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BOYS BASKETBALL: Philadelphia Catholic League Boys Basketball Quarterfinal Preview & All-Catholic Teams

By Rich Flanagan, 02/18/22, 10:30AM EST

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PCL Round-Up Sponsored by Gwynedd Mercy University

Photos/Videos: Rich Flanagan, Krystal Williams, Matt Rineer, Dan Hilferty, Patty Morgan, Zack Beavers, Kathy Leister, Lou Rabito & Colleen Claggett

By: Rich Flanagan

PHILADELPHIA – The excitement and anticipation of the Philadelphia Catholic League playoffs is back and the opportunity to play at the Palestra in the semifinals becomes a reality for the first time in two seasons when the quarterfinals tip off on Friday night.

Roman Catholic toppled West Catholic in their regular season matchup, thus securing the top seed. The Burrs put together their best season in nearly four decades and were given the second seed while Archbishop Wood, the defending champion, is third and Neumann-Goretti, which was the last team to win the title on the floor of the Cathedral of College Basketball, will also host a playoff game as the fourth seed.

There are plenty of storylines and individual matchups to watch so let’s dive into it:

No. 8 Cardinal O’Hara vs. No. 1 Roman Catholic

Last time they met: Roman Catholic won, 84-52

Last time they met in the playoffs: Roman Catholic won, 74-61 in the 2001 Philadelphia Catholic League Quarterfinals.

Roman Catholic and Cardinal O’Hara are meeting in the postseason for the first time in two decades after the Lions knocked off Bonner-Prendergast, 49-47 on Wednesday night. Versatile guard Izaiah Pasha (17.0 points per game), a First Team All-Catholic selection and the first Cardinal O’Hara player to be named first team since Antwuan Butler (NJIT) in 2018, led the way with 15 points and five rebounds. Butler was the catalyst of the Lions the last time they won a playoff game four seasons ago and Jason Harrigan, now the head coach at St. Joe’s Prep, was roaming the sideline.

Pasha, the 6-foot-5 junior, is the biggest reason Cardinal O’Hara (6-7) is in this position and has changed the dynamic of the team. He posted 17 points in the first matchup against the Cahillites, which was the league opener for both teams, and he can control the game in a variety of ways as evidenced by his triple-double against Archbishop Ryan earlier this season: 20 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

Joining Pasha in the backcourt is 6-2 sophomore guard Hunter Johnson (11.5 ppg), who had 13 points in the previous meeting with Roman Catholic. He has also shown the ability to fill up the stat sheet like he did against St. Joe’s Prep to close out the regular season: 19 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and four steals. 

Cardinal O'Hara vs. St. Joe's Prep - Feb. 13th Game Highlights by Matt Rineer:

Another skilled guard in head coach Ryan Nemetz’s five-guard lineup is 6-foot junior Josh Coulanges (10.7), who provides the Lions with an added scoring option. Pearson McGuinn, the 6-6 rangy sophomore and Cardinal O’Hara’s best rim protector, had 14 points against the Friars on Wednesday.

Daniel Skillings Jr. was named Philadelphia Catholic League MVP, the first Cahillites player to win the award since Rakeem Brookins was named Red Division MVP in 2010, and with good reason. The 6-6 senior forward and University of Cincinnati commit has been one of the most complete players in the league over the last two seasons and he comes into the postseason averaging 18.5 ppg.

He hit three pointers on his way to 13 points in a win over Archbishop Carroll in the regular season finale to lock up the top seed in the playoffs. He can create his own offense and get to the glass, and that combination has made one of the most difficult players to slow down.

Khalil Farmer, the 6-4 senior guard and Hofstra commit, is avg. 16.2 ppg and had 14 points and nine rebounds in that win over the Patriots. Known primarily as a shooter coming into the Roman Catholic program, Farmer has displayed the ability to get in the rim and finish while also becoming a superb rebounder at the guard position in two seasons at the corner of Broad & Vine.

Junior Xzayvier Brown may be avg. 14.2 ppg but the three-year starter has evolved into the floor general the Cahillites need. The 6-1 combo guard has avg. 7.8 assists over the last four games and put Skillings, Farmer, sophomore Toby Ojukwu (9.6 ppg) and 6-7 freshman big man Shareef Jackson in position to score. Jackson had 12 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in the Cahillites win over Archbishop Carroll. Roman Catholic (12-1) is looking for its 12th consecutive semifinal appearance.

