Month: December 2017

By Owen McCue

Isaiah Wong’s basketball career started by going onto YouTube.

He didn’t look up old games of NBA greats like Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson. Or find tutorials of how to shoot, dribble and pass.

Instead, Wong searched for videos on the Youtube channel Hoopmixtape, where he found highlight reels of high school stars like Brandon Jennings, Kyrie Irving and Lance Stephenson, who were known for their flamboyant playing styles, fancy handles and acrobatic finishes.

“I would watch Hoopmixtape, and I was like, I want to be like one of them one day,” Wong said.

Now, Wong can type his own name into YouTube and see a handful of highlight packages of himself with several thousand views.

The 6-foot-3 guard, who transferred to Bonner-Prendergast this year from Notre Dame (N.J.), is starting to make a name for himself on the national scene.

(click on this link for the full story)

Kevin Reeves was at his best in overtime for the Cardinal O’Hara boys basketball team Saturday.

Reeves scored half of his team’s points in the extra session to lead the Lions to a 5755 nonleague victory over Germantown Academy. He finished the day 4-for-5 from the field, but was 3-for-3 and scored six of his eight points in OT. Jordan Hall led a balanced Lions attack with 15 points. Garrett Ripp added 10, while Kyle Maska matched Reeves with eight points.

In other nonleague action:

MARPLE NEWTOWN 70, INTERBORO 36 » The Tigers’s Mike May led the offense with 15 points. Matt Peel added nine points and nine rebounds, while Mike Smith contributed eight points and nine boards. Marple Newtown was in a giving mood, too, with 17 assists on 29 made baskets. Carley Jones paced the Bucs with 15 points.

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

By Matthew De George

The pendulum had swung back and forth in the final 10 minutes Friday afternoon, from a 12-point Episcopal Academy lead to a three-point edge for Abraham Lincoln High School. So when the Churchmen pushed the ball up the floor in the waning seconds of a tie game, Alex Capitano knew to be ready.For quite what, he wasn’t exactly sure. But when Jack O’Reilly’s missed layup found him on the weak-side glass, he figured it out in a hurry.

The sophomore wing cleaned up the mess with the hoop and a foul, scoring the final three decisive points in a 69-66 nonleague win for EA, capping a wild and not always well-played affair marred by turnovers, fouls and a little late intrigue.

Capitano finished with a game-high 23 points, restoring his dynamic partnership with Dade after both had missed time with injuries. Dade added 22 points and led the Churchmen in the other four statistical categories: Rebounds (six), assists (four), steals (two) and blocks (three).

(click on this link for the full story)

By Matthew DeGeorge

Kharon Randolph scored 19 points, including the 1,000th of his career, but Haverford School fell to Neumann-Goretti, 62-53, in the All-City Classic Friday.

Randolph hit five 3-pointers in the game. Christian Ings led Neumann-Goretti with 17 points, earning team MVP honors for the Saints.

In the Rondae Hollis-Jefferson Classic:

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

By Josh Verlin

Through the first three quarters of Sanford School’s game against Chester High School in the finale of the four-game Rondae Jefferson Classic, Jyare Davis had done just about nothing. That’s not typical for the 6-foot-5 sophomore guard, a burgeoning high-major prospect with offers already from Big East and ACC programs, who’s often his team’s leading scorer, rebounder and distributor despite his youth.

“I’m not really sure [why],” hey said afterwards. “(Chester) took me out of my groove early on, and I never got into a rhythm.”

Just when it looked like the Warriors were going to leave the Clip Joint still in search of their first win of the year, Davis snapped out of his funk. He scored eight points in the fourth quarter as Sanford mounted its comeback, including a game-tying 3-pointer to force an extra period. Two more Davis treys in overtime were a big reason the Warriors came away with a 68-59 win over the Clippers.

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

By PA Prep LIVE

When Haverford’s offense is at its best, it’s all about balance. That and a little timely shooting doesn’t hurt.

Jake Ruane provided it Thursday with 14 points, one of three Fords in double-figures as Haverford notched its first win of the season, 54-48, over Garnet Valley.

The win is the first for Haverford in the league since Jan. 30, 2016, a span of 21 contests.

Ruane was one of five Fords to hit a 3-pointer, as did JT Smyth (11 points) and Dan Roe (12 points). Luke Verzella chipped in seven points for Haverford (1-4, 1-3 Central).

Connor O’Brien led Garnet Valley (2-2, 2-1) with 21 points, including four 3-pointers. Greg Vlassopoulos chipped in 14 points on a night where 1,000-point man Austin Laughlin was limited to seven.

Also in the Central League:

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

By Steve Moore

You do not get any style points in basketball, all that matters are Ws and Ls.Thursday night at Great Valley, the host Patriots were unable to solve the shooting woes that have plagued them in the early going, but they had enough defense and grit to beat a game Sun Valley squad, 40-36, for a big Ches-Mont American Division victory that keeps Great Valley undefeated in league play.

The Patriots (3-0 Ches-Mont, 4-3 overall) never trailed in the game, but Sun Valley (0-3, 2-4) never seems to go away and the Vanguards were led by junior Vinny Dangelo, who led all scorers with 17 points. Great Valley held a 28-24 lead after three quarters, after the teams combined for only eight points quarter with bricks flying for both teams. Sun Valley also turned the ball over 14 times in the contest.

“It was not easy,” Great Valley coach Paul Girone said. “Coming into the season we figured our strength was our outside shooting but we have not shot well yet this season. It is very baffling, but we have to figure it out.”

(click on this link for the full story)

By Mike Drago

Ricki Lopez didn’t have to be told twice.He had an off night at Coatesville last week, heard about it and responded.

Reading High’s senior center came back with a big game Friday against La Salle College and was even more instrumental Tuesday, grabbing a game-high 14 rebounds as the Red Knights sprinted past visiting Chester 65-48 in their home opener.

“My mindset was be strong, be more active, box out, get on the boards,” Lopez said. “Like my coach (assistant J.T. Randall) said: ‘Touch bodies.’ That’s the big thing.”

Lopez threw his sizable 6-4 frame around against the Clippers (1-2), on the glass and in the open court.

He had five offensive boards, a pair of assists and came up with a key steal that sparked a 10-0 first-half run.

Later he brought the crowd at the Geigle to its feet when he took a pass from R.J. Dixon in transition and finished with a dunk.

(click on this link for the full story)

By Josh Verlin

As Jameer Nelson Jr. makes the transition from multi-sport athlete to basketball player, the biggest key, he said, is to stay aggressive and locked in at all times. At any time, any possession, he can come up with a key play. Relax and let up for a moment, and the opportunity might pass.

So when he stood on the wing in the final minute of the Haverford School’s game at St. Joe’s Prep on Wednesday afternoon, he didn’t relax and watch as Fords teammate Kharon Randolph dribbled his way through the Hawks’ defense. He stayed aggressive, cutting to the hoop, receiving the feed from Randolph and finishing strong at the rim.

(click on this link for the full story)

By PA Prep Live

Matt Dade was 9 of 13 from the free-throw line and poured in a game-high 24 points as Episcopal Academy downed Friends Central 65-52 in nonleague action.

Alex Capitano drained three 3-pointers and scored 20 points, while Jack Fitzpatrick added 10 points for the Churchmen, who outscored Friends Central by 16 points in the second half.

In other nonleague games:

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