Photos: Zack Beavers, Kathy Leister, Patty Morgan
Highlights: Rich Flanagan
Story by Rich Flanagan
PHILADELPHIA-For the entirety of Carl Arrigale’s career at Neumann-Goretti, the Saints have been synonymous with outstanding guard play. It’s why a multitude of backcourts have learned from their predecessors and turned that knowledge and experience into statistical achievements and ultimately championship trophies. Too many Saints guards to name have landed themselves in Philadelphia Catholic League lore over Arrigale’s tenure but while the attention consistently centers on guard play, the Saints haven’t neglected their frontcourt either.
Names like Danny and Derrick Stewart come to mind as versatile bigs and while undersized when they moved onto the next level, they played down low at Neumann-Goretti. Earl Pettis, who starred at La Salle, began his career in the post while with the Saints and Tony Toplyn Jr. played multiple positions upfront before moving onto Chestnut Hill College. Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree, the 6-foot-9 forward who scored 1,254 points during his career at Neumann-Goretti then won a National Championship at Villanova, was the epitome of a dominant big man then Marcus Littles, who wasn’t little at 6-9, stepped in and continued the lineage.
The next impressive big to come out of the Saints program hails from London, England and has been a member of the program for less than two seasons. His name is Sultan Adewale and, at 6-8, he’s developing his all-around game much more quickly than his former counterparts. Adewale does everything a forward of his caliber on a team with championship aspirations should do: convert down on the block, go up and get the ball at its highest point on the glass, act as a rim protector and set screens at various spots on the floor so the Saints talented guards can make plays.
Adewale has had to miss time over his two seasons at Neumann-Goretti – an infection as a junior that took him away for a good portion of the year then personal matters for several days after the Saints returned from the Iolani Classic in Honolulu – but Arrigale feels he is blossoming into the big man this team needs to be even better than they were last year.
Sultan Adewale is developing into the next great big man at Neumann-Goretti - PSD Photo by Patty Morgan
“Now we’re getting him back again and it’s exciting because you’re watching the growth in his game,” Arrigale said. “It looks that way with the success we’ve had with our guards, but we spend just as much time with the big guys, and we’ve been known for guards for a long time. With the way we play, we only need one big with our guards and we’ve been making it a point to get him the ball a little bit more.”
Adewale posted a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds as Neumann-Goretti cruised to a 69-54 victory over St. Joe’s Prep and claimed the number two spot in the Philadelphia Catholic League standings. Adewale had his moments as a junior such as 15 points, 13 boards and five blocks against Archbishop Ryan at the Palestra in the league title game then a 13-point, 19-rebound game versus Dallas in the PIAA Class 4A semifinals. For a forward who is still very much understanding the concepts of the game, specifically in one of the elite leagues in Pa., Adewale is pleased with his progression.
“I’ve been getting more comfortable with our plays,” Adewale said. “Playing in the PCL has really benefited me, especially with my defensive rotations. I’ve been training in the gym every day and working on everything. I’ve made a big development from my junior to senior year."
With a backcourt made up Baylor commit Robert Wright III (23 points) and Khaafiq Myers (15), Adewale was the missing piece as the Saints captured in the Philadelphia Catholic League and PIAA 4A title, and he has been called upon to do even more as Myers has missed substantial time with a nagging ankle injury and starting guard Bruce Smith missed this game against the Hawks with a sprained foot. As he’s had to do more, he has had to find ways to be more effective and expanding his shooting range has been one area that has helped space out the Saints offense. On the opening possession of the game, Wright threw the ball into him on the left side, and he swung it crosscourt to Amir Williams. As the ball moved from right to left, Adewale moved with it and eventually faded out to the left corner when Williams cut and set a screen on Adewale’s man. The London native rose up and smoothly sank a three-pointer to open the scoring.
A year ago, Adewale would have never found himself out on the perimeter in that situation but now he is regularly there and ready to let it fly when the opportunity presents itself.
