By CoBL Staff
There’s no doubt that the PIAA’s big-school bracket always brings with it big games, big crowds, and big storylines each year. Last year, there was Pennridge and Navy commit Sean Yoder making a dream run to the final, challenging the high-major talent of Kennedy Catholic, which escaped with an instant-classic, 64-62 win in 2OT.
Kennedy Catholic’s not in the bracket this year, with Maceo Austin at Duquesne and Oscar Tshiebwe at West Virginia, and Pennridge is back but as the No. 7 seed out of District 1, not No. 4. And the last District 1 6A champ, Abington, is done for the season as well. Instead, a new powerful squad from District 1 led by a Division I-bound big man, as well as a couple name Philadelphia programs and several from around the state are all in the mix with a number of high-major targets leading teams and with high hopes about how the next couple weeks will go.
Chester (1-3; 22-4)
When you’re one of the most decorated programs in Pennsylvania basketball history, you’re never going to be counted out. The Clippers have won eight state titles and made the PIAA playoffs every year but one dating all the way back to 1981-82. They ran into the Methacton buzzsaw in the District 1 semis but handled Bensalem in the third-place game. And though the Clippers fell in the state quarterfinals last year, they’ve got an experienced group back in the fold – junior Karell Watkins is the centerpiece of the offense, both literally and figuratively, as he does the majority of his work inside. But classmate Faheem Berry is a dangerous weapon on the outside, and he helps to drive the offense along with Akeem Taylor, nephew of Chester coach Keith Taylor.