Author: delcohoops

It took Radnor a little while to get its offense in gear. Once it did there was no stopping the undefeated Raptors in the opening round of the PIAA Class 5A boys basketball tournament Friday night.
Radnor used a 43-point second half to pull away for a 70-59 victory over Warwick.

The District 1 champion Raptors (28-0) will take on the winner of Saturday’s game between District 2 runnerup West Scranton (14-11) and West Philadelphia (15-11) the No. 3 seed out of District 12. in the second round. That game was moved from Friday night due to the weather.

Radnor poured in 25 points in the third quarter to turn a 28-27 halftime deficit into a 52-41 advantage heading into the final period.

Jackson Hicke poured in a game-high 30 points to lead Radnor. He shot 12-for-18 from the field overall (2-for-5 from 3-point range) and was 4-for-5 at the free throw line. Hicke also pulled down nine rebound and handed out two assists. Jackson Gaffney add 17 points on 6-for-8 shooting (3-for-4 from deep) and 2-for- 3 at the charitv stripe.

By Terry Toohey

It would have been easy for Chester Charter Scholars Academy to look over at Lancaster Country Day School during warmups and think it had this game in the bag.

The visiting Cougars were without two of their top players, Toby Ashby and Mick Cook, and only had six players in uniform due to a set of circumstances beyond the team’s control. The school is on spring break, during which time several trips are planned a year in advance, according to LCD coach John Shultz. That was the reason for Ashby and Cook’s absence.

Yet Saber seniors Jayden Williams and Kevin Miller knew better than to take the short-handed Cougars lightly.

“We couldn’t lose sight on what we had to do,” Williams said. “We had to stay focused.”

(click on this link for the full story)

By Matt Smith

The wounds were too fresh for Haverford senior Caroline Dotsey to see the bright side of it all.

The Fords’ 48-41 loss to District 3’s Lebanon High on their home court Friday evening was not the way they envisioned their season ending.

A team that fell a basket here and a free throw there from winning a District 1 Class 6A championship was built for the long haul. It would have been no surprise had the Fords rebounded from their first loss of the season last Saturday in the district title game and put together a memorable run to the state final later this month in Hershey.

In that respect the Fords were understandably shell-shocked to go home for good Friday night. A 27-2 campaign was over just like that. But in the PIAA tournament, chances are you are going to face a pretty good team every night. Lebanon fit that description.

(click on this link for the full story)

By Matthew DeGeorge

Jackson Gaffney’s senior season at Radnor featured the kind of uncertainty he had hoped to leave behind.

Gaffney spent three years at St. Joe’s Prep before transferring back to his home district, the 6-4 college prospect hoping to get back into a rhythm alongside players he grew up with.

But an injury in the preseason cost him the first 11 games of the campaign. He was unsure how long his season might go, pending an appeal to a district committee for a waiver to play in districts and states.

Like much else for the Raptors this season, the pieces have fallen into place. Gaffney has grown into a valuable bench option, particularly offensively, helping unbeaten Radnor win a District 1 Class 5A title. He’ll be on the court again Friday when the Raptors host Warwick in the opening round of states.

“It was hard for part of the season I was injured and then not sure what the rest of the season would be,” Gaffney said. “It was hard mentally but I just stayed focused, stayed with the team and every game beyond that is a blessing.”

(click on this link for more game previews)

By Matt Smith

As it embarks on a state playoff run, the Haverford girls basketball team finds itself in uncharted territory.

The Fords will host a PIAA Class 6A tournament first-round game Friday at 7. The opponent is Lebanon, which is the fifth-place squad from District 3, marking the only time Haverford will play a game following a loss.

Spirits were understandably low after the Fords fell to Perkiomen Valley, 48-44, for the District 1 Class 6A championship at Temple’s Liacouras Center last Saturday. Haverford (27-1) had won 26 straight games before running into Perk Valley, an incredibly talented sophomore-laden team that is built for the long haul.

If Perk Valley is the barometer going into the state tournament, Haverford can take solace in the fact that it competed with maybe the best team in PIAA’s highest classification. The Vikings made two runs in the second and third quarters to separate themselves from the Fords, who were in another unique situation by playing from behind most of the game. 

(click on this link for more game previews)

By Josh Verlin

Through the exclusive PIAA video streaming rights granted to NFHS Network, Delcohoops.com will be video broadcasting, LIVE, two opening rounds of the 2023 PIAA State Championship Playoffs! The NFHS does charge a monthly subscription fee ($11.99). It is good for unlimited games during the month and can be cancelled at any time!

Warwick vs Radnor (5A) will be Friday, March 10th with broadcast beginning at 6:50 PM.

Williamsport vs Lower Merion (6A) will be Saturday, March 11th with broadcast beginning at 4:50 PM.

 

By Owen McCue

The PIAA state playoffs begin this weekend, with more than 70 teams from the Philadelphia area still in the hunt for state trophies. All week long, CoBL’s staff will be taking a look at the teams to watch — local and not — who can compete for titles in all six boys and all six girls’ brackets. 

Haverford (1-2)
The Fords entered Saturday’s District 1 title game unblemished at 27-0 before a 48-44 loss to the Vikings that came down to the final seconds. The single loss doesn’t change that this historic Haverford team is really, really good. Senior 6-2 forward Carolin Dotsey, a Maine commit, is the team’s go-to scoring option and an eraser on the defensive end. Her ability to step out and hit shots outside and athleticism at her size are a mismatch for almost every team. Senior forward Mollie Carpenter, a 6-foot forward committed to Catholic, adds some size along with rebounding and scoring to go along with the edge she plays with. Guard Sky Newman gives them another senior in the starting lineup. Sophomore wing Rian Dotsey adds some more length and another scoring option. Junior guard Aniya Eberhart is capable of going off as well. 

(click on this link for all the team reviews)

By Josh Verlin

The PIAA state playoffs begin this weekend, with more than 70 teams from the Philadelphia area still in the hunt for state trophies. All week look, CoBL’s staff will be taking a look at the teams to watch — local and not — who can compete for titles in all six boys and all six girls’ brackets. 

(1-3) Lower Merion
The Aces (21-4) have one of the state’s best coaches in Gregg Downer and one of its best players in senior Sam Brown, and an experienced group around him. Given that Roman’s playing shorthanded, if LM can get past Roman in the second round, it could very well find itself in the semifinals, though it won’t by any means be a walk in the park. Brown, a 6-3 left-hander and Penn commit, is one of the state’s best shooters, but has also become a terrific ball-handler and shot-creator, both for himself and others. The Aces’ secondary offensive option is senior Sam Wright (6-2), another well-rounded combo guard, while seniors Jordan Meekins (6-4), Teddy Pendergrass III (6-2) and Justin Poles (6-1) fill out the rest of the starting perimeter; junior wing John Mobley (6-2) is a high-level athlete and a rebounding/put-back specialist.

(click on this link for all the team reviews)

By Josh Verlin

Radnor wasn’t going to let its return trip to Liacouras end in heartache again.

Playing in the same arena on Temple’s campus where they lost in overtime to Chester in the 2022 District 1 Class 5A championship, in search of their first district title in more than six decades, Jamie Chadwin’s Raptors were ready. 

“We walked in and we said ‘this doesn’t get old,’ this is what we want to make the habit and routine of Radnor basketball, is playing in games like this,” Chadwin said.

Now they’re starting a new tradition: not just playing in the big games, but winning them.

The Central League champions kept their undefeated dream season rolling with a dominant showing in the 2023 District 1 5A title game, No. 1 Radnor taking down No. 3 Unionville 61-36 to capture a district title for the first time since 1961. 

(click on this link for the full story)