NEUMANN-GORETTI VS. ST. JOE'S PREP - HIGHLIGHTS BY RICH FLANAGAN
“Coach Carl was a really great shooter when he was young, and he’s been teaching me to spread my fingers and my release higher,” Adewale said. “When I do that, a lot more shots have been falling.”
Arrigale was known for his shooting ability while at Penn Charter, where he won Inter-Ac MVP in 1984 and led the Quakers to the league title that season. He has been teaching Adewale the subtleties of what good shooters do prior, during and after releasing the ball and it has paid dividends, especially when considering that shooting has never been something Adewale relished.
Arrigale was out to change that and help his young big man develop into a more well-rounded player.
“Interestingly enough he shoots the ball straight most of the time,” Arrigale said. “He doesn’t always shoot it high enough, but he shoots it straight. When his fingers get really close together a lot of times, it comes out really fast and he doesn’t control the ball. When you get a wide grip on the ball, you control the ball a lot better. I’m just trying to get him to have the wrist loaded, fingers spread and finish reaching for the sky.”
Adewale hit a second trey and Neumann-Goretti (14-2, 7-1 Philadelphia Catholic League) led 21-15 with 6:19 left in the second quarter. After Wright missed in close, Adewale converted a putback and had the Saints up by eight. He scored 12 points in that opening half and his early scoring outburst opened things up as Myers drove and dished to Wright for one of his four three-pointers. On the ensuing possession, Wright threw it up for Williams on an alley-oop and Neumann-Goretti was in front, 31-19.
The Saints took a 33-22 lead into the locker room at halftime and St. Joe’s Prep (12-4, 6-2) responded with a strong third quarter. Jalen Harper, who scored six of his 15 points in the third quarter, began the half with a nifty finish at the rim then Olin Chamberlain Jr. and Jaron McKie (16 points) hit back-to-back threes, and the Hawks trailed by three at the 5:43 mark of the third. McKie sank a pull-up near the right elbow and the Hawks had it within one but Wright answered with a big trey from the top of the key to push the lead back to four.
Chamberlain sank a runner from just outside the paint but once again Wright found the bottom of the net from the outside then finished strong at the rim and the Saints advantage grew to 42-36. Adewale slammed one home off a nice dish from Wright then put home a layup in transition and Neumann-Goretti took a four-point lead into the final quarter.
The 2021-22 Pa. All-State 4A First Team selection is averaging 18.0 ppg over his last four games and he is elevating his game as the focus will soon turn to the postseason, a portion of the year the Saints have had unprecedented success and one where he has shown he can take his game up a notch.
“Every time the ball goes off the backboard, I see it as a chance to score,” Adewale said. “At the defensive end, since our team is smaller, I know they need me to get those rebounds. I’ve been doing that and just jumping as high as I can.
Matt Guokas began the fourth with a corner trey and the lead grew to 49-42. Myers was locked in defensively with eight steals and he turned plenty of those into points, whether by himself or finding teammates, and he converted a layup across the lane.
NEUMANN-GORETTI VS. ST. JOE'S PREP BY ZACK BEAVERS
Wright came down and finished off an and-one to give Neumann-Goretti a 54-47 lead with 5:32 left to play. Myers closed things out by scoring seven consecutive points and giving the Saints a 61-47 advantage.
Wright is one of the premiere guards in the Philadelphia Catholic League and Pa. as a whole, and Myers is phenomenal in his own right with all the ways he can control the game. Together, they form perhaps the most dangerous backcourt the league has this season, but Adewale brings everything together. He was the Saints top post player last year and his expansive skillset isn’t done expanding, which bodes well for Neumann-Goretti in its pursuit of Arrigale’s 13th league crown. Arrigale knows a thing or two about winning but even more so about shooting, and he’s hoping his acumen rubs off on his talented yet raw big man.
“He’s starting to listen to me a little more about his shot,” Arrigale said jokingly. “He has interesting shot mechanics and an opportunity to be a good shooter. There are some subtle things that he does that we’ve been working with him and we’re trying to get him to fix them.”