Philadelphia High School Basketball
Catholic
League, State Playoff Recaps, 2009-forward
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2009
CLASS 2A
First Round
At Bonner
West Catholic 50, Salisbury Twp. 42:
With 15 points, Rob Hollomon raised his career total to 1,003 and became just
the second hoops-football athlete in city history (also '06 Ryan grad Joe
Zeglinski) to post 1,000 points and 3,000 rushing yards. Ade Barek, a native of
London, England, with Nigerian roots, added six points, nine rebounds and four
steals. Aquil Younger had 12 points, five rebounds, six assists and
seven steals.
Second Round
At Hershey High
Hughesville 61, West Catholic 58:
Right down the road from where he'd experienced vast disappointment three months
earlier in the state championship football game, star rusher/wing guard Rob
Hollomon relived the pain as his last-second trey misconnected. He finished with
18 points, four assists, three steals. Aquil Younger shot 4-for-8 (one trey) and
11-for-12 for 20 points while adding four steals. Each team hit two free throws
with one-tenth of a second remaining after Hughesville was fouled and was then
assessed a tech for rushing the court. The Burrs did not get off a last shot.
West and Prep Charter had 20 fans total in attendance. Neither brought
cheerleaders.
CLASS 3A
First Round
At Southern
Neumann-Goretti 98, Steelton-Highspire 71:
Deep subs played extensively after the Saints' rotation guys rolled. Tony
Chennault totaled 25 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two
steals. Tyreek Duren (14) and Andre "Scooter" Gillette (12) also scored in
double figures.
At Norristown
Carroll 56, Phoenixville 50:
This game started roughly a half-hour earlier
than N-G's on a Friday night, so the Patriots claimed the Catholic League's
first state tournament win. Kasheef Festus grabbed 11 rebounds and shot 9-for-12
en route to 20 points while DJ Irving (also 20) went 5-for-9 on treys and
Juan'ya Green dished six assists.
Second Round
At Reading High's Geigle Complex
Neumann-Goretti 65, Susquehanna Twp. 51:
Tyreek Duren scored 15 of his 20 points in a 43-28 second half and shot
10-for-12 at the line in the fourth quarter. He also totaled six assists, five
steals. Tony Chennault added 15 points, 13 rebounds, five assists.
At Parkland
Carroll 62,
Shamokin 51: Juan'ya Green paced the
Patriots' 38-point second half with 14 of his 16. DJ Irving finished with 15
points, four steals. Carroll enjoyed a 15-0 run in the third quarter.
Quarterfinal
At Ryan
Carroll 70, Neumann-Goretti 65:
Carroll had dropped 18 in a row to the Saints, counting a pair of playoffs. But
on Friday the 13th, it finally experienced good fortune in the series thanks to
DJ Irving (26 points, perfect swish from three-quarters court as the third
quarter ended) and a 28-for-36 performance at the line (N-G was 9-for-22).
Juan'ya Green scored 12 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter. Pat Daly led the
bench brigade by thrice taking charges. For N-G, Tony Chennault rang up 10 of
his 21 points in the final 4:09.
Semifinal
At Reading High's Geigle Complex
Carroll 65, York Suburban 57:
Miffed after learning that YS intended to cover him with a guard, 6-5, 235-pound
Kasheef Festus bullied his way to 19 points and 11 rebounds. He shot 4-for-4 and
11-for-13 and copied the free-throw style of Kobe Bryant; he made the change in
practice the day before and nailed 20 in a row. DJ Irving (16) and Juan'ya Green
(14) also scored in double figures and the Patriots shot 19-for-26 on foul shots
in the final quarter.
Final
At Penn State's Bryce Jordan
Center
Carroll 75, Greensburg Salem 54:
The Patriots, who had to capture a winner's in-loser's out District 12
consolation just to make the tournament, completed a strong state-title run with
amazing balance. Kasheef Festus (18), DJ Irving (17), Juan'ya Green (16) and
Andre Wilburn (12) reached double figures in points and Ben Mingledough came
close with eight. All five of those guys also claimed from five to seven
rebounds. Carroll won the middle quarters, 41-20. Irving made seven steals.
Green had five assists. This was the second game of a night doubleheader. In the
opener, O'Hara's girls (AAAA) missed out on a chance to become the Catholic
League's first state champ in a loss to Mt. Lebanon. The next night, Carroll's
girls completed an emphatic sweep of state titles by swamping Lampeter-Strasburg,
68-45.
CLASS 4A
First Round
At Ryan
Central Bucks South 62, Roman 57:
Villanova-bound Maalik Wayns, a McDonald's All-American, scored 16 points in his
return to action after missing nine games (right-knee meniscus surgery) and
backcourt partner Rakeem "Rahk" Brookins was even more productive with 21.
However, the Cahillites shot just 10-for-21 at the line in the second half and
lost to District 1's eighth seed, which was coming off three straight losses.
At Council Rock South
Pennsbury 51, North Catholic 26:
North made no steals in the first 25-plus minutes and never did get to the foul
line. Jack O'Neill scored 10 points.
2010
CLASS 2A
First Round
At Carroll/Wood
West Catholic
49, Tri-Valley 32: This one featured
all-time circumstances. The lights in Carroll's gym went out with 2:29 left in
the third quarter, and with West ahead, 34-17. They never came back on and,
finally, at 5:19, 1:50 after the blackout, a decision was made to finish the
game at Wood, roughly 25 miles away. The resumption began at 7, with eight West
supporters in the stands, and ended 20 minutes later. Total time consumed: 4
hours, 50 minutes. Aquil Younger sparked West with 17 points, including the
first two at Wood on a layup. Vincent Ho scored 10 of his 13 points at Carroll.
Second Round
At Allentown Parkland
Holy Cross 63, West Catholic 37:
Only Aquil Younger (25, three treys) managed more than four points for West.
Kiwan Murray grabbed 11 boards.
CLASS 3A
First Round
At Ryan
Neumann-Goretti 64, Susquehanna Twp. 44:
Tony Chennault scored 11 of his 23 points in a
22-10 fourth quarter and sub Derrick Stewart provided 10 points, eight rebounds,
six blocks.
At Norristown
Carroll 37, Holy Ghost Prep 30:
Ben Mingledough claimed nine rebounds and saved 12 of his 15 points for a 22-15
second half. Juan'ya Green added 14 points.
At Southern
Second Round
At Bethlehem Freedom
Neumann-Goretti 91, Holy Redeemer 56:
Tony Chennault (24) and Tyreek Duren (22, lifting his career total beyond 1,000)
paced the romp.
At Central Dauphin East
Carroll 64, Danville 51:
Juan'ya Green scrambled for 21 points, five assists and two steals as the
Patriots eventually established command. Danville made 11 consecutive shots over
the first-second quarters, then soon followed two misses with successful
follows. Ben Mingledough added 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists while
DJ Irving provided 13 points, five dimes, three thefts.
Quarterfinal
At Widener University
Neumann-Goretti 53, Carroll 38:
The Saints avenged their same-round, same-foe '09 defeat in comfortable fashion
as Tyreek Duren supplied 10 points, four assists, three steals and his
ever-flawless ballhandling. Tony Chennault mixed 20 points and five steals while
Danny Stewart seized nine rebounds. Only Ben Mingledough (17 points, eight
boards) was much of a factor for Carroll. The Saints led, 41-28, with 4:04 left.
There was no late drama.
Semifinal
At Reading High's Geigle Complex
Neumann-Goretti 81, Eastern York 73:
N-G was able to bump off previously perfect EY thanks largely to the defense of
slender 6-foot guard Mustafaa Jones, who forced strong, 6-6 junior Andrew
Nicholas (1,800-plus career points) to miss his first nine shots. Jones also hit
a trey after EY hustled within 66-62 with 3:50 left. Danny Stewart (20) wolfed
down five dunks and Tyreek Duren packed 16 of his 18 points into the second
half. Geigle holds 3,200. N-G had maybe 35 supporters in the overflow crowd.
Final
At Penn State's Bryce Jordan
Center
Neumann-Goretti 65, Chartiers Valley 63:
CV's T.J. McConnell launched 32 shots en route to that many points, but he
missed his last one, a right-wing trey at 0:03 with Lamin Fulton jumping toward
him, and N-G had its three-pack of championships (Catholic League, City, State)
while becoming only the fourth CL team in 61 years to finish with just one loss
(30 wins); no squad went perfect during that time frame. Tony Chennault
contributed 18 points, 12 rebounds and three assists while Danny Stewart made a
visit to the same numbers neighborhood (17 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks).
Mustafaa Jones (14) popped home four treys and dealt four assists. Stewart's
follow with 2:31 left put N-G ahead for good, 59-57.
CLASS 4A
First Round
At Norristown
La Salle 42, Chester 41:
Troy Hockaday (13) took a pass from Michael Ponica and stuck a left-wing trey
with six seconds remaining, and Chester's final shot, likewise a three, was
unsuccessful. La Salle trailed, 37-28, with 4:34 remaining. This game was played
on a Sunday after a power failure the day before, at Carroll, forced a
postponement.
At Norristown
Roman 55, Souderton 54:
Kevin Regan snared an offensive rebound and canned a 10-foot, left-baseline
floater with four-tenths remaining to win it. Rakeem "Rahk" Brookins knocked
down 17 points while Fortunat "Junior" Kangudi blended 12 points, eight boards,
four blocks.
Second Round
At Coatesville
Roman 62, Reading 47 (2 OTs):
Rakeem "Rahk" Brookins posted four treys and
went 8-for-10 at the line en route to 32 points. The Cahillites won the second
extra session, 17-2. Fortunat "Junior" Kangudi added 12 points, 11 rebounds.
