N-G looking talented, deep

by TED SILARY

silaryt@phillynews.com

  Coach Carl Arrigale wants to take playful issue with those folks who consider his Ss. Neumann-Goretti High basketball team this season's "overwhelming" Catholic League favorite.
  "Overwhelming? By whose standards?" he asked, laughing. "I love that one. We lost two great players and we're still the overwhelming favorite?"
  Well, of the four CL players already committed to Division I programs, N-G has two in 6-9 center Rick Jackson and point guard Antonio "Scoop" Jardine; they're both bound for Syracuse.
  It also boasts two of the city's top juniors in forwards Jamal Wilson and Rashad Savage, a transfer from Pottsgrove, and guard Tony Chennault, son of ex-Frankford star Anthony Chennault, the Daily News' City Player of the Year in 1981, is considered one of the country's top freshmen.
  Oh, and this team has more depth than last year's title squad.
  "Nobody's crying over what we have back," Arrigale acknowledged.
  Against a highly challenging nonleague schedule, the Saints so far have incurred two losses.
  "Yeah, our crazy fans can knock off that we're-going-undefeated talk," he said. "We play this kind of schedule so we can be mentally tough going into the league. It gives you a chance to recognize your warts and take care of them. And I'm sure we'll find one or two more."
  N-G's stiffest challenges, both in the South and overall, should come from Roman Catholic and St. Joseph's Prep.
  Roman's sponsor should be Doublemint gum. Two families supply four of the prominent players in the Wanamaker and Kirkland twins. Guard Bradley Wanamaker is a Pitt signee. Brian Wanamaker is one of the all-time defensive pests. The Kirklands, Will and Wes, are junior wing players. Running the show is junior Courtney Stanley, a transfer from Kennedy-Kenrick.
  "I'm happy with where we are," coach Dennis Seddon said. "We have really good team chemistry.
  "But I'm not content. There are always things to do, ways to get better. We lost 18 rebounds off of last year's team and we'll have to get them as a team."
  (These teams' clashes will be Jan. 2 at N-G and Jan. 26 at Roman. No fans will be permitted, owing to last year's title-game mess. Also, Arrigale will not coach the Saints in their first four division games. Assistants John Mosco and Aaron Abbott will take over.)
  The Prep's two returning mainstays are senior point guard Matt Griffin and junior forward Larry Loughery. The newcomers have been impressive and coach William "Speedy" Morris' club, as always, has been roaring through December, witness last Saturday's 59-30 destruction of Pub kingpin Simon Gratz.
  Monsignor Bonner likely rates a slight edge in the battle to claim the fourth playoff spot.
  That feeling begins with the presence of wing guard Jeff Jones, an explosive scorer bound for Virginia. His surrounding cast is also much better, however, and the frontcourt goes 6-5, 6-6, 6-7.
  The battle for Northern Division honors should be waged between Cardinal Dougherty and North Catholic.
  Dougherty returns five rotation members (Roberto Townsend, Kahlil Mumford, Justin Minter, Tim Gates and Christian Smith) from a squad that was shocking N-G in last year's semifinal before it surrendered 18 of the final 20 points.
  North is also loaded with experience, both homegrown and imported.
  Heading the holdovers are forward Chris Edwards and swingman Andrew Pomager, who already have Division I offers. Junior guards Velton Jones (Gratz) and Lenny Young (Academy of the New Church) were headliners elsewhere.
  There should be a mad scramble for the other two spots, as some teams have improved and some have gone slightly backward.
  Quarterfinals will be held at Archbishop Ryan (North) and Cardinal O'Hara (South) with the semis (Feb. 28) and final (March 4) scheduled for the Palestra.
  There is one new coach, Kennedy-Kenrick's Jack Flanagan.

RETURNING ALL-CATHOLICS (Selected by Daily News)
FIRST TEAM
  Rick Jackson, N-G, C; Jeff Jones, Bonner, G.
SECOND TEAM
  Bradley Wanamaker, Roman, G; Antonio "Scoop" Jardine, N-G, G.
THIRD TEAM
  Roberto Townsend, Dougherty, F.
FOURTH TEAM
  Kahlil Mumford, Dougherty, G; Matt Griffin, SJ Prep, G.
HONORABLE MENTION
  Guards: Justin Minter, Dougherty; 1-Courtney Stanley, K-K.
Forwards/Centers: Clay Penecale, La Salle; Andrew Pomager, North; Chris Edwards, North; Tim Vanderslice, Bonner; Jamal Wilson, N-G; Larry Loughery, SJ Prep.
  1-now at Roman.

NORTHERN DIVISION
ARCHBISHOP RYAN
  Coach: Bernie Rogers, 7th year. Education: Ryan, Ursinus. Career: 99-60.
  Last year: 10-4 league, 19-7 overall.
  Savvy seven: Jeff Sottnick, 6-2, C; Keith Czarny, 5-10, G; Eric Dethloff, 5-10, G; Andrew Rogers, 5-8, G; Tom Marshall, 6-3, G; Eric Jann, 6-1, G; Chris Wilk, 6-2, F.
  Rogers' comment: "We have good team chemistry, and will feed off that!"
ARCHBISHOP WOOD
  Coach: Joe Sette, 13th year (also Maple Point, 1979-80; McDevitt, 1981-89). Education: St. Joseph's Prep, La Salle. Career: Unavailable; 140-165 at Wood.
  Last year: 2-12, 2-23.
  Savvy seven: Fran Brzyski 6-7, C; Pat Devlin, 6-1, G; Joe Huebner, 6-foot, G; Eric Loughnane, 6-foot, G; Dan Comas, 6-4, C; Sean McCartney, 6-1, G; Mike DeLucia, 6-1, F.
  Sette's comment: "We're trying to abate what happened last year and rebuild the program to be competitive."
BISHOP McDEVITT
  Coach: Jack Rutter, 12th year (missed final 16 games of '05 on medical leave). Education: Dougherty, Alvernia. Career: 107-152.
  Last year: 1-13, 6-19.
  Savvy seven: Anthony Deturo, 5-11, G; Dan Drennen, 6-5, C; Matt Shervin, 6-1, F; Pat Doyle, 6-2, F; Matt Davis, 5-10, G; R.P. Boyle, 6-2, F; James Williams, 6-3, F.
  Rutter's comment: "Young and restless. By our exuberance, we will build game by game. Hoping for maturity."
CARDINAL DOUGHERTY
  Coach: Mark Heimerdinger, 25th year (also Maple Point, 1981-82). Education: Ryan, Slippery Rock. Career: 405-280; 382-258 at Dougherty.
  Last year: 12-2, 21-6.
  Savvy seven: Tim Gates, 6-3, F-C; Roberto Townsend, 6-2, F; Justin Minter, 6-2, G-F; Kahlil Mumford, 5-9, G; Christian Smith, 6-1, G; Brandon Savage, 6-5, F; Sam Prescott, 6-1, G-F.
  Heimerdinger's comment: "We have to bring a workmanlike mentality to practice and games."
CONWELL-EGAN
  Coach: Rich Schafer, 6th year; Education: Egan, Scranton. Career: 43-82.
  Last year: 7-7, 15-10.
  Savvy seven: Kevin Schafer, 6-2, F; Dave Marcinkowski, 6-4, C; Hayk Gyokchyan, 6-1, F; Rashaad Little, 6-3, G; Jonas Skovdal, 6-5, G; Ryan Golin, 6-2, F; Ryan Fitch, 6-2, G.
  Schafer's comment: "I like our spirit and unselfishness. The more they play together, the better the team will be. I expect another exciting year."
FATHER JUDGE
  Coach: Frank Cahill, 2nd year. Education: North Catholic, Temple. Career: 16-10.
  Last year: 10-4, 16-10.
  Savvy seven: Kevin Lynch, 6-foot, G; Bob Verrelle, 6-2, G; Ryan Walker, 6-2, G; Pat Kelly, 6-3, F; Jim Fenningham, 5-9, G; Bob Zanneo, 6-5, F; Andrew Vose, 6-5, F-C.
  Cahill's comment: "Looking to be competitive in the North. Sorry for the lousy quote, but it is true!"
LA SALLE
  Coach: Joe Dempsey, 3rd year; Education: Arch. Kennedy, Elizabethtown. Career: 12-38.
  Last year: 5-9, 8-17.
  Savvy seven: Sean Benz, 6-3, F; T.J. Brown, 5-11, G; Anthony Acey-Davis, 6-3, G; Joe Migliarese, 6-5, F-C; Matt Crozier, 6-6, C; Mike Topley, 5-9, G; Clay Penecale, 6-3, G-F.
  Dempsey's comment: "I love my team. The kids have worked hard every day and if they accept their roles and gel, we can be much improved."
NORTH CATHOLIC
  Coach: Mike McCarron, 5th year. Education: North Catholic, Eastern. Career: 44-57.
  Last year: 9-5, 14-11.
  Savvy seven: Velton Jones, 5-10, G; Lenny Young, 6-2, G; Chris Edwards, 6-6, F; Andrew Pomager, 6-4, G-F; Jason Mendez, 6-1, G; Shahid Paulhill, 6-4, F-C; R.J. Handy, 6-2, G.
  McCarron's comment: "We need good chemistry and the ability to rebound."

