Delcohoops.com

By Matthew DeGeorge

Any summer afternoon while they were growing up, you knew where to find Obinna and Ebuka Nwobodo.The sound of the basketball thudding off concrete would be the giveaway, studded with the occasional good-natured trash talk. For hours, from noon until it was too dark to see, at the basket nailed to the overhang behind their Northeast Philadelphia home, the two brothers would be shooting.

On one side was Ebuka, now a 6-1 freshman guard/forward for Delco Christian. On the other was Obinna, a 6-4 junior center. Together they are a study in contrasts, their rough edges helping polish each other’s games. Against the bigger Obinna, Ebuka learned how to move faster and smarter with the ball. Against the speedier Ebuka, Obinna focused on devising the most efficient path to the rim.

All those hours on the unforgiving concrete – “if you fall, there’s going to be blood,” Obinna said – have put them in a remarkable situation. Both contributed from the start of their careers at DC and are enjoying their first season playing together for the Knights.

“It’s so exciting,” Obinna said Tuesday. “He can be really, really great, way better than I can ever be. So for me, I have to be there to mentor him throughout the whole way.”

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By Matthew DeGeorge

Christian Ray paused for a moment before identifying the play that made him believe.

Down nine points with a chance to go down 11, Ray’s Haverford School senior classmate Jameer Nelson Jr. stood his ground on the edge of the lane while Malvern Prep’s Rahdir Hicks jumped up and through him for an offensive foul.

“That’s when I knew, ‘come on, we’ve got this,’” Ray said.

Malvern eventually would stretch that lead to 11 in the fourth quarter. But Nelson’s toughness in that moment had its effect, the first of many veteran plays from the Fords Tuesday afternoon.

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By Matthew DeGeorge

The first senior night in Chester Charter School for the Arts history went pretty well for the Sabers.

Kabree Daniels scored a career-high eight points, and Devante Morris added 14 points, eight rebounds and two blocks as the first two seniors to play for the second-year varsity program, leading CCSA to a 66-61 win over Christian Academy in a battle of District 1 Class A playoff hopefuls.

Sean DeShields scored 12 points to go with six rebounds, two steals and two assists, and Bruce Rogers added nine points for the Sabers (11-9).

Tehron Phillips led TCA with 33 points and six steals, and Grant Sareyka added nine for the Crusaders (9-9).

In the Central League:

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By Bruce Adams

The Lower Merion boys’ basketball squad rolled into Conestoga’s Gerry Gasser Gymnasium Tuesday evening with a perfect 14-0 Central League record and a healthy respect for the Pioneers, who lost to the Aces by only three points in the Kobe Bryant Gymnasium seven weeks ago.

“Our games against Conestoga are usually electric, very tight,” said Lower Merion head coach Gregg Downer. “It’s a good rivalry.”

The electricity was flowing Tuesday evening in the Aces’ 61-50 victory, and the first jolt was a 17-3 Conestoga run in the first six minutes.“Conestoga always comes out hot, and they always play aggressive against us,” said Lower Merion senior forward Jack Forrest, who scored 29 points Tuesday. “In my four years here, they have a great record against us in this gym. They’re a great team, and they’re really well coached.”

The Pioneers’ Milton Robinon and Connor Steele combined for 12 of Conestoga’s 17 first quarter points; meanwhile, Lower Merion was missing underneath and not getting offensive rebounds.

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By Matthew DeGeorge

Defenders beware: Stopping Neel Beniwal doesn’t just mean shadowing him to the 3-point line.

Beniwal, Delco’s leader in 3-pointers made, connected on just one longball Monday, but he scored 25 points to give Garnet Valley a 72-57 win over Ridley in a battle of two Central League teams aspiring for berths in the District 1 Class 6A field.

Beniwal scored 10 points in a third quarter when the Jaguars (13-7, 9-5 Central) opened up a cushion via a 25-9 edge. Beniwal was 8-for-10 from the line in addition to seven two-point baskets. Carl Schaller scored 14 points, and Greg Vlassopoulos added 12 points for GV, which snaps a four-game slide.

Enoch Clark led Ridley in the post with 19 points. Josh Howard buried five 3-pointers for 15 points for the Green Raiders (12-7, 7-7), who’ve followed seven straight wins with two consecutive losses.

In the Catholic League:

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By Delcohoops.com Staff

We’re now entering the last week of the 2018/19 high school basketball season!

The Central League will hold their own championship semi-finals this Saturday at Marple Newtown HS and the championship games for both boy’s and girl’s will be held on Monday, February 11th at Harriton HS. For the third year in a row Delcohoops.com will be broadcasting both Championship games starting at 6 PM.

Friday, February 15th, will be the start of the PIAA District One playoffs.  Delcohoops.com will cover one of those first-round games and then will cover as many games as we can as Delaware County teams advance through the system.  Mark Jordan, head basketball coach for the Marple Newtown varsity girl’s team, will be joining our broadcast.  Mark is a terrific color commentator and a pleasure to listen to! Check back with us regularly as we announce game coverage.

The PIAA charges substantial fees to live broadcast their playoff games.  If you have a business who would like to sponsor our playoff broadcasts or the Central League Championship games please drop us a note at delcohoops@aol.com. Support high school basketball broadcasting!