By Jack O’Brien
Previous ranking in parentheses. Records are through Wednesday.
1. Imhotep Charter (1) 7-2
2. Bonner-Prendergast (4) 8-0
3. Haverford School (5) 11-0
4. Westtown (3) 13-4
5. Roman Catholic (2) 7-3
6. Abington (6) 7-1
7. La Salle (9) 10-0
8. Norristown (13) 8-1
9. Bishop McDevitt (NR) 9-0
10. Lower Merion (11) 8-1
Sun Valley’s Vinny DeAngelo works out with his team at Sun Valley High School. (ROBERT GURECKI – DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA)
By Steve Moore
The Sun Valley boys basketball team dropped its first two games of the season last weekend, shooting a frigid 11 percent from the three-point line.
The Vanguards found their range Thursday night. And upstart Kennett was the unlucky victim.
Sun Valley shot a torrid 20 for 39 from the field and drained seven 3-pointers as the Vanguards stayed perfect in Ches-Mont League play with a decisive 65-38 American Division win over Kennett.
Sun Valley (4-0 Ches-Mont American, 9-2 overall) leading scorer Vinny DeAngelo led all scorers with 22 points, despite sitting out the final two minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of the third quarter with foul trouble. But when his number was called in the second half, DeAngelo came rocketing off the Sun Valley bench, and scored 17 second-half points to lead the Vanguards to the win.
Photo by Digital First Media
By Steve Moore
With their backs to the wall after going 0-3 so far this season in Central League play, the Conestoga boys basketball team came out roaring Friday night, as the Pioneers played great zone defense and got big games from Shane Scott, who led all scorers with 21 points and Milton Robinson, who added 17, as the host Pioneers took care of Upper Darby, 64-46.Conestoga (1-3 Central League, 4-6 overall) held the Royals (1-4, 2-6) to a tough 15-for-51 shooting night from the field and did not allow Upper Darby’s offense anything under the basket, forcing the cold-shooting Royals into settling for three-pointers that were not falling.
“I was very pleased with our defense tonight,” Conestoga coach Mike Troy said. “And we really boxed out well and I was extremely pleased with our rebounding tonight. We needed this win tonight.”
Radnor’s Jack D’Entremont, left, goes to the basket in the fourth quarter as Strath Haven’s Luke Edwards defends Friday night. (Pete Bannan/Digital First Media)
By Matthew DeGeorge
A season ago, defenses reliably knew where to find Jack D’Entremont. The Radnor wing was, more often than not, parked behind the 3-point line, the kind of spot-up shooter that is the common currency of so many high school half-court offenses.But the goal for D’Entremont between his sophomore and junior campaigns was to be more than that, and with a three-inch growth spurt sprouting a lanky 6-5 frame, he’s literally and figuratively risen to the challenge.
D’Entremont showed what he can do Friday night, scoring a career-high 23 points – mostly in the paint – to go with nine rebounds as Radnor pulled away from Strath Haven, 63-41.
“That was a big focus in the offseason, to get better, more well-versed,” D’Entremont said. “And I feel like I’ve done that.”
Friday’s evidence was compelling, for D’Entremont and a Raiders team that has surpassed its win total of three from 2017-18. D’Entremont drained nine buckets from the field, only one a 3-pointer. On the season, he’s hit 14 3-pointers, tops on Radnor, among 45 made baskets. Contrast that to last season, when 22 of his 33 field goals were of the 3-point variety.
By Bruce Adams
After Lower Merion lost 1,000-point scorer Jack Forrest to an injury Dec. 11, the Aces (8-1) bounced back with five wins in their next six games and are ranked third in the most current (as of Dec. 31) PIAA District 1 6A boys basketball rankings.
“We’ve had a lot of guys stepping up this season – guys with grit and good character,” said Lower Merion head coach Gregg Downer, now in his 29th year as Aces mentor (which includes three PIAA state championships). “A lot of these kids have been with us on varsity since their freshman year.”
Following a 71-61 loss to Norristown (the top-ranked team in District 1) Dec. 15, the Aces have reeled off four wins in a row. All of the victories were by four points or less, and it began with a come-from-behind 80-76 double overtime win against Garnet Valley Dec. 18.
By Matthew DeGeorge
The options for Penncrest on the final possession of a one-score game have become streamlined in recent weeks. It’s one of the few benefits of three starters sitting out injured.
The plan, down two points with 30 seconds to play Sunday against Chester, wasn’t to have Isiah Rice dribble into a crowd and lose the ball. Nor was it to have leading scorer Malcolm Williams standing flat-footed 38 feet from the basket, more ready to foul if a Clipper emerged with the ball than to shoot if a Lion recovered it
But like so much else in the Lions’ holiday break, when things haven’t gone to plan, they’ve found a way.
Marquis Tomlin buried a long 3-pointer with 2.3 seconds to play, sending Penncrest to a 47-46 win over Chester in the Pete and Jameer Nelson Classic at Widener University.
After falling to the court under pressure from Chester guard Rahmee Gilbert, Rice had the presence of mind to shovel the ball to Tomlin, standing two strides behind the arc. Tomlin’s triple splashed home, giving him a career-high 16 points and about as easy of a decision for game MVP honors as the three-day showcase has had.
By PaPrepLIVE
All-Delco guard Michael Smith’s bucket with 1:14 left in the fourth quarter gave Chester a 47-46 lead and the eventual victory over St. George’s in the Pete and Jameer Classic at Widener University Saturday night.
The Clippers (4-3) were held scoreless for the first five minutes of the fourth quarter. It was defense, including three blocks by Akeem Taylor, that buoyed the Clippers on this night. Rahmee Gilbert came away with a steal in the waning seconds to seal the win.
Taylor and Karell Watkins both registered double-doubles for Chester. Watkins had 14 points and 10 rebounds, his sixth double-double of the season, and Taylor totaled 12 points and 11 boards.
Chester and Penncrest clash in a meeting of Delco boys basketball powers, 3:30 Sunday at Widener.
In other games at the Nelson Classic:
By PAPrepLIVE
Garnet Valley’s Greg Vlassopoulos picked up a belated Christmas present Friday night. This one, though, the 6-3 senior had to earn.
Vlassopoulos was named Most Valuable Player as the host Jaguars topped Archmere Academy 55-35 in the championship game of the Garnet Valley Varsity Club Tournament.
Vlassapoulos led all scorers with 16 points and helped the Jaguars jump out to a 13-8 lead and never look back. Carl Schaller also earned a spot on the all-tournament team. He finished with 10 points. Neel Beniwal pitched in with 11 points for the Jags.
In other boys action:
By PAPrepLive
At the Kobe Bryant Boosters Philly.com Classic:
Lower Merion 59, Chester 55 >> Karell Watkins had his fifth double-double in the last six games, scoring 15 points and adding 10 rebounds, and Rahmaad DeJarnette chipped in 11 points but the Clippers (3-3) could not hand the Aces their first loss of the season.
Akeem Taylor Jr. scored all 12 of his points in the third quarter but Lower Merion shot 12-for-13 from the free-throw line to keep pace.
Malvern Prep 74, Archbishop Carroll 62 >> Tairi Ketner had his fourth double-digit scoring outing in five games with 15 points while junior Ny’Mire Little followed up with 14 for the Patriots (5-4). Shawn Johnson (nine points) and Kiyl Mack (eight) provided a spark in the losing effort.
By Rich Flanagan
Malachi Williams and Enoch Clark can vividly recall when Ridley was atop the Central League.Behind Julian Wing (DeSales) and Brett Foster, who since has played a season each at East Stroudsburg and Neumann, the Green Raiders won back-to-back Central League titles in 2015 and 2016 and advanced to the District 1 Class 4A semifinals two years ago.
After those two 1,000-point scorers graduated, Ridley came under a new regime led by head coach Kevin Kelly and his two leaders were going to be Williams and Clark. Despite missing the district playoffs a year ago, the experience has been of great benefit for Ridley’s new leaders, though their forerunners have helped fuel the current group.
“In the offseason, they always come back and work out with us,” Williams said of Wing and Foster. “I constantly pick Julian’s brain. I have his number and I call him. I talked to Brett over the summer and he helped me become a better point guard.”
Williams posted 13 points, six rebounds and three steals while Clark led the way with 17 points and six boards Thursday as Ridley steamrolled Interboro, 71-38 in the opening round of the Ridley Holiday Tournament.
