Author: delcohoops

By Matthew De George

 In their third game in four days, trailing after a sluggish opening quarter, Bonner & Prendergast senior guard Christian Lane could’ve looked for excuses. He and his fellow Friars could’ve sought an out, against a well-rested and game Academy Park side on its home court.

Instead, they just decided to look for Ajiri Johnson in the paint … again and again and again.

The Nigerian-born center scored 23 points to go with 17 boards as Bonner & Prendie continued its unbeaten start with a 64-46 nonleague win Monday night.

That result came on the heels of Sunday’s domination of Simon Gratz, itself less than 48 hours removed from a long ride Friday to beat Beaver Falls on a last-second Tymir Cooper 3-pointer.

So when AP, in its first game in nine days, hit the Friars for the night’s first five points and led 13-8 after one stanza, Bonner & Prendie didn’t opt for the ready-made cop-out.

“I told the kids, we could always use it as an excuse if you want to,” coach Jack Concannon said. “We played yesterday, Friday. I said, good teams don’t make excuses.”

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

 

By Michael Bullock

Here’s installment No. 1 of City of Basketball Love’s state rankings, a package that will appear on Mondays throughout the remainder of the regular season.

We did showcase a set of preseason rankings in the lead up to the opening weekend (Dec. 9-10) and those groupings will serve as a starting point — since we’re going to shuffle some things around based on the early returns.

Appearing below are all six of our top 10s, with PIAA district and this season’s record displayed in parentheses. Only those schools competing for PIAA state championships are eligible for ranking purposes.

 

(click on this link for all six classification rankings)

 

By Josh Verlin

As Archbishop Carroll head coach Paul Romanczuk tried to protect a one-point lead with only seconds left in overtime, he had one reminder for his team: nothing easy inside.

For a split-second, it looked like Romanczuk’s words fell on deaf ears, as Penn Wood’s Pernell Ghee got free on an inbounds pass and looked headed for a wide-open layup.

Until Devon Ferrero, a 6-foot-5 junior forward, came over from the weak side, sending the ball flying out of bounds with a definitive swat.

“I just saw he had a wide-open layup, and we’re on our home court, we can not lose on this court,” he did. “So I went up to try to block it, and I did.”

(click on this link for the full article)

 

Devon Ferrero rejected a layup attempt and Carroll’s defense on the subsequent inbounds play preserved a 67-65 nonleague boys basketball victory over Penn Wood in overtime Saturday night.

Ferrero’s block kept Carroll in front, 66-65, but the ball went out of bounds. However, Penn Wood was whistled for a five-second violation, and Carroll’s Justin Anderson hit one of two free throws with 1.9 seconds left to seal the win.

Anderson led all scorers with 28 points to go with five rebounds. Kairi Jones tallied 19 points and Vincent Smalls added 13 for Penn Wood.

In other nonleague:

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

A long road trip proved beneficial for Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast, thanks to Tymir Cooper.

Cooper buried a 3-pointer as time expired to give the visiting Friars a 52-49 nonleague triumph over Beaver Falls Friday night. It was Cooper’s lone triple of the night.

The 5-10 senior point guard led a balanced attack with 13 points and Justin Gans added 11 points, Dylan Higgins pitched in with 10 points and 14 rebounds, while Ajiri Johnson finished with seven points and a dozen rebounds.

In the Bicentennial League:

Church Farm 65, Delco Christian 51 >> The Griffins jumped out to a 17-9 lead after one period and never looked back to hand the Knights (2-1, 1-1 Bicentennial League) their first loss of the season.

Tyler Penley scored 15 points for DC. Jordan Parks pitched in with 10 points.

(Webmaster’s note: This was our second Game-of-the-Week and can be heard on our Archives link on the left hand side of the page.)

Christian Academy 51, Phil-Mont Christian 45 >> Nahom Kenna scored 17 points, and Sam Geathers added 12 as the Knights got their first win of the season.

Grant Saryeka added 11 for the Knights (1-2, 1-1).

(click on this link for more game scores)

 

By Anthony Dabbundo

Entering this season, Conestoga knew the one thing that would determine its level of success.

Defense.

And through three games, head coach Mike Troy and the Pioneers have to be pleased.

“As a team this year, we knew we were going to be led by our defense,” Troy said. “Tonight was about as good as you could ask for.”

The Pioneers have started the 2016-2017 campaign allowing just 37.3 points per game, including their best performance yet in a dominant 48-25 win over Ridley.

