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Chester’s Jamar Sudan (above) is part of a physical and imposing Clipper frontcourt. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

By CoBL Staff

The most exciting high school state tournament out of the four PIAA classes is without a doubt that of its biggest classification. The AAAA bracket has the heavyweight names that have won state title after state title: Lower Merion, Chester, Reading, Plymouth Whitemarsh and more.

This year they’re joined by several upstarts, including one tough Pittsburgh squad with an underdog mentality, a savvy veteran squad from Allentown that’s no stranger to postseason play.

The Favorites
Parkland (25-3): The four-time District 11 champions are in “win-now” mode, with a talented senior class looking for one last deep run before heading off to their respective colleges. Senior guard Devante Cross (8.8 ppg, 4.2 apg) will be playing quarterback at Virginia, forward Kenny Yeboah (10.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg) will be playing tight end at Temple and small forward Kyle Stout (17.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg) will be taking his sharpshooting talents to nearby Lafayette, the only one of the trio to continue his hoops career in college. Then there’s junior forward Sam Iorio, a talented 6-6 wing and D-I recruit in his own right, who leads the team with 18.4 ppg and trails only Yeboah with 6.8 rpg. The last three years, the Trojans have won their first-round matchup only to lose to a District 1 team in the second round. To break that streak this year, they’ll need to first get past Conestoga and then likely another Central League team, Ridley, to reach the quarterfinals.

(click on this link for more favorites and the dark horses)

Ryan Daly (above) and Archbishop Carroll are on a mission after falling just short in the Catholic League semifinals. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

  

By CoBL Staff

A trio of Philadelphia-area squads lead the field in the PIAA Class AAA tournament, with defending champion Neumann-Goretti challenged by one Catholic League foe and one Public League opponent that proved last week it’s up for the challenge. But there’s plenty of competition from the central and western parts of the state too, plus a talented team from up north who all hope to have their say in things.

Here’s a look at the Class AAA field, with all games taking place Friday night at various gyms across the state:

The Favorites
Archbishop Carroll (22-3): Despite a not-insignificant turnover from a year ago, Paul Romanczuk’s Patriots are playing perhaps their best basketball since a PIAA championship run in 2009. D-I bound seniors Josh Sharkey (Samford) and Ryan Daly (Hartford) lead the way for a roster that gets production from its top 10. They’ve got good size inside in the form of 6-8 Latvian big man Miks Antoms, while 6-4 senior wing John Rigsby has enjoyed a very strong year as well; 6-3 junior sharpshooter Colin Daly, Ryan’s younger brother, rounds out the starting lineup. Beyond them, Romanczuk has a number of players he can call upon off the bench: 6-6 junior Jesse McPhearson, 6-3 junior Khari Williams, 6-6 senior Alex House, 6-5 sophomore Devin Ferrero and others are all capable of coming in to contribute a bucket or two, grab some rebounds and play tough D.

(click on this link for more favorites and dark horses)

By Delcohoops.net Staff

There are six Delaware County high school boy’s basketball teams vying for the PIAA basketball championships in three rounds.  The following are the match-ups with sites and times.

Class AAAA

March 5th, Saturday

*Lower Merion vs. Simon Gratz @ Harriton HS 3:00 PM

Ridley vs. Wilson West Lawn @ Strath Haven HS 3:00 PM

Roman Catholic vs. Academy Park @ St. Joseph’s Prep HS 5:00 PM

Chester vs. Hempfield @ Interboro HS 3:00 PM

Class AAA

March 4th, Friday

Holy Ghost Prep vs. Archbishop Carroll @ Cheltenham HS 7:30 PM

Class A

March 4th, Friday

Greenwood vs. Delco Christian @ CD East HS 7:30 PM

*Lower Merion is technically not in Delaware County but we consider them part of the mix for our area.

Wyatt Harkins (30) looks to get Delco Christian’s fastbreak going. The senior guard scored 13 points, but was held well below his season average by Phil-Mont Christian’s smothering defense in Saturday’s District One Class A final.

By Matthew De George

All season, Delco Christian has been a study in perseverance — through injuries, suspensions and myriad suboptimal predicaments.

Try as they might, against Class A juggernaut Phil-Mont Christian Saturday, those absences were too glaring to conceal.

The Falcons intensified their defense after halftime, muzzling the Knights’ limited options and restraining DC to 15 points after the break in a 58-41 triumph in the District One final at Council Rock South High School.

No. 6 seed Delco Christian (14-12) trailed by just one at the half and surged ahead, 33-32, with 2:25 to play in the third quarter. But top-seeded Phil-Mont (28-1) scored 26 of the game’s final 34 points to run away with the title.

Phil-Mont’s dogged deterrence on the defensive end finally tipped the scales. The Falcons’ length closed out shooters on the perimeter and accounted for seven blocked shots — three each for rangy 6-foot-2 guard Noah Baldez and sturdy 6-foot-4 forward David Giuliani — and many more altered drives to the rim.

(click on this link for the full article)

Davon Burrell, 2nd from left, and Mike Lotito #35, of Plymouth Whitemarsh celebrate after a made basket in the 4th quarter of their 68-57 vistory over Chester in the 1st half of a District 1 AAAA Final on Feb. 26, 2016, at Temple University’s Liacouras Center. CHARLES FOX/Staff

 

By Rick O’Brien

Ahmin Williams (shooting) was one of five P-W reserves who scored as the Colonials took home the District 1 AAAA championship. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

By Jeff Griffith

Long before Plymouth-Whitemarsh started its road to becoming 2016 District 1 AAAA champions, it was clear the Colonials had several talented individuals on their team.

Even since summer workouts, some of the Colonials’ senior leaders like Rider commit Xzavier Malone and versatile big man Mike Lotito noticed there were multiple unheralded players that showed potential to be key to any success Plymouth-Whitemarsh hoped to have.

Naturally, almost every single one of the players that came to the floor for P-W had their shining moment in the biggest game of their careers to this point, as 10 different Colonials made their way onto the scoresheet in their 68-57 championship victory over the Chester Clippers.

“I can’t say enough about how great of a job my teammates did,” said Lotito, who fouled out with 4:11 left in the fourth quarter. “This is the ultimate high. We’ve worked so hard since November 17 officially and unofficially months before that, and for this all to come together is just so special, I can’t believe it.”

The most notable role-player to make a key statement was junior guard Matt Walker, who didn’t play a single minute of his sophomore season and saw little playing time during the current campaign.

(click on this link for the full article)