Delcohoops.com

By Matt Smith

One of the underrated factors in Haverford High’s undefeated season has been the tremendous play of its starting guards.

Senior Sky Newman and junior Aniya Eberhart have given the 23-0 Fords a dynamic backcourt combo, something the program hasn’t had in prior seasons. Both can fill the role of point and shooting guard, and together Newman and Eberhart helped the Fords quicken the pace on both ends of the floor.

Eberhart was not in the starting lineup last season when the Fords advanced to the quarterfinals of the District 1 Class 6A tournament and the second round of the PIAA playoffs. Late in the season Eberhart emerged as the first player coach Lauren Pellicane called upon off the bench to provide the team a spark.

Newman and Eberhart are the perfect complement to the Fords’ big three – six-foot-plus forwards Caroline Dotsey, Rian Dotsey and Mollie Carpenter, all of whom have grabbed headlines and plaudits for their individual dominance this season. Eberhart knows she could not develop into such a good player without surrounding herself with other good players and coaches. And the Fords have plenty of both.

Webmaster’s note:  Delcohoops.com will be video streaming both the boy’s and girl’s Central League Championship games on Monday, February 13th! Tune in at 5:50 for the girl’s game and 7:20 for the boy’s game for our LIVE video broadcast!

(click on this link for the full story)

By Matthew DeGeorge

The District 1 boys basketball brackets are out, and for the first time in decades, so is Chester.

The Clippers finished 26th in the final Class 6A standings, outside the 24-team field. Chester (12-10) has only missed states, much less districts, three times in the last four decades.

Eleven Delaware County teams will be in the postseason, however, led by the top two seeds in the 5A field. Brackets were unveiled Sunday at the seeding meeting and remain unofficial until Monday.

Unbeaten Radnor (23-0) and Del Val champion Chichester (19-3) are first and second, respectively. Both receive first-round byes, opening the tournament on Wednesday, Feb. 22. They need to win only one game to reach the semifinals and be among the six teams to make the PIAA tournament.

(click on this link for the full story)

By Josh Verlin

For 16 minutes, there was a chance that Radnor’s momentum might finally come to an end in the Central League semifinals, Springfield (Delco.) hitting some big shots to hang around in a raucous Radnor gym, going into the half down only seven.

But it was false hope for the Cougars, who became the latest victim to a Raptors squad that’s been as good as advertised all season long. Jackson Hicke and Co. put together a dominant third quarter to make it clear there would be no upset bid, pulling away for a 65-34 win on Saturday afternoon.

“They are a machine,” said Kevin McCormick, who’s been the Cougars’ head coach since 1994. “They’re definitely in the conversation [for best Central League teams during my tenure], and they should be proud of it, they’ve stuck together and they’ve got good things ahead of them.”

Webmaster’s note:  Delcohoops.com will be video streaming both the boy’s and girl’s Central League Championship games on Monday, February 13th! Tune in at 5:50 for the girl’s game and 7:20 for the boy’s game for our LIVE video broadcast!

(click on this link for the full story)

By Josh Verlin

Points were at their most premium on Saturday at Conestoga as the Pioneers hosted Springfield (Delco.) in a Central League girls semifinal.

It’s no surprise that the two defensive-minded programs were both locked in, a trip to the championship game on the line, but when the halftime came and neither team had hit double figures, it was clear that every shot was going to be worth double, that whichever team could put together even the smallest of runs could create what seemed like a chasm as the minutes ticked away.

So when Conestoga junior Marisa Francione started the third with one 3-pointer, and then another…well, it felt like way more than six points.

“Yeah, those two were huge, and I think she had a two later, baseline jumper […] they were just massive shots,” Pioneers coach AJ Thompson said. “And that’s what you expect from one of your leaders like that, is for them to step up.”

Webmaster’s note:  Delcohoops.com will be video streaming both the boy’s and girl’s Central League Championship games on Monday, February 13th! Tune in at 5:50 for the girl’s game and 7:20 for the boy’s game for our LIVE video broadcast!

(click on this link for the full story)

By Matthew DeGeorge

In Jackson Hicke’s exemplary all-around game, defense may not be the first attribute that springs to mind. As an admitted opportunist whose Radnor team frees him to maraud into passing lanes, Hicke wouldn’t be offended by that.

But nights like Saturday make clear just how instrumental his defensive work is in generating the points he’s known for.

Hicke did everything for the Raptors in a 65-34 win over Springfield in the Central League semifinals. But among the 19 points, 13 rebounds and five assists were six steals, part of 15 Springfield turnovers to get the high-flying Raptors into the open court.

“At the end of the day, it’s really them,” Hicke said, about as quick to deflect credit as he is a post-entry pass. “I’m just jumping the passing lane because they’re smothering kids and they have nowhere to go. But I love it because it gets me in transition, which I think is one of the best parts of my game. When they’re swarming the ballhandler, making them go into spots they don’t want to, they’re forced to throw passes they don’t want to and then I can anticipate it.”

Webmaster’s note:  Delcohoops.com will be video streaming both the boy’s and girl’s Central League Championship games on Monday, February 13th! Tune in at 5:50 for the girl’s game and 7:20 for the boy’s game for our LIVE video broadcast!

(click on this link for the full story)

By Matt Smith

When each team chooses a quarter in which to go scoreless, a player who manages to sink two baskets in succession becomes the hero.

In stepped Conestoga sharpshooter Marisa Francione, who didn’t put the onus on herself, but happily obliged when given the opportunities.

Somebody needed to be the offensive player of the game Saturday, and it was Francione, who led every player by a decent margin with 11 points.

“Yeah, after not scoring in the second quarter, I definitely felt like we needed a little bit of energy to get back into it and regain the lead,” Francione said. “And it worked. There was good team passing and everything and I just got the open shots and they fell.”

Francione drilled two 3-point baskets to open the third quarter, turning a one-point deficit against No. 3 Springfield into a cozy five-point advantage for No. 1 Conestoga. The Pioneers out-defended the Cougars the rest of the way and earned a 22-14 victory in Saturday’s Central League playoff semifinal.

Webmaster’s note:  Delcohoops.com will be video streaming both the boy’s and girl’s Central League Championship games on Monday, February 13th! Tune in at 5:50 for the girl’s game and 7:20 for the boy’s game for our LIVE video broadcast!

(click on this link for the full story)