After back-to-back wins over Neshaminy and Radnor, this defense has yet to allow 50 points in a game, and the 2015-16 Central League runners-up have now posted two league wins by an average of 20.5 points.

“The Central League is always a war,” Troy said. “The more wins you can get the better, and to get off to a 2-0 start puts our good foot forward.”

(click on this link for the full article)

 

By Matthew De George

Tyler Norwood’s ability to generate offense for himself shouldn’t take anyone in the Central League by surprise. After all, the diminutive Penncrest guard’s shiftiness and scoring knack have underpinned the Lions’ offense since the start of his sophomore year.

But the next step in the junior’s development — and the next level he and his teammates aspire to unlock — involves Norwood becoming a consummate floor general as dangerous when not scoring as when he’s lighting it up.

Norwood struck that balance with aplomb Friday, pairing a game-high 20 points with six assists as Penncrest trounced Strath Haven, 64-40.

Norwood’s damage came in the first three quarters, most in devastating spurts from which an undermanned Strath Haven (3-1, 1-1 Central League) couldn’t recover. More importantly, Norwood involved his teammates early and often, with the knowledge that sustained balance will ultimately pilot the Lions (2-2, 2-0) to their goal of a ninth straight District 1 postseason nod.

“He finds people,” guard Mike Mallon said. “Most of the time he’s scoring, but when someone’s open, he’ll find them. He’s very versatile. He’s a great point guard to have.”

(click on this link for the full article other game scores)

 

 

By Rich Flanagan

Cheltenham’s John Timms has a lot to replace from last year and knows his young team will have its share of growing pains throughout the year. Archbishop Carroll’s Paul Romanczuk also has a lot to replace but is doing it more so by installing several new faces into his lineup.

After having guys like Philadelphia Catholic League MVP Ryan Daly (Delaware), Josh Sharkey (Samford) and Josh Rigsby (Holy Family) to go to in the clutch last season, Romanczuk does not yet have a grasp on who will be called upon to make things happen at the end of games. Cheltenham had Justin Sutton (Elizabethtown) and Khalil White (Penn State-Harrisburg) to consistently go to last season, and senior forward Trevonn Pitts is the lone returning starter on this year’s team.

Both head coaches had questions their teams were going to have to answer and they may have had a couple of them answered in their matchup on Thursday night.

Behind Justin Anderson’s 16 points and A.J. Hoggard’s 13, Romanczuk’s Patriots bested Timms’ Panthers 71-66 in a fast paced matchup.

(click on this link for the full article)

 

By Matthew De George

There was almost no stopping DaQuan Granberry Tuesday night, until Kevin Reeves found an answer.

Chichester’s Granberry posted a 40-point outing, but Cardinal O’Hara’s Reeves had the last laugh in overtime of the Lions’ 77-72 nonleague boys basketball win.

Reeves scored 16 points, including 10 in overtime, the Lions’ entire output of the extra session. Jaye’Lyn Peebles led O’Hara with 26 points in regulation, and Taseer Jones chipped in 12 for the Lions (1-2).

Ishaad Maultsby and Mike Davie added eight points each for Chichester (1-2).

In other nonleague action:

Strath Haven 43, Upper Darby 37 >> John Harrar was the only player on either team to reach double-figures with 24 points, and the big man added seven boards to keep Strath Haven (3-0, 1-0) spotless on the season. (Webmaster’s note: This was our first Game-of-the-Week and can be heard on our Archives link on the left hand side of the page.)

(click on this link for more game scores)

 

By Matthew De George

Jay Fitzgerald had a career day Saturday.

Fitzgerald drained seven 3-pointers on the way to a career-best 24 points to lead Penn Wood to an 85-56 win over West Catholic at the Fred Pickett Classic at Chester High School.

Five of Fitzgerald’s triples and 18 of his 24 points came after halftime as the Patriots ran away with their opener. Kairi Jones added 14 points, Vincent Smalls added 13 points and Pernell Ghee chipped in 11.

Also at the Pickett Classic:

Chester 70, Simon Gratz 64 >> Jamar Sudan and Jordan Camper each produced career days for the Clippers.

Sudan scored a career-high 31 points (just his second ever 20-plus-point game) to go with 10 boards, and Camper set a career best with 17 points plus 10 boards and two blocks. Sudan hit three 3-pointers and went 12-for-13 from the line, including 8-for-8 in providing 10 of Chester’s 14 fourth-quarter points.

Brian Randolph III added eight points, four assists and five rebounds in his first varsity game.

At the McDowell Tip-Off Tournament:

(click on this link for more game scores)