The 6-4 junior leads the league in scoring but more than that, it’s how and when he gets key baskets that has been the difference maker for the Vikings. Take the game against Neumann-Goretti for instance as he shot 10-for-18 from the field and tallied 31 points, eight rebounds and five assists in leading the Vikings to their biggest win of the year in a 90-79 victory on the road. He leads the Philadelphia Catholic League at 23.3 points per game and has scored 20-or-more points in 11 games this season. He scored 40 points against St. Joe’s Prep, becoming the first Archbishop Wood to score 40 in a game since Collin Gillespie tied a school record with 42 points against Neumann-Goretti in 2017.

The 6-foot junior guard and Baylor commit took centerstage at the Palestra in propelling the Saints to the league title last season. More impressively, he put the league on notice that Neumann-Goretti will have continue to have say in determining the champion with its starting point guard only being a sophomore at the time. He’s averaging 21.8 ppg and led a ferocious comeback to beat Cardinal O’Hara earlier this week with a game-winning layup at the buzzer. He is a dynamic guard who can control the game with his passing ability but when he gets on a roll in the scoring department, very few players, if any, can slow him down and that is why he’s even better this season. Take for example that he made the game winner to beat La Salle in his first varsity game and all he has done is excel at the highest level.

The 6-1 senior guard has been able to distinguish himself in his final season after sharing the courts with the likes of Lynn Greer III, Justice Williams, Jalen Duren, Khalil Farmer and Daniel Skillings Jr. over the course of his successful career. He’s avg. 15.8 ppg and has made the most of this season by putting the Cahillites in position to secure the top seed in the playoffs after losing Skillings – last season’s MVP – and Farmer to graduation. He became the 22nd player in Roman Catholic history to surpass 1,000 career points and that went under the radar as he’s more noted for his passing ability and defensive prowess. 

The 6-9 junior forward does everything the Raiders expect of him from controlling the glass and dominating the paint at the offensive end with strong finishes at the rim and being the rim protector at the defensive end that many teams covet. It’s no surprise Archbishop Ryan is having the success it is having this season after losing two starters and Sorber (18.9 ppg) is a focal reason why. The way he asserts himself in the post is unmatched in this league and he commands the attention of the opposition. Even when he gets double-teamed, he has the awareness to find the open man but as only he can, he will find ways to score through contact with two defenders draped all over him.

Like Bethea, McKie was known primarily for game-changing shooting ability, but he has become so much more than simply a player who can heat up from deep. He’s the Hawks leading scorer (17 ppg) and he has filled it up in his second full season as a starter. The 6-2 sophomore guard leads a strong contingent of guards in Jalen Harper, Olin Chamberlain Jr., Matt Gorman, and Jordan Ellerbee, but St. Joe’s Prep is not in this position this late in the season if McKie isn’t performing at the level that he has been. The Hawks have their biggest game of the season against the Cahillites on Friday night and McKie’s play will be an essential part of the result in that contest.

He can fill the stat sheet in a hurry (16 ppg) and he seems to get better as the game goes on in his ability to find ways to put the ball in the basket. The 6-4 junior guard has one of the smoothest shooting strokes that can be found in the Philadelphia Catholic League and, while Sorber can get his shot on his own, Williams presents a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses with his quick trigger from the outside, his swift first step when attacking the rim and he has added a pure pull-up from the mid-range area. He is shooting 56.8% over the last two games and has avg. 24 ppg in wins over West Catholic and Devon Prep. He also made eight three-pointers in that span.

The 6-4 senior guard who missed his entire sophomore season with a knee injury returned and was a key reason Archbishop Carroll reached the PIAA 4A semifinals last season. He added muscle during his time again and he hasn’t lost his bounce or first step. After Moses Hipps transferred to McEachern (Ga.), Coleman-Newsome undertook the leading scorer role and, while the Patriots’ offensive set focuses on screening and activity away from the ball, he has found ways to score whether it’s on strong drives to the rim, physical finishes down low or drilling jumpers from the outside. 