At Coatesville
Hempfield 41, La Salle 32:
Eddie Mitchell tallied 14 points for La Salle, which dropped the second half,
31-16.
Quarterfinal
At Villanova
Plymouth-Whitemarsh 54, Roman 46:
Rakeem "Rahk" Brookins notched 12 of Roman's 15 first half points and finished
with 22 total while enjoying perfection (10-for-10) at the line. The Cahillites
(Daiquan Walker 11 points) committed 24 turnovers.
2011
CLASS
3A
First Round
At Ryan
Neumann-Goretti 62, Annville-Cleona 34:
John Davis (16) was tops among nine scorers. He also led in boards with 11.
At Hempfield
Eastern York 56, Carroll 55: Both teams
benefited from head-scratching, minimal-touch fouls in the waning moments
and EY cashed in the last, rattling home the front end of a double-bonus at
3.7. The Patriots did not get off a final shot. Tracy Peal bulled for 21
points and 12 rebounds. With 13 points, Juan'ya Green finalized his
school-record total at 1,493.
Second Round
At Bethlehem Freedom
Neumann-Goretti 75, West Scranton 41: Lamin Fulton took
a pass from Billy Shank and lifted his career point total to exactly 1,000
on a left-wing three with 6:22 showing in the third quarter. He finished the
night with 17 and 1,006. Shank (three treys) and Derrick Stewart halved 26
points and the latter added five blocks.
Quarterfinal
At Norristown
Neumann-Goretti 57, Octorara 30: Billy Shank drained six of
nine three-point attempts for 18 points. Derrick Stewart claimed 13 total
rebounds and impacted the third quarter by blocking two shots and drawing
the same number of charges. Also, he assisted Shank for a left-corner three
as the session ended. The fourth stanza opened with John Davis' dunk and two
more treys by Shank.
Semifinal
At Spring-Ford
Neumann-Goretti 82, Lancaster Catholic 75: Billy Shank posted
14 of his 26 points (6-for-10 on threes) in a 25-17 second quarter. John
Davis combined 17 points with 12 rebounds, Derrick Stewart mixed 13 rebounds
and seven blocks and Lamin Fulton scored 16 points; Ja'Quan Newton was right
behind with 15.
Final
At Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center
Neumann-Goretti 55, Montour 45: As he'd done in the Catholic
League championship game, frosh Ja'Quan Newton played a prominent role (17
points, eight rebounds) as the Saints became just the second back-to-back
titlist (also Blackhawk in 1995-'96) in AAA's 28 years as the PIAA's
second-largest classification. Derrick Stewart (14 points, 10 rebounds) and
John Davis (12, seven) handled the dirty work, Lamin Fulton mixed three
assists with five steals and sub Hanif Sutton played lockdown defense.
CLASS 4A
First Round
At Carroll
La Salle 57, Reading 55: This game matched
teams coming off two consecutive losses. The Explorers survived as the Red
Knights' last-moments trey did not connect. Brennan Woods, after losing his
starting job two days earlier, bulled for 10 points and nine rebounds. Eddie
Mitchell raced to 19 points and Joe Brown (13) fed Mike Poncia for a pair of
crucial, fourth-quarter treys.
At Parkland
Bethlehem Liberty 56, Roman 41: The first and
last quarters (39-25 disadvantage) spelled doom. Frosh Rip Engel (14) was
the only Cahillite in double figures. After announcing his intention to
transfer, a key starter was dismissed from the team a few days beforehand.
Second Round
At Council Rock North
La Salle 49, Allentown Allen 47: In an all-timer, the Explorers
roared back from a nine-point deficit (45-36) over the final 1:51 and Eddie
Mitchell (24) hit a fadeaway, beyond-the-foul-line jumper at 0:02 to win it.
Sub Kevin Piotrowicz posted seven points during the surge, two on treys and
another after drawing an intentional foul. Mitchell nailed his game-winner
on that subsequent possession. Joe Brown had 10 points and six rebounds.
Quarterfinal
At Norristown
Chester 68, La Salle 50: The Explorers jumped to an 11-4 lead,
but Chester awakened and that was pretty much that. Eddie Mitchell tallied
19 points, finishing his career 18 short of 1,000.
2012
CLASS 4A
First Round
At Ryan
Central Bucks West 48, SJ Prep 44: After falling into a
28-16 halftime hole, the Prep charged all the way back within 40-39 on
P.J. Kelly's trey (assist to Stephen Vasturia) with 1:44 left. Kelly hit
Tom Stewart for another trey at 0:15, again closing the gap to one, but
two free throws followed and a tying three-pointer did not succeed.
Vasturia had 22 points, finalizing his junior season at 1,149 and giving
him a good shot at the school record belonging to Reggie Redding ('06,
1,568).
At Bethlehem Freedom
Roman 64, Parkland 48: Shep Garner mixed four assists with
eight points, Shafeek Taylor (14) hit two treys while going 5-for-6 from
the floor and Secean Johnson claimed nine boards.
Second Round
At Norristown
Lower Merion 67, Roman 49: Rashann London (18 points) and
Shafeek Taylor (seven assists) had good moments for the Cahillites, who
were victimized for 13 blocks and lost the last quarter, 24-11.
2013
CLASS 3A
First Round
At Ryan
Neumann-Goretti 81, Harrisburg McDevitt 54: John Davis
(19), sub Troy Harper (16), Ja'Quan Newton (14) and Lamarr "Fresh"
Kimble led the point parade while Hanif Sutton dished a dozen
assists.
At Garden Spot, New Holland
Carroll 47, Berks Catholic 42: Nick Jones led the way
with 12 points while Derrick Jones/Yosef Yacob were right behind
with 11. Ernest Aflakpui edged D. Jones in rebounds, 10-8.
Second Round
At Allentown Parkland
Neumann-Goretti 51, Scranton Prep 44 (OT): Ja'Quan
Newton (24) was the only Saint with more than six points, and he
tallied 13 in a 19-9 third quarter. N-G went 6-for-6 at the line in
the 10-3 OT.
At Colonial Elementary School (P-W)
Carroll 57, Pope John Paul II: Derrick Jones exploded
for 16 points, 20 rebounds and nine blocks, and owned eight
rejections before incurring his first personal. The Patriots seized
the first quarter, 22-7. The Panthers got as close as 33-30.
Quarterfinals
At Coatesville
Donegal 55, Neumann-Goretti 50: The Saints, who'd been
gunning for a fourth consecutive state title, were outscored in the
second half, 37-22. Ja'Quan Newton (16) and John Davis (10) reached
double figures.
At Chambersburg
Carroll 49, Chartiers Valley 46: Derrick Jones scored
15 points and hit two free throws with eight-tenths of a second
remaining after Ernest Aflakpui (13) offered a crucial blocked shot.
Yosef Yacob added 11 points, five assists.
Semifinals
At Chambersburg
Carroll 50, Montour 45: Point guard Yosef Yacob fouled
out with roughly four minutes left, but Nick Jones assumed those
duties and brought the Patriots home, hitting three late free
throws. Derrick Jones (21) and Ernest Aflakpui (15) had fun inside
and combined for 31 of Carroll's first 34 points.
Final
At Hershey's Giant Center
Imhotep 54, Carroll 45: The Panthers seized their
fourth state title in five years (exception: 2010) and first in this
classification as Brandon Austin led the way in points (25),
rebounds (eight) and assists (three). In those five seasons, Imhotep
went 49-3 in postseason action. Carroll shot 17-for-56 overall and
2-for-19 on treys. Big-guy sophs Ernest Aflakpui (13 points, 12
rebounds) and Derrick Jones (13, 11) posted almost identical stats.
CLASS 4A
First Round
At La Salle High
Norristown 79, Roman 66: The
Cahillites never recovered from a 28-18 first quarter. Shep Garner
managed 18 points and five assists while Rashann London mixed eight
rebounds with 13 points.
At Tennent
SJ Prep 48, Abington 33: Stephen Vasturia totaled 27
points and seven rebounds and crammed 11 points (two treys) into a
13-5 second quarter. P.J. Kelly added 10 points.
Second Round
At Coatesville
SJ Prep 72, York William Penn 55: Soph forward Chris
Clover earned a free dinner from senior teammate Mark Hueber by
posting a double-double (10 points, 11 rebounds), Kyle Thompson
drained one trey in each quarter en route to 22 points and Stephen
Vasturia doorstepped a triple-double with 15 points (up to 1,714 for
his career) and nine apiece of rebounds/assists. The Hawks became
just the fifth AAAA team in D-12's nine years to advance to a
quarterfinal.
Quarterfinal
At Tennent
SJ Prep 67, Coatesville 43: The Hawks rolled into
frolic mode with a 15-0 run early in the fourth quarter while
becoming just the second D-12 squad to qualify for a AAAA semifinal
(also Gratz in '07). Stephen Vasturia buzzsawed for 31 points, 13
rebounds, six assists, five steals and three blocks. The Prep
(27-for-32 at line) received eight points apiece from P.J. Kelly,
Kyle Thompson and Chris Clover.
Semifinal
At Coatesville
Chester 62, SJ Prep 53: The Hawks surrendered runs of
8-0 (second quarter) and 9-0 (third) while seeing their season end.
Stephen Vasturia hit four treys en route to 19 points; he added
eight rebounds and four assists. Miles Overton (16) nailed three.
2014
CLASS 4A
First Round
At Carroll
Roman 48, Oxford 38: The Cahillites stormed to a
15-point halftime lead, but the pad dwindled to one before
control again was established. Only Gemil Holbrook (13) reached
double figures in scoring, but four more guys managed
nine/eight. Manny Taylor grabbed seven rebounds. Shep Garner
made four steals.
