Delcohoops.com

Through the exclusive PIAA video streaming rights granted to NFHS Network, Delcohoops.com will be video broadcasting, LIVE, two opening rounds of the 2023 PIAA State Championship Playoffs! The NFHS does charge a monthly subscription fee ($11.99). It is good for unlimited games during the month and can be cancelled at any time!

Warwick vs Radnor (5A) will be Friday, March 10th with broadcast beginning at 6:50 PM.

Williamsport vs Lower Merion (6A) will be Saturday, March 11th with broadcast beginning at 4:50 PM.

 

By Owen McCue

The PIAA state playoffs begin this weekend, with more than 70 teams from the Philadelphia area still in the hunt for state trophies. All week long, CoBL’s staff will be taking a look at the teams to watch — local and not — who can compete for titles in all six boys and all six girls’ brackets. 

Haverford (1-2)
The Fords entered Saturday’s District 1 title game unblemished at 27-0 before a 48-44 loss to the Vikings that came down to the final seconds. The single loss doesn’t change that this historic Haverford team is really, really good. Senior 6-2 forward Carolin Dotsey, a Maine commit, is the team’s go-to scoring option and an eraser on the defensive end. Her ability to step out and hit shots outside and athleticism at her size are a mismatch for almost every team. Senior forward Mollie Carpenter, a 6-foot forward committed to Catholic, adds some size along with rebounding and scoring to go along with the edge she plays with. Guard Sky Newman gives them another senior in the starting lineup. Sophomore wing Rian Dotsey adds some more length and another scoring option. Junior guard Aniya Eberhart is capable of going off as well. 

(click on this link for all the team reviews)

By Josh Verlin

The PIAA state playoffs begin this weekend, with more than 70 teams from the Philadelphia area still in the hunt for state trophies. All week look, CoBL’s staff will be taking a look at the teams to watch — local and not — who can compete for titles in all six boys and all six girls’ brackets. 

(1-3) Lower Merion
The Aces (21-4) have one of the state’s best coaches in Gregg Downer and one of its best players in senior Sam Brown, and an experienced group around him. Given that Roman’s playing shorthanded, if LM can get past Roman in the second round, it could very well find itself in the semifinals, though it won’t by any means be a walk in the park. Brown, a 6-3 left-hander and Penn commit, is one of the state’s best shooters, but has also become a terrific ball-handler and shot-creator, both for himself and others. The Aces’ secondary offensive option is senior Sam Wright (6-2), another well-rounded combo guard, while seniors Jordan Meekins (6-4), Teddy Pendergrass III (6-2) and Justin Poles (6-1) fill out the rest of the starting perimeter; junior wing John Mobley (6-2) is a high-level athlete and a rebounding/put-back specialist.

(click on this link for all the team reviews)

By Josh Verlin

Radnor wasn’t going to let its return trip to Liacouras end in heartache again.

Playing in the same arena on Temple’s campus where they lost in overtime to Chester in the 2022 District 1 Class 5A championship, in search of their first district title in more than six decades, Jamie Chadwin’s Raptors were ready. 

“We walked in and we said ‘this doesn’t get old,’ this is what we want to make the habit and routine of Radnor basketball, is playing in games like this,” Chadwin said.

Now they’re starting a new tradition: not just playing in the big games, but winning them.

The Central League champions kept their undefeated dream season rolling with a dominant showing in the 2023 District 1 5A title game, No. 1 Radnor taking down No. 3 Unionville 61-36 to capture a district title for the first time since 1961. 

(click on this link for the full story)

By Matt Smith

Haverford had a chance to tie or win its district championship game in the final seconds Saturday at Temple University. The Fords almost erased a nine-point deficit with less than two minutes to play. And they did it on the backs of junior guard Aniya Eberhart and senior forward Caroline Dotsey.

Ultimately, No. 2 Haverford came up short in its first District 1 Class 6A game against top-seeded Perkiomen Valley, which dealt the Fords their first loss of the season and captured the district title with a 48-44 victory at Liacouras Center.

PV’s sudden inability to make free throws allowed Haverford to fight back late in the fourth quarter. Dotsey and Eberhart combined for seven straight points to get the Fords within two, 44-42, with 19 seconds to go. After a timeout, Eberhart attempted a shot from mid range, but the ball rimmed out.  PV’s Grace Galbavy took a rebound from Rian Dotsey and the Fords were whistled for two infractions: a personal foul and a technical foul issued to senior forward Mollie Carpenter.

Quinn Boettinger, who battled in the low post with Carpenter all game, made four consecutive free throws to extend PV’s lead to 48-42 with nine seconds left. Eberhart made a basket on the other end, but the Fords ran out of time.

(click on this link for the full story)

By Matthew DeGeorge

When the COVID-19 pandemic started and our staff tried to devise how to cover sports when there were no sports to cover, an idea was hatched. Thus, three Marches ago, “Delco Madness” sprung to life, a chance to weigh the top boys and girls basketball teams in Delaware County history against one another, across time and eras.

There may never be an update to that pantheon, and if there is, God forbid it should come under similar circumstances. But consider the Radnor boys basketball team of 2022-23 fast-tracked for inclusion.

It’s about the only metric that can begin to encapsulate what this season has been for the Raptors, the latest installment Saturday’s 61-36 dismantling of Unionville in the District 1 Class 5A final.

Radnor has routed all comers. PIAA competition lies ahead of them, with all the pitfalls that the bloated tournament contains. But Saturday, Radnor cemented a place among Delco’s all-time elite.

(click on this link for the full story)