Delcohoops.com

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.

(click on this link for all the team previews)

By Josh Verlin & Mitchell Gladstone

The three years of the new 5A classification, the second-largest in Pennsylvania, has seen three different teams take home the championship. The first year, in 2017, Villanova’s Collin Gillespie and Archbishop Wood earned that program’s first-ever title; the following season, it was Abington Heights out of the Northeast part of the state, and then came Moon out of Western Pennsylvania taking it all last year. 

Moon didn’t qualify for the state tournament this time around, and neither did Abington Heights, though Wood once again looms large as the District 12 champs. But there are several other programs that want to make it four different champions in four years, very good arguments as to why they could be the eventual trophy-holders come Friday, March 20. 

Here’s a look at the state tournament favorites and some dark horse teams in the running for the 5A bracket, which opens play Friday night at gyms around the state.

Archbishop Wood (12-1; 20-5)
Maybe the most consistent team in southeastern Pennsylvania all season long, the Vikings really took their lumps early — they began the season 2-3, dropping a 7OT thriller to Virginia’s Paul VI as well as neutral-site games in Maryland and Hawaii. But Wood has since gone 18-2 with its only losses at Neumann-Goretti and against Roman Catholic in a Catholic League semifinal. 

(click on this link for the full story)

Webmaster’s note: This Friday’s first round playoff game between Archbishop Wood and Strath Haven will be audio broadcast LIVE right here on Delcohoops.com starting at 6:15!

By Josh Verlin & Mitchell Gladstone

The smallest schools in the state are those with a couple hundred students or fewer –– in some cases far, far fewer. Some of the schools in the 1A classification have just a couple dozen eligible boys if not fewer, though most of those in the state tournament are closer to the larger end of the field. 

Though the 1A field is often wide-open and has some more interesting participants –– District 10 champ Commodore Perry comes in with a 3-20 record –– there are still a few teams worth paying attention to as the rounds progress. Last year’s champion, Sankofa Freedom, is back, though the Warriors are without most of their key pieces from that squad, including Khalil Turner (Rider), Scott Spann (Chestnut Hill College) and Derrius Ward (St. Thomas More). That leaves the door open for some experienced squads from around the state to put their names in the mix.

Chester Charter (1-1; 18-5)
Three years ago, the Sabers didn’t exist — they were a brand-new program in a city that already has a powerhouse program with eight state titles to its name. But Chester Charter is now a District 1 champion that’s hung tough with several Class 5A teams this season including West Chester East, Unionville, Phoenixville and Academy Park. 6-foot-5 senior Damir Baez is the offensive standout, but the Sabers will typically play nine guys — all of whom are juniors or seniors, which could prove critical in close contests.

(click on this link for all the team previews)

By Josh Verlin & Mitchell Gladstone

For each of the three years of the new PIAA Class 4A –– the old AAAA classification was the largest in the state’s prior breakdown –– it’s been Philadelphia Public League powerhouse Imhotep Charter that’s stood alone at the end of the season, going 15-0 in the state tournament to puts its name on three straight banners.

And once again, Andre Noble has a squad capable of winning it all, but his Panthers graduated a lot of high-level talent from last year, and there are several other contenders that finally see an opening for their chance to take down the three-time defending champions.

The PIAA 4A tournament tips off Friday night at gyms around the state; for the full bracket with tip times and locations, click here. Here’s a look at several favorites for the 4A tournament, as well as a few other quality squads that could find themselves hoisting a trophy if everything clicks at the right time. (Thanks to John Walk of LNP and Brad Everett of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for their help with this preview):

Archbishop Carroll (12-3; 16-9)
The Patriots haven’t been to the state championship since winning it all in 2009, then in the AAA classification, but second-year head coach Francis Bowe has some talent to work with from a team that made it to the state quarterfinals a year ago, playing out of the same 12-3 slot that they’re in this time around. Carroll, which finished in 8th place in the ultra-competitive Catholic League, has several Division I prospects in the starting lineup, including a pair of forwards in 6-8 junior Anquan Hill and 6-6 senior Tairi Ketner (Bryant); Hill is a rim protector who can stretch the floor with his shooting, while Ketner is a thick-bodied post presence with soft hands and great footwork. 

(click on this link for all the team previews)

By Matt Smith

Alexa Abbonizio motioned to the Springfield cheering section to get loud.

Fired up after drilling a 3-pointer to end the third quarter, Abbonizio knew she had just made the biggest shot of her life. And it happened in the biggest game, the District 1 Class 5A championship at Temple University’s Liacouras Center Saturday afternoon.

Abbonizio’s clutch trey came amid a defensive slugfest between No. 1 Springfield and No. 3 Great Valley. Thanks to Abbonizio’s long-distance spark, Springfield had all the confidence it needed to complete the job.

“That lifted everyone,” Abbonizio said. “It got us hyped, it got me hyped, and we came out in the fourth quarter and were ready to play.”

The Cougars properly motivated for the fourth quarter, Alyssa Long did the scoring damage, accounting for all eight of her team’s points, all coming from the free throw line, as Springfield held strong for a 29-27 victory and the District 1 Class 5A district championship.

McNichol asked players at practice Friday what they could bring to the game. Some responded with words such as “positive leadership,” others said “hustle” and “intensity.” McNichol waited to until Saturday to give her word for her team.

(click on this link for the full story)

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by Pete Digiovanni

West Chester East had been here before. And they did not want to re-live that nightmare.

One year after coming to Temple University’s Liacouras Center as the top seed, and allowing the trophy to go home with a lower-seeded Delaware County foe, the Vikings put their foot down and finished the job.

Andrew Carr and West Chester East put on a clinic Saturday, as the No. 1 Vikings blew out No. 7 Penn Wood, 67-43, to win the District 1 Class 5A boys basketball championship.

Last year, top-seeded East lost the district final to sixth-seeded Sun Valley.

Carr led the Vikings (26-2) with 23 points to go along with 12 rebounds and six blocks. East also got big games from Mike Dedda, who had 12 points, and freshman Jack Kushner, who chipped in with 13 points and six rebounds.

“Coach (Tom) Durant, told us at halftime to just hustle and be ready to catch and shoot,” Kushner said. “That is what we did and they were paying so much attention to Andrew, we were open. This is the best feeling I ever had.”

(click on this link for the full story)

Webmaster’s note: Missed the game? Listen to the entire game on our archive file listed below. Go to our Broadcast Archives page for all game archives.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS