Month: January 2022

By Rob Rose

When Jim Larrañaga first watched Isaiah Wong while recruiting him he recalled seeing a skinny kid that could score the ball and loved playing basketball.

The University of Miami head coach needed to add a guard that could put up points with a pair of key players headed to the NBA at that time, and envisioned Wong working his way into a leader for the program.

While Wong’s talent was always evident, Larrañaga credits the Bonner-Prendie graduate’s work ethic for why in 75 games the 6-foot, 3-inch guard is 28 points away from reaching 1,000 points at Miami halfway through his third season and looks on the way to an NBA career of his own.

“I don’t think you can ever under-estimate the amount of passion that someone has for the game,” Larrañaga said.

(click on this link for the full story)

By Matt Smith

As she lay on the court writhing in pain, Bridie McCann had the worst thoughts in mind.

She wondered how bad her knee was injured, or if she would be able to walk off the floor under her own power.

“I was scared,” McCann said after the Pandas’ 63-45 loss to St. Hubert. “I had to take a few breaths.”

After a few minutes, with help from her coaches and training staff, McCann hobbled off the court. All St. Hubert players in the game at the time — this was midway through the fourth quarter — came over to wish her well.

With a minute left in the game, McCann walked gingerly back to the Bonner-Prendie bench. The heart and soul of the Pandas, McCann would be OK.

(click on this link for the full story and more game scores)

It took a little time, but once Delco Christian got its shooting touch dialed in, there was no stopping the Knights.

Josh Dell’Arciprete hit four 3-pointers on the way to 17 points, and the Knights connected on 10 3-pointers in a 74-56 win over Calvary Christian Academy Tuesday night.

Delco Christian (5-4, 4-2 Bicentennial League) pulled away via a 25-11 margin in the third quarter.

Lincoln Palmer scored 14 points. Jace Kees hit three triples for 12 points. Beau Lyren added 12 points.

In the Inter-Ac League:

SPRINGSIDE CHESTNUT HILL 78, EPISCOPAL ACADEMY 72 » Kevin McCarthy hit six 3-pointers and was 7-for-7 from the free-throw line, but it wasn’t enough for the Churchmen.

McCarthy hit three triples in the third quarter to stake EA to a 34-28 edge at halftime.

But a 21-10 margin in the third quarter put SCHA in control. TJ Lamb added 19 points for EA, including 13 in the fourth quarter.

GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 46, HAVERFORD SCHOOL 44 » Dave Kearney scored 13 points and Billy Rayer hit three 3-pointers to get to 11 points, but the Fords came up just short on the road. Dan Springman added 10 points for Haverford School.

Sharing was caring for Academy Park Tuesday night. It also proved to be a winning strategy.

Jade Wilson led the scoring parade with nine points as Academy Park made quick work of Interboro, 42-21, in a Del Val League game.

Nine Knights scored. Emani Banks chipped in eight points. Halayjah Solis-Morgan added six points. Defense was the real key: AP outscored Interboro, 20-0, in the first quarter and limited the Bucs to two first-half points.

Grace Bright led Interboro with eight points.

Also in the Del Val League:

PENNWOOD 47, CHICHESTER 30 » Laila Johnson led the Patriots with 15 points, and Ani Roscoe chipped in 14. Penn Wood limited to Chi to 12 second- half points to pull away.

Dujwana Jones led Chichester with 13 points. Maiah Madison chipped in nine.

In nonleague action:

CHESTER 54, WEST PHILADELPHIA 11 » Ja’Mya Muhammad led the way with a seasonhigh 18 points plus six rebounds, five assists and five steals. Shyne Hall chipped in 12 points.

Taliyah Smith was also in double figures with 11 points plus five assists for the Clippers, while Ta’Nijah Bost (nine points, seven rebounds) also challenged for a double-double.

By Andrew Robinson 

Central League

Springfield (Delco.) is in some usual territory, sitting atop the league but not by much.

The Cougars are still unblemished at 7-0, but hold only a single game lead over Marple-Newtown and Conestoga, both 7-1. Springfield has already faced off with Marple-Newtown, beating the Tigers 42-36 on Dec. 17 but M-N is currently a higher seed in the District 1 5A rankings in the top spot with the Cougars at No. 3.

As for Conestoga, the Pioneers can tilt the table a bit this week when they face off with Springfield on Wednesday for their lone meeting of the regular season. Meanwhile, ‘Stoga’s lone setback so far came against Marple-Newtown in a 49-45 loss on Jan. 6.

Haverford and Garnet Valley are in the next tier, both holding 5-3 marks in the league.

(click on this link for additional league reports)

Aubrey Ennis did a little of everything on the basketball court Monday.

