Author: delcohoops

By CoBL Staff

All eyes will be on Lower Merion High School on Tuesday night, as the Aces (15-1, 9-1 Central) host Radnor (15-0, 10-0) in a preview of what’s likely to be the Central League championship game. LM comes in No. 2 in the District 1 6A rankings and Radnor No. 1 in 5A, and a rivalry that hasn’t been competitive on the hardwood in decades could reach its peak this season. As a fun side plot, Radnor’s Jackson Hicke (Princeton) goes up against future Ivy League foe Sam Brown (Penn), as they’ll see each other plenty in the years to come.

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By Neil Geoghegan

If the Great Valley boys want to make a late run and sneak into the District 1 Basketball Playoffs, it needs to play like it did in the fourth quarter on Monday, and not like it did in the first three.

The host Patriots held winless Interboro scoreless in the final eight minutes to impressively close out a 45-34 non-league triumph. But through three quarters, the Bucs actually had the lead.

“The first three quarters we started off slow, but in the fourth we started playing as a team, and we got it done,” said forward Jack Woodard, who played a major role in the finishing kick.

“It was (Great Valley’s) quarter,” added Interboro head coach Conrad Kirkaldy. “We took a lot of jump shots when we could have gotten to the rim for some layups or to the foul line. We are young and immature, and just couldn’t finish it. But they will get it.”

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By Josh Verlin

Undefeated through its first 15 games, Haverford’s girls still had plenty to prove.

The Fords have been a solid District 1 squad of late though not a powerhouse, making it to the state tournament a year ago for the first time in a decade. But they entered Sunday’s clash with Abington — certainly in the powerhouse discussion — ranked No. 1 in the District 1 6A unofficial formula rankings, yet without a true marquee win under their belts.

When the Fords found out a week ago that a planned game against Imhotep on Sunday had become one against the Ghosts, who entered the weekend No. 2 in the district rankings, they were anything but upset.

“I know that within our Central League, there are a couple really good teams with your Springfield and Conestoga’s,” Haverford coach Lauren Pellicane said, “but our strength of schedule — and it’s nobody’s fault — is not what Abington’s is [in the Suburban One League]. 

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Charlie Thornton and Jackson Hicke were on a mission Sunday. Radnor’s dynamic duo combined for 51 points in a 64-46 win over Downingtown West at the Maggie Lucas Play by Play Classic at Jefferson University. Thornton poured in 26 points on 11 of 15 shooting from the field, while Hicke tallied 25 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and three steals. The Raptors, who trailed by three points at halftime, used a 23-4 run in the fourth quarter to bury the Whippets and win their 16th straight game to start the season. Danny Rosenblum added seven points.

Girls

Game MVP Molly Rullo netted 13 points and Joanie Quinn added 10 in Cardinal O’Hara’s 32-17 victory over Neshaminy at the Maggie Lucas Pla by Play Classic. The Lions, who held Neshaminy to six points in the second half, have won 11 straight contests.

In other games:

Episcopal Academy 37, Central Bucks West 29 » Natalie Magnotta recordedl2 points and earned MVP honors for the Churchwomen. Riley Thibodeau tossed in six points.

Notre Dame 50, Sanford 36 » Lizzie Halligan dropped in a game-high 19 points and was selected player of the game. Chloe Knox and Alex Killin each contributed nine points for the Irish.

Upper Dublin 41, Garnet Valley 37 » Haylie Admaski scored a game-high 15 points for the Jaguars, who were outscored 17-11 in the fourth quarter. Kylie Muholland finished with 13 points, three assists and two steals.

Life Center 69, Archbishop Carroll 57 » The Patriots (7-10) trailed by 13 points after one quarter and never recovered. Taylor Wilson produced 21 points, and Alexis Eberzwent for 19 points. Brooke Wilson compiled eight points, six rebounds and three assists.

 

Imani Dorsey scored 21 points as Chester edged Executive Education Charter, 55-53, Saturday in a girls basketball game. Ja’Mya Muhammad chipped in 17 points, and Shyne Hall tallied 16 points.

In other nonleague action:

Upper Darby 54, Chichester 11 » Cameron Ross scored 12 points, Rachel Fitzpatrick and CC Jones added 10 each and Mia Wilson added nine points as the Royals held Chi to five first-half points.

Penncrest 53, Sun Valley 36 » Bailey Garrison and Kat Harding scored 10 points each as the Lions used a 16-5 edge in the second quarter to take control. Jaina Preuhs led Sun Valley with 12 points. Brielle Wright added eight.

W.C. Rustin 69, Academy Park 30 » Laine McGurk led Rustin with 31 points to settle the battle of Knights. Alaysia Kinlaw led AP with 15. Kiala Bright tallied seven points.

Boys Basketball

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By Matt Smith

Archbishop Carroll’s Taylor Wilson swished a 3-point basket to reach 1,000 career points midway through the third quarter of Friday’s Catholic League showdown with Archbishop Wood.

At the time, the senior forward pulled the Patriots within seven points of the Vikings. After they were shut out in the second quarter, Wilson scored a quick basket at the start of the second half spark the Patriots. Minutes later she became the most recent Carroll girls player to hit the milestone, joining former teammates Grace O’Neill and Erin Sweeney on the list, among many others.

When time was called for a brief celebration, the Patriots were on a run. They were stringing together buckets. Good things were happening. Down 13 points at halftime, suddenly they were right back in the game.

But once play resumed, the Vikings regained control when senior guard Delaney Finnegan drilled her third trey of the night. Wood held Carroll to four points the rest of the way and left town with a 34-20 victory.

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By Matthew DeGeorge

It had been many years since Chichester High School’s gymnasium saw a turn-them-away-at-the-door crowd for a boys basketball game. None of those fans, though, were still inside by the end of a befuddling and beguiling roller-coaster ride – even by Del Val League standards.

From the raucous atmosphere at tip to Chester getting a security escort to the buses for an exit, the fans missed the business end of a 77-74 Clippers’ win, one that wound through a seemingly safe Chester lead in the final two minutes, a Chichester comeback complete with buzzer-beating 3-pointer, and a vintage, steely effort from Chester in overtime.

In the process, Chester (9-7, 2-1 Del Val) ended Chichester’s 11-game winning streak, knocked the Eagles (12-3, 3-1) off their inside line to the league crown and denied Chi’s bid to beat their league rivals for the first time since the late 1980s.

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By Matt Smith

Neither Semaji Young nor Emani Banks overstated the importance of Thursday’s 46-43 victory at Penn Wood. After all, it’s only one game in a long season.

But it was hard for Academy Park’s star players not to be thrilled with the result.

“It was an exciting game, it was fun,” said Young, AP’s senior point guard. “It was a real battle. We had a good game, moving the ball and taking good shots.”

“And it went back and forth, it wasn’t a blowout or anything like that,” said Banks, the Knights’ talented 5-10 forward. “It was … wow.”

The Knights and Patriots put on an instant classic at the Shoebox. In the end, it was Banks’ 12th rebound of the night, off a Xenia Gillis miss, that sealed AP’s victory. The Knights (7-7) improved to 4-0 in the Del Val League and are favored to defend their championship.

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By Andrew Robinson

A year ago, Conestoga went into a game against Springfield (Delco) looking to prove itself.

The young Pioneers had gotten off to a good start, but starting a gauntlet of Central League games against a perennial power Cougars team would show ‘Stoga just where it stood. They lost that game, then the next one then three more – all close games, but still losses – and ultimately ended their season in the first round of the district playoffs.

A year ago, ‘Stoga didn’t have Ryann Jennings.

The fearless freshman made the difference this time around, her four-point play in the fourth quarter kicking off a strong finish by the Pioneers, leading to a 39-35 win over the visiting Cougars on Thursday.

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By Matthew DeGeorge

The high school basketball season is so comparatively brief that sometimes the luck of the injury draw plays an outsized role.

So it is this season at Marple Newtown. The Tigers’ route to an 8-6 record tracks nicely with who has and has not been available to play.

A 1-4 start came without two key figures in guard PJ Esposito and forward Ryan Keating due to injury. Esposito and sophomore Matt Gardler are the only two varsity holdovers from the team that made the PIAA Class 5A tournament last year.

Once those guys returned and got back into the flow, Marple Newtown rattled off five straight wins, including Central League crossover victories over 6A teams Conestoga and Haverford.

“It’s huge,” Marple Newtown coach Sean Spratt said. “From Keating, it’s just the physicality standpoint. He gives us something that we don’t really have in terms of height and weight without him and length, covering space, but also the athleticism he brings.

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