By Michael Bullock
About the Patriots: Paul Romanczuk’s Patriots, who fell to Imhotep Charter in the 2013 Class AAA final, captured state gold in 2009. … Jones, who signed in November with UNLV, has popped double-doubles in all four state contests. He’s averaging 23.3 points per game in state play. … Jones scored 22 points, grabbed 22 rebounds and blocked five shots Tuesday night as Carroll knocked off Cathedral Prep 59-32. … Daly (15.8 ppg), Sharkey (13.5 ppg) and Beatty (11.8 ppg) are averaging in double figures in the state tournament. … Carroll has been without Temple recruit Ernest Aflakpui since December, when the 6-10 senior underwent season-ending knee surgery. … Romanczuk’s Patriots dropped a 71-69 verdict to Neumann-Goretti in January at home — despite 26 points from Jones and 21 from Sharkey. … Carroll has lost 12 straight and 30 of its last 31 to Neumann-Goretti. AC’s lone victory during that stretch came in the 2009 PIAA Class AAA quarters, the year the Patriots claimed their lone title. … Carroll’s three losses to Pennsylvania clubs came against Roman Catholic (twice) and Neumann-Goretti. … Romanczuk is the son-in-law of former Philadelphia 76ers star and long-time NBA head coach Doug Collins. … No. 2 in PennLive’s Class AAA rankings.
About the Saints: Carl Arrigale’s Saints are chasing their second straight PIAA Class AAA championship — Neumann-Goretti a year ago defeated Susquehanna Twp. 64-57 in overtime — and fifth in six seasons. … Kimble signed in November with Phil Martelli’s Saint Joseph’s Hawks. … Green (18.5 ppg), who already has all sorts of high-major Division I programs pursuing him, Martin (14.8 ppg) and Kimble (13.0 ppg) are averaging in double figures in the state tournament. … Covington scored a team-high 21 points and Cosby-Roundtree registered a double-double (12 points/15 rebounds) Tuesday night in Neumann-Goretti’s victory over Imhotep. Cosby-Roundtree also blocked seven shots. … Green poured in 26 points in the Saints’ earlier victory over Carroll, while Kimble (15), Cosby-Roundtree (13) and Martin also reached double digits. … Green and Kimble joined Jones on the Philly Catholic League’s all-star team. … Both of Neumann-Goretti’s losses have come against Roman Catholic, including a setback in the PCL title game that snapped the Saints’ string of six consecutive championships. … Arrigale collected his 400th career victory when Neumann-Goretti defeated Imhotep in the District 12-AAA final. … No. 1 in PennLive’s latest set of Class AAA rankings.