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BOYS BASKETBALL: A Familiar Historied Past at the Palestra Brings Back Power House Teams to PCL Championship

By RIch Flanagan, 02/26/23, 12:45PM EST

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Photos: Zack Beavers, Kathy Leister & Krystal Williams

By: Rich Flanagan

PHILADELPHIA - Donnie Carr’s connections to Philadelphia basketball are vast. He has been a staple in the basketball community for three decades and few players can match his accolades on the hardwood at the high school and college level. He starred at Roman Catholic under legendary head coach Dennis Seddon then stayed home and played at La Salle University, where he ranks fifth all-time with 2,067 career points and is currently an assistant coach.

Carr had sensational moments on the biggest stage, which was none other than the Palestra. The fabled arena was the site for all three of Carr’s Philadelphia Catholic League championship victories during his career with the Cahillites and has been the site of 66 league titles in its storied history. It will once again play host to the Philadelphia Catholic League championship game on Monday night as Carr’s alma mater, Roman Catholic (21-3, 11-2) and Neumann-Goretti (21-2, 12-1) faceoff in the final for the first time in three years.

The former Cahillites standout scored 16 points in the 1995 final when his side lost to Martin Ingelsby and Archbishop Carroll then led the way with 19 points one year later to defeat the Patriots for his final league crown. After cutting the nets down three times in his high school career, Carr had plenty of moments at the Cathedral of College Basketball during his career with the Explorers and played his final game there in March 2000.

He doesn’t mince words when describing what it’s like to play there.

“There’s no better place to play a basketball game at any level in America than the Palestra,” Carr said. “The house is always packed, and the standing room-only atmosphere creates lasting memories that will last a lifetime.”

Carr is not only a central connection from a storied era of Philadelphia basketball but someone who helped establish much of what Roman Catholic basketball still is. As Carr frames it, “Roman was one of the better programs 30 years ago when I was in high school and it’s still the same program today.”

Neumann-Goretti vs. West Catholic - PSD Semifinal highlights by Rich Flanagan

Roman Catholic vs. Archbishop Wood - 2023 PCL Semifinal Highlights by Rich Flanagan

Carr went 102-18 during his time at Roman Catholic with 54 of those victories coming against Philadelphia Catholic League foes and scored 1,470 career points. One of his teammates for three seasons was current Cahillites head coach Chris McNesby, who won three league titles as a player and is looking to win his third as a coach on Monday. Carr and McNesby were teammates on the 1993 and 1994 Philadelphia Catholic League title teams under Seddon then Carr played under William “Speedy” Morris – who led the Cahillites to six league titles – with the Explorers.


Roman Catholic head coach Chris McNesby - PSD Photo by Krystal Williams

McNesby is a continuation of excellence at head coach as Roman Catholic moved from Morris to Barry Brodzinski to Seddon to McNesby, who was an assistant for several years under Seddon. McNesby has had incredible success at the helm of his alma mater and Carr noted that he was a perfect fit for the job after a terrific playing career with tutelage from Seddon.

“He was a point guard who did a lot of winning and won championships,” Carr said. “He coached teams to championships as an assistant under Coach Seddon then it was a great transition for him to become a head coach and he carried the tradition the way he learned it as a player and an assistant. He’s done an unbelievable job and now he’s one of the best coaches to coach in the city.”

The 1995 team that lost to Archbishop Carroll “was the most talented team that I played on,” according to Carr as it boasted five players who played Division I basketball. Joining Carr were the late Lari Ketner (UMass) and Rasual Butler (La Salle), Curtis King (Morgan State) and Arthur “Yah” Davis (St. Joe’s University). That team fell in the final during a decade that saw the Cahillites win seven titles and experience astounding acclaim. McNesby secured his two league titles as a coach overseeing one of the more star-studded teams in Roman Catholic history highlighted by Cleveland Cavaliers forward Lamar Stevens, Tony Carr and Nazeer Bostick – all three of whom committed to Penn State. Carr scored 1,065 career points in his Roman Catholic career, and he and Bostick were starters on both title teams while Stevens came over and posted 22 points and 13 rebounds in the 2016 title game against head coach Carl Arrigale, Quade Green, Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree, Zane Martin and Neumann-Goretti.

Da’Kquan Davis was a member of those title teams in 2015 and 2016, and recalls that McNesby “gave the message that we wouldn’t be able to get this done without the guy next to us and that was really huge for us.”

Davis, who is playing his final collegiate season at Albany as a graduate student and poured in 32 points against St. Joe’s earlier this season, understood from the beginning what it meant to don the Roman Catholic uniform and how McNesby taught him what the opposition saw when the Caillites took the floor.

“With Roman being a big name, we had to understand that every game was the other team’s Super Bowl, and they were coming out to get us,” Davis said. “We had a target on our back every year, but we embraced it and didn’t run from it. We believed in trusting the guy that was next to us and we made it happen.”


Roman Catholic alum Da’Kquan Davis - PSD Photo by Zamani Feelings

Roman Catholic and Neumann-Goretti have won a combined 54 Philadelphia Catholic League titles with Arrigale – who has won an all-time record 12 championships – and McNesby winning 14 of those. Monday night will mark the sixth time Arrigale and McNesby have faced off in the final. Arrigale won matchups in 2009, 2010 and 2014, and Neumann-Goretti won an all-time record 73 games (including playoffs) during that stretch highlighted by the likes of Tyreek Duren, Tony Chennault, Johnny Davis and Philadelphia Catholic League all-time leading scorer Ja’Quan Newton (1,972 career points).

After his high school career was over, Davis went on to play at Arcadia University under Justin Scott, now an assistant at St. Joe’s and the stepfather of First Team All-Catholic guard Xzayvier Brown. Scott was head coach at Arcadia for seven seasons before taking the job on Billy Lange’s staff and was the focal reason Davis chose the Knights program. “Justin put me in position to lead and be a point guard.” Davis was named Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth Player of the Year during the 2018-19 season that saw Arcadia win its first-ever MAC Commonwealth title and its first-ever NCAA Division III Tournament game. He finished his Knights career with 1,825 points (second all-time) and 160 three-pointers (fourth).

Davis recalls working out with Brown before the Roman Catholic senior had signed with St. Joe’s or won a PIAA Class 6A title, as he did last season alongside Daniel Skillings Jr. (University of Cincinnati) and Khalil Farmer (Hofstra). “His pace is unmatched, especially for his age,” as Davis emphasized and that came from early recognition of what Brown knew he needed to do to excel.

“X wasn’t the most athletic guy so most of his game came from his smarts and his brain,” Davis said. “The way he thought about the game or the way he was able to make reads off ball screens at such a young age really stood out to me and I knew he would be very successful.”

Brown is a four-year starter seeking his first league title. He has avg. 12.5 points per game in his career at the Palestra and was a freshman on the Cahillites team, which featured Jalen Duren (Detroit Pistons), Justice Williams (LSU) and Lynn Greer III (St. Joe’s), that lost to the Saints in 2020. The 6-foot-1 guard is avg. 16.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.2 steals, and is coming off a 22-point performance against Archbishop Wood in the semifinals.

It’s his final chance to secure a title that eluded him thus far and he’s not shying away from being the leader of this group.


First Team All-Catholic guard Xzayvier Brown - PSD Photo by Zack Beavers

“My freshman year was a great experience and I’m very blessed to play at Roman Catholic all four years,” Brown said after the semifinal win. “I played meaningful minutes learning from Jalen, Justice, and Lynn. You hear so many things about the Palestra but looking at it now during my senior year, I think about being in the final four every year and now this is my team with the help of other guys.”

Brown is joined by 6-5 senior forward Jermai Stewart-Herring, who transferred in after starting his career at St. Elizabeth’s High School (Del.). He is avg. 13.3 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 53 percent from the floor. He’s one of the more athletic wings in the league and one of its premier defenders. Shareef Jackson (10.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.9 blocks) had eight points, 11 boards and seven steals against the Vikings and the 6-7 sophomore is hoping to do something his father, Marc did twice by winning the Philadelphia Catholic League title. Marc Jackson was a teammate of McNesby and Carr and had a dominant performance with 22 points and 18 points in the 1993 final. Anthony Finkley, who began his career at West Catholic and will be Brown’s teammate at St. Joe’s next season, is a versatile player at 6-7 and has dished out 96 assists while hitting a team-high 37 three-pointers this season. Trenton Catholic (N.J.) transfer Erik Oliver-Bush and Simon Gratz transfer Robert Cottrell have combined to make 38 three-pointers as welcomed additions to the Cahillites rotation.

Jackson realizes what he personally faces as well as the team when the ball is tipped on Monday.

“It’s a really big legacy to live up to but also, it’s competitive because you should always try to outwork the people above you to showcase what you can do in the long run,” Jackson said on Wednesday. “This makes sure that your name will be put up there with your parents and any loved ones who also have a legacy."

Neumann-Goretti and Roman Catholic met in the title game for the first time in 2000 as the late Eddie Griffin posted 15 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks, denying Arrigale his first title. 


Roman Catholic senior forward Jermai Stewart-Herring - PSD Photo by Zack Beavers


Roman Catholic sophomore Shareef Jackson - PSD Photo by Zack Beavers

The heralded head coach would claim that coveted first crown the following season by enacting revenge on the Cahillites as Rich "Tabby" Cunningham scored 19 points in the win. 

What Arrigale has done at Neumann-Goretti is simply unprecedented as he has reached the Palestra 21 times in 25 seasons with 17th trip to the final coming Monday night.


Neumann-Goretti head coach Carl Arrigale - PSD Photo by Kathy Leister

Hakim Byrd was a two-year starter and one of the leaders on that 2020 team along with Hysier Miller (Temple University), Cameron Young (St. Peter’s University) and Jordan Hall, who is on a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs. Byrd avg. 14.7 points and 2.0 steals while making 43 three-pointers for a Saints offense that made 292 shots from behind the arc that season. He called playing at the Palestra “one of the best experiences of my life” and he “still thinks about it all the time.”

Byrd spent time at Marist and UMBC following his time at Neumann-Goretti and is currently flourishing at Jefferson University. He knows that the list of elite guards who developed under Arrigale is an encyclopedia at this point with names such as D.J. Rivera, Antonio "Scoop" Jardine, Chennault, Lamin Fulton, Lamarr “Fresh” Kimble, Troy Harper, Green, Dymir Montague, and Chris Ings, who became household names during their time playing in South Philadelphia. More importantly, Byrd stressed that Arrigale created a system that was established long before he got there and continues to permeate through the decades.

“For me, it came from watching the guys in front of me,” Byrd said. “My freshman year I was able to watch Quade and even before I got to Neumann-Goretti, I remember watching guys like Vaughn Covington. Those guys were so humble and poised, and when I got there, Coach Carl taught us to go out there, play our game and get the win.”

Byrd is painting the picture of how eras of Neumann-Goretti guards never actually graduate. While their high school careers end, players like Newton, Green, Harper and Tyreek Duren can be seen at games, particularly as they were following the Saints’ 69-56 overtime victory over West Catholic in the semifinals at the Palestra. It’s the passing of the torch and an essential element of Arrigale’s unparalleled philosophy in player development.


Neumann-Goretti alums Hysier Miller & Hakim Byrd - PSD Photo

“It’s a next man up mentality pretty much,” Byrd said. “We learn that generally if it’s your ninth grade year, you’re not going to play that much, and you learn from the guys in front of you by playing against them in practice every day. The next year, they leave and it’s your turn. We just keep going. Right now, it’s Rob [Wright III] and Khaafiq [Myers] but after them it will be somebody else for years and years after that.”

The torch has passed to Wright, the 6-foot junior point guard and Baylor commit who was the catalyst behind the Saints run to the title a season ago.


Neumann-Goretti junior Robert Wright III - PSD Photo by Zack Beavers

He scored a Neumann-Goretti playoff-record 36 points against Archbishop Carroll in the quarterfinals and surpassed 1,000 career points, becoming the first Saints player to accomplish that feat since Ings in 2019. He is avg. 21.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.3 steals while knocking down 52 three-pointers this season. Myers, the 5-11 junior and Second Team All-Catholic selection, is avg. 11.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.3 steals. Amir Williams, the 6-6 junior wing, stepped up in the semifinals making five three-pointers and finishing with 17 points.

As one of those players who has waited his turn to not only break into the starting lineup but also find ways to contribute, Williams has embraced what former players have shown him and how he can be effective in his role, where he has made 40 three-pointers as a marksman.

“It’s like they’re passing down and teaching us things they did,” Williams said Wednesday. “We can celebrate it.”

Sultan Adewale had a monster night with 18 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks against the Burrs in the semifinals. The 6-8 senior forward had 15 points in the league final against Archbishop Ryan last season and credits his increased exposure to playing in games of this magnitude whether it be in the Philadelphia Catholic League or even back home in London as he did August as a member of the rotation for Hoopsfix Elite going against Bronny James and California Basketball Club in a Euro Elite Tour as being key to his steady growth.

“Not just the PCL finals but I’ve done this before,” Adewale said. “I played against Bronny in the summer at the Hoopsfix Classic in London. I was playing in my hometown and there were over 10,000 people there. Obviously playing LeBron James’ son adds anticipation and I feel that I was ready for that. There isn’t anything I haven’t seen before.”

Adewale had 11 points, six rebounds and three rejections while James scored 11 points in Hoopsfix Elite’s 81-74 victory. He is avg. 14.9 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.9 blocks this season and has elevated his play to be considered one of the best big men in Pa. The Saints have another shooter in 6-2 senior guard Bruce Smith, who has hit 28 three-pointers at a 33.7 percent clip on the year.

The Saints took home the regular-season matchup, 62-60 with Wright held out due to illness. He’s back and 100 percent healthy, and Myers led the way in that win with 16 points, nine rebounds and nine assists while Adewale scored seven of his 11 points in the fourth quarter. Brown poured in a game-high 27 points and Stewart-Herring chipped in 20 points in the loss.

This matchup pits the two best programs that the Philadelphia Catholic League has to offer against each other with a winner taking home the title.

McNesby can win his third career championship while Arrigale will extend his historic title record. These schools have dominated the league for several decades with a range of accomplished players who have left their mark on the game by accomplishing more than what’s listed in the box score. Their consistent longevity of supremacy spans several decades, and they have flat out won the biggest games with none bigger than Monday’s championship game.

For players like Carr, winning this game on this stage puts a team in exclusive company.

“That’s the thing about championships: no one can take that away from you, winning never gets old and those teams are remembered for years to come,” Carr said.