Roman Catholic vs. Archbishop Carroll - Feb. 13th Game Highlights by Rich Flanagan

No. 7 Devon Prep vs. No. 2 West Catholic

Last time they met: West Catholic, 79-57

Last time they met in the playoffs: First time meeting in the postseason

In the most intriguing matchup of the quarterfinals, Devon Prep and West Catholic will meet for the first time in Philadelphia Catholic League playoff history in a battle of the two upstart teams over the last two seasons. Devon Prep (7-6) made its first appearance in the league semifinals a season ago then won its first Philadelphia Catholic League playoff game in program history by defeating Archbishop Carroll, 70-67 on Wednesday. Head coach Jason Fisher has led the Tide to two major milestones and 15 league wins in the past two seasons, and senior IV Pettit (14.2 ppg) and junior Lucas Orchard (16.2) have been integral to that success. Pettit, who scored over 900 points in two seasons at West Chester, has piled up the points in two years with the Tide but other areas in his game have vastly improved. The 6-2 guard is avg. 19.0 ppg over his last seven games and posted a double-double with 24 points and 13 rebounds against the Patriots.

A year after avg. 7.2 ppg, Orchard has doubled his scoring output and the 6-4 forward Second Team All-Catholic selection has been a focal reason the Tide are a game away from a second straight semifinal appearance. He had 17 points, four rebounds and three assists versus Archbishop Carroll. Susquehanna University commit and 6-2 senior guard Allen Cieslak (10.8) hit two treys and scored 12 points in the opening round while 6-4 junior forward Jacen Holloway (12.8) has come on toward the end of the season avg. 15.8 points in the last six games.

West Catholic (12-1) tallied its best league record since going undefeated in 1976 and that led to head coach Miguel Bocachica taking home Philadelphia Catholic League Coach of the Year. The Burrs only blemish of the season came against the Cahillites and they’re looking for their first playoff win since 2014. Everything the Burrs do begins and ends with First Team All-Catholic point guard Adam “Budd” Clark. The 5-9 junior is avg. 12.1 ppg and posted 20 points, eight rebounds and nine assists in a huge win over Archbishop Wood last week. Clark has had a knack for corralling rebounds then pushing the ball up the floor and finding teammates for easy baskets. West Catholic is at its best when it’s in transition, but Clark has been the dichotomy between the fast break and halfcourt offense. Zion Stanford was also named First Team All-Catholic, giving the Burrs two players on the first team for the first time since 1980. The 6-5 junior forward led West Catholic with 14.4 ppg and had a big performance against the Vikings with 16 points, 12 rebounds and five steals.

West Catholic vs. Archbishop Wood - PSD Higlights by Rich Flanagan & Kathy Leister:

Devon Prep vs. Archbishop Carroll PCL First Round Highlights by Zack Beavers

Shemar Wilbanks-Acqui (11.4) has meant a lot to the Burrs success this season. The 6-3 junior lefty had 17 points vs. West Philadelphia on Feb. 9 then added 15 points, eight boards and three steals against Archbishop Wood.  Not lost in the shuffle are the 6-7 senior twin forwards Kaseem (10.7) and Kareem Watson (8.2). Kaseem, a Second Team All-Catholic pick, is avg. 14.7 ppg over the last three games and had 18 points, nine rebounds and six assists in the win over the Tide to finish the regular season. West Catholic is looking for its first semifinal appearance since 1999.

No. 6 Archbishop Ryan vs. No. 3 Archbishop Wood

Last time they met: Archbishop Wood won, 59-52

Last time they met in the playoffs: Archbishop Wood won, 77-47 in the 2021 Philadelphia Catholic League semifinals

A season after facing off in the league semifinals, the Vikings and the Raiders will face off in the playoffs for the third time in five seasons. In 2017, Collin Gillespie (Villanova) and Izaiah Brockington (Iowa State) were two perennial players going head-to-head and now the matchup will be Drexel commit Justin Moore against Luke Boyd. Moore has continued a line of point guards that follows Gillespie and Rahsool Diggins (UConn), both of whom won league titles and played in state finals. A First Team All-Catholic with the Vikings after receiving second team honors at now defunct Bishop McDevitt last season, Moore is avg. 16.0 ppg this season and finished his season on a high note with 26 points, including eight in the fourth quarter, to down Neumann-Goretti, 92-78. He also added six rebounds, four blocks and 11 assists in the victory. Moore has helped aid the development of 6-4 junior guard Basil Laster, who avg. 8.6 ppg, including an 18-point game in a win over Roman Catholic earlier this season and earned Third Team All-Catholic honors.

For the first time in years, the Vikings have a big man to look to inside in 6-7 junior forward and Second Team All-Catholic Carson Howard (9.3 ppg). He had 15 points and 15 rebounds against the Burrs and has given Archbishop Wood a legitimate post presence who can control the glass. Jalil Bethea (12.8), a 6-4 sophomore guard, is one of the premiere shooters in the league. 

He hit seven three-pointers in the regular season final against Lansdale Catholic and has 13 games with at least three three-pointers this season. Senior guard Tyson Allen (6.1) had eight points and 10 rebounds vs. the Saints and, while he makes his presence felt predominantly on the defensive end, he can score when called upon.

The Raiders’ appearance in the semifinals last season was their fourth in six seasons under head coach Joe Zeglinski. Boyd was a starter on that Archbishop Ryan team that also advanced to the PIAA Class 5A title game and he has returned better than before, avg. 15.3 ppg this season. Archbishop Ryan closed out the season with four consecutive games against playoff teams with Boyd avg. 14.3 ppg during that stretch. While known as a shooter (he hit six three-pointers against St. Joe’s Prep then four vs. Neumann-Goretti), Boyd has done a bit of everything for the Raiders this season with the point guard role having been vacated by Dominic Vazquez (Arcadia). Jalen Snead (4.7 ppg) was the other returning starter from the state title run and has been the primary facilitator this season. He dished out eight assists in wins over Lansdale Catholic and Devon Prep. Darren Williams has stepped in and made an immediate impact, avg. 12.5 ppg and had 14 points in the regular season finale against La Salle. The 6-4 sophomore lefty has been instant offense for the Raiders and should field several different defenders in this game, particularly Allen.

Archbishop Ryan vs. Neumann-Goretti Feb. 11th Game Highlights by Zack Beavers

Archbishop Wood vs. Lansdale Catholic Feb. 13th Highlights by Colleen Claggett

An area Archbishop Ryan should find success is in the inside with 6-9 sophomore Thomas Sorber, who avg. 15.6 points, 9.9 rebounds & 3.8 blocks per game. The polished and skilled big had season-high 29 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks in the loss to the Vikings during the regular season and he had his way in the paint. It will be interesting to see how the Vikings play him, whether Howard takes him one-on-one, or they choose to double team.

No. 5 La Salle vs. No. 4 Neumann-Goretti

Last time they met: Neumann-Goretti won, 63-61

Last time they met in the playoffs: Neumann-Goretti won, 70-65 in the 2015 Philadelphia Catholic League semifinals

The Explorers and Saints will meet in the postseason for the first time in seven seasons. In that matchup at the Palestra, Quade Green poured in 26 points while Lamarr “Fresh” Kimble added 23 in the victory. A season after coming off a trip to the 2014 PIAA Class 4A title game, La Salle was led  by Dave Krmpotich, who had 22 points in the loss to the Saints and played two seasons at Colgate, and Kitt Najee Walls, who played at East Stroudsburg and chipped in 13 points.

La Salle (8-5) has gone as its big three of senior guard and Rutgers football commit Sam Brown (16.0 ppg), Army commit Nix Varano (14.0) and junior forward Horace Simmons (14.2) have this season. Brown became the first Explorers player to be named First Team All-Catholic since Allen Powell (Rider) & Konrad Kiszka (Princeton) in 2019, which was the last time La Salle advanced to the semifinals. Brown has scored at least 17 points in five of the last six games. He poured in 18 points and five assists in the regular season loss to the Saints while Simmons hit three-pointers on his way to 17 points to go along with seven rebounds and three blocks. Varano hit two shots from deep and scored 12 points that game. When Brown, Varano and Simmons all score in double figures, La Salle is 8-4 this season, so the Explorers will go as far as their three All-Catholic selections will take them.

Neumann-Goretti vs. Conwell-Egan Highlights by Zack Beavers

Robert Wright III (18.0 ppg) became the first Neumann-Goretti (10-3) sophomore to be named First Team All-Catholic since Quade Green in 2015. The 6-foot point guard had 20 points including three three-pointers, seven rebounds and four assists vs. the Explorers in the regular season. He has led a Saints offense that has scored at least 70 points in four of the last six games heading into the postseason. Sultan Adewale (12.9), the 6-8 junior forward, has been a welcomed addition and is playing his best basketball of the season, as evidenced by his 22-point, 12- rebound and five-block performance against Archbishop Ryan on Feb. 11. He followed that game up by going for 16 points in a loss to the Vikings.

The senior leadership of 6-1 guards Masud Stewart (11.9) and Aamir Hurst (9.1) has been indispensable to the Saints success and the emergence of 5-11 sophomore guard Khaafiq Myers (8.9) has put Neumann-Goretti on the cusp of another semifinal appearance for head coach Carl Arrigale. Myers has been posting loaded stats lines like this one against Archbishop Wood: 16 points including three treys, nine boards, five assists and four steals. The Saints have depth and they know how best to utilize it.

Notable Numbers:

Laquan Byrd, Father Judge: Without two starters, Byrd put together one of the highest scoring outputs by a Crusaders player in years. The 6-3 sophomore poured in 37 points, going 12-for-22 from the floor and 10-for-11 from the free throw line in an 87-79 overtime win over Cardinal O’Hara on Feb. 11. Byrd’s 37 points were two shy of tying the Father Judge single-game scoring record, set by Tom Quarry (Johns Hopkins) against Conwell-Egan on Feb. 4, 2018. For added measure, Byrd also recorded a double-double with 10 rebounds in the victory.

