City of Basketball Love

Michael Bullock (@thebullp_n)
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Here’s installment No. 2 of City of Basketball Love’s state rankings, a package that will appear on Mondays throughout the remainder of the regular season.

We did showcase a set of preseason rankings leading up to the opening weekend (Dec. 9-10) and those groupings served as a starting point — since we’re going to continue to shuffle things around based on the early returns.

Appearing below are all six 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 Dec. 24/OW-others to watch/NR-not ranked)

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Previous Rankings: Dec. 18 |

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CLASS 6A

Newly christened No. 1 William Allen had an easy time defeating East Penn Conference Steel Division playmate Easton 70-48 Tuesday night — double-digit victories in the EPC have been a rarity thus far — as Carlos Gutierrez, Tyrese Martin and Central Connecticut State recruit Talek Williams shared 40 points to lead the Allentown-based Canaries. Even more noteworthy was the victory was the 400th of head coach Doug Snyder’s sparkling career. While Wilkes-Barre’s GAR Memorial is up next in the opening round of Allen’s holiday event, unbeaten No. 8 and fellow East Penn hammer Emmaus could be waiting in Wednesday’s final.

No.  School                                           Rec    Pvs
1.     William Allen (11)                        6-0        2
2.     Archbishop Ryan (12)                 6-0        3
3.     Reading (3)                                 4-2        1                          
4.     Plymouth-Whitemarsh (1)           5-0        5
5.     Roman Catholic (12)                   6-0       6
6.     Abington (1)                                 6-2        7
7.     Carlisle (3)                                   6-1        4
8.     Emmaus (11)                               5-0        8
9.     Pocono Mountain West (11)        5-1      10                               
10.   Pine-Richland (7)                         5-0     OW

Checked in: No. 10 Pine-Richland.
Checked out: No. 9 Williamsport.

Others to watch: Bethlehem Liberty (11, 3-3), Butler (7, 4-2), Central Dauphin East (3, 7-0), Central York (3, 3-3), Cheltenham (1, 5-1), Coatesville (1, 5-2), Conestoga (1, 5-0), Council Rock South (1, 6-1), Dallastown (3, 6-1), Downingtown East (1, 7-0), Father Judge (12, 5-2), Fox Chapel (7, 6-0), Garnet Valley (1, 5-2), Harrisburg (3, 3-2), Hatboro-Horsham (1, 4-2), Hazleton (2, 3-2), La Salle College (12, 3-3), Latrobe (7, 5-0), Lower Merion (1, 4-3), North Hills (7, 4-1), Parkland (11, 2-4), Penn Hills (7, 5-0), Penn Wood (1, 2-2), Pennsbury (1, 4-2), State College (6, 4-2), Williamsport (4, 4-2).

Bullish matchup of the week: Folks in northeastern Pennsylvania may be treated to a preview of the District 2/4 Class 6A championship game on Friday when Allen Taylor’s remarkably athletic Williamsport Millionaires motor to Hazleton for a scrap with Mike Joseph’s towering Cougars. Williamsport advanced to the 2/4 big school final last season, but fell to an Abington Heights group that ousted Hazleton in the semis. Before heading to Hazleton, Williamsport will host its own holiday tournament, a four-team event that also features unbeaten Loyalsock.

CLASS 5A

No. 3 Abington Heights extended its winning streak to four games last week by overpowering Holy Redeemer (62-29), Dunmore (47-29) and Riverside (56-29). George Tinsley reached double figures in all three successes, totaling 35 points for Ken Bianchi’s Comets. Seth Maxwell did not play in the win over Riverside, but the 7-0 senior bucketed a combined 27 points against Redeemer and Dunmore. The Comets will hop on the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Northeast Extension on Tuesday, traveling to Parkland to square off against Berks Catholic.

No.  School                                            Rec    Pvs
1.     Archbishop Wood (12)                4-2         1
2.     Bangor (11)                                 6-0         2
3.     Abington Heights (2)                   6-1         3
4.     Upper Merion (1)                         6-0         4
5.     Northeastern (3)                          7-0         5
6.     Whitehall (11)                              6-1         6
7.     Archbishop Carroll (12)               5-1         7
8.     Bonner-Prendergast (12)            6-0        8
9.     Chester (1)                                  4-1     OW
10.   Meadville (10)                              6-0      10

Checked in: No. 9 Chester.
Checked out: No. 9 Highlands.