At Spring-Ford
La Salle 64, Conestoga 58: Shawn Witherspoon
totaled 19 points and four assists while David Krmpotich shot
7-for-10 en route to 16 points. Najee Walls and Dan Corr hit two
treys apiece and the latter, as a sub, added two assists and
three steals. Chuck Champion went 3-for-4 at the line in the
final moments to expand a three-point lead.
Second Round
At Ryan
Lower Merion 64, Roman 52: The Cahillites shot just
19-for-56 while suffering the upset. Guards Shep Garner (Penn
State) and Rashann London (Drexel) tallied 17 and 19 points,
respectively, ending their careers with 1,437 and 1,103. Starter
TreVaughn Wilkerson, sidelined for three-plus weeks by a
high-ankle sprain, came off the bench to contribute seven points
and six rebounds.
At Coatesville
La Salle 49, Cedar Crest 43 (OT): Najee Walls (22)
drained two treys in a 15-8 fourth quarter and David Krmpotich's
bucket got the Explorers to OT. They'd trailed by nine with 6:32
left. A quick sequence -- triple by sub Dan Corr, Walls'
three-point play -- was huge in the early part of the extra
session.
Quarterfinals
At Colonial Elementary (P-W)
La Salle 71, Lower Merion 48: Thanks to nine points
from subs (Sean Greenberg five, Shane Stark four), the Explorers
stormed to a 22-5 lead in the first 9:23. By halftime, they
owned 24 of the game's 30 rebounds. By late in the third
quarter, La Salle's students were chanting toward LM's, "You
need Kobe! You need Kobe!" Jalen Herdsman led the way with 14
points and 11 rebounds. Shawn Witherspoon also scored 14 points
while Najee Walls managed 13.
Semifinal
At Coatesville
La Salle 61, Chester 55: David Krmpotich (19) and
Shawn Witherspoon (17) led the way as the Explorers became one
of the few schools to beat twin powers Lower Merion and Chester
in back-to-back outings. The shooting performances of those two
(DK 6-for-8 and 6-for-8; SW 5-for-6 and 7-for-9) helped La
Salle, which led by as many as 11 and became the first District
12 school to earn a berth in a AAAA final, shoot 18-for-33 (one
trey) and 24-for-31. Krmpotich grabbed six rebounds. Witherspoon
dealt three assists.
Final
At Hershey's Giant Center
New Castle 52, La Salle 39: The Explorers fell
short of becoming one of the few teams in recent state history
to win a state title with no returning starters and no transfers
to flesh out the lineup. Najee Walls (15) and Shawn Witherspoon
(10) led the way. La Salle hit just one of 10 attempts from
behind the arc and was outrebounded, 36-23. The Explorers' eight
varsity returnees totaled 1,521 points after scoring 94 in
2012-13. NC finished 31-0 with a starting lineup featuring four
players bound for Division 1 football.
2015
CLASS
3ACLASS 4A
First Round
At St. Joseph's Prep
Roman 68, Downingtown West 52: Gemil Holbrook
(four three-pointers) led the way with 22 points while Tony
Carr (14), D'Andre Vilmar (13) and Nazeer Bostick (12)
tallied in double-figures succession. Paul Newman snagged
nine rebounds.
At Spring-Ford
La Salle 58, Ridley 54: Dave Krmpotich (also
seven rebounds) shot 10-for-14 en route to 22 points, Shawn
Witherspoon packed 10 of his 13 points into a 20-15 third
quarter and Najee Walls went 4-for-4 at the line in the
final 23.6 seconds.
Second Round
At Coatesville
Roman 53, Cedar Crest 35: Roman scored 25 of
final 31 points to turn a close one into a cakewalk. Sub
Manny Taylor shot 4-for-5 while scoring 11 points, Nazeer
Bostick/Gemil Holbrook halved 20 and Tony Carr saved five of
his seven rebounds and all four assists for the second half.
At Bethlehem Freedom
La Salle 62, Abington Heights 40: With three
apiece, Najee Walls and Dan Corr led the way as the
Explorers drained nine three-pointers. Walls and Dave
Krmpotich halved 28 points and the former claimed six
boards. In second-round playoffs, D-12 squads went 10-0 with
an average victory margin of 25.8 points.
Quarterfinals
At Norristown
Roman 58, Pennsbury 57: Before the tipoff, Tony
Carr hit the first of two free throws after Pennsbury was
hit with a tech for incorrectly wearing its road uniforms.
With 3.1 seconds left, Carr again went 1-for-2 at the line
and Pennsbury's lengthy last shot clanged off the heel of
the rim. Carr scrambled for 19 points, five assists. The
other four scorers totaled nine to 11 and Manny Taylor (11)
led in rebounds.
At Spring-Ford
Lancaster McCaskey 60, La Salle 59: The Explorers
surrendered a follow with 2.1 seconds remaining and could
not get off a last shot against District 3's eighth seed.
Dave Krmpotich contributed 14 points, nine rebounds and
seven blocks, Najee Walls had 17 points and four assists and
Dan Corr (12) sniped 4-for-6 on treys.
Semifinals
At Reading High's Geigle Complex
Roman 69, Lancaster McCaskey 66: The Cahillites
benefited from balanced scoring -- Nazeer Bostick 17, Tony
Carr 16, Gemil Holbrook 13, Manny Taylor 11, D'Andre Vilmar
nine -- while pulling out this tight contest. The Cahillites
shot 10-for-12 at the line in the fourth quarter and Carr
hit two with 5.4 seconds remaining. Bostick and Taylor
halved 16 boards and Carr distributed six assists.
Final
At Hershey's Giant Center
Roman 62, King 45: The first half ended as
Sammy Foreman's three-pointer drew King within 30-29. The
Cougars then collapsed, missing 27 of their next 29 shots.
Roman wound up shooting 17-for-28 (floor) and 23-for-41
(line) as Gemil Holbrook (20, three treys), Tony Carr (14,
six assists and three steals) and D'Andre Vilmar (10)
reached double figures in scoring. Late-game emotions flowed
as senior forward TreVaughn Wilkerson, out since early
December with a severe knee injury, was given 16.1 seconds
of playing time, then exchanged a long hug with coach Chris
McNesby. Roman's win gave the Catholic League a 3-0 sweep in
finals. Foreman (20) led King. In these teams' City Title
battle, Roman had won by 58-57.
2016
CLASS AA
First Round
At Philadelphia Univ.
Conwell-Egan 62, Upper Dauphin 38: Vinny
Dalessandro scored 17 of his 23 points in a 33-20 first
half. LaPri McCray-Pace (14), Kar'ron Johnson (11) and Eric
Esposito (10) also finished the game in double figures.
Second Round
At Gov. Mifflin Intermediate, Shillington
Conwell-Egan 54, Minersville 51: LaPri
McCray-Pace poured in 30 points and went 4-for-4 at the line
in the last 30 seconds to help the Eagles survive. He
finished the night with 1,250 career points, moving him into
the No. 1 spot in the school’s CL era (starting with the
1963-64 season). Andrew Holland (’02) notched 1,232. 1961
grad Jerry Friedrich tallied 1,360. Vinny Dalessandro (15)
hit a trey to start a 12-2 run that yielded a 48-40 lead.
Quarterfinal
At Reading High's Geigle Complex
Camp Hill 60, Conwell-Egan 57: Vinny
Dalessandro scored 11 points in an 18-10 third quarter,
helping to provide a 39-35 lead, but a dicey fourth quarter
prevented the Eagles from defending their state
championship. Dalessandro finished his career with 1,014
points. A 21-point performance finalized LaPri McCray-Pace's
total at 1,264.
CLASS 3A
First Round
At Ryan
Neumann-Goretti 69, Eastern Lebanon County 48:
Zane Martin tallied 23 points, Quade Green added 18 and
Dhamir "DaDa" Cosby-Roundtree claimed 14 rebounds. The
Saints used a 21-9 third quarter to expand a five-point
halftime lead.
At Cheltenham
Carroll 76, Holy Ghost Prep 27: The Patriots
stormed to a hard-to-believe, 48-9 halftime edge as Ryan
Daly (18 of his 23 points) and John Rigsby (14 of 21) led
the way.
Second Round
At Bethlehem Freedom
Neumann-Goretti 113, Scranton Prep 71: Three
and a half weeks after breaking the record for points in a
Catholic League playoff (104 vs. Bonner-Prendie in a
quarterfinal), the Saints racked up the most points scored
by a CL team in all varieties of postseason games. Plus, the
starters combined for 100 -- Zane Martin (27), Quade Green
(26), Rasheed Browne (18), Dhamir "DaDa" Cosby-Roundtree
(15) and Vaughn Covington (14). Covington hit four of N-G's
eight, first-half treys. Green finished with seven assists
and five steals.
At Garden Spot
Harrisburg McDevitt 62, Carroll 60: Ryan Daly
(24) and Josh Starkey (20, five assists) led the Patriots,
who missed three shots on a dual-pronged last possession
while trying for a win or tie. Daly finished his career with
992 points. He'd been hoping to join his father, Brian
(Bonner '88; 1,253) in the 1,000-point club. Sharkey's final
total was 990, counting 133 as a freshman at Abington
Friends.
Quarterfinal
At Philadelphia Univ.
Neumann-Goretti 78, Lower Moreland 52: Zane
Martin (22), Quade Green (18), Rasheed Browne (16) and
Dhamir "DaDa" Cosby-Roundtree (14) led the scoring parade
while Vaughn Covington helped to make that happen with 10
assists. Cosby-Roundtree snatched eight rebounds. LM's Danny
Duffey registered 33 points.
Semifinal
At Philadelphia Univ.
