Delcohoops.com

By Peter DiGiovanni

In the year 2019, it is not uncommon for a Ches-Mont League basketball team — or any team, really — to take the floor with an all-black starting five. 

We do not even note the occurrence because it is so commonplace these days.

But, 50 years ago, when West Chester High School — now West Chester Henderson — fielded the first all-black starting five in the Ches-Mont League, it was more than just front-page news. 

It was a racial tsunami that rocked multiple boats in West Chester and beyond.

But for late Warrior head coach Jack McClellan, it had nothing to do with changing people’s minds. It was simply the best way to win.

McClellan told me before his death in 2015 that he wanted to play the best players, and that he was not concerned about the backlash 1968 America would offer.

(click on this link for the full story)

By Matthew DeGeorge

Were you to skim the boxscore of Bonner & Prendergast’s 61-44 win over Archbishop Carroll Friday night, the eye would naturally be drawn to the two largest numbers.There’s the 19 points and eight rebounds from Isaiah Wong, then the 13 points and 11 boards from Tariq Ingraham. But to assume that those figures told the story of a relatively comfortable Catholic League win in which both stars headed to the bench to a round of applause with more than a minute remaining would be incomplete. And that truth illustrates just how dangerous a team the Friars can be.

That quick glance misses the game-changing contributions proffered up and down the roster. Like Malik Edwards’ three first-half 3-pointers. Or the six points, three rebounds, two assists and four defensive deflections by an active James Welde in an abbreviated stint. Or two putback buckets from deep frontcourt reserve AJ Burnett. As much as the Division I talents of Wong and Ingraham, it’s the supporting cast that has powered Bonner to the upper rungs of the Catholic League.

(click on this link for the full story)

By Bruce Adams

As if to satisfy the standing-room-only crowd Friday evening, host Haverford School and Malvern Prep treated the fans to, not four – but five – quarters of fast-paced, high-octane basketball.And when the final buzzer sounded, Haverford School (17-0, 5-0) gutted out a 93-90 overtime win against Malvern Prep (12-6, 4-1) in a battle of Inter-Ac powers.

Haverford’s 6-foot-6 senior guard Christian Ray, who scored 36 points despite picking up three first-quarter fouls, said, “This was the fastest game we’ve played this season, by far. I knew Malvern was going to play fast, run a lot up and down the court. Malvern shoots the ball a lot, and we had to match it.

“When the game ended, my first thought was, ‘Thank God it’s over.’ My legs had started cramping and I was getting really tired.

We just played tough – we never mentally checked out, never got too high or too low. We were trailing by seven, then we were up by seven with five minutes left and [Malvern’s] Deuce Turner hits a three from 30 feet away to give them momentum.”

(click on this link for the full story)

By Matthew DeGeorge

Faith Christian had been unbeaten in the Bicentennial League until Christian Academy paid it a visit Friday.

Grant Sareyka scored 24 points, and Tehron Phillips added a season-high 20 as the Crusaders dealt Faith Christian its first league loss in a 66-63 victory.

Phillips added six assists and four steals. Jourdan Greene posted a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds for TCA (8-5, 6-3), which led 21-8 after one quarter and never looked back.

Also in the Bicentennial League:

(click on this link for more game stories and scores)

By Delcohoops.com Staff

In what began to appear as a Lower Merion rout of Penncrest in the first half the game tightened up in the fourth quarter with Penncrest forcing the game into overtime.  The excitement didn’t end there as the four minute overtime went back and forth until Jack Forrest’s 3-point shot in the final seconds sealed the victory for the Aces.

Unfortunately no press was covering the game but the good news is that the game was our Game-of-the-Week and you can listen to the entire game on the player at the bottom of this article.

Tonight’s game was also a Coaches vs Cancer night which featured Penncrest’s Coach Mike Boyle giving a moving account of he and his family’s personal battle with cancer at center court before the game.  We also had a pre-game interview with Coach Boyle on our broadcast.

 

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By Pete DiGiovanni

 West Chester Rustin came into Thursday night looking up at two teams in the Ches-Mont League American Division standings.By the end of the night, the Golden Knights still sat in third place … but the race to the playoffs will likely be a photo finish now.

A contentious battle between the host Golden Knights and Ches-Mont American leader Sun Valley saw Rustin hold on for a hard-fought, 57-48 victory that put the Golden Knights a half-game behind Unionville for second place in the American and just a step and a half behind previously unbeaten Sun Valley.

Rustin (4-2 league, 10-5 overall) went to the free throw line 37 times, compared to just 12 for the Vanguards (5-1, 11-4), a fact that angered Sun Valley coach Steve Maloney, who was assessed a technical foul with three minutes left in the fourth quarter.

“We did not get a call all night and I thought the officiating was bad,” Maloney said. “And we still made it a game. But give Rustin credit. They were fighting for their lives in the Ches-Mont and they hit shots and killed us in the paint.”

(click on this link for the full story)