Delcohoops.com

By CoBL Staff

Girls’ 5A
Radnor (1-1) vs. Strath Haven (1-5) (6:00 PM, Bensalem)
It’s a Central League rematch with a state quarterfinal berth on the line, which adds a whole extra dimension to this clash up at Bensalem. This is actually the fourth time they’ve met this season, with Radnor winning the first three: in the regular season by four and 18 points, then by 18 again in the District 1 5A quarterfinals. Strath Haven is young, with freshmen twin guards Maddie and Kenzie Fanning in the starting lineup and Ellie O’Connor coming off the bench while seniors Olivia Voshell (TCNJ), Kate Fox and Maryella Gill fill out the starting lineup. Radnor counters with a similarly guard-heavy lineup led by juniors Nyah Yao and Anna Reger, with forward Riley D’Entremont the team’s only senior; 6-foot sophomore Bree Simpson could be a difference-maker in this one as well. 

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By CoBL Staff

Out of Friday’s first-round PIAA state playoff games, 22 CoBL-area teams advanced to Tuesday’s second second round. 

Here’s a look at some of the more intriguing games involving local teams that night; a full list of contests can be found below:

Penncrest (1-5) vs. Holy Ghost Prep (1-2) (7:30 PM, Upper Merion)
These two met just three weeks ago in the District 1 5A quarterfinals, Holy Ghost Prep coming from down 14 points in the third quarter to ultimately beat Penncrest 52-48 in overtime, pulling off the upset on Penncrest’s court. Now they’ll meet in neutral territory with a spot in the state quarterfinals on the line. HGP had balanced scoring in that first matchup, senior Adrian Varella — one of nine on the team — had 14 points as six others hit the scoring column. But the Firebirds had problems with Lions junior forward Mikey Mita, who had a game-high 21 points. 

(click on this link for the previews)

By Matt Smith

 The same energy and determination that propelled Radnor to the District 1 Class 5A championship was on full display Saturday, despite a long layoff before the start of the PIAA tournament.

The Raptors hadn’t played a meaningful game since defeating Gwynedd Mercy on Feb. 25, an 11-day gap filled only with practices and scrimmages. But any concerns about rust quickly disappeared. Radnor picked up right where it left off, earning a 45-33 win over Northern York in the first round of the state playoffs that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicated.

Radnor (19-8) moves on to play Central League rival Strath Haven (14-13) in an all-Delco matchup Wednesday night at a neutral site.

Perhaps what emboldened the Raptors was the chance to play one final game on their home floor, a court senior leader Riley d’Entremont called “my favorite court I’ve ever played on.”

“As a senior, I wanted to go out with a bang,” d’Entremont said. “So, it was super special to do it in this manner, with this team, and with all of my family here.”

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Strath Haven girls basketball coach Brandi Johnson was succinct in describing her team’s opening round victory Saturday in the PIAA Class 5A tournament.

“We came ready to play,” Johnson summarized.

That was clearly illustrated in Haven’s 66-36 win over Bangor.

The Panthers were led by Maddie Fanning’s 18 points and Maryella Gill’s 16, but contributions were seen across the board.

Haven had 21 steals and forced 15 turnovers. In addition to the points put up by Fanning and Gill, Olivia Voshell scored 12 points and Kate Fox added 10.

The Panthers will take on Central League neighbor Radnor, a 45-33 winner over Northern York, in Wednesday’s second round.

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By Josh Verlin

As a freshman, Shareef Jackson was the sixth man on Roman Catholic’s state championship squad. With at most four games left in his outstanding high school career, the Cahillites’ senior wants to end his time at Broad and Vine the way he started it: by going out on top. 

And he wants to do it with his brother, junior wing Sammy Jackson, right by his side.

“I’m not trying to play my last game with my brother as a loss,” Sammy Jackson said. “We talk about it sometimes but we just know in the back of our heads, we both know we’re thinking the same thing.”

The Jackson brothers made sure Roman took the first step towards that goal, as the Cahillites came into the Kobe Bryant Gymnasium and took out Lower Merion, 74-63 in the opening round of the PIAA 6A Tournament on Saturday afternoon. 

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By Joseph Santoliquito

On Friday afternoon, Father Judge coach Chris Roantree gathered his team around him at midcourt before practice as he usually does. He spoke to them about staying with the message of legacy this season and pointed to the few scant basketball banners hanging in the Judge gym.

Roantree reminded them that they were not the first Judge team to win the Catholic League championship, something the Crusaders accomplished a few weeks ago for the first time in 27 years. What begins on Saturday, Roantree stressed, is something that they alone could own; that they could have their names up in the rafters as the first Judge team to ever win a PIAA state basketball championship.

Then it was back to the grind.

Maybe it’s why when Judge beat Garnet Valley, 71-52, in the first round of the PIAA Class 6A state playoffs in Judge’s packed gym on Saturday the significance of the Crusaders’ history-making, first-ever PIAA state playoff game victory seemed to be lost.

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