Jordan Garrison, Conwell-Egan: The Eagles lone win of the league season came on a buzzer-beating layup by the 6-6 senior forward to defeat Lansdale Catholic, 53-51. Garrison finished with 10 points, including two three-pointers, five rebounds and three blocks to lift Conwell-Egan to their first Philadelphia Catholic League win of the year. Garrison avg. 11.6 ppg this season. Conwell-Egan is searching for its next head coach as Adam Bowen resigned following the team’s loss to Neumann-Goretti in the season finale. The Eagles finished 5-15, 1-12 in the Philadelphia Catholic League.

St. Joe’s Prep’s young corps: While the Hawks only secured two league wins this season, Jason Harrigan has to be happy with the group coming back next year with a full slate of games under their belt, the majority of which are underclassmen. Jaron McKie, the 6-1 freshman guard and son of the Temple University men’s basketball team, avg. 11.3 ppg and put together several strong performances: four three-pointers and 21 points against West Philadelphia as well as 27 points vs. Abraham Lincoln. McKie was the best impact freshman since Steve Vasturia (Notre Dame) came into the Hawks program in 2010 under Williams “Speedy” Morris and changed the direction of the program.

St. Joe's Prep freshman Olin Chamberlain talks team improvements & gives special shoutouts to his seniors - Video/Matt Rineer

Tristen Guillouette avg. 11.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.2 blocks this season despite missing four games due to injury. The 6-9 sophomore was an enforcer down low with six double-doubles, including a season-best 19 points, 11 rebounds and seven blocks in an overtime loss to Father Judge. He scored in double figures in 12 games and should be even better as a junior. Jalen Harper burst onto the scene this season as another talented sophomore. The 6-3 guard avg. 6.5 ppg but posted performances such as 12 points and seven rebounds against Archbishop Carroll and 11 points vs. the Crusaders. The Hawks have their point guard of the future in 5-11 freshman Olin Chamberlain Jr., the grandnephew of NBA Hall of Famer and 76ers legend Wilt Chamberlain. While he only avg. 5.2 ppg, Chamberlain scored in double figures four times in his first varsity season, including a 12-point outing against Devon Prep with Guillouette out. Harrigan has plenty of pieces to build around as he heads into his second season at the helm and the Hawks will be a team to watch.

2021-22 Philadelphia Catholic League Boys Basketball All-Catholic Team

First Team

Daniel Skillings Jr., Roman Catholic

Justin Moore, Archbishop Wood

Robert Wright III, Neumann-Goretti

Zion Stanford, West Catholic

Thomas Sorber, Archbishop Ryan

Xzayvier Brown, Roman Catholic

Khalil Farmer, Roman Catholic

Adam “Budd” Clark, West Catholic

Sam Brown, La Salle

Izaiah Pasha, Cardinal O’Hara

Second Team

Horace Simmons, La Salle

Luke Boyd, Archbishop Ryan

Sultan Adewale, Neumann-Goretti

Lucas Orchard, Devon Prep

Moses Hipps, Archbishop Carroll

Kaseem Watson, West Catholic

Masud Stewart, Neumann-Goretti

Nix Varano, La Salle

Carson Howard, Archbishop Wood

Darren Williams, Archbishop Ryan

Third Team

Kyle Jones, Father Judge

IV Pettit, Devon Prep

Dean Coleman-Newsome, Archbishop Carroll

Bahsil Laster, Archbishop Wood

Jalil Bethea, Archbishop Wood

 

Most Valuable Player: Daniel Skillings Jr., Roman Catholic

William Speedy Morris Coach of the Year: Miguel Bocachica, West Catholic


Daniel Skillings Jr., Roman Catholic - 21-22 PCL MVP - PSD Photo by Lou Rabito


Miguel Bocachica, West Catholic - 21-22 PCL Coach of the Year - PSD Photo by Krystal WIlliams

Tag(s): Home  Schools  Philadelphia Catholic  Boys Basketball  Philadelphia Catholic League   Arch. Carroll Boys Basketball  Arch. Ryan Boys Basketball  Arch. Wood Boys Basketball  Bishop McDevitt Boys B-Ball  Bonner & Prendie Boys B-Ball  Cardinal O'Hara Boys B-Ball  Conwell-Egan Boys Basketball  Father Judge Basketball  La Salle Basketball  Lansdale Cath. Boys Basketball  Roman Catholic Basketball  Saint Joseph's Prep Basketball  Neumann/Goretti Boys B-Ball  West Catholic Boys Basketball 

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