SOUTHERN DIVISION
ARCHBISHOP CARROLL
  Coach: Paul Romanczuk, 4th year (missed '05 on medical leave). Education: Carroll, Penn. Career: 35-41.
  Last year: 3-11, 12-13.
  Savvy seven: Kasheef Festus, 6-5, F; Ellis Rogers, 5-11, G; Lamar Jackson, 5-9, G; Andre Williams, 6-2, G-F; Pete Clancy, 5-11, G; Bender Retif, 6-2, F; Brian Concio, 6-4, F.
  Romanczuk's comment: "With a young team, the focus now is on improving daily so that we'll be right there in the end."
CARDINAL O'HARA
  Coach: Bud Gardler, 31st year (also Kenrick, 1969-75). Education: Bonner, Saint Joseph's. Career: 542-383.
  Last year: 6-8, 12-13.
  Savvy seven: Mark Wedderburn, 6-7, C; Zach Tansey, 6-1, G; Jim Kelleher, 6-4, F; Matt Romano, 6-4, F; Eric Hughes, 5-10, G; T.J. Long, 6-2, F; Bill Pondok, 5-9, G.
  Gardler's comment: "We're a work in progress. It's going to take a while. Good group of kids."
KENNEDY-KENRICK
  Coach: Jack Flanagan, first year. Education: Kenrick, Temple. Career: 0-0
  Last year: 2-12, 11-14.
  Savvy seven: Karlton Byrd, 6-3, F; Ryan Donovan, 6-1, G; Greg Santangelo, 5-11, G; Mike McCabe, 5-9, G; Brad Miller, 6-5, C; Alex Byrne, 6-3, F; Duane Alford, 6-5, F.
  Flanagan's comment: "We must get better every day. So far, we've been doing it."
MONSIGNOR BONNER
  Coach: Brian Daly, 2nd year. Education: Bonner, Saint Joseph's. Career: 14-12.
  Last year: 7-7, 14-12.
  Savvy seven: Jeff Jones, 6-4, G; Robert DiNicola, 5-9, G; Tim Vanderslice, 6-6, F; Robert Wyley, 6-5, F; Lijah Thompson, 6-7, C; John Sheehan, 6-2, F; Nagbae Saylee, 6-1, F.
  Daly's comment: "We're more athletic, so we're looking to push the ball."
ROMAN CATHOLIC
  Coach: Dennis Seddon, 21st year. Education: North Catholic, La Salle. Career: 469-119.
  Last year: 13-1, 26-6.
  Savvy seven: Bradley Wanamaker, 6-3, G; Brian Wanamaker, 6-2, G; Wes Kirkland, 6-4, F; Will Kirkland, 6-4, G-F; Nick Daggett, 6-1, G; Courtney Stanley, 6-1, G; Maalik Wayns, 6-foot, G.
  Seddon's comment: "We'll go as far as our dedication to rebounding takes us."
SS. NEUMANN-GORETTI
  Coach: Carl Arrigale, 9th year. Education: Penn Charter, Lycoming. Career: 174-52.
  Last year: 12-2, 22-6.
  Savvy seven: Rick Jackson, 6-9, C; Antonio "Scoop" Jardine, 6-2, G; Jamal Wilson, 6-5, F; Rashad Savage, 6-6, F; Tyrell Taylor, 6-1, G; Tony Chennault, 6-2, G; Mark Hatty, 6-5, F.
  Arrigale's comment: "We're a work in progress."
ST. JOSEPH'S PREP
  Coach: William "Speedy" Morris, 6th year (also Roman, 1968-81; Penn Charter, 1983-84). Education: Roman. Career: 519-118; 131-22 at SJ Prep.
  Last year: 11-3, 24-5.
  Savvy seven: Matt Griffin, 5-11, G; Larry Loughery, 6-6, F; Rob Coney, 6-6, C; Jim Mower, 6-3, G-F; Matt Dolan, 6-6, F; Matt Williams, 6-3, G-F; Phil Giordano, 6-3, G.
  Morris' comment: "Hard work + defense + commitment + teamwork + confidence = success."
WEST CATHOLIC
  Coach: Bill Ludlow, 14th year. Education: St. James, Delaware County CC. Career: 173-160.
  Last year: 2-12, 8-17.
  Savvy seven: Jerome McRae, 5-10, G; Mike Williams, 6-1, F; Eric Brennan, 6-6, F; Rob Holloman, 5-8, G; Eric Beal, 6-foot, G; Koron Reed, 6-5, F-C; Leonard McKlaine, 6-3, F-C.
  Ludlow's comment: "With four football players, we're pretty good in the red zone... Our success will be predicated on how well our younger players develop."