Author: delcohoops

By Matthew DeGeorge

Three seconds had ticked off the clock Friday night at Bonner & Prendergast when Korey Francis’ lob found Tysicere Jackson for a slam that set the rim rocking.

Literally and figuratively, it was a start from which Cardinal O’Hara would not recover.

The Friars led by 17 points after one quarter, on the way to a 59-43 Catholic League win. The formula was set from that first sequence – Francis pushing the action, and Jackson finishing around the hoop.

“We really had energy from the start,” Francis said. “We had energy since we got in the locker room to get dressed. But after the dunk, we really just turned it up and just kept leaning on each other to make better plays to help us win the game.”

Francis scored a game-high 17 points, though just three in a first half where he preferred to be the distributor. He added eight assists – six in that rampant first quarter – plus five rebounds and three steals. Jackson, the Upper Darby transfer, paired 14 points with 10 rebounds, including three first-quarter flushes.

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By Josh Verlin

All season long, Malachi Warren’s coaches teammates have been telling him the same thing: stay ready, and your time will come. 

It was a lesson the Archbishop Wood sophomore tried to keep at the top of mind even as his varsity minutes fluctuated from one game to another. Keep working, and be ready for anything.

“[Assistant] coach Pat [Haggerty] always tells me to stay ready, sending me Instagram reels of how to stay ready,” Warren said. “Sending me Instagram reels of Dan Hurley from UConn, telling me how to stay ready and stay positive — even if I don’t get any minutes one night, to be ready the next night.”

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By Matt Smith

Sacred Heart Academy senior power forward Keara McCaffrey had high praise for sophomore guard Dani Jeffries following Friday afternoon’s nonleague game against Penn Wood.

“Dani has really stepped up,” McCaffrey said. “I mean, we’ve seen it last year as a freshman, what she could do. She was putting up 16 points as a freshman in the district championship. And this year, she has definitely grown a lot and has been great.”

Jeffries smiled modestly when told of McCaffrey’s remarks. McCaffrey, a DeSales commit, will go down as one of the best post players to ever play for longtime Sacred Heart coach Zach Shuler.

For Jeffries, last year’s experience as a starter on a Lions team that captured its sixth consecutive District 1 title – and seventh in eight years – has been instrumental in her development. Her excellent performance in the District 1 Class A final against Delco Christian left a big impression on McCaffrey, and she’s continued to deliver this season. Jeffries has evolved into a multifaceted guard capable of attacking the rim, knocking down 3-pointers, facilitating the offense, and providing strong defense – assets that were on full display Friday.

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By Matt Smith

There was a seamless rhythm in how Haverford seniors Mya Foley, Megan Kelly, Natalie Wright and Rian Dotsey operated during Thursday night’s Central League clash with Upper Darby. It was clear they have a connection that’s difficult to replicate.

When they weren’t executing, making everything look easy, the seniors enjoyed moments of rest on the bench, a luxury granted by a lopsided 48-19 decision.

It was, after all, Senior Night and a chance to celebrate all they have achieved, savoring a brief respite before the road toughens. The Fords’ experienced core is on a mission to capture a third straight Central League championship.

Dotsey, a Saint Joseph’s commit, showed the way with 18 points, including 11 in the opening quarter. The All-Delco forward, who eclipsed the 1,000-point milestone this season, grabbed nine rebounds.

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By Owen McCue

When Rashyne Patterson stepped into the Lower Merion lineup for the first time at the start of this season, he was given a few simple instructions by the Aces coaching staff.

“They always told me, ‘Rebound and protect the rim. Protect the house,” Patterson said. “That’s always been my role on this team. I try to protect the house as best as I can.”

The 6-foot-3 senior swatted away five shots in a 54-45 win over Central League foe Springfield-Delco on Tuesday night — a matchup between two squads jockeying for league playoff position.

Patterson’s most important rejection came during a key fourth-quarter stretch that turned the tide for the Aces, who trailed by as many as seven in the second half.