The senior guard scored a game-high 18 points along with eight assists, seven rebounds and six steals in Upper Darby’s 48-29 nonleague win over Academy Park.

Alliyah Jean-Baptiste returned from injury to contribute eight points, 11 rebounds and four steals. The Royals held a 19-7 lead after eight minutes and took a commanding 31-12 lead into halftime.

Jada Kinlaw led the way for the Knights with nine points.

RIDLEY 46, INTERBORO 13 »

Peyton Berger scored 10 points for the Green Raiders, who held a 31-8 lead at intermission. Kyla Carney and Kailyn Bell pitched in with eight points each.

Boys Basketball –

Mike Hoey scored 10 points and dished out seven assists to help Springfield earn a 47-38 win over Chichester.

Andrew Gould netted six of his nine points on put-backs for the Cougars, who pulled away from the Eagles thanks to a 17-4 run in the third quarter.

For Chichester, Ahkir Keys scored eight of his team-high 11 points in the second quarter.

By: Tom De Martini

Cumberland Valley head coach David Vespignani said that Sunday’s “Hoops for Harmony Stand Against Racism Tournament” game against Chester at Chambersburg High School was a good measuring stick for the boys basketball program.

The Eagles (8-4) went toe-to-toe with the Clippers (6-2) for more than three quarters and enjoyed a 4-point lead in the early stages of the fourth. But Cumberland Valley’s offense vanished for five minutes while Chester went on a 10-0 streak that the Eagles couldn’t recover from and they eventually fell to the Clippers, 50-42

“Win. lose or draw, we were going to come out see where we stand with annually one of the best programs in the state of Pennsylvania,” Vespignani said. “We went toe-to toe with them and we were close, but to get over the hump to be where we want to be as a program, it’s not about being close to Chester, but finding ways to win that game.”

(click on this link for the full story)

Terrance Cobb saved 10 of his 13 points for the fourth quarter to help Chester rally for a 50-42 victory over Cumberland Valley Sunday in the Hoops for Harmony Stand Against Racism Showcase at Chambersburg High.

Cobb’s work in the fourth quarter enabled the Clippers to outscore the Eagles, 21-9 and erase a 33-29 deficit.

Kevin Rucker backed Cobb with 11 points. Isaiah Freeman and Lorenzo Jenkins pitched in with 10 each to for the Clippers (6-3).

Cumberland Valley led, 10-9, after the first quarter but Chester rallied to take a 20-18 lead into the locker room at halftime.

PENNWOOD 72, GARNET VALLEY 62 » Anthony Murray shot 9-for-11 from the free throw line and scored 18 points to help the Patriots hold off the Jaguars. Evan Borward scored 16 points.

Jake Sniras of Garnet Valley led all scorers with 20 points. Logan McKee added 14 points and 12 rebounds. GV made a run in the fourth quarter, outscoring Penn Wood, 31-23.

MARPLE NEWTOWN 60, CHURCH FARM 45 » Matt Cantwell posted a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Joey Sanfrancesco added 13 points off the bench.

Girls Basketball:

Bailey Garrison scored nine points, but it wasn’t enough as Penncrest dropped a 42-28 decision to Harriton. Kathryn Harding added six points for the Lions.

Googie Seidman saved five of his nine points for the fourth quarter to help Haverford hold off Pennridge, 50-44, in nonleague boys basketball action Saturday.

J.R. Newman led the Fords with 15 points. Kevin Gannon pitched in with 12.

RADNOR 38, ACADEMY AT PALUMBO 33 » Danny Rosenblum and Pierce Justice paced a balanced attack with eight points each for the Raptors (11-0). Cooper Mueller and Jackson McKee pitched in with six points apiece.

EPISCOPAL ACADEMY 62, RUSTIN 38 » T.J. Lamb had a team-high 17 points and Sam Malloy added eight to help the Churchmen snap a two-game losing streak.

STRATH HAVEN 71, INTERBORO 48 » Jaden Jauregui posted a double-double as the Panthers put up 58 points in the final three quarters to break the game open. Jauregui paired 22 points with 10 rebounds. Matt Schuler chipped in with 17 points and eight assists. Jack Edwards drilled a pair of threes and finished with 10 points.

Dominic Gunter led Interboro with 13 points.

CHICHESTER 54, BRANDYWINE 48 » Maz Sayed and Ahkir Keys combined for 28 points to help the Eagles bounce back from a tough loss to Chester. Sayed led the way with 16 points. Keys chipped in with 12. Zaryin Keys added nine points.

KEYSTONE ACADEMY 71, CHESTER 63 » The Clippers put on a surge in the fourth quarter but the comeback fell short. Kevin Ruck tied for game-high honors with 20 points to lead Chester. Larenzo Jerkins joined him in double figures with 15 points, while Isaiah Freeman pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds.