City of Basketball Love

Graham Foley (@graham_foley3)
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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 2016-17 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed so far can be found here.)

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After suffering through tough seasons in recent years, Cardinal O’Hara basketball is moving in a new direction.

With the hiring of Delaware Valley Charter’s Jason Harrigan, the Warriors, who have won just three Philadelphia Catholic League games in the past three seasons, look to become competitive again in one of the country’s toughest basketball leagues.

For Harrigan, replacing Steve Cloran and taking the high-profile Catholic League job brings with it a process that is difficult, yet intriguing.

“It’s been pretty intense and difficult, leaving Del-Val and deciding to take the O’Hara job,” Harrigan said. “As for the transition, the support that I've gotten so far from O’Hara’s administration and alumni has been spectacular.”

Harrigan had coached at Del-Val since 2010, and became very well-known last year when he led his team to a 27-5 season that included Public League Championship and a City Championship, in which the Warriors knocked off nationally-ranked Neumann-Goretti.

His successes, however, are “a lot bigger than just last season.”

“I started coaching at Del Val and I put everything into that program,” Harrigan said. “Everybody who knows me and everybody who’s been around this city knows I put a lot into that program, and those kids, and those students and it definitely was an extremely difficult decision, and it’s something that I still deal with. I’m still trying to help those kids out and make sure they make a good transition so I still want to see that team and that program continue to have some success, so I’m trying to help as much as I can.”

While coaching at Del-Val, Harrigan was also a full-time teacher at the school. For the moment, he is still teaching there and is waiting to “see what the future holds.” However, whether he is teaching at the school or not, Harrigan plans to remain close with his former players and make sure they continue to succeed as they begin to work with new coach James Lewis.

Harrigan led Del-Val to three straight 15+ win seasons playing in the Philadelphia Public League. While the Public League is often overshadowed by the power and depth of the Philadelphia Catholic League, the Pub has a great amount of its own successes.

Constitution High School has won three of the last five state titles in PIAA Class A. From 2009 to 2013, Imhotep, another Public League member, won four state championships -- one in Class AAA, the other three in Class AA -- in the five year span. In addition, now-closed Roberts Vaux High School won the Class A state championship in 2013 and Mathematics, Civics, and Sciences Charter School claimed the Class A title in 2011

“Philadelphia basketball is tough all around Public and Catholic League,” Harrigan said. “I think both leagues have a lot of tough players, coaches that are passionate, and championship programs really. I mean if you look at the Pub there's championship programs all throughout A division from Imhotep, Constitution, King and MCS, those teams have all experienced some form of a championship. And that's probably going to transfer over to the Catholic League, where you’re just preparing for championship-caliber basketball on a regular basis.”

There is a lot of pressure and opportunity that comes from coaching in the Catholic League. At O’Hara, Harrigan will have the opportunity to coach games against nationally-renowned, Class AAA championship programs like Neumann-Goretti and Roman Catholic not just in the city championship, but in the regular season as his team competes with them for the league title.

He's got a lot of work to do, however, to build up the program -- last year, the Lions went 6-16, including a 2-11 record in league play.

Leading scorer Jayelyn Peebles (15.0 ppg) is back for his senior season, but they'll need replace the team's next two leading scorers in graduated Zakee Griffin (9.9 ppg) and big man Liutauras Repsys (6.6 ppg). Sophomore James Pierce, a 6-4 forward, is also expected to be a big piece of this year's rotation.

Competing against championship caliber programs like those mentioned from Public League have helped Harrigan improve his coaching and he believes they will help him prepare for the intense competition in the Catholic League.

“Obviously the opportunity to coach in the Catholic League, which is probably one of the best leagues if not in the area, in the region and beyond that is great,” Harrigan said. “The Public League was really good as well. I learned so much there, we had a lot of success there. I learned a whole lot. So the Public League was great and the Catholic League is a just great opportunity to challenge myself because at the end of the day I want to be the best possible coach I can be so I want to meet those challenges and it’s a great opportunity for growth.”

As for his new team at Cardinal O’Hara, it is no secret they have not played well in recent years. In order to bring back the program and allow the team to compete, Harrigan plans to change the attitudes of the players and set up his own style.

“For me it’s a transition and it’s a building process,” Harrigan said. “We’re going to start by coming in and trying to change the culture and make sure those guys are preparing the right way. We want to prepare for success so immediately when we start we’re going to prepare like champions.”

With this culture change, Harrigan plans to compete at a high level in the Catholic League this year and not pass of this season as a rebuilding or transition phase.

“Well I think that it’s going to be difficult, it's a tough league, but I do plan to compete,” Harrigan said. “Regardless of who we are playing with, I want to prepare the right way. I think the kids are excited for a change. Hopefully they have the same energy that everyone around the program has and we will definitely be able to compete.”

The transition to this new job will not be easy for Harrigan. Turning around Cardinal O’Hara’s program and winning immediately in the Catholic League is not something that will happen overnight.

But Harrigan is ready for a new challenge and he has the full backing of the passionate, Cardinal O’Hara community and alumni base.

“As far as the athletic program and our athletic director and the administration, and the support of the team, I feel a tremendous amount of support,” Harrigan said. “I know that the community beyond just the players and the students, the people in the community, have shown so much support that I am really excited to get started.”