Neumann-Goretti 76, Imhotep 69: A basket by
Dhamir "DaDa" Cosby-Roundtree on a pass from Zane Martin
broke a 69-69 tie and enabled N-G to start a game-closing,
7-0 run. Quade Green (19), Rasheed Browne (17, all prior to
halftime), Martin, Cosby-Roundtree (13 apiece) and Vaughn
Covington (12) all scored in double digits. Other key stats:
Cosby-Roundtree, eight blocks; Martin, eight rebounds;
Covington, five assists. Daron Russell (24) led 'Tep.
Final
At Hershey's Giant Center
Neumann-Goretti 99, Mars 66: The Saints shot 60
percent from the floor (38-for-63) and hit 11 treys while
breaking the record for points in a championship game (94,
Elk Lake, Class A, 1977) and becoming the first hoops squad
in Pennsylvania history to twice claim three consecutive
crowns (2010-12, 2014-16). Points Nos. 95 and 96 came on a
dunk by Zane Martin on a pass from Dhamir "DaDa" Cosby-Roundtree;
Cosby-Roundtree's dunk had opened the game. Martin's 33
points tied the record for most points scored by a CL player
in a state playoff (by N-G's Ja'Quan Newton in a 2014 final
and Roman's Tony Carr in a '16 first-rounder). Quade Green
(25), Rasheed Browne (18) and Vaughn Covington (11) also
reached double digits. Cosby-Roundtree (nine, four slams)
came close. Noah Warren repped the subs with a trey. In a
53-33 first half, the Saints notched 12 "extra" points
thanks to nine three-pointers and a trio of three-point
plays. Green added nine rebounds and eight assists. Browne
had seven apiece. Cosby-Roundtree mixed eight boards with
three blocks despite missing much of the first half due to
foul trouble.
CLASS 4A
First Round
At SJ Prep
Roman 73, Academy Park 58: Tony Carr sniped
11-for-19 (three treys) and 8-for-11 for 33 points, tying
the CL record for state playoffs (by Neumann-Goretti's
Ja'Quan Newton in the 2014 AAA final), as the Cahillites
brought joy to beloved assistant Tom "Hock" McKenna. After
being absent a shade more than two months due to illness
(except for a brief visit to one practice), he lit up the
locker room with a surprise, pre-game visit and stood right
behind the bench throughout the contest. Carr also had 11
rebounds, six assists. Though vastly undersized, AP hung
tough through a 34-32 first half. Lamar Stevens helped Roman
seize control by scoring 12 of his 14 points beyond
intermission.
Second Round
At Bensalem
Roman 60, Central Bucks West 41: With his first
point of the evening, Tony Carr raised his career total to
1,000. He finished the night with 1,012. Nazeer Bostick
shoehorned 10 of his markers into a 35-16 second half while
Lamar Stevens had 21 total points.
Quarterfinal
At Council Rock South
Roman 73, Parkland 60: Tony Carr (26) and Lamar
Stevens (24) combined for 50 points and packed 19 into a
25-10 fourth quarter. In that frame, the Cahillites nailed
15 of 17 free throws. Carr hit Roman's only treys (four)
while adding seven rebounds and eight assists.
Semifinal
At Council Rock South
Roman 64, Plymouth-Whitemarsh 45: As the first
quarter ended, Tony Carr banked home a shot from beyond
halfcourt to start a 15-4 run that provided a 27-21 lead.
Carr finished with 14 points and six assists. Nazeer Bostick
(17) and Paul Newman (12) also scored in double figures.
Final
At Hershey's Giant Center
Roman 73, Allderdice 62: The first 5 1/2
minutes did not go well as the Cahillites committed five
turnovers and were outscored, 10-0. Thereafter? Few
problems. Roman led by halftime, 33-30, and created some
room at 45-38 as Nazeer Bostick turned an offensive rebound
into a three-point play. Lamar Stevens followed with a pair
of dunks -- the second was an all-timer; snatched a rebound
in mid-air and powered it home -- and drama was gone for the
night. Stevens wound up notching four of Roman's seven slams
and shot 11-for-12 at the line en route to 27 points.
Tony Carr mixed eight
rebounds and five assists with 13 points while Bostick (two
dunks) had 15 points. This was Roman's second consecutive
AAAA crown. District 12 had captured none beforehand.
2017
CLASS 3A
First Round
At Southern
Neumann-Goretti 71, York Catholic 48: As the
Saints rolled to a 31-16 halftime lead, Dhamir "DaDa" Cosby-Roundtree
racked up 20 of his 27 points and Quade Green dished six of
his nine assists. Noah Warren finished with 15 points.
At Garden Spot
Lancaster Mennonite 93, West Catholic 72: No
one hit a three-pointer prior to intermission, which
finished with LC ahead by just three points at 35-32, but
Isaac Beers drained four in the opening minutes of the third
quarter and LC was on its way. Calvin Pressley (27, 13
regular field goals) and Imere Harris (20) topped West,
which finished the season with a 5-19 overall record.
Second Round
At Bethlehem Liberty
Neumann-Goretti 72, Holy Redeemer 27: Quade
Green (11) and Dhamir "DaDa" Cosby-Roundtree (10) lifted
their combined career point total to 3,020 as N-G cruised.
Green dished 11 assists, Mike Millsip mixed 14 points with
five blocks and Marcus Littles seized 12 rebounds. The
combo's first points were scored by Cosby-Roundtree on an
awkward semi-dunk off a feed from Green.
Quarterfinal
At Reading's Santander Center
Neumann-Goretti 69, Lancaster Mennonite 56:
Thanks to Mike Millsip (16), Quade Green (14), Dhamir "DaDa"
Cosby-Roundtree, Chris Ings (13 apiece) and Marcus Littles
(12), N-G became the third CL team in the 2017 state
playoffs to end a game with five guys in double figures.
Also, the Saints boasted three with triple doubles as Green
dealt 11 assists and Cosby-Roundtree/Littles claimed 11 and
10 boards, respectively. C-R added five rejections and his
dunk on a feed from Green ended the third quarter at 51-49.
Millsip then netted two treys to help the Saints reel off 10
more consecutive points.
Semifinal
At Temple's Liacouras Center
Neumann-Goretti 76, Del-Val 47: Two and a half
weeks earlier, these same teams met for the City Title and
N-G triumphed by only seven points. Not exactly a rerun,
folks. The Saints won every quarter in comfortable fashion
as subs Chris Ings (14) and Dymir Montague (10) provided
extra juice. Starters Quade Green (17) and Marcus Littles
(10) reached double figures and N-G sniped 30-for-51 from
the floor.
Final
At Hershey's Giant Center
Neumann-Goretti 89, Lincoln Park 58: Quade
Green a McDonald's All-American, shot 6-for-7 (three treys)
and 7-for-9 for 22 points and added eight assists while
steering coach Carl Arrigale's Saints to their fourth
consecutive state title and seventh in eight seasons. Just
two teams in PIAA history had won four straight (Carlisle,
1985-1988; Kennedy Christian, 1998-2001) and only one coach
(Ed McCluskey, Farrell, over 21 seasons from 1952 through
'72) had captured seven. Dhamir "DaDa" Cosby-Roundtree added
15 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks, sub Chris Ings (13)
and Mike Millsip also scored in double figures and Noah
Warren (nine) just missed. An 18-0 run provided a 31-9 lead.
Right before all rotation guys turned into spectators,
Warren notched an assist to Emil Moody with an
over-the-shoulder pass, the 6-8 Cosby-Roundtree grabbed a
rebound and dribbled end to end for a layup, and the 5-10
Ings, a lefty, accepted a lengthy, flip-ahead pass from
Dante Vannicola and soared for a shocking right-handed dunk.
The crown was Arrigale's 25th in 37 chances (CL/City/State)
over 19 seasons.
CLASS 4A
First Round
At Carroll
Conwell-Egan 81, Saucon Valley 59: Who would
have thought? The Eagles entered this one with a
seven-game losing streak, counting a CL playoff and City
Title, yet stormed to a 22-point victory two days after
coach Eric Kindler's 25th birthday. Eric Esposito (21) and
James Leible (17, 13 rebounds) scored eight points apiece in
a 20-13 first quarter and the second stanza began with a
12-2 run. Patrick Robinson finished the game with 24 points.
Second Round
At Parkland
Nanticoke 62, Conwell-Egan 54: The Eagles
claimed 19 fewer rebounds and scored 13 fewer points at the
line. Patrick Robinson (25) and Darien Simmons (13) topped
their scoring list.
CLASS 5A
First Round
At Philadelphia Univ.
Wood 92, New Oxford 62: Collin Gillespie (six)
and Matt Cerruti (four) combined for 10 treys while pacing
this romp. They finished with 31 and 18 points,
respectively, and Tyree Pickron (14) wasn't far behind.
Gillespie, who packed 15 points into the third quarter,
added eight assists overall. Cerruti's output enabled him to
raise his career total to 1,010 points, counting his time at
Lower Moreland through sophomore year. The Vikings stormed
to 16 of the next 19 points after NO advanced within 36-30.
At Spring-Ford
Carroll 61, Great Valley 48: Frosh point guard
AJ Hoggard notched all 16 of his points beyond the first
quarter. Colin Daly, Khari Williams (11 apiece) and Justin
Anderson (10) also scored in double figures.
Second Round
At Pottstown
Wood 80, Mechanicsburg 56: The Vikings stormed
to 60 of the game's first 90 points while claiming another
easy win. Collin Gillespie (24), Tyree Pickron, Karrington
Wallace (12 apiece), Matt Cerruti (11) and Andrew Funk (10)
all scored in double figures. This was the fifth time a CL
team had that many double-figure scorers in a state playoff;
Neumann-Goretti had posted the first four efforts.
