Author: delcohoops

By Joseph Santoliquito

Water was everywhere. On the white tile classroom floor the Haverford High School girls basketball team called a dressing room, on Fords’ coach Lauren Pellicane, on every player that got drenched celebrating.

If someone told Pellicane her best player would barely play in the second half, that her team would turn the ball over 23 times, that they would get beat to the occasional loose ball before the Fords played Conestoga in the Central League championship, she may have had her doubts whether her team would prevail.

The Fords did.

Using stellar defense, good ball movement and infinite patience on offense, Haverford beat Conestoga 44-30 to capture its second-straight Central League championship for the first time, it is believed, in school history.

The Fords (21-3) received what was expected from their star players: a team-high 13 points from Aniya Eberhart and 10 from Rian Dotsey. But it was the role players who made the difference. It was the stubborn defense of seniors Natalie Wright and Tess Durfee on Conestoga’s leading scorer Ryann Jennings. It was Ashley Wright (no relation to Natalie) hitting important free throws in the fourth quarter.

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By Bob Grotz

There was no question who the defending champs were after Radnor bounced out to a 10-point lead in the first quarter of the boys Central League title game Thursday at Marple Newtown High.

The Raptors had no intention of letting go.

But Lower Merion dug down deep with a couple of those explosive runs that make you wonder if the scoreboard is malfunctioning, including a decisive third quarter to earn a 17th Central League championship with a 68-54 win over the Raptors.

“They all taste good,” Aces coach Gregg Downer said. “But this has been a lot of fun. Good environment, beat a good Radnor team and this is the third year in a row it’s come down to us or them. It’s nice to get the trophy back to Bryant Gym.”

Senior Adam Herron Kohl scored 16 points to lead the Aces (23-1), who have won 14 in a row since a 65-62 defeat to Stow-Munro (Ohio) on Dec. 28. Owen McCabe and Carson Kasmer scored 14 points each, and Jayden Robinson added 13 points. Robinson also provided a defensive effort that unraveled the Raptors (18-4) in the third quarter, the 6-5 transfer from Overbrook almost single-handedly blowing up the rhythm of the Raptors.

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Delco Christian got a fast jump out of the gate, scoring 25 points in the first quarter and cruising from there to an 81-52 victory over Faith Christian in a Bicentennial Athletic Conference boys semifinal game Thursday night.

The Knights (19-6, 13-1 BAL) will play an undetermined opponent in the conference championship on Saturday. They had six players scoring in double figures Thursday to get them there.

Caleb Jameson scored 16 points and Khamai Orange had 15 to lead the way. Beau Lyren and Cole Pruessner added 13 each, while Josiah Gaines and Luke Bushra registered 10 points each.

Haverford School 62, SCHA 58 >> In a game Wednesday night, KJ Carson and Jacob Becker scored 15 points each to lead the Fords to victory.

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By Ed Morlock

Brooke Wilson only took one shot in the fourth quarter of Archbishop Carroll’s Philadelphia Catholic League quarterfinal game against Lansdale Catholic Thursday, and that shot did not go down. The Patriots senior was named the league’s Most Valuable Player earlier this week because she can do a lot more than just score.

Wilson headed a defensive effort that forced three LC turnovers in the fourth quarter, including one in the final 30 seconds, and she assisted on all three of Carroll’s field goals in the fourth, including one as time expired to give the Pats the win.

Wilson forced a backcourt violation when LC was trying to hold for a final shot with 30 seconds remaining. On the ensuing possession, she found freshman Abigail McFillin under the basket for the game-winning layup to lift the third-seeded Patriots to a 35-33 win over the sixth-seeded Crusaders at Carroll. The Patriots move on to face No. 2 Cardinal O’Hara in the PCL semifinals Tuesday at Saint Joseph’s University.

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By Matt Smith

Two Delaware County girls basketball teams will make their long-awaited returns to the District 1 playoffs Friday night,.

Tenth-seeded Chester and No. 11 seed Sun Valley will compete in the Class 5A tournament in separate first-round games.

The Clippers (13-8) are set to appear in their first district tournament contest since 2014. The Del Val League co-champions travel to No. 7 Phoenixville (14-8) for a 7 p.m. tip off. The winner advances to the quarterfinals to face No. 2 West Chester East (17-6).

Sophomores Imani Dorsey and Jordan Dennis, junior Ja’Mya Muhammad and senior Shyne Hall are all averaging better than 10 points per game for the Clippers.

