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By Justin Procope

Larenzo Jerkins knows the importance of setting a tone. 

The first drop of sweat had yet to emerge on the forehead of the chiseled 6-foot-5 junior before he was up in the grill of 6-9 Archbishop Carroll forward Drew Corrao, daring him to try to score on him. 

“We needed somebody to set the tone, show that we’re here and we’re not gonna leave,” Jerkins said. “So in order to set that tone, I need to show examples. I need to block shots, I need to yell in people’s ear. I need to do anything possible to get that juice going for us and to up uplift us.”

Neumann-Goretti needed every ounce of his intensity down the stretch Friday night against a young and talented Caroll team eager to make a name for itself. 

With the game hanging in the balance late and Neumann-Goretti clinging to a single-digit lead, it was Jerkins who made the biggest plays in the final period. None bigger than the two free throws he knocked down with the same composure and maturity he has off the court to put his team up five with just five seconds left in the contest. 

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By Owen McCue

Roman Catholic’s Philadelphia Catholic League title defense began this season with a group trying to get back to the Palestra, although quite a few Cahillites players had never been there before.

Along with junior pillar Shareef Jackson and senior point guard Robert Cottrell, a new-look Roman squad followed up last season’s PCL championship with the top seed in the league tournament.

The Cahillites looked every bit the par of the league’s top dogs in Friday 71-32 night’s romp over Cardinal O’Hara, setting up a matchup with Father Judge on Wednesday at the Cathedral of College Basketball.

“Coach Chris (McNesby) needed people to step up for him this year, and I was one of them,” senior Hunter Johnson said. “Now I’m going to the Palestra.”

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By Joseph Santoliquito

Water was everywhere. On the white tile classroom floor the Haverford High School girls basketball team called a dressing room, on Fords’ coach Lauren Pellicane, on every player that got drenched celebrating.

If someone told Pellicane her best player would barely play in the second half, that her team would turn the ball over 23 times, that they would get beat to the occasional loose ball before the Fords played Conestoga in the Central League championship, she may have had her doubts whether her team would prevail.

The Fords did.

Using stellar defense, good ball movement and infinite patience on offense, Haverford beat Conestoga 44-30 to capture its second-straight Central League championship for the first time, it is believed, in school history.

The Fords (21-3) received what was expected from their star players: a team-high 13 points from Aniya Eberhart and 10 from Rian Dotsey. But it was the role players who made the difference. It was the stubborn defense of seniors Natalie Wright and Tess Durfee on Conestoga’s leading scorer Ryann Jennings. It was Ashley Wright (no relation to Natalie) hitting important free throws in the fourth quarter.

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By Bob Grotz

There was no question who the defending champs were after Radnor bounced out to a 10-point lead in the first quarter of the boys Central League title game Thursday at Marple Newtown High.

The Raptors had no intention of letting go.

But Lower Merion dug down deep with a couple of those explosive runs that make you wonder if the scoreboard is malfunctioning, including a decisive third quarter to earn a 17th Central League championship with a 68-54 win over the Raptors.

“They all taste good,” Aces coach Gregg Downer said. “But this has been a lot of fun. Good environment, beat a good Radnor team and this is the third year in a row it’s come down to us or them. It’s nice to get the trophy back to Bryant Gym.”

Senior Adam Herron Kohl scored 16 points to lead the Aces (23-1), who have won 14 in a row since a 65-62 defeat to Stow-Munro (Ohio) on Dec. 28. Owen McCabe and Carson Kasmer scored 14 points each, and Jayden Robinson added 13 points. Robinson also provided a defensive effort that unraveled the Raptors (18-4) in the third quarter, the 6-5 transfer from Overbrook almost single-handedly blowing up the rhythm of the Raptors.

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Delco Christian got a fast jump out of the gate, scoring 25 points in the first quarter and cruising from there to an 81-52 victory over Faith Christian in a Bicentennial Athletic Conference boys semifinal game Thursday night.

The Knights (19-6, 13-1 BAL) will play an undetermined opponent in the conference championship on Saturday. They had six players scoring in double figures Thursday to get them there.

Caleb Jameson scored 16 points and Khamai Orange had 15 to lead the way. Beau Lyren and Cole Pruessner added 13 each, while Josiah Gaines and Luke Bushra registered 10 points each.

Haverford School 62, SCHA 58 >> In a game Wednesday night, KJ Carson and Jacob Becker scored 15 points each to lead the Fords to victory.

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By Ed Morlock

Brooke Wilson only took one shot in the fourth quarter of Archbishop Carroll’s Philadelphia Catholic League quarterfinal game against Lansdale Catholic Thursday, and that shot did not go down. The Patriots senior was named the league’s Most Valuable Player earlier this week because she can do a lot more than just score.

Wilson headed a defensive effort that forced three LC turnovers in the fourth quarter, including one in the final 30 seconds, and she assisted on all three of Carroll’s field goals in the fourth, including one as time expired to give the Pats the win.

Wilson forced a backcourt violation when LC was trying to hold for a final shot with 30 seconds remaining. On the ensuing possession, she found freshman Abigail McFillin under the basket for the game-winning layup to lift the third-seeded Patriots to a 35-33 win over the sixth-seeded Crusaders at Carroll. The Patriots move on to face No. 2 Cardinal O’Hara in the PCL semifinals Tuesday at Saint Joseph’s University.

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