“Huge,” said fellow senior Lamont Grier. “He’s been making plays like that the whole season. I’m glad we have him on the team. He does way more than that off the scenes with the rebounding besides blocking, with the scoring too. He’s really playing a big part in our game.”

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By Matt Smith

It has taken some time, but the Bonner & Prendergast girls basketball team is building a winning foundation again.

Developing a successful program is especially difficult in the Philadelphia Catholic League, which is the premier high school basketball conference in the state. Tom Stewart, a Delco Athletes Hall of Famer, knows this better than most, now in his 50th season as a head coach and 31st at Prendie. He’s seen it all.

He’s optimistic about the potential of his freshman class, particularly rising stars Kayla Epps, Skylar Rothley and London Tyler, who are helping put the Pandas back on the map.

Guiding their growth on the court are senior forwards Taylor Eagan and Melanie Standen, along with senior guards Emily Riehl and Amaya Cash, a senior guard who transferred from Haverford High.

The Pandas last made the state playoffs five years ago, advancing to the PIAA Class 4A quarterfinals before the pandemic brought the season to an abrupt halt. Their last appearance in the Catholic Leagues was 2022. Last season, the Pandas improved from two wins the previous year to eight.

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By Matthew DeGeorge

KJ Carson didn’t have the first 36 minutes of basketball he wanted Tuesday afternoon.

Thanks to some early foul trouble, a bit of cold shooting and a modicum of wise senior deference, the Haverford School point guard entered the second overtime period against Episcopal Academy with just four points to his name.

With three of his fellow Fords starters fouled out and Haverford School having already forced extra sessions with two unlikely last-possession executions, Carson made the most of his bonus basketball time. He hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored eight points in the second OT period, leading Haverford School to a wild 74-67 win over their local Inter-Ac League rivals.

“That’s what you prepare for,” Carson said. “You prepare for moments like this. Two guys step down, you’ve just got to step up. That’s what you’ve got to do.”

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By Matthew DeGeorge

In a battle for Ches-Mont American supremacy, Sun Valley showed itself to be out front decisively.

Kaiden Robinson scored 29 points as the Vanguards handled Great Valley, 62-46, to move into first place in the division.

Aaron Freeman scored 12 points. Dino Diemidio added nine as Sun Valley moved to 14-3 on the year.

In the Central League:

Haverford 61, Marple Newtown 57 >> Andrew Brown hit a big 3-pointer in overtime as part of an 18-point effort to lead the Fords. Reese Fitzgibbons added 15 points, and Jaime Haskell had 13.

Ryan Keating forced overtime with a layup at the buzzer. He had 16 points for Marple. Matt Gardler hit seven 3-pointers to tally 26 points.

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By Jeremy Goode
Do not let her 5-foot-4 frame fool you. Everything else about Kylie Mulholland’s basketball game is just big. 

Mulholland’s game was fully on display, showing how deep her basketball bag is, as she recorded her 1,000 point and helped Garnet Valley come back and defeat Notre Dame de Namur Irish, 62-57 at the 18th Annual Hoops for Hope Classic at Arcadia University on Jan. 30.

Coming into the contest, Mulholland was only two points away from scoring her thousandth. Two shots into the game, she achieved the milestone, sinking a baseline floater. The game stopped to acknowledge the accomplishment, as Mulholland was mobbed by her teammates and coaches. She took pictures with the team and her family, which included signs made to celebrate the area’s latest 1,000-point scorer. 

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Kylie Mulholland scored her 1,000th career point on Monday, and then managed to step it up even more.

Mulholland scored 11 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter as Garnet Valley charged past Notre Dame, 62-57, at the Hoops for Hope tournament.

Mulholland added five rebounds, five assists and four steals. She was 6-for-6 from the free throw line late to seal the game.

Haylie Adamski was named game MVP for GV with 23 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Addie Adamsky hit four 3-pointers for 15 points, plus four assists.

Riley Davis led Notre Dame with 13 points. Emma Anthony tallied 11 points, and Catie Kelly chipped in nine.

In other nonleague action:

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