The Vanguards (11-11) are in the postseason for the first time since 2016. They head to Malvern to play No. 6 Villa Maria (14-7) at 6 p.m. The winner plays No. 3 Radnor (18-5).

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By Matthew DeGeorge

Kevin McCormick has gotten to know the dance well by now.

For a third straight year, McCormick’s Springfield boys basketball team finished with an 11-11 record. For the third straight year, it meant sweating out the match to see if they would get into the District 1 Class 6A tournament.

In 2022, a three-game losing streak to end the season landed them 28th, outside of the 24-team field. Last year, they were 27th, enduring the oddity that was qualifying for the Central League tournament but not districts, which allowed them another game while their playoff fate hung in the balance.

This year, finally, McCormick and company are on the correct side of the line.

Springfield earned the 24th and final seed in the District 1 tournament, which will open Friday night at No. 9 Abington. The winner gets No. 8 Bensalem, which received a bye to Tuesday’s second round.

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By Joseph Santoliquito

They looked sunk. They were sunk. Down 11 with five minutes to go, the Cardinal O’Hara Lions appeared to have little hope of beating Devon Prep in the opening round of the Catholic League playoffs Wednesday night.

Then, almost from nowhere, came Anthony Hobbs. The Lions’ senior guard had started for a portion of the season, before coming off the bench recently. He did not sulk about it. He did not quit on himself. He stayed and fought. That fight surfaced Wednesday night when Hobbs scored all six of his points in the fourth quarter, including a clutch steal and a three-pointer to propel O’Hara to an improbable 63-61 victory over the Tide.

Seeded No. 9, O’Hara (9-13 overall) will advance to play No. 1 seed and defending Catholic League champion Roman Catholic on Friday at Holy Family, while No. 8 seed Devon Prep (9-13) will have to wait for the District 12 3A championship game after an uncharacteristic deluge of turnovers in the last 1:50 of play.

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By Matt Smith

Brooke Wilson of Archbishop Carroll was named the Catholic League’s Most Valuable Player for the 2023-24 regular season, the league announced Wednesday.

Wilson is enjoying an outstanding senior season after helping the Patriots win the PIAA Class 6A championship nearly a year ago. The Patriots are 14-8 overall and 9-2 in the Catholic League.

The Army commit scored her 1,000th career point last week.

Wilson and teammate Alexis Eberz joined the following players on the All-Catholic League First Team: Archbishop Wood’s Ava Renninger and Emily Knouse; Cardinal O’Hara’s Molly Rullo and Joanie Quinn; Lansdale Catholic’s Grace McDonough; Nazareth Academy’s Reese Power; and Neumann-Goretti’s Reginna Baker and Carryn Easley.

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Beau Lyren’s 19-point performance helped Delaware County Christian School to a 68-48 win over Jenkintown Wednesday in the second round of the Bicentennial Athletic League boys basketball tournament.

Khamai Orange, Brad Berwick and Luke Busha each finished with 10 points for the Knights (18-6).

In the Catholic League playoffs:

Archbishop 66, Bonner & Prendergast 51 >> The No. 7 Patriots outscored the10th-seeded Friars, 27-13, in the final quarter of a first-round clash.

Sophomore Luca Foster drilled a trio of 3-pointers in the second half.

Carroll plays at No. 2 Neumann-Goretti in the quarterfinal round Friday.

By Matt Smith

Tuesday morning’s winter storm left Delaware County blanketed in slushy stuff by midday, badly enough for most high schools to postpone their evening events.

That means the Central League championship doubleheader at Marple Newtown was moved to Thursday. Tipoff times are 6 p.m for the girls and 8 p.m. for the boys.

The No. 1 Haverford (20-3) girls team is aiming for its second consecutive league title. Its opponent, No. 2 Conestoga, is a familiar foe. Last season the Fords bested the Pioneers (21-2) in the final.

Haverford and Conestoga first met in 2023-24 on the opening day of the Central League season Dec. 7. The Pioneers used a big fourth quarter to earn a 47-38 win. The Fords leaned on forward Natalie Wright in the second game Jan. 25. She had a team-high 14 points en route to a 38-27 triumph, handing the previously unbeaten Pioneers their first loss.

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Webmaster’s note:  The PIAA District 1 basketball playoffs begin February 16th.  We have posted all brackets that include Delco teams.  You can link to those brackets using the District Playoffs image in the right column.