At Reading High's Geigle Complex
Carroll 78, Palmyra 41: AJ Hoggard contributed
17 points, four assists and six steals. The Patriots won the
rebounds war, 41-21, and jumped to advantages of 9-0 to
start the first quarter and 8-1 to open the third. Colin
Daly (five of his 13) fueled that first run. Jesse McPherson
finished with 14 points and 10 boards.
Quarterfinal
At Garden Spot
Northeastern 86, Carroll 84 (2 OTs): Carroll
seized a 45-35 lead in the third quarter thanks to two treys
by Khari Williams and a dunk by Jesse McPherson, but the
fourth quarter finished at 65-65 thanks to the Bobcats' 15-4
run. A buzzer-beating layup, which followed a dead-ball
turnover, forced the first extra session. Colin Daly (19, 14
in first half), AJ Hoggard, Justin Anderson (16 apiece),
McPherson (14) and Williams (12) all scored in double
figures for Carroll. Hoggard notched eight assists while
McPherson had 13 boards.
At Reading's Santander Center
Wood 71, Spring Grove 46: Wood junior Tyree
Pickron entered this Sunday evening tilt needing 14 points
to reach 1,000 for his career. He didn't mess around. Thanks
to four treys, he rang up 13 points in the first quarter and
a regular early in the second session gave him 1,001. He
finished with 32 and 1,018. Collin Gillespie (14) and Matt
Cerruti (11) also helped with scoring and Seth Pinkney sent
10 shots back to their launcher, or beyond.
Semifinal
At Bethlehem Freedom
Wood 68, Abington Heights 57: Every team likes
to receive a boost from its sixth man. Andrew Funk provided
one, big time. The junior guard racked up 11 points (three
treys were the highlight) in the first quarter and tied his
career high with 17 points overall as Wood captured its 21st
consecutive win. Collin Gillespie mixed 18 points with eight
assists while Tyree Pickron (16) and Matt Cerruti (11)
reached double figures in points and Pickron (seven)/Karrington
Wallace combined for 13 rebounds.
Final
At Hershey's Giant Center
Wood 73, Meadville 40: A 17-2 start removed all
starch and Wood easily turned its first state playoffs
appearance into a 5-0 sweep with an average victory margin
of 24.6 points. Four Vikings reached double figures. For
Meadville, which entered with one loss all season, only
three guys scored. Collin Gillespie sniffed a triple double
with 15 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists before sitting
down with three minutes left. Tyree Pickron sniped 5-for-7
from beyond the arc while contributing 18 points. Seth
Pinkney added 11 apiece of points/boards along with four
swats. Andrew Funk had 10 points. Three months earlier, the
football Vikings had also won a state championship.
Other schools with such an accomplishment in the same school
year: Steelton in 1926-27, General McLane in 2006-07,
Steelton-Highspire in 2007-08 and Jeannette in that same
school year.
CLASS 6A
First Round
At SJ Prep
Perkiomen Valley 57, Roman 55: After a week of
sketchy practice attendance due to illness/injury, coach
Matt Griffin started lesser lights. The Cahillites, two-time
defending state champs, trailed by 12-8 after the first
quarter and stayed behind until 3 1/2 minutes remained in
the game. PV closed with an 11-8 edge and Roman's last
bucket came just before the buzzer. Allen Betrand (21) and
Jon-Paul Sanders (12) scored in double figures.
At Bethlehem Freedom
Ryan 79, Parkland 55: Sniping 3-for-3 on treys
helped the Raiders zip to a 10-0 lead. They also scored the
first eight points of the second quarter. Matiss
Kulackovskis (25) and Izaiah Brockington (22) dominated the
scoring column while Amin Bryant sniffed a triple double
with nine apiece of points/rebounds and 11 assists.
Brockington added seven boards and four apiece of
assists/steals.
Second Round
At Garden Spot
Ryan 71, Central Dauphin East 66: Izaiah
Brockington (27) and Matiss Kulackovskis (20, 17 in first
half) led the way as Ryan, in its 50th season of varsity
basketball, assured it would finish the season with its best
record in terms of winning percentage. The 2012 squad went
18-5 for .783. These guys ended the night at 22-5 for .815;
they could finish no lower than .786. Fred Taylor snagged 15
rebounds and Amin Bryant dished five assists. Facing a 69-66
deficit, CD East missed a corner trey.
Quarterfinal
At Reading High's Geigle Complex
Ryan 60, Hempfield 50: Izaiah Brockington and
Matiss Kulakovskis halved 40 points for the Raiders, who
earned a 28-19 halftime lead when the latter beat the buzzer
with a shot from halfcourt. Brockington packed 15 points
into the final 16 minutes and Kulackovskis saved 13 for the
fourth quarter. Ryan forced 18 turnovers in all.
Semifinal
At Temple's Liacouras Center
Reading 57, Ryan 51: Lonnie Walker, a Miami
commit and McDonald's All-American, thrilled Reading's
outrageously large rooting section (it dwarfed Ryan's
despite the locale) by exploding for 35 points. He first
imposed his will in the latter half of the second quarter,
scoring 11 points in a 13-2 run that provided a 29-27 lead.
Izaiah Brockington (16) and Matiss Kulackovskis (13) topped
Ryan in points. Fred Taylor totaled 10 boards and seven
get-that-outta-heres.
2018
CLASS 3A
First Round
At Ryan
Neumann-Goretti 80, Steelton-Highspire 59: Senior Noah Warren sniped
5-for-7 from beyond the arc while posting a career high in points (28). Ja'cor
Smith was also a bulwark with 18 points and nine rebounds while Hakim Byrd,
Dymir Montague and Chris Ings thirded 15 assists. The Saints dominated the
second-fourth quarters to the tune of 47-32.
At Gov. Mifflin Intermediate, Shillington
McDevitt 59, Kutztown 42: Robert Smith (18), Jamil Manigo and Shamir
Mosley (10 apiece) reached double figures as the Lancers mostly coasted; up
31-14 at intermission. Tahmir Thompson saved his nine points for the fourth
quarter and hit three treys to score them. The Lancers' game was the last to
start and their win capped a 7-0 weekend for Catholic League teams.
Second Round
At Bethlehem Freedom
Neumann-Goretti 62, Wyoming Seminary 44: Dymir Montague scored
eight of his 16 points in a 10-1 run that created a 36-23 lead. The score after
three quarters was 55-31. Noah Warren and Chris Ings halved 22 points. Marcus
Littles' contributions included 10 points and nine rebounds.
At Council Rock South
McDevitt 77, Notre Dame Green Pond 51: Eleven players scored as the
Lancers (16-10) claimed a 16th win for the first time since 1988. Robert Smith
reached 15 points while Jamil Manigo and Tahmir Thompson tallied 11 apiece.
Prior to the state playoffs, Thompson had scored 35 points all season. McDevitt
owned a 23-point lead at halftime.
Quarterfinal
At Jefferson Univ.
Neumann-Goretti 66, McDevitt 54: Based on the teams' records in CL
play (12-1, 4-9), a romp would not have surprised. And one looked possible when
the Saints built a 31-17 halftime lead as sub Hakim Byrd scored 11 of his 15
points. The Lancers stood tall, however, and trailed by only six with 90-odd
seconds remaining. Dymir Montague (16), Noah Warren (11, seven assists) and
Chris Ings (10) also scored in double figures as N-G won its eighth quarterfinal
in 10 tries. TaQuan Woodley snatched 11 rebounds. Robert Smith (18) and Shamir
Mosley (13) led the Lancers.
Semifinal
At Gov. Mifflin Intermediate, Shillington
Neumann-Goretti 66, Trinity 56: Ja'cor Smith (16 points, 14 in
32-25 first half) reached double figures for the sixth time in eight games after
having done so just once in the Saints' first 11 league games. Meanwhile, TaQuan
Woodley (also nine rebounds, two blocks) contributed 11 points and he hadn't
reached double digits since tilt No. 2 of league play. Dymir Montague totaled 15
points, seven assists and three steals. Chris Ings had 12 points. N-G scored
seven of the game's last nine points. Snow issues moved this tilt forward four
days to Saturday, March 24.
Final
At Hershey's Giant Center
Neumann-Goretti 57, Richland 42: On a night when no teammates were
able to reach double figures in points, Dymir Montague picked the perfect time
to tie his career high with 23 and give the Saints their fifth consecutive state
crown and eighth over the last nine seasons. Quality shooting from beyond the
arc (4-for-8) helped to aid Montague's cause, as did 5-for-6 sniping at the
line. He added six rebounds, five assists and four blocks. Chris Ings and sub
TaQuan Woodley managed eight points apiece while Chris Ings dealt seven assists
and Marcus Littles posted four rejections. The Saints were in command (45-29) by
the end of the third quarter. This crown was No. 27 (in 40 chances) for coach
Carl Arrigale over 20 seasons, counting Catholic/City/State.
CLASS 4A
First Round
At Judge
Conwell-Egan 73, Wilson Area 58: The Eagles led throughout (39-17
at halftime) and the starters, with all in double figures, combined for 69
points. Patrick Robinson led the way with 25. Eric Esposito and Delroy Gayle
halved 24. Donavin Crawford and Joe Baldacino did likewise with 20. Esposito
pogo-sticked for three first-quarter blocks.
Second Round
At Souderton
Bethlehem Catholic 97, Conwell-Egan 66: This was a rough night for
the Eagles, who trailed by 30 points just 2:49 into the third quarter. Patrick
Robinson (11-for-13 line) finished with 23 points while Eric Esposito added 15.
Robinson finished his career with 1,067 points, No. 3 in school history.
CLASS 5A
First Round
At Jefferson Univ.
