Month: January 2017

By Matthew De George

For one half Thursday afternoon, Ja’Qualyn Kelly and his Glen Mills frontcourt mates didn’t get much work on the offensive end. It was a good problem to have, watching their fellow Battlin’ Bulls sink six first-half 3-pointers against Chichester.

But the tide invariably changed, dictated by Glen Mills’ control of the game. And Kelly was ready to capitalize.
Kelly scored 16 points, 14 in the second half, as the Bulls adroitly executed the high-low game to net a 64-53 Del Val League win.

Having a team that shot 6-for-12 from 3-point land in the first half attempt a scant four triples in the second may seem imprudent. But Thursday’s was largely a case of Glen Mills reading the defense and reacting accordingly.

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

John Harrar and Cooper Driscoll combined to score 13 of Strath Haven’s 15 points in the fourth quarter of a come-from-behind, 56-51 win over Harriton.

Harrar had seven of his team-high 18 points and Driscoll netted six of his eight in the final stanza. Harrar notched a double-double with 12 rebounds and Driscoll recorded eight boards and two blocked shots. Jeffrey Conner contributed 10 points for the Panthers (10-3, 7-2).

In other Central League action:

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

By Josh Verlin

It makes sense that Kyle Long is a terrific passer.

After all, it’s what the Springfield (Delco.) junior spends all year doing — no matter what sport he’s playing.

As a lacrosse midfielder, he’s a wizard with the stick, committing to one of the nation’s top programs (Maryland) before his sophomore year in high school. And on the hardcourt, he’s just as capable dishing the rock.

“Lacrosse and basketball are very similar, it’s all about spacing,” he said. “Draw one guy, another guy cuts backdoor and you get him the ball, it’s very similar.”

In a Central League matchup at Radnor on Wednesday night, the Cougars’ floor general carved the Raiders’ defense up to the tune of 10 assists during a 59-47 win.

(click on this link for the full article)

 

By Matthew De George

A quick glance at the Delco Christian roster reveals an oddity: The two tallest Knights are listed near the bottom of the roster, not because of their uniform numbers but because they’re a pair of freshmen.

In recent weeks, though, Obinna Nwobodo and Jackson Piotrowski haven’t played like rookies, an immense help to Knights coach Don Davis.

The imbalance on the Knights roster borne of age was clear going into the season. All of DC’s proven talents were in the backcourt, with 6-foot-6 junior center Tyler Smith the incumbent in the low blocks. In situations where Smith isn’t on the floor, Davis was forced to go small, with four guards lumping whatever matchup issues ensued. Plus Smith, for all his work on the boards, isn’t much of a scorer, averaging 2.5 points per game.

But the rapid maturation of the two 6-foot-4 freshmen have added depth and options to Davis’ arsenal, helping the Knights tote a four-game winning streak into Tuesday’s visit from Calvary Baptist.

Nwobodo, who is averaging 2.8 points per game, has earned a few starts. Piotrowski is averaging 3.2 points per game and boasts a floor-stretching perimeter game to complement Nwobodo’s post skills.

Davis entered the season with an idea of how to integrate both into the mix, hopefully incorporating them as regulars near the end of the regular season. But they’ve outpaced his timetable.

“It’s been a process,” Davis said. “We kind of had it planned out where they’ve gotten six or seven JV games and then sprinkled them into varsity games to get them up to speed. They continue to prove themselves in varsity games.

(click on this link for the full article)

 

Christian Ray went to work early and The Haverford School’s boys basketball team was able to extend its winning streak to 12 games because of it with an 80-59 Inter-Ac League romp over visiting Malvern Prep Tuesday afternoon.

Ray scored 15 of his season-high 22 points in the first half to stake the Fords (15-1 overall, 4-0 Inter-Ac) to a 41-21 halftime lead. Ray, who also grabbed 16 rebounds, netted nine of those points in the first quarter. Bobby Stratts added a career-high 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Kharon Randolph chipped in with 12 points.

In other Inter-Ac action:

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

By Matthew De George

At halftime Monday afternoon, Ajiri Johnson was the only occupant of Bonner & Prendergast’s locker room with even a remote reason to feel good about his performance in the opening 16 minutes.

Only one other Friar scored in the half, a dreadful frame that sent Bonner into the break down seven and busied coach Jack Concannon for an eventful conversation.

For the myriad adjustments Bonner made after the break, they preserved a steady supply of looks for Johnson, and the junior center duly rewarded them.

Johnson compiled a domineering stat line of 25 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks as Bonner came from behind to top St. Joseph’s Prep, 60-50, at Kelly Fieldhouse.

“When we came to the locker room, coach yelled at everybody and said, ‘You’ve got to put your heads in the game. Even though you’re missing shots, that doesn’t mean you don’t take more,’” Johnson said. “Coming out of the second half, they did a good job of coming back, and they kept feeding me the ball.”

Concannon called Monday the best game he’s seen from the 6-foot-9 Nigerian center, who transferred from Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut. That assessment stemmed as much from Johnson’s growing tenacity on the boards and the defensive end as the fact that he supplied 13 of Bonner’s 15 first-half points.

(click on this link for the full article)

 

By Jeff Griffith

With about one month remaining in the high school season, an updated set of PIAA District One playoff rankings was released Monday on the district’s website.

The rankings reflect the teams’ records as of Sunday night:

Class 6A (Top 24 make playoffs)
1. Perkiomen Valley (12-2)
2. Plymouth-Whitemarsh (12-2)
3. Abington (12-3)
4. Pennsbury (9-4)
5. Coatesville (10-3)
6. Downingtown East (11-2)
7. Conestoga (11-2)
8. Spring-Ford (10-4)
9. North Penn (10-4)
10. Cheltenham (10-3)

Webmaster’s note: 10 Delco schools are currently in position to enter the playoffs

(click on this link for the complete list for all six classifications)

By CoBL Staff

Here’s Part 1 of a look around the area’s various high school leagues at the rough midpoint of the season:

Bicentennial Athletic League

Central League

Ches-Mont League

Del-Val League

Friends’ Schools League

(click on this link for updates on the above listed leagues)

By Matthew De George

Scoring average
(Minimum half of team games played)

Tyler Norwood, Penncrest 24.5
DaQuan Granberry, Chichester 24.3
Brandon Starr, Garnet Valley 20.7
Austin Laughlin, Garnet Valley 20.2
Jaye’Lyn Peebles, Cardinal O’Hara 20.0
John Harrar, Strath Haven 19.8
Conner Delaney, Episcopal Academy 18.9
Kenyon Cooper, Glen Mills 18.7
Jamar Sudan, Chester 18.3
Nick Simmons, Academy Park 17.6
Christian Ray, Haverford School 17.3
T.J. Tann, Delco Christian 15.8
Kharon Randolph, Haverford School 15.5
Nick Alikakos, Episcopal Academy 15.4
Damir Fleming, Ridley 14.4

(click on this link for the complete list of stat leaders)

Pernell Ghee poured in a game-high 15 points and was one of 11 Penn Wood players to score at least two points in Monday’s 70-55 nonleague victory over Upper Darby.

Jay Fitzgerald added 14 points and Javon Lindsay-Terrell chipped in with eight for the Patriots, who scored 23 first-quarter points and led at halftime, 42-26.

Magd Abdelwahab paced the Royals with 13 points and Bayir Hodges and Noah Walker each tossed in nine.

In other nonleague action:

Mastery Charter North 60, Chester 45 >> The Clippers (9-3) hit a wall in the second quarter, scoring just three points, and were outscored 26-10 in the third period. Mastery extended its season-long unbeaten streak to 17.

Jamar Sudan was the lone Clipper in double figures with 11 points. Jahmeir Springfield, Michael Smith and Jordan Camper had eight points apiece.