Others to watch: Allentown Central Catholic (11, 3-3), Bishop Shanahan (1, 4-3), Blue Mountain (11, 5-1), Cathedral Prep (10, 5-1), Chartiers Valley (7, 6-1), Great Valley (1, 5-1), Hampton (7, 5-2), Highlands (7, 4-2), Holy Ghost Prep (1, 5-1), Manheim Central (3, 6-0), Mars (7, 4-0), Martin Luther King (12, 5-3), Mastery Charter North (12, 8-0), Mechanicsburg (3, 5-1), Milton Hershey (3, 3-2), Palmyra (3, 7-1), Penncrest (1, 5-2), Phoenixville (1, 5-2), Pottsville (11, 3-1), Simon Gratz (12, 6-3), Spring Grove (3, 4-1), Springfield-Delco (1, 4-1), Strath Haven (1, 5-1), West Scranton (2, 4-2), Wissahickon (1, 3-2).

Bullish matchups of the week: Keep an eye on No. 4 Upper Merion’s visit to Norristown for the Triangle Holiday Classic. While the Vikings will open Tuesday against Father Judge, Jason Quenzer’s club could meet Hatboro-Horsham on Day 2. Upper Merion also has a date with Ridley on Friday afternoon.

CLASS 4A

Trailing 51-47 with 90 seconds to go, New Castle rallied for a 54-53 victory over Quaker Valley Friday night at home. While Geno Stone bagged a clutch 3-pointer to shave the deficit to a single point, Ralph Blundo’s bunch stole the ensuing inbounds pass and Te’Quawn Stewart’s finish near the hoop propelled the Red Hurricanes past their WPIAL Section 2 playmates. Stone wound up with 19 points, four more than Quaker Valley’s Amos Luptak. They’ll meet again on Jan. 24 at Quaker Valley.

No.  School                                                 Rec    Pvs
1.     Imhotep Charter (12)                       4-1       1
2.     Scranton Prep (2)                            4-1        4
3.     New Castle (7)                                 5-0        2
4.     Quaker Valley (7)                             5-1        7
5.     Bethlehem Catholic (11)                  5-1        5
6.     Meyers (2)                                       3-1        6
7.     Salisbury (11)                                  4-1        8                            
8.     Lancaster Catholic (3)                     6-0      OW
9.     Clearfield (9)                                    5-0      10
10.   Beaver Falls (7)                               2-2        3

Checked in: No. 8 Lancaster Catholic.
Checked out: No. 9 Conwell-Egan.

Others to watch: Berwick (2, 6-0), Blackhawk (7, 4-2), Central Valley (7, 4-2), Conwell-Egan (12, 3-3), Danville (4, 7-0), Eastern York (3, 5-1), Farrell (10, 1-3), Franklin (10, 4-1), Lower Moreland (1, 4-2), Middletown (3, 3-0), Nanticoke (2, 5-1), Punxsutawney (9, 5-0), Strong Vincent (10, 3-1), Universal Audenried (12, 6-2), Valley View (2, 5-2).

Bullish matchups of the week: No. 5 Bethlehem Catholic will head west on Wednesday to make yet another appearance in the Special Olympics holiday event held in suburban York. Up first for the Golden Hawks is a matchup with an unbeaten Danville that starts four sophomores and a junior. No. 6 York Catholic (3A) also is part of the four-team field. … As for No. 1 Imhotep Charter, Andre Noble’s Panthers will spend the week in Myrtle Beach, S.C., at the rugged 16-team Beach Ball Classic.    

CLASS 3A

No. 2 Trinity maintained its early-season pace, improving to 6-0 after roughing up East Pennsboro (59-37), Camp Hill (71-43) and St. Joseph’s Catholic (69-28). Timmy Edwards and Austin Gilbertson reached double figures in all three victories, totaling 60 and 43 points, respectively. Edwards was remarkably efficient from the field, bagging 27 of his 41 field-goal attempts. Meanwhile, 6-11 junior Sean Good averaged six blocks per game for Larry Kostelac Jr.’s Shamrocks.

No.  School                                                  Rec    Pvs
1.     Neumann-Goretti (12)                       2-3        1
2.     Trinity (3)                                           6-0        2                                  
3.     Lincoln Park (7)                                 3-2        3
4.     Valley Forge (1)                                 5-2       4
5.     Steel Valley (7)                                  5-1        5
6.     York Catholic (3)                                5-1        7
7.     Del-Val Charter (12)                          3-3       8
8.     Mid Valley (2)                                     4-1        6
9.     Lancaster Mennonite (3)                   6-1        9
10.  Loyalsock (4)                                      6-0     OW

Checked in: No. 10 Loyalsock.
Checked out: No. 10 Central Cambria.

Others to watch: Bellwood-Antis (6, 4-1), Camp Hill (3, 4-2), Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic (7, 5-2), Central Cambria (6, 4-1), Columbia (3, 6-1), Dunmore (2, 2-3), Fairview (10, 6-0), Girard (10, 5-1), Greenville (10, 6-0), MaST Community (12, 6-1), Notre Dame-Green Pond (11, 5-2), Steel-High (3, 2-2), Wellsboro (4, 6-1), Westmont Hilltop (6, 4-3).

Bullish matchups of the week: No. 1 Neumann-Goretti, which dropped all three of its encounters at last week’s primo City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla., will try to get back on form against Paul VI (Va.) at Tuesday’s Slam Dunk at the Beach in Lewes, Del., and then later in the week against southeastern Pennsylvania hammer Abington on the second day of the Jameer Nelson Classic in Chester. Kentucky recruit Quade Green did not play in the Saints’ last two games in Florida.

CLASS 2A

Swapping positions with heated Philly Public League rival Constitution, Math, Civics & Sciences ascends to the No. 1 spot after knocking off Martin Luther King 70-64 at home and rallying for a 65-53 triumph Friday night at Chester. All-state guard Malik Archer enjoyed impressive efforts in both successes, totaling 55 points in the two wins. Saheed Peoples backed Archer in the King victory, scoring 13 points. Tymair Johnson and Ahmad Wimbush also reached double figures at Chester, scoring 11 and 10 points, respectively. Wimbush also yanked down 10 rebounds.

No.  School                                                 Rec    Pvs
1.     Math, Civics & Sciences (12)           7-0        2
2.     Constitution (12)                              5-3        1
3.     Sewickley Academy (7)                   4-0        4
4.     Greensburg C.C. (7)                        6-0        8
5.     Bishop Canevin (7)                          4-2         9
6.     Church Farm (1)                               5-2        3
7.     Bishop Guilfoyle (6)                          1-0        7
8.      Mahanoy Area (11)                          4-0     NR
9.     Shenandoah Valley (11)                   5-1       6                       
10.   Our Lady Sacred Heart (7)               5-1        5

Checked in: No. 8 Mahanoy Area.
Checked out: No. 10 North Penn-Mansfield.

Others to watch: Bishop McCort (6, 3-0), Brockway (9, 4-2), Cambridge Springs (10, 5-2), Clarion (9, 4-1), Clarion-Limestone (9, 4-1), Coudersport (9, 3-0), Holy Cross (2, 2-3), Keystone (9, 4-1), Laurel (7, 6-0), Marian Catholic (11, 4-1), Moshannon Valley (6, 5-0), Neshannock (7, 4-1), North Penn-Mansfield (4, 5-2), Ridgway (9, 6-0), Rocky Grove (10, 5-1).

Bullish matchups of the week: No. 1 Math, Civics & Sciences is headed to Berks County during the holiday week, playing Upper Darby Tuesday night in the opening round of Reading’s four-team event while a potential matchup with the host Red Knights could take place on Wednesday. … No. 10 Our Lady of Sacred Heart will meet ranked Class 4A Quaker Valley on Wednesday at Montour. … And No. 2 Constitution will close out the week on Friday at Trinity, where the Generals will play Meyers.

CLASS 1A

Flashing all sorts of firepower — nine players wound up in the scorebook — Kennedy Catholic spent Tuesday night overwhelming neighboring West Middlesex 85-56 at home. Mohamed Konate dropped in 24 points to lead Rick Mancino’s No. 1 Golden Eagles. Konate also grabbed nine rebounds, while Channing Phillips (16), Clay O’Dell (10) and Ike Herster (10) also reached double digits for a Kennedy side that played without spiffy soph Maceo Austin. Kennedy led 47-24 at the break.

No.  School                                                   Rec    Pvs
1.     Kennedy Catholic (10)                      4-0        1
2.     Monessen (7)                                    3-2        2                               
3.     St. John Neumann (4)                       6-0       3
4.     Elk County Catholic (9)                      4-0        4
5.     Saltsburg (6)                                      5-0        6
6.     York Country Day (3)                         3-3        5
7.     Shanksville-Stonycreek (5)                6-1      9
8.     Lincoln Leadership (11)                     6-0     OW
9.     Lourdes Regional (4)                         4-1     OW
10.   Southern Fulton (5)                            5-1      10

Checked in: No. 8 Lincoln Leadership/No. 9 Lourdes Regional.
Checked out: No. 7 Sullivan County/No. 8 Faith Christian.

Others to watch: Clairton (7, 1-2), Cornell (7, 6-1), Faith Christian (1, 3-1), Ferndale (6, 6-0), Jenkintown (1, 4-1), Millville (4, 4-0), Rochester (7, 5-1), Shade (5, 4-1), Sullivan County (4, 2-2).

Bullish matchups of the week: Constantly testing his fast-paced outfit, Joe Salvino has entered No. 2 Monessen in the always-competitive C.J. Betters Tournament at Beaver County Community College. While the Greyhounds will meet Central Valley on Thursday, they’ll play Lincoln Park or Highlands the following day.