Bonner-Prendie 56, New Oxford 45: Isaiah Wong packed 12 of his 22
points into a 20-8 second quarter as the Friars, making their first appearance
in a state tournament, overcame a slow start. Wong's final stats also included
12 rebounds and seven steals. Ajiri Johnson added 10 points and 11 rebounds
while Mahir Sharif gave out five assists.
At Bensalem
Carroll 66, Wissahickon 58: AJ Hoggard sniffed a triple-double with
16 points and eight apiece of rebounds/assists. Two of those dishes were posted
when Luke House (20 points) drilled back-to-back treys (he had four total) to
provide a 51-37 lead with seven minutes remaining. Justin Anderson tallied 15
points and Keyon Butler mixed eight points with as many boards.
Second Round
At Reading High's Geigle Complex
Bonner-Prendie 93, York William Penn 73: The Friars dominated the
inside thanks to Ajiri Johnson (26 points, nine rebounds) and Tariq Ingraham
(13, 17) while Isaiah Wong was the ever-impressive floor general with 32 points,
seven boards and three apiece of assists/steals. He notched 20 of those points
in a 40-27 first half.
At Gov. Mifflin Intermediate, Shillington
Carroll 77, Lampeter-Strasburg 76 (OT): AJ Hoggard nailed two free
throws with 6.7 seconds remaining to provide a four-point lead and his overall
output featured 19 points, six rebounds and five assists. Keyon Butler scored
nine of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and they were definitely needed to
help offset an 11-0 run by L-S. Justin Anderson (17) and Luke House (13) also
scored in double figures. For L-S, 6-10 Ryan Smith was a monster with 34 points,
22 rebounds.
Quarterfinals
At Reading High's Geigle Complex
Bonner-Prendie 71, Allentown Central Catholic 61: In not an
uncommon occurrence, point guard Isaiah Wong led the Friars in rebounds with
nine. He also sniped 14-for-16 at the line while collecting 27 points. B-P
totaled 35-for-44 at the stripe and hit 86 percent (19-for-22 ) in the fourth
quarter. Ajiri Johnson (15 points) and Tariq Ingraham (11) halved 14 rebounds
while Yohance Garner created good vibrations with two early treys.
At Garden Spot, New Holland
Milton Hershey 73, Carroll 66: The Patriots scored 15 of the game's
first 19 points, but surrendered 20 of the last 32. Having to go without Justin
Anderson (tweaked ankle) for much of the fourth quarter did not help their
cause. AJ Hoggard finished with 19 points and five apiece of rebounds/assists.
Devon Ferrero offered a season high 17 points. This was only the third time all
season that Carroll did not have at least three guys in double figures. Devon
Butler claimed nine boards.
Semifinal
At Bethlehem Freedom
Abington Heights 56, Bonner-Prendie 51 (OT): Due to a wild sequence
at the end of regulation, the Friars had a chance to claim what likely would
have been called the most controversial win in Pennsylvania (United States? . .
. world?) history. As the clock wound down, B-P trailed, 48-45. Isaiah Wong (19
points) missed a three-pointer. Michael Perretta was fouled after grabbing the
rebound. But the time read 0:00, the buzzer sounded and AH's fans tossed Hershey
Kisses onto the court because they thought a spot in the championship game had
been earned. The refs called a tech and put one second back on the clock.
Perretta hit the first three free throws . . . and missed the fourth. Donovan
Rodriguez could not sink a trey on the tacked-on possession. The Comets scored
the first six points of the extra session and two free throws at 11.7 made it
56-51. B-P's Tariq Ingraham had 12 points, eight rebounds. The Friars totaled
just four field goals over the final 20 minutes.
CLASS 6A
First Round
At Pleasant Valley
SJ Prep 62, Northampton 57: Soph Trevor Wall scored a season-high
21 points (previous best: 17) for the Hawks, who rallied from a nine-point
halftime deficit. Ed Croswell contributed 12 points and 11 rebounds, Kyle
Thompson had 14 points and Darius Kinnel added 10 points while holding
Northampton's main threat to two points after a 26-point first half.
At O'Hara
Roman 58, Pennridge 56: Seth Lundy hit three treys while scoring 13
of his 15 points in the third quarter and that outburst proved to be crucial as
Pennridge won the fourth quarter, 18-9, and tallied seven of the last nine
points. Hakim Hart (22, also eight rebounds) connected for four three-pointers
and Lynn Greer had 16 points.
Second Round
At Bensalem
Roman 75, Plymouth-Whitemarsh 71: After scoring no points in the first
round and managing six in the first half of this one, Allen Betrand shot 6-for-6
(one trey) and 7-for-8 for 20 second-half markers as the Cahillites roared back
from a 34-23 deficit. He also passed to John Kelly for the bucket that put Roman
ahead for good at 65-63. Hakim Hart had 18 points. Lynn Greer and Seth Lundy
halved 26.
At Ryan
Abington 66, SJ Prep 61: Darius Kinnel shot 12-for-19 (three treys)
en route to 28 points for the Hawks, who could never quite get over the hump
after falling into an early mini-hole. Trevor Wall added 11 points. Early foul
trouble helped to limit inside force Ed Croswell to nine points and four
rebounds.
Quarterfinal
At Bensalem
Roman 75, Central Bucks West 56: Hakim Hart led the Cahillites by
nailing three treys in a 34-20 first half and finishing with 24 points overall.
Allen Betrand was right behind with 23 points while soph Lynn Greer was a triple
threat with 10 markers, eight boards and seven assists. Seth Lundy, usually a
stalwart, was limited to nine minutes by a tender ankle. The waning moments
provided excitement as deep subs Nick Tolomeo and Michael Anderson both made it
into the scoring column (two points apiece) for the second time all season.
Semifinal
At Chambersburg
Roman 81, Pine-Richland 73 (OT): The Cahillites averaged 5.3 points
per minutes in the extra session after Lynn Greer scored the last points of
regulation by hitting a trey for 60-60 with 1:43 remaining; he fouled out 13
seconds later. P-R held for a last shot, then missed two. Allen Betrand (seven
rebounds) and Hakim Hart (five steals) halved 50 points, Seth Lundy claimed
eight rebounds and sixth man Louie Wild mixed 11 points, four assists. This game
was played Saturday, March 24, after two postponements. Blame a Nor'easter and
its aftermath.
Final
At Hershey's Giant Center
Roman 92, Lincoln 80: Defense was only a rumor as the teams
combined for 172 points. And though a quick glance at the final score might make
you think the Cahillites earned their third state crown in four years in
semi-comfortable fashion, that was hardly the case. They led by only 82-80 with
1:06 left. Seth Lundy created some space with a three-point play and Roman was
in lock-down mode from there while avenging its 10-point loss to the
Railsplitters 25 days earlier in the City Title. Lundy was a versatile force
with 28 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Hakim Hart was right behind with
26 points and shot a sizzling 12-for-17 from the floor. Overall, Roman was
33-for-53 (62.7) from the floor and 20-for-26 (76.9) at the line. Lynn Greer
(9-for-11 line) added 20 points and Allen Betrand mixed five assists with 14
points. Khalif Meares was Lincoln's rock with 28 points and four apiece of
assists/steals. Shakeir Morrison and Emuel Charleston managed 14 points apiece.
This game was played on Wednesday, March 28.
2019
CLASS 3A
First Round
At Judge
Neumann-Goretti 83, Lancaster Monnonite 48: Chris Ings was
quite the whirlwind, contributing 28 points, seven assists and five steals. Oh,
he also shot 13-for-16 from the floor. Cameron Young added 15 points, 10
rebounds.
At Cumberland Valley
McDevitt 69, Camp Hill 54: Jamil Manigo (18), Robert Smith
(13) and Shamir Mosley (11) scored in double figures and a 17-6 third quarter
proved to be crucial.
Second Round
At Bethlehem Freedom
Neumann-Goretti 61, Wyoming Seminary 59: Coach Carl Arrigale,
in season No. 21, bagged his 500th win in dramatic fashion as Chris Ings
completed a drive from beyond the arc with a banked-in layup. Arrigale needed
615 games to reach the milestone, just two more than the man who'd coached him
at Penn Charter in the '83 and '84 seasons, William "Speedy" Morris (holder of
fastest to 500 record at 613). The Saints trailed by 49-40 after three quarters.
Ings (23) scored five quick points to start the comeback, then Hakim Byrd and
Chris Evans hit three-pointers in a 9-0 run that followed two free throws by WS.
Jordan Hall's trey created a 59-59 tie with 1:20 remaining, In all, N-G knocked
down 12 triples.
At Milton Hershey
McDevitt 73, Loyalsock 47: The local Lancers (also Loyalsock's
nickname) won every quarter and used a 13-0 run to seize a 19-point lead a shade
before halftime. Robert Smith's 22-point evening included four three-pointers
while Jamil Manigo (17, 10 rebounds) was also a mainstay. Mickey D totaled 12
steals while reaching 20 wins for the first time in school history.
Quarterfinal
At O'Hara
McDevitt 60, Neumann-Goretti 57: Jamil Manigo scored 20
points, claimed eight rebounds and broke a 57-57 tie by nailing two free throws
with 32 seconds remaining. Robert Smith (17), who played the last 10 1/2 minutes
with four fouls, then hit one of two free throws and N-G's last-second shot, a
halfcourt trey, pounded off the backboard to the left of the rim. For N-G, which
owned five consecutive state titles and eight of the last nine, only Chris Ings
(21) reached double figures in scoring.
