Delcohoops.com

By Joseph Santoliquito
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(Ed. Note: This story is part of CoBL’s “Prepping for Preps” series, which will take a look at many of the top high school programs in the region as part of our 2023-24 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed thus far can be found here.)

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This time last year, no one knew what to expect from the Conestoga boys’ basketball team. Most of all the Pioneers. Sean Forcine was hired late in the summer to take over as the Pioneers’ new coach, replacing the highly respected Mike Troy, who stepped down after 16 years. It left everyone in the awkward spot of learning about each other on the brink of a new season. Forcine had limited time to find out what player combinations worked, while installing a different style of play and smoothing out the wrinkles of a new offense and defense. His players had to absorb on the go what Forcine’s vision was.

It translated into an un-Conestoga like 11-12 overall ending, a 6-10 record and eighth-place finish in the Central League, the No. 24 seed—and last berth—in the PIAA District 1 Class 6A playoffs and an early 48-38 first-round ouster to No. 9 seed Methacton.

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Webmaster note: Conestoga is not in Delaware County but does play in the Central League which includes many Delco teams.

Lamaj Mapp’s 19-point effort powered Penn Wood to a 76-43 victory over Maritime Academy Charter on Wednesday.

Chris Taylor had 14 points and Nafi Davis finished with 12 for the Patriots.

In other nonleague action:

Pennington 76, Episcopal Academy 66 >> Kevin McCarthy erupted for 31 points for the Churchmen in a losing cause.

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Agnes Irwin lost its first game in an overtime thriller to Nazareth Academy Tuesday.

Reese Power scored 20 points and Abby Rock helped out with 13 as Nazareth held on for a 47-46 OT conquest.

For AIS, Simone Harvey had 17 points, complete with four 3-pointers, and five rebounds. Gabrielle Seibert had 12 points and six rebounds and Milan Harvey added six points.

Downingtown East 57, Ridley 49 >> The Green Raiders couldn’t contain the Cougars’ Charlotte Aldridge, who knocked down 27 points. Downingtown East also got 14 points from Chloe Hunold.

Ridley was Kyla Carney’s 12-point effort, while Taylor Marsich added 11 points and Nikki McMenamin chipped in 10.

Sun Valley 58, Brandywine High (Del.) 28 >> The Vanguards led start to finish behind sophomore Luci D’Amico (18 points, eight rebounds, two blocks and two steals).

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By Joseph Santoliquito 

They don’t mind the label. They actually embrace it. It’s them. It is what the Marple Newtown boys’ basketball team will be about this year — a bunch of scrappy dogs looking to make up for the growing pains that arrived in the form of a 12-13 overall record and 7-9 Central League finish in 2022-23.

The Tigers lost to eventual District 1 Class 5A champion Radnor, 55-29, in the first round of the District 1 5A playoffs, and lost to West Chester Rustin in the playback round ending their year.

That rocky journey will hopefully pave the way for a better season this year.

Coach Sean Spratt enters his seventh year as head coach of the Tigers, who return 6-foot junior guard Matt Gardler, 5-10 senior guard P.J. Esposito, who was plagued by injuries his junior year, 6-2 senior guard Dave Bertoline, 5-11 senior guard Steven Tansey, 6-4 junior forward Ryan Keating, 5-11 senior guard James Kirby and 6-1 senior forward Andrew Cappello. Spratt is hoping newcomer 6-2 senior forward Iraklis (pronounced Hercules) Kaltsidis can help the tiny Tigers on the boards.

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By Matt Smith

Haverford is the team everyone is chasing in the Central League.

Led by Daily Times Player of the Year Caroline Dotsey, the Fords went undefeated in the conference on the way to a 27-2 record. Haverford’s only two losses came in the District 1 Class 6A championship game and the first round of the PIAA tournament.

Dotsey, the second-leading in Delco with 16.9 points per game, is now a freshman at Maine. Nevertheless the Fords are built to have another stellar season under seventh-year head coach Lauren Pellicane.

Rian Dotsey, Caroline’s junior sister, and dynamic senior guard Aniya Bernhardt were excellent last year. Senior forward Natalie Wright will have a larger role on the team after being the sixth woman for the Fords in 2022-23.

“Veteran experience will be relied on heavily for a team led by four seniors and five juniors,” Pellicane said. “We will need to defend and rebound consistently on both ends of the floor to be successful. Our offense will run through two all-conference players in Dotsey and Eberhart with other capable players looking to make an impact.”

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By Matthew DeGeorge

Change is this theme in the Central League, and it starts from the top.

Reigning champion Radnor, off its unprecedented 29-1 season that included a District 1 Class 5A title, was already going to face upheaval with the graduation of six regulars from that special squad. But the resignation of coach Jamie Chadwin in the spring ushered in even more uncertainty.

Into the breach steps Tim Smallwood, most recently at Valley Forge Military Academy. Henry Pierce, at 4.6 points per game, is the highest returning scorer, and Michael Savadove (2.8 ppg) will be asked to expand the defensive stopper role he’s filled with aplomb.

Kessy Cox, Harrison Ceppa, Elijah Sellers, Alex McFadden and Owen Smith fill out the rotation. Only Sellers saw notable time last season.

Smallwood isn’t alone, with three new coaches among the nine Delco schools. One is a familiar face.

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