedy Catholic (10)                      15-2        1
2.     Monessen (7)                                    17-3        2                                 
3.     Farrell (10)                                         12-4        3
4.     Constitution (12)                                11-9        4
5.     St. John Neumann (4)                       17-0        5
6.     Elk County Catholic (9)                      19-0        6
7.     Homer-Center (6)                               18-0        7
8.     Clarion-Limestone (9)                        17-1        8
9.     Phil-Mont Christian (1)                       18-1        9
10.  Sewickley Academy (7)                      17-2      10

Checked in: No one.
Checked out: No one.

Others to watch: Bishop Carroll (6) 12-6, Bishop Guilfoyle (6) 9-5, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic (7) 12-8, Clairton (7) 13-2, Clarion (9) 13-5, Coudersport (9) 17-1, Cowanesque Valley (4) 17-3, Eden Christian (7) 16-3, Faith Christian (1) 14-5, Ferndale (6) 15-3, Jeannette (7) 14-5, Jenkintown (1) 13-6, Lincoln Leadership (11) 14-5, Lourdes Regional (4) 15-4, Math, Civics & Sciences (12) 8-13, McConnellsburg (5) 13-3, Millersburg (3) 12-6, Millville (4) 15-3, North Penn-Mansfield (4) 13-7, Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg (11) 10-7, Old Forge (2) 10-7, Paul Robeson (12) 15-6, Ridgway (9) 16-2, Rocky Grove (10) 12-5, Saltsburg (6) 14-2, Shanksville-Stonycreek (5) 17-1, Shenandoah Valley (11) 13-5, Southern Fulton (5) 15-3, Sullivan County (4) 17-1, Union-Rimersburg (9) 13-6, Vincentian (7) 13-5, York Country Day (3) 15-0.

Intriguing matchups of the week: No. 4 Constitution will have its hands full Monday night, when Rob Moore’s Generals visit Class AAA No. 2 Imhotep Charter in a Philly Public League makeup. And on Friday night in western Pennsylvania, No. 1 Kennedy Catholic will make the short trek to Farrell for a scrap with the No. 3 Steelers. Meeting No. 1 went to overtime, so get ready for another dandy.