Chichester defeats Penn Wood in season opener

Chichester 53, Penn Wood 51 >> In a thrilling season opener the Chichester Eagles defeated Penn Wood in a game with multiple lead changes including a third quarter 7 point lead by Penn Wood.

Both teams had plenty of shot opportunities but appeared rusty after an on-again, off-again practice season due to Covid 19 restrictions.  

Foul shots were also a big part of the game, primarily due to both teams missing many of them.  

Josh Hankins was limited to just two points, but the Eagles didn’t miss a beat, using 13 points from Isaiah Diggs to pull an upset. Ousmane Fofana added 10 points, and Ramir McDowell and Maz Sayed chipped in nine point apiece.

Evan Boward led Penn Wood with 14 points. Abdul Dublin chipped in 12 and Naeem Purnell scored 10 for the Patriots.

In another game last night Will O’Loughlin had 13 points to lead Bishop Shanahan to a 40-26 win over Sun Valley. Ryan Riotto had seven points and Zane Domsohn had six points for the Eagles in the Ches-Mont League win.

Chris Kwaidan led Sun Valley with eight points and Ishmal Glascow added seven.

Webmaster’s note: Missed the Penn Wood vs Chichester game? Listen to the entire game on our archive file listed below. Go to our Broadcast Archives page for all game archives.

Press the arrow button below to load and play the archive.

Langan helps Garnet Valley enact an old script against Fords

Garnet Valley’s Carl Schaller hits a basket in the first half against Haverford Tuesday. Schaller had 18 points in the Jaguars’ 54-44 victory. (Pete Bannan/MediaNews Group)

By Matthew DeGeorge

Through the Mike Brown era of Garnet Valley basketball, the blueprint has been simple.

Usually, and fortunately, there has been a standout guard. Always, they have been surrounded by players willing to do the dirty work, to screen at will, and ever ready to shoot from behind the 3-point line when the ball finds them.

New year, new masks, same old Garnet Valley.

uesday, Justin Langan put on display his offseason growth, scoring 14 points to go with 13 rebounds in a 54-44 win over Haverford in a meeting of PIAA Class 6A qualifiers last year.

Langan was a little used bench piece last season for the Central League regular-season champion, averaging 3.8 points per game and hitting 19 3-pointers. As players have moved on, through graduation or second-leading scorer Neel Beniwal’s transfer to Phelps School, others have assumed larger roles, as the older players did a year ago, and the generation before, and so on.

Langan showed he isn’t just able to fill Chris Coyne’s void in the lane in doing the dirty work on the boards. He can also create off the dribble, as in a blow-by at the first-half buzzer, and a catch and shoot off a slip-screen from Carl Schaller to end the third.

(click on this link for the full story and other game results)

Lower Merion, Main Line hoopsters aim to make mark in Central League in 2021

By Bruce Adams

While the perennially powerful Lower Merion boys’ basketball squad posted a 20-8 record last winter and earned its 10th consecutive trip to the PIAA state tournament – the longest current streak in PIAA 6A boys basketball – the past year has been a challenging one for the Aces.

First was the sudden passing of Kobe Bryant on Jan. 26, 2020, then in mid-March the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the remainder of the PIAA state tournament after the Aces had advanced to the second round.
“This has been a challenging year on a number of levels for the Aces family,” said Lower Merion boys’ basketball head coach Gregg Downer. “We’re excited to be back in the gym and focused on cherishing every moment we have together. We also realize there are no guarantees with the schedule. If we get a chance to play some games, compete and stay healthy, that’s a win.”

Because the COVID-19 pandemic remains ongoing, fans are not allowed in the Kobe Bryant Gymnasium for Lower Merion’s home games (as of Jan. 19), but the school is streaming the Aces’ home games at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3R4CED874UZ7gIwid0KGSA.
As of Jan. 19, the Aces are scheduled to play an 11-game schedule against Central League opponents. Lower Merion’s season opener is scheduled for Jan. 23 at 11 a.m. against Radnor.

(click on this link for the complete story and other team previews)

Garnet Valley defeats Marple Newtown in CL match-up

Carl Schaller poured in 19 points to lead Garnet Valley to a 52-43 win over Marple Newtown. The All-Delco netted eight points in the fourth quarter for the host Jags.

Justin Langan was 6-for-6 at the foul line and finished with 14 points. Gannon McKee added 10 points in the winning effort.

Eric McKee tallied a team-high 15 points for the Tigers.

Shaller, Garnet Valley open season in style

Carl Shaller got his season off to a good start.

Shaller poured in 28 points to pace Garnet Valley to a 46-41 Central League victory over Penncrest in the season opener for both teams.

The game came more than a month after the season was supposed to start and 10 days after the state lifted restrictions on indoor activities due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Shaller scored 20 of his points in the second half as the Jaguars outscored the Lions, 27-21, to erase a 20-19 deficit.

Justin Langan added six points for GV.

Ben Stanton paced Penncrest with 14 points.

Saahir Lee added 11 points and six assists.

Executive Education defeats Chester Charter in opener

Jevin Muniz with Dave Burman

By Dave Burman
Last year’s District One single A boy’s basketball champions traveled up to Allentown to take on District 11 powerhouse Executive Education Charter in a huge early season boys high school basketball game in the Lehigh Valley.
Executive Education Charter beat Chester Charter, 67-50 at the spectacular Rapt Gym.
6-5 senior and college recruit Jevin Muniz, one of the top players in the state, led Executive Education (3-1) with 24 points.
6-5 senior Sean Deshields led the Sabers (0-1) with 14.
Chester Charter travels to face Faith Christian this Wednesday, January 13th.