The 6-5 senior guard and Iona signee possesses the length and athleticism to clog up passing lanes on the defensive end and turns steals into easy layups and dunks at the other. He is one of the more versatile players in the league and, while he was ruled ineligible, that led to Cardinal O’Hara receiving its first state tournament bid in program history last season. He’s a tenacious defender and takes on the responsibility of guarding the opposing team’s best offensive player, and offensively he can hit from deep, finish at the rim and may be the best rebounding guard the league boasts. Pasha (16 ppg) is definitely one to watch as the regular season ends, and the postseason gets underway.

The 6-5 senior forward and Temple signee is incredibly athletic and his defensive versatility is part of what makes him so integral to the Burrs’ success. He keeps smaller guards out of the paint with the ability to cut them off at the point of attack with his awareness and length then he can battle in the post with bigger forwards with his physical play. He’s a relentless rebounder and his offensive game continues to blossom. His shooting ability has come a long way and he's a threat out on the perimeter. When he asserts himself, he has developed a patented fadeaway jumper on the baseline and short corner, and of course he can get up high with the best players in the league when he attacks the rim.

He was vital to the Burrs run to the league semifinals and PIAA 3A quarterfinals during his junior season and, even with the loss of three starters, has kept West Catholic in contention this year. His court vision is phenomenal and he has transitioned into a floor general in the way he understands how defenses are trying to prevent him from scoring. Somehow, he ends up getting his points and when the defense forces him to give it up, he has shown the alertness to find his teammates like Stanford for open looks. 

Clark (17.8 ppg) drives so much of what the Burrs do offensively but his footwork and quickness on defense have made him a more complete player as he prepares for his career at Coppin State. His size doesn’t define him because when he’s on the court, he has the opposing team’s full attention.

St. Joe’s Prep could use a quality win heading into the postseason, and it gets Roman Catholic at home on Friday night.

On the flip side, the Cahillites have only lost to the Saints in a game that was decided by two points and they will want to build some momentum heading to the playoffs. This is where head coach Chris McNesby will look to St. Joe’s signees Brown and Anthony Finkley as well as 6-5 senior guard Jermai Stewart-Herring – one of the best newcomers in the Philadelphia Catholic League – to lead the way.

Archbishop Ryan vs. Neumann-Goretti

The most intriguing matchup of the final weekend will take place in South Philadelphia as the Raiders visit with only two losses in league play. Archbishop Ryan wants nothing more than to host a quarterfinal game, something it hasn’t done since 2017 when Izaiah Brockington was a senior. This game will go a long way to achieving that as well as asserting the Raiders rise over the last few years as they look to defeat the Saints in a rematch of last season’s title game. The Raiders are coming off a 63-61 win over West Catholic – a game where they trailed by nine with 58 seconds remaining – then a 65-50 win at Devon Prep. Williams hit four three-pointers and scored 27 points against the Tide while Sorber added 16 points and eight rebounds. Wright led the Saints to a one-point win over Cardinal O’Hara where they trailed by 19 at halftime.

Devon Prep vs. Bonner-Prendergast

The Tide are hoping to make the league playoffs for the third consecutive season and a win against the Friars on Friday should lock that up. After winning seven games in league play a season ago, Devon Prep will fall below that mark, but they still boast three returning starters from the program’s first state title team in Army West Point commit Jacen Holloway, Lucas Orchard, and Ty Mishock, and they have a chance to get back to the postseason.

Archbishop Wood vs. West Catholic

The winner of the Vikings and Burrs matchup pretty much secures a home game in the quarterfinals. Furthermore, this matchup could occur again next weekend depending on seeding finishes out and that is reason enough for both teams to want to win this one. Three of the leagues’ top three scorers in Bethea, Stanford and Clark will be on the floor, so lots of points are expected but there are some X-factors to watch who could determine the outcome. East Stroudsburg commit Carson Howard had 10 points and 16 rebounds in a 77-63 overtime win over St. Joe’s Prep earlier this week and the 6-8 big man is playing well at the right time.