By: Ed Morrone - @EdMorrone
The Inter-Ac League boys’ basketball schedule is 30 percent complete, and while just about every head coach in the league would tab Malvern Prep as the favorites to win its first title since 2012, there is still much basketball to be played. With roughly one-third of the season in the books, here’s a closer look at where all six teams stand:
MALVERN PREP
Record: 14-4 overall, 3-0 Inter-Ac
Last week: 63-42 win at GA (1/10); 69-59 win at West Chester East (1/11); 85-78 win at Cheltenham (1/13); 77-59 win vs. SCH (1/14)
This week: vs. Haverford (1/17); vs. Episcopal (1/21)
Things couldn’t be going much better presently for the Friars, who boast the league’s best scorer and an eight-game win streak. Malvern went 4-0 last week, picking up two crucial league victories and a pair of impressive non-league road wins. In one of those wins Monday at Cheltenham, senior guard Deuce Turner became the ancient league’s all-time leading scorer, passing former Episcopal player John Phillips’ 2,068 career points, a mark that had stood for 21 years. Turner followed that game with a 30-point outburst against SCH on Tuesday, putting his total at 2,112 and counting with double digit game remaining to add to the number.
“He’s just a natural scorer,” Malvern head coach John Harmatuk said. “He scores on three levels: he can get to the rim and finish, he hits three-pointers and he makes his free throws, and it’s because he works really hard on his game.”
Deuce Turner became the Inter-Ac League All-Time Leading Scorer (2,109+), surpassing Episcopal Academy’s John Phillips’ record of 2,068 career points that stood for 21 years - PSD Photo by Zamani Feelings
Turner is averaging 24.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per game on the season, but the Friars are far from a one-man wrecking crew. Rahdir Hicks (12.7 ppg, 3.2 apg) and Spencer Cochran (11.3 ppg, 3.0 apg) also average double figures in scoring, while Fran Oschell leads the Friars, who are outscoring opponents by almost 14 points per game, in rebounding at 6.1 per contest. Turner himself pointed out his teammates’ defensive prowess after the SCH win, which allows more things to open up for him in transition. Harmatuk, who picked up his 100th win over SCH, fights back at the notion that it’s Turner and then everyone else.
“They aren’t his supporting cast,” he said. “They make just as big an impact on both ends of the court. The best thing about our team is the eight-man rotation: Rahdir, Spencer, Fran, Joe McElwee, Brock Dudek, Lonnie White and Keith Carra. They are completely interchangeable parts. We are locked in and can switch one through five on defense, and everyone on offense can handle, pass and shoot. It makes us tough to prepare for.”
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
Record: 10-6, 2-1
Last week: 63-42 loss vs. Malvern (1/10); 45-34 win vs. Central (1/11); 70-58 win at Penn Charter (1/14)
This week: at SCH (1/17); vs. Friends Central (1/18); vs. Haverford (1/21)
The Patriots ended last week with their first league loss against front-running Malvern but followed that 21-point defeat with two bounce back wins against Central and rival Penn Charter. The Friars used two big runs to pull away, while holding GA leading scorer Jordan Longino (23.9 ppg) to just eight points.
However, despite the fact that Penn Charter keyed on Longino on Tuesday, he still erupted for 29 points and had help from teammate Casey Traina (11.8 ppg), who added 22. Longino, who has five 30-point non-league scoring outputs, will be especially key moving forward if the Patriots are to get revenge on Malvern later this season.
Germantown Academy's Jordan Longino vs. Penn Charter (photo by Zamani Feelings for PSD)
“I was proud of our effort level and overall competitiveness against Malvern,” GA head coach Matt Dolan said. “They are a very talented group, well-coached and seasoned in their experience, which makes it a great challenge. We responded well with two wins, especially going on the road and earning a victory against Penn Charter. Casey made some big shots and put the game away, and we made enough plays and defensive stops to get the big win.”
After Malvern, GA appears to have the most talent top to bottom in the league. In addition to Longino and Traina, Jake Hsu shoots 46 percent from the field and leads the team in assists, while Tayshaun Mack hits 52 percent of his shots and leads the Patriots in offensive rebounding. Juan Adames is capable of knocking it down from deep, connecting on 35 percent of his three-pointers.
“We have a great challenge ahead over the next week,” Dolan said. “Each opponent is talented and plays a tough style of basketball. We have put ourselves in a good position to contend and look forward to what should be a great game on Friday at SCH.”
EPISCOPAL ACADEMY
Record: 8-10, 2-1
Last week: 65-63 win vs. SCH (1/10); 46-34 win at Haverford (1/14)
This week: at Penn Charter (1/17); 1/21 at Malvern Prep (1/21)
After an uninspiring, 69-49 league-opening loss at GA on Jan. 7, the Churchmen have responded with two wins to find themselves tied for second place. EA prevailed in a classic that came down to the final possession against SCH, getting 21 points from leading scorer Alex Capitano (18.1 ppg) and 16 from senior forward Andrew Alikakos (8.6 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 3.2 apg). Against Haverford, the Churchmen clamped down defensively and got another 20 from Capitano and 10 from Alikakos. Capitano has 40- and 33-point efforts in non-league games.
EA is led by its five seniors: Capitano, Alikakos, Tommy Dennis (4.2 rpg), Colin Chambers (10.1 ppg) and Maurcus McDaniel. The team also gets contributions from Sam Malloy (3.1 apg).
Episcopal Academy senior Alex Capitano (photo by Alexandra Conroy for PSD).
“Kids have responded with great resilience and grit,” head coach Brian Shanahan said. “These young men have really impressed with how they have bought in and trusted the coaching staff and vision for the program. When your senior leaders do that it makes for a competitive and enjoyable season. Andrew especially has been a great competitor who has impacted the games in a variety of ways the last two wins. It will be a team effort every game and different players will need to step up for us to win.”
The Churchmen have a golden opportunity Friday to improve to 3-1 against last-place Penn Charter before the biggest challenge of the season to date with a Jan. 21 road showdown at Malvern.
“Every game in the Inter-Ac for us is going to be close,” Shanahan said. “We will have to get ourselves ready to play as hard as possible every night. If we compete every possession to the best of our ability, I believe we have a chance. Every night is going to be exciting.”
SPRINGSIDE CHESTNUT HILL
Record: 6-8, 1-2
Last week: 65-63 loss at Episcopal (1/10); 77-59 loss at Malvern Prep (1/14)
This week: vs. GA (1/17); vs. Penn Charter (1/21); vs. Harriton (1/22)
The Blue Devils had a tough week, first losing a heartbreaker at Episcopal where they had a chance to send the game to overtime on the final possession (a Dave Robinson layup rimmed out), followed by running into the freight train that is Deuce Turner and Malvern Prep on Tuesday.
Springside Chestnut Hill Academy senior Ke'Shawn Williams. (photo by Patty Morgan for PSD)
That said, the Blue Devils remain an intriguing player in the league because of the depth of their overall talent level. Robinson, a senior forward, can be an absolute force down low when his game is on, as it was in a 20-point effort at EA. He’s averaging about 15 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
Senior guards Ke’Shawn Williams (11.6 ppg) and Delonce Hines (11.7 ppg) and sophomore guard Darius Isaac (8.5 ppg) are all capable scorers, while junior reserve guard Bobby Markey showed his sharpshooting ability by knocking down five three-pointers at EA. Jared Sprague-Lott and Scott Bandura are reliable senior leaders who get significant minutes.
“Each guy is unique in that every game they can provide something different that we need,” head coach Julian McFadden said. “Ke’Shawn has a scorer’s knack but on certain nights can be your defensive stopper. Jared and Scott are our consistent team leaders on both ends of the floor. That’s huge! Bob is coming into his own as a scoring threat and defender. Delonce is similar to Ke’Shawn in that on any given night, he can give you what you need to be successful, and David can have big nights offensively and can be a force down low that other Inter-Ac teams do not have at their disposal.”
Despite the two-game losing streak, McFadden still believes in his team and is looking forward to Friday night’s huge home test vs. GA after opening the season with two tough road losses.
“I love my team’s ability to bounce back from a tough stretch,” he said. “We encountered one earlier this season and I’m confident we will respond again this Friday. Our focus is valuing every possession, every practice, every rep. This will get us back on the winning track and playing SCH basketball.”
HAVERFORD SCHOOL
Record: 6-9, 1-2
Last week: 43-40 win vs. Penn Charter (1/10); 46-34 loss vs. Episcopal (1/14)
This week: at Malvern (1/17); at GA (1/21)
What a difference a year makes. A year after becoming the first Inter-Ac team to finish with a perfect overall record (28-0) since Friends Central in 1939, the two-time defending league champion Fords have a different identity this season.
Gone is Christian Ray, who averaged better than 23 points per game last season and is now a freshman for the La Salle Explorers. The Fords also graduated seniors Gavin Burke, Asim Richards and Jameer Nelson Jr., and last year’s second leading scorer, sophomore Jameel Brown, broke his wrist in preseason.
Junior Christian Clover has assumed the scoring burden for Haverford, averaging about 15 per game. Senior M.J. Atkins has added major support on the defensive end.
Haverford School junior guard Christian Clover is averaging 15 points per game - PSD Photo by Mike Nance
“M.J. has been a defensive force,” head coach Bernie Rogers said. “And Christian has led us in scoring. We’ve had two tough losses against EA and SCH; we battled in both but had a lot of turnovers, which have been costly for us. Malvern will be a great challenge Friday night. They play with such pace and tempo that is a great challenge to defend. GA is playing very well, and Jordan Longino is an extremely gifted player.”
What Haverford is discovering now is, that after all of the success of the last two years, teams are getting up to play them, even if it’s a completely different team than the one that won the Inter-Ac the last two seasons.
“Having not lost a league game the last two years, teams are really excited to play and beat us,” Rogers said. “The boys are working hard on a daily basis to keep improving and be ready for every challenge that comes our way this season.”
PENN CHARTER
Record: 5-10, 0-3
Last week: 43-40 loss at Haverford (1/10); 70-58 loss vs. GA (1/14)
This week: vs. Episcopal (1/17); vs. Carver High School of Engineering & Science (1/18); at SCH (1/21)
Penn Charter, the youngest team by far in the Inter-Ac, has understandably struggled out of the gate. The Quakers boast leading scorer Ryan Holmes (about 16 ppg.) and a whole lot of youth. Senior Aaron Reisman has also played well, averaging a shade over 11 points per game and fellow senior Anthony Ciarrocchi is a defensive stalwart, but after that, PC goes young. Mark Butler, who got varsity minutes and averaged about 9 points per game as an eighth grader last season, is the team’s second leading scorer at about 12 per game, and fellow freshmen Keith Gee, Trey Shinholster and Colin Schumm all receive extensive playing time.
To make matters even more difficult, Holmes has missed the last two league games with an ankle injury (he told PhiladelphiaSports Digest.com on Thursday that he will return for the team’s game this Friday night against Episcopal).
Penn Charter freshman Mark Butler vs. Germantown Academy (photo by Zamani Feelings for PSD)
All that said, the Quakers are playing hard and not going down without a fight, nearly knocking off Haverford and playing GA tough at home on Tuesday without Holmes. It has been trial by fire for John Owens’ team, but the second-year head coach is encouraged by the early returns. The Quakers’ future looks bright.
“Some programs can reboot, and some have to rebuild, and for us this is a rebuild,” Owens said. “We have some studs: Mark Butler can be an all-league player this year, has all the skills and is learning how to be the man and play winning basketball this year. Trey is averaging close to 11 points since he went into the starting lineup four games ago and he hasn’t given that spot up yet. Keith is averaging five assists per game off the bench. Next year will be a completely different team, and there is a lot to look forward to. You’re going to see a lot more wins next season and realize that this is where it started. It will be bittersweet for the seniors, because this is the fruits of their labor. I’m enjoying the process, and all of the young guys are learning.”
And of course, the team still has Holmes, who hopes to play at the collegiate level next year and gives the Quakers a chance anytime he steps on to the floor with his ability to score at all three levels.
“When Ryan is practicing, you know who the best player in the gym is because he dominates,” Owens said. “He never takes a practice or possession off and is strong as an ox defensively. He has all the skills necessary to translate being a great high school player to that next level. Whoever gets him will be getting a diamond in the rough.”