Semifinal
At Reading High's Geigle Complex
Trinity 63, McDevitt 56: The Lancers trailed by 55-48 with
2:31 remaining and could draw no closer than 60-56. They shot just 21-for-57
from the floor and their top scorer was a sub, Shamir Mosley (16). Jamil Manigo
contributed 10 points and 15 boards, but missed major time due to personal fouls
and eventually picked up his fifth.
CLASS 4A
First Round
At SJ Prep
Bonner-Prendie 64, Littlestown 38: Isaiah Wong's 23-point
effort included 8-for-11 sniping from the floor. The Friars won the second
quarter, 14-1.
At Bethlehem Liberty
Carroll 64, Allentown Central Catholic 57: Luke House nailed
three treys while scoring 20 points and Tairi Ketner recorded 14 points, 17
rebounds. By halftime, Kiyl Mack owned 14 points, tying his season high, and he
forged ahead to 19 (along with 10 boards). Ny'Mire Little dished six assists.
Second Round
At Bethlehem Freedom
Bonner-Prendie 70, Nanticoke 52: In the shocker of the season,
megastar Isaiah Wong failed to score (he barely shot) in the first half.
However, Wong (nine) and Tariq Ingraham (six) combined for 15 points in a 19-8
third quarter and the Friars wound up winning in comfortable fashion. Ingraham,
Wong and Tyreese Watson uncorked powerful dunks in a short stretch. Donovan
Rodriguez finished with 16 points and was the lone Friar to score in every
quarter.
At Reading High's Geigle Complex
Carroll 74, Lancaster Catholic 62: Tairi Ketner (22) and
Ny'Mire Little (19) led the point parade and Kiyl Mack collected five assists.
Padraig Casey nailed back-to-back treys in a 14-5 first quarter. A 9-0 run
extended the Patriots' lead to 50-37.
Quarterfinal
At O'Hara
Bonner-Prendie 82, Carroll 57: Donovan Rodriguez (10 points)
hit two treys in the first quarter as the Friars claimed a 10-point edge en
route to an easy win. Isaiah Wong (four assists) and Tariq Ingraham (10
rebounds) had 13 points apiece while Tyreese Watson and Mike Perretta posted
double 11s. Kiyl Mack (13) topped Carroll.
Semifinal
At Plymouth-Whitemarsh
Bonner-Prendie 83, Lower Moreland 47: Mike Perretta (14
points) knocked down four treys in a 31-7 third quarter to highlight this
frolic. Also, Tariq Ingraham scored eight of his 12 points. Overall, the Friars'
top score was sophomore sub Malik Edwards (15).
Final
At Hershey's Giant Center
Imhotep 67, Bonner-Prendie 56: While getting revenge for their
loss to B-P in the City Title, the Panthers claimed their third consecutive 4A
state championship. Donta Scott led the way with 20 points and sub Elijah Taylor
(16) was 7-for-7 from the floor. The refs were the stars of this one, calling 41
personals. For the Friars, who shot 17-for-45 from the floor and was guilty of
14 turnovers, Isaiah Wong totaled 29 points and eight rebounds. He tallied 1,281
in two seasons at B-P and 2,091 in all, counting two seasons at Notre Dame, in
Lawrenceville, NJ. Donovan Rodriguez added 14 points.
CLASS 5A
First Round
At Carroll
Wood 52, Holy Ghost Prep 41: Rahsool Diggins led the way with
16 points. Daeshon Shepherd (11, two early dunks) and sub Muneer Newton (10)
also scored in double figures while Jaylen Stinson made four steals. The Vikings
seized command with a 12-3 run to start the second quarter.
At Spring-Ford
Ryan 63, West Chester East 54: The starters privided all of
Ryan's points and none scored fewer than eight -- Colin Reed led the way with
19, followed by Gedminas Mokseckas (16), Ja'Quill Stone (11), Aaron Lemon-Warren
(nine) and Dominic Vazquez (eight). Reed added eight rebounds and six assists.
Lemon-Warren also grabbed eight boards while Stone dished eight dimes. The Raiders scored 17 of the game's first 23
points.
Second Round
At Harriton
Wood 61, Penncrest 38: Wood dominated the middle two quarters,
at 31-12, thanks to Daeshon Shepherd (nine in second) and Rahsool Diggins (nine
in third; trey and two three-point plays). Their final totals were also
identical (17).
At Chambersburg
Moon 44, Ryan 36: The Raiders' game was the first of four in
5A/4A to finish and the loss halted the Catholic League's winning streak in
state playoffs at 12 -- two apiece in semis and finals to end '18; eight-game,
first-round sweep in '19. Ryan went scoreless after hitting two free throws to
move within 40-36 with 18.8 seconds left.
Quarterfinal
At Reading High's Geigle Complex
Wood 55, Pottsville 43: Daeshon Shepherd crammed 13 of his 16
points into a 29-21 first half and the Vikings mantained command from there.
Jaylen Stinson (15) and Rahsool Diggins (14) were right behind.
Semifinal
At Bethlehem Freedom
Wood 63, Abington Heights 53 (OT): The Catholic League upped
its record in OT state playoffs to 8-2 thanks to a 17-point blitz beyond
regulation. Jaylen Stinson (17) fueled it by scoring six quick points; Stinson
and Julius Phillips (10) combined to go for 9-for-10 at the line. Rahsool
Diggins (15) and Daeshon Shepherd (13) also reached double digits. George
Tinsley scored 26 points for AH, but was unable to hit a shot at the end of
regulation.
Final
At Hershey's Giant Center
Moon 74, Wood 64: This Friday night setback assured the
Catholic League would not have a state champ for just the second time (also
2013) in its 11 seasons of PIAA participation. And how the loss happened was
tough to swallow, seeing as how the Vikings allowed Moon to pull off a 19-point
swing (down nine, won by 10) over the last seven-plus minutes. Daeshon Shepherd
(22) and Rahsool Diggins (20, four assists) topped Wood while Julius Phillips,
the lone non-soph starter, bowed out with seven points, nine rebounds. Moon's
shooting numbers were quite impressive -- 24-41 floor, 8-for-14 treys, 18-21
line.
CLASS 6A
First Round
At O'Hara
Roman 92, Spring-Ford 48: Frosh Jalen Duren dominated the
inside by shooting 11-for-13 for 22 points. Hakim Hart's 18 points lifted his
career total to 1,008 in just two seasons with the Cahillites. Seth Lundy added
17 points and sub Kyle Laska, in just 12 minutes of action, racked up eight
points, 10 rebounds. This win completed an 8-0, first-round weekend for CL teams
(on the heels of 7-0 in 2018).
At Gov. Mifflin Intermediate, Shillington
La Salle 47, Reading 42: Jake Timby drained a corner trey with
3.6 seconds remaining to snap a 42-42 tie and the final two points were scored
at the line after Reading called an illegal sixth timeout. Konrad Kriszka led
the Explorers in points/rebounds/assists with 17/six/three. La Salle hit all
three of its treys down the stretch.
Second Round
At O'Hara
Roman 74, Lower Merion 55: This battle of extra-proud programs
proved to be a dud as Roman owned a 42-22 lead by halftime. Freshmen Justice
Williams and Jalen Duren were prominent among the headliners. The former
finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and six assists while the latter
contributed 18 points, six blocks. Seth Lundy (22) and Louie Wild (11, three
treys) also reached double figures.
At Reading High's Geigle Complex
La Salle 70, Allentown Allen 53: Allen Powell's 22-point
outing featured four three-pointers and an 8-for-11 performance at the line.
Konrad Kiszka (18) and Jake Timby (13) provided scoring support while Titus
Beard mixed four assists/three steals. The Explorers sniped 9-for-19 (47.4
percent) from beyond the arc.
Quarterfinal
At Ryan
La Salle 55, Roman 47: The Explorers entered this one at 25-3
overall and Roman had dealt them two of the setbacks; regular season and CL
final. This table-flip was accomplished in partially comfortable fashion as La
Salle broke away from a 4-4 tie, thanks to four free throws from Allen Powell
(11 points), and led the rest of the way. Konrad Kiszka put together quite the
unusual stat line -- 16 points, 10 rebounds and three jerseys. He had to switch
from 10 to 31 to 30 after blood appeared on the first two. Two free throws
apiece by Kiszka, Titus Beard and Jake Timby upped the lead from 46-40 to 52-40
at 1:02. La Salle wound up sniping 24-for-29 at the line. For Roman, which lost
starter Louie Wild via ejection early in the fourth quarter, received 18 points
from Hakim Hart and 11 from Jalen Duren. Hart and Seth Lundy (six) finished
their careers with 1,035 points (two seasons) and 1,150 (three), respectively.
Semifinal
At Norristown
Pennridge 52, La Salle 47: The Explorers trailed by nine
points early in the fourth quarter, but roared back and created a tie at 47-47
on a fastbreak dunk by Konrad Kriszka (15 points) with 58 seconds remaining.
Alas, a Pennridge sub broke it with a right-corner trey at 0:17. Allen Powell
(14) also reached double figures. La Salle, under first-year coach Mike McKee,
finished 26-4, one win short of tying the school record set in 1950 by the Tom
Gola-fueled Catholic and City champs (27-1). The loss, after a 25-0 start,
occurred in the first round of the Eastern States Invitational Tournament in
Newport, Rhode Island.
2020
Tournament Canceled After 2nd Round Due to Coronavirus Pandemic
CLASS 3A
First Round
At Wood
Neumann-Goretti 75, Brandywine Heights 42: Hysier Miller packed 11
of his 24 points into a 22-6 first quarter and the Saints mostly coasted from
there. He shot 8-for-12 from the floor and 4-for-6 beyond the arc. Hakim Byrd
(16) and Cameron Young (13, 15 rebounds) offered support. Jordan Hall dealt five
assists.
At Milton Hershey
Camp Hill 63, McDevitt 51: CH shot 4-for-4 from the floor and
5-for-6 at the line in a 13-point rally that highlighted a 24-9 fourth quarter.
Robert Smith (10) and Jamil Manigo (23) finished their respective careers with
1,203 and 1,106 points, good for second and fifth place in McDevitt history.
Second Round
At Easton Middle School
Neumann-Goretti 87, Holy Redeemer 49: The Saints jumped to an
8-0 lead and hit five (of 14 total) treys while dominating the first quarter,
25-7. Hakeem Byrd posted 23 points while Jordan Hall (19) and Cameron Young (17)
were in that neighborhood.
CLASS 4A
First Round
At SJ Prep
Bonner-Prendie 78, Eastern York 40: Eleven Friars scored in this
mismatch. Tyreese Watson led the way with 18 points and deep sub Gestin Liberis,
who entered play with 16 points for the season, shot 4-for-4 from the floor
while tallying 11 points. Starter Donovan Rodriguez had 14 points.
At Allentown Allen
Carroll 46, Bethehem Catholic 44: Off a pass from John Camden (10
points), frosh Dean Coleman-Newsome drained just the Patriots' third trey of the
game, and first since the first quarter, to win it. Anquan Hill collected nine
of his 16 points in the fourth quarter.
Second Round
At Bethlehem Liberty
Bonner-Prendie 67, Valley View 33: VV's turnover total (31) almost
matched its points and two players fouled out in the third quarter. Tyreese
Watson sniped 10-for-13 en route to 27 points in only three quarters of action.
He also had five of the Friars' 20 steals.
At Garden Spot
Harrisburg McDevitt 58, Carroll 49: Amiri Stewart (12), John Camden
and Dean Coleman-Newsome (10 apiece) reached double digits for Carroll and Tairi
Ketner (nine) came close.
CLASS 5A
First Round
At Bonner-Prendie
Wood 72, Strath Haven 45: The Vikings won the second half, 47-24,
to triumph in going-away fashion. Marcus Randoph (20), Rahsool Diggins (18) and
Jaylen Stinson (15) led the way and Muneer Newton mixed seven points, eight
rebounds.
At Norristown
Ryan 62, Penn Wood 50: Jalen Snead turned in quite the well-rounded
performance, totaling 11 rebounds, seven blocks and four steals. Gediminias
Mokseckas and Christian Isopi netted 20 and 15 points, respectively, while
Dominic Vazquez had 14 points and five assists.
Second Round
At Bethlehem Freedom
Wood 72, Pittston 45: A 13-point run enabled the Vikings to own a
35-23 advantage at halftime. Then they opened the second half with 12 of the
first 15 markers. Deashon Sheperd (22) led the way, followed by Marcus Randolph
(14), Rahsool Diggins and Jaylen Stinson (13 apiece).
At Coatesville
Ryan 67, Elizabethtown 39: Gediminias Mokseckas (20) and Dominic
Vazquez (19) fueled this frolic and Jalen Sned had seven assists, four steals.
Vazquez (six) and Mokseckas (four) also notched a decent number of dishes.
CLASS 6A
First Round
At O'Hara
Roman 81, Coastesville 75: With star guard Lynn Greer unavailable
due to injury, sixth man Nasir Lett stepped up and notched 16 points, thanks in
part to three of the Cahillites' eight three-point bombs. Justice Williams was
the headliner, though, due to 27 points (11 in fourth quarter) and five assists.
Xzavier Brown (17) and Jalen Duren (13) also scored in double figures while
Duren (11) and Will Norman (eight) were the rebounds leaders.
At Kutztown Univ.
Reading 57, SJ Prep 45: This setback brought an end to the
wonderful, 52-year career of coach Speedy Morris. He finished with 1,035 wins,
counting his high school (Roman, Penn Charter, SJ Prep) and college (La Salle
women/men) stints. Trevor Wall paced the Hawks with 18 points. The scoring was
completed by Chris Arizin, Brian Geatens (10 apiece) and Jimmy King (seven).
Second Round
At Bensalem
Roman 62, Pennridge 51: Jalen Duren shot 9-for-11 from the floor
while collecting 20 points. Plus, he swatted eight shots. Justice Williams
sniffed a triple double with 16 points, nine boards and seven assists, and Nasir
Lett mixed 11 points with four dimes. Roman rolled to a 38-19 lead, but
Pennridge did advance within 58-51.
2021
CLASS 4A
Quarterfinal
At Carroll
Allentown Central Catholic 55, Carroll 51: The Patriots lost the
fourth quarter, 21-8. Anquan Hill totaled 17 points, 10 rebounds and six blocked
shots. Moses Hipps (12) and Tyler Seward (10) also scored in double figures and
Caleb Carter dished six assists.
CLASS 5A
Quarterfinal
At Ryan
Ryan 68, Bangor 50: The Raiders dominated the middle two quarters,
36-17. Aaron Lemon-Warren was a beast with 29 points and 14 rebounds while
Dominic Vazquez added 15 points and seven assists. Luke Boyd (14) also reached
double digits.
Semifinal
At Chester
Ryan 84, Chester 63: Aaron Lemon-Warren put together quite the
noteworthy performance as the Raiders frolicked, especially in the second half.
He shot 15-for-17 overall, 3-for-3 (treys) and 3-for-3 (line) for 36 points.
That was the top total in state playoffs by a Catholic League player -- besting
33 by Neumann-Goretti's Ja'Quan Newton in 2014, and Roman's Tony Carr and N-G's
Zane Martin in 2016. The 36 points were also the most scored in a playoff by a
visitor to Chester's gym and left Lemon-Warren two points short of Anthony
Starace's school record (38 vs. McDevitt in 1998; Aaron also notched 36 points
in a non-league game as a junior). Believe it or not, Christian Tomasco
(12-for-13, 26 points) shot an even higher percentage from the floor thanks to
numerous dunks. Plus, Dominic Vazquez distributed 13 assists. Four Raiders added
five points apiece.
Final
At Hershey's Giant Center
Erie Cathedral Prep 69, Ryan 49: The Raiders led just once, at 2-0,
and CP roared from there to a 30-14 halftime lead. No strong comeback would
occur. Ryan shot 16-for-55 from the floor and drained just one trey in 15
attempts. Aaron Lemon-Warren (16) and Dominic Vazquez (15) reached double
figures and the former finished his career with 984 points. The Raiders went 3-2
in playoff games, winning by an average of 22.3 and losing by 25.0.
CLASS 6A
Quarterfinal
At Allentown William Allen
Wood 70, William Allen 56: Marcus Randolph shot 10-for-15 from the
floor en route to 23 points and contributed in other ways (six rebounds, five
assists, two steals) as well. The Vikings won the second half, 39-28. Jaylen
Stinson had 16 points, 10 boards and six assists. Muneer Newton and Mike Knouse,
making a rare start with Daeshon Shepherd unavailable, halved 20 points.
Semifinal
At Lower Merion
Wood 72, Lower Merion 68: The Vikings trailed for much of the game
but went ahead for good, at 65-59, at the four-minute mark as righty Rahsool
Diggins hit a trey from the left side and lefty Marcus Randoph did likewise from
the right side. With 1.4 seconds remaining and the score at 70-68, a Lower
Merion player intentionally missed the second of two free throws. But he whipped
the ball off the top part of the backboard and the violation was followed by a
buzzer-beating layup. Randolph finished with 24 points and four assists. Diggins,
who earlier in the day received coaches' All-Catholic MVP honors for the second
consecutive year, hustled for 16 points, eight assists and three steals. The
other starters -- Jaylen Sinson (12), Muneer Newton and Mike Knouse (10 apiece)
-- also reached double digits. Newton added 11 rebounds.
Final
At Hershey's Giant Center
Reading 58, Wood 57: In the waning moments, an errant pass on a
halfcourt inbound play assured Wood (19-1) would not become the first CPT in the
Catholic League's 102-season history. CPT stands for "Completely Perfect Team"
and Roman Catholic came close in the 1933-34 campaign. The Cahillites stood at
15-0 late in the season and were hoping to draw an invite to a prestigious
national Catholic tournament in Chicago. That didn't happen. Roman and
also-perfect Penn Charter mutually canceled a Philly showdown and the former
wound up playing the University of Pennsylvania's freshman team. Penn won,
23-20. Thanks to Chris Gibbons, the president of Roman's alumni association, for
that info and to Roman grad Dan Hoban for enlisting Chris' assistance. In that
era and for many years thereafter it was common for quality high school teams to
test their skills by playing college frosh squads. All other CL champs with
perfect league records suffered at least one loss to a high school team.
Sometimes in non-league games, but often not until postseason appearances in
national/regional tourneys. Rahsool Diggins led the Vikings with 26 points -- it
was the first time all season just one Wood player scored in double figures --
and made four of their eight three-pointers. The last was nailed with 5.7
seconds remaining and brought Wood within one point. The teams then traded
turnovers. Diggins also scored nine points while rallying coach John Mosco's
team from a 51-44 deficit over the last 2:48. In retrospect, Wood's early
success on three-pointers might have been a detriment. Losing by 13-2, Reading
ditched its zone defense in favor of man-to-man and by halftime the deficit was
down to three points. Marcus Randolph totaled nine points, six assists and four
steals. Muneer Newton snatched 12 rebounds. Entering
this game, as noted by CL statistician Ed "Huck" Palmer, Wood was shooting 61.9
percent on twos, but went 11-for-30 (36.7). It did make eight of 18 threes
(44.4) after entering play at 30.5 for the season. Before
this one, Wood boasted an average offensive efficiency of 118.7 with a low of
101.4 vs. McDevitt. The number for this one was 96.3.