BOYS BASKETBALL: At the Midpoint, Familiar PCL Contenders Remain at the Front of the Pack

Philadelphia Catholic League Boys Basketball Roundup (through Jan. 20)

Photos/Videos: Luke Gallagher, Kathy Leister, Lennie Malmgren, Mike Nance & Krystal Williams

By: Rich Flanagan

The Philadelphia Catholic League season is almost at its midway point and there has been plenty to discuss. Nonleague play saw local teams travel to West Palm Beach, Fort Myers, Springfield (Mass.), Pine Bluff (Ark.), Creedmoor (N.C.) and various parts of Maryland, including the Governors Challenge.

Neumann-Goretti downed Lincoln Park – the same team that gave the Saints their first loss in a state championship game under head coach Carl Arrigale in March – in the Burger King Classic at Cathedral Prep in Erie. The Saints also won the Battle in the Bull in N.C. while Father Judge won the Holiday Basketball Classic of the Palm Beaches and St. Joe’s Prep took home the Jesuit Invitational title in Tampa.

Plenty of marquee matchups took place such as the Saints securing a win over a win over Imani Christian Academy, last year’s PIAA Class A champion, while the Hawks and Archbishop Wood both played Public League power Imhotep Charter. The nonleague presents high-level matchups with some of the nation’s best programs, but here we are with a multitude of Philadelphia Catholic League games having already been played and perhaps not surprisingly, two teams are both undefeated in league play and overall.

Let’s take a look at what we have learned thus far:

Neumann-Goretti, Roman Catholic Rolling to Begin the Season

The Saints and Cahillites played a memorable Philadelphia Catholic League title game (once again) last February with Xzayvier Brown hitting a shot that will be talked about for decades to come. Fast forward a year later and both programs are unbeaten through this point in the season.

Neumann-Goretti (13-0, 4-0 Philadelphia Catholic League) has tallied quality league wins against Archbishop Carroll, Archbishop Wood, and Cardinal O’Hara. Khaafiq Myers has been at the forefront of this impressive start averaging 16.9 points per game. The 5-foot-11 senior guard and St. Joe’s commit is tallying loaded stat lines yet again as evidenced by his 17 points, six rebounds and eight assists in the 84-57 victory over the Patriots to open the Philadelphia Catholic League season. Newcomer Torrey Brooks, a 5-11 sophomore lefty who is avg. 14.3 ppg, drilled seven three-pointers on his way to 23 points in that win and Larenzo Jerkins, the 6-6 senior forward and recent West Chester University commit avg. 15.3 ppg, posted a 14-point, 18-rebound double-double against Archbishop Carroll. Jerkins has been nearly unstoppable after having to sit out last season due to PIAA transfer rules.

The Saints have only had two games this season where their margin of victory was in single digits, and it speaks to their offensive depth and defensive prowess.

Neumann-Goretti vs. Archbishop Carroll - PSD Game highlights by Lennie Malmgren

Neumann-Goretti vs. Archbishop Carroll - PSD Photos by Lennie Malmgren

They have a myriad of options at the offensive end with Myers, Brooks, Jerkins, Stephon Ashley-Wright, and Amir Williams. Ashley-Wright, the 6-foot sophomore guard and younger brother of former Saints standout Robert Wright III who is playing his final prep season at Montverde Academy (Fla.), spearheaded the 83-61 win over the Vikings with 22 points, including four three-pointers, six boards and six assists after Myers, who still finished with 15 points, went down with a knee injury.

With Myers out, Brooks provided the spark shooting 9-for-13 from the field on his way to 22 points to go along with nine boards while 5-9 sophomore guard DeShawn Yates had his biggest game of the season pouring in 17 points and seven assists in a 90-55 win over the Lions. Keon Long-Mtume, a 6-3 junior guard who is avg. 9.5 ppg, scored 18 points against Cardinal O’Hara and has been a bright spot this year. Myers is expected to miss a few games as he works his way back, but the injury is not expected to keep him out for an extended period.

Meanwhile, head coach Chris McNesby has inserted several new pieces into his lineup and the Cahillites haven’t missed a beat in their strong start out of the gate. The mainstay, Shareef Jackson, has been one of the most dominant big men in the Philadