City of Basketball Love

CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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The final segment of the 2017-18 Pennsylvania high school basketball season is upon us.

Six different brackets of 32 teams each get underway this weekend in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) state playoffs, the second year since the expansion from four classifications to six brought even more excitement to March in high school gyms around the Keystone state.

The CoBL staff will be going in-depth on each of the six classifications to preview the state tournament, with favorites, contenders, dark horses and players to watch.

Here’s a look at the Class 4A bracket (district-seed, record in parenthesis); all first-round games will take place Friday, March 9. The full bracket, with times and locations, can be found here.

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The Favorites
Imhotep Charter (12-1, 26-2)
Before the reclassifications, Imhotep kept running into Neumann-Goretti in the old AAA state semifinals, and the Saints kept getting the better of the Panthers. But in this new 4A classification, Imhotep certainly looks like the cream of the crop for the second year in a row, after winning its four state games by an average of 29 points per game a year ago. Gone from that team are a trio of Division I freshmen in Daron Russell (Rhode Island), Koby Thomas (Robert Morris) and David Beatty (South Carolina), but Andre Noble has a new starring cast, led by the most impressive group of wings around. Juniors Donta Scott (6-7), Chereef Knox (6-6), Jamil Riggins Jr. (6-6), Karam Cummings (6-5) and Dahmir Bishop (6-4) all have Division I offers, and 5-11 senior guard Bernard Lightsey has been scoring the ball at a high clip as well, with Division II programs on his tail. And don’t forget about 6-8 sophomore Elijah Taylor, a rapidly-emerging force in the post. They’ve got more competition this year than last, but the Panthers are still the odds-on favorite to take it home again.

Bethlehem Catholic (11-1, 25-3)
The undisputed kings of the Lehigh Valley this year, Ray Barbosa’s Golden Hawks are a true inside-out threat, featuring arguably the most well-rounded big man in the state. Northwestern-bound Ryan Young is a 6-9, 240-pound problem, a near-lock for 20 and 10 every time he takes the floor; he and his brother, junior forward Kyle Young (6-8, 230), give BeCaHi one of the most formidable frontcourts around. Out on the perimeter, they rely on 6-0 junior Justin Paz, a Division I prospect as well, plus seniors Scottie Kuna and DeAndre’ Gardner in the starting lineup. The combined district final win over Lower Moreland also saw sophomore Ryan Santana score a season-high 16 points; the more depth this can group can muster, the better. After losing in the first round a year ago, they have their sights set much deeper in the tournament.

Quaker Valley (7-2, 23-1)
Experienced group that returned plenty from a club that last season reached the state semifinals, Quaker Valley will open PIAA play trying to rebound from its loss to New Castle in the WPIAL title game. Drexel recruit Coletrane Washington, QV’s 6-5 senior catalyst, is the guy who makes Mike Mastroianni’s bunch go — yet he hardly operates alone. Ricky Guss, a 6-3 senior who quarterbacked the Quakers to a state football championship in December before dusting off his sneakers, and 6-5 senior Danny Conlan also play sizable roles for the WPIAL runners-up. So, too, do 6-5 junior Ryan Stowers and 6-8 senior Alex Skowron.

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The Contenders
Berks Catholic (3-1, 26-2)
Big and balanced yet one of those hard-to-play squads that yields points begrudgingly, Snip Esterly’s Saints are heading into state play riding a 22-game winning streak that includes Berks County and District 3 titles. As for BC’s offensive balance, 6-2 junior Casey Jack (11.4), 6-2 senior Tre Dabney (10.3), 6-3 senior Keba Mitchell (9.7) and 5-8 junior Luis Garcia (9.5) average between nine and 12 points per outing. Esterly, who recently logged his 700th career victory, also gets production from 6-1 junior Kyran Mitchell, 6-5 junior Brandon George, 6-6 junior Luke Painton and 6-0 senior Jack Hagelbarger. Berks Catholic, which concedes fewer than 40 points per game defensively, has lost only to St. Joseph’s Prep and Girard College.

Sharon (10-1, 23-2)
Speaking of lengthy winning streaks, Zach Sarver’s Tigers will lug a 20-game run into state play after knocking off Hickory 71-66 in the District 10 final — Sharon’s first such title since the 1990-91 season. Balanced group that popped four players into double digits in the D-10 final, including top scorer and 6-8 junior big man Ethan Porterfield (17.4). Elite Williams (10.8), a 5-10 junior who bagged four treys against Hickory, is the only other double-digit scorer for Sarver’s Tigers, although 6-5 senior Tristan Ballard (7.7), 6-0 senior Ramell Askerneese (7.7) and 6-2 senior James McKinney (5.8) also cause concerns for opposing coaching staffs.

New Castle (7-1, 21-4)
Might be time to start calling the Red Hurricanes state tournament fixtures, because Ralph Blundo’s program always seems to be involved and leaving an imprint. Well, this year’s group is rolling into PIAA play on a lengthy winning streak that on Saturday reached 11 games when New Castle held on for a 57-52 victory over previously undefeated WPIAL Section 2 playmate Quaker Valley. Leading scorer Marcus Hooker (15.6), a 5-11 senior ticketed for Ohio State’s football program, popped an impressive double-double (12 points/15 rebounds) as the ‘Canes outboarded much-bigger QV 40-19. New Castle also received a double-double (15 points/10 dimes) from 5-10 senior facilitator Lorenzo Gardner. Deep, talented and highly capable side that likes to get up and down also features the senior trio of 6-1 Carrington Smith, 6-3 Cahlil Dorman and 5-11 Georgie Eggleston.

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The Dark Horses
Overbrook (12-3, 16-8)
The Panthers might not be as deep as other teams in this classifications, but they do have some talent to make some noise. Senior Cyrie Coates, a 6-6 long, versatile wing, can score in bunches, and make an impact on both ends of the floor. His classmate, 6-2 guard Raquon West is a tough scoring guard who also makes an impact on defense. The most impressive scorer might be junior Khalif Washington, a 5-10 lightning quick guard who flourishes both in the paint and beyond the arc. Keep an eye on juniors Malik Bonney and Rashea Daniel as well.

Hickory (10-2, 20-5)
Squad flush with talented youngsters that hails from the same Region 5 landscape as fellow District 10 state qualifiers Sharon and Grove City. In fact, four of the Hornets’ five losses came against those two squads. While 5-9 sophomore Donald Whitehead (17.1) leads Hickory in scoring, 6-4 senior Brandon Beader (14.4) is right behind. Peyton Mele (9.1), a 6-2 freshman, played splendidly in the District 10 final, dropping a team-high 23 points in a five-point loss to Sharon that included a handful of treys. Will go eight or nine players deep, with 6-2 sophomore Jaylen Jarvie (7.7) and 6-0 junior Michael Filardi (5.5) among those logging minutes.

Lancaster Catholic (3-5, 24-4)
Catholic may have fought back to finish fifth in the District 3 playoffs, but don’t take a moment to relax when taking on Joe Klazas’ balanced Crusaders since they went into D-3 play as the No. 1 seed. Although 6-3 senior R.J. Van Tash (10.7 ppg) leads the Lancaster-Lebanon League runner-ups in scoring, 5-11 junior Johnny Besecker (10.4) is the top deep threat with 53 treys. While 5-10 senior Miles McCaskey (6.7) brings plenty of energy, there’s lots of youth on this squad in the likes of 6-6 soph David Kamwanga (8.9), 6-4 junior Dwayne Caine (7.6) and 6-1 soph Denzel Kabasele (4.9). Kamwanga and Kabasele are cousins who arrived in the U.S. prior to the 2016-17 school year from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Long enough and deep enough to cause all sorts of problems in the bottom half of the bracket.

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The Stars
Ryan Young, Bethlehem Catholic
No doubt the most talented and versatile big man around, Northwestern has a future star in this Lehigh Valley product. The 6-10 Young has got an array of post moves, can bring the ball up the court, is a terrific passer both out of the post and facing up, and can knock down jumpers with range out to the 3-point arc. Ultimately, he’s got a great basketball IQ and the game/body to match, which makes him a real problem at this level.

Donta Scott, Imhotep Charter
The most versatile of a whole group of versatile wings, the 6-7 Scott is Imhotep’s de facto point guard, as well as it’s go-to bucket-getter and one of its best defenders. He’s really a ‘2’ or ‘3’ at the next level, but he’s an effective lead guard at this level with his ability to see over defenders and an improving outside stroke.

Coletrane Washington, Quaker Valley
Washington, a 6-5 Drexel recruit, went into the WPIAL championship game averaging 22.5 points per contest. Sits third on QV’s all-time scoring list with 1,484 career points.

Marcus Hooker, New Castle
Headed to Ohio State to play football, the 5-11 Hooker is a terrific basketball player who has pocketed more than 1,000 career points. Popped a double-double in the WPIAL final, scoring 12 points and grabbing 15 rebounds.

Elijah Taylor, Imhotep Charter
A solid 6-8 and 220 pounds, Taylor is a solid-bodied post player whose game is rapidly coming around to match his impressive frame. He’s got plus hands and feet and runs the floor hard, all of which bode well for his long-term development, and he’s developed a go-to drop-step plus a reliable hook shot.

Ryan Hughes, Middletown
A multi-dimensional offensive threat who can knock it down from deep and get to the hole, the 6-4 Hughes is averaging 21-plus points per outing. Hughes, who has scored 1,700-plus career points, is bound for D-III Ursinus (Pa.)

Eric Esposito and Patrick Robinson, Conwell-Egan
The starting backcourt for the Eagles (8-15), A 6-5 shooting guard who will play his college ball at D-II Holy Family (Pa.), Esposito is best beyond the arc. Robinson, who’s already scored 560 points this season alone, can score from all three levels, and is hard to stop once he gets going.

Leo O’Boyle, Scranton Prep
Centerpiece of a Scranton Prep attack, the 6-8 junior with the 21.0 points per game average has banked 30 or more points five times — including a 32-point/8-rebound/3-block performance in a 54-46 victory over Valley View in the District 2 title game. Has an offer from NJIT.

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First-Round Games to Watch
Bethlehem Catholic (25-3) vs. Nanticoke (20-5)
While this game may not offer all that much intrigue to those in the western half of the state, Ray Barbosa’s Becahi Golden Eagles likely have been hoping to collide with the District 2 Trojans for the better part of a year — especially since Nanticoke rallied for a 58-56 win in last year’s opening round. For those who may have forgotten, Nanticoke trailed 40-28 after three quarters. Northwestern recruit Ryan Young, a 6-10 senior, and 6-0 junior guard Justin Paz are the key returnees for Becahi — they shared 27 points in last season’s loss — which bested Lower Moreland by 20 points in the District 1/11 subregional final. Deep-shooting junior Nate Kreitzer, who netted 15 in last year’s game, is back for a Nanticoke squad that finished third in District 2.

Montoursville (19-6) vs. Middletown (17-7)
Anchored by the senior trio of 6-4 Ryan Hughes, 6-3 Chris Plummer and 5-11 Tre Leach, Middletown will try to return to the state quarterfinals through the top half of the bracket after making it that far a season ago while parked in the bottom half. Certainly won’t be an easy route for Chris Sattele’s veteran Blue Raiders, who bested Kennard-Dale in District 3’s third-place game. Standing in the way when Middletown bounces into Shikellamy’s Lockcuff Field House will be an upbeat Montoursville squad that spent last weekend claiming its first District 4 crown since 1985. Fifth-year head coach Mike Mussina, the former Orioles and Yankees pitching great, was a sophomore shooting guard on that 1985 squad and he fronts a balanced group led by John McCarthy, Dylan Bower, Tyler Reidy, Owen Kiess and Luke Warnecke.

Lancaster Catholic (24-4) vs. Huntingdon (21-2)
Catholic may have fought back to finish fifth in the District 3 playoffs, but don’t take a moment to relax when taking on Joe Klazas’ balanced Crusaders since they went into D-3 play as the No. 1 seed. Although 6-3 senior R.J. Van Tash (10.7 ppg) leads the Lancaster-Lebanon League runner-ups in scoring, 5-11 junior Johnny Besecker (10.4) is the top deep threat with 53 treys. While 5-10 senior Miles McCaskey (6.7) brings plenty of energy, there’s lots of youth on this squad in the likes of 6-6 soph David Kamwanga (8.9), 6-4 junior Dwayne Caine (7.6) and 6-1 soph Denzel Kabasele (4.9). Kamwanga and Kabasele are cousins who arrived in the U.S. prior to the 2016-17 school year from the Democratic Republic of Congo. As for Huntingdon, Nick Payne’s Bearcats enter states on an eight-game winning streak after collaring the school’s first District 6 title in 16 seasons. Junior Nick Rigby popped a double-double in the D-6 final, scoring 20 points and grabbing 12 boards while Jonathan Price added 14 points in the 65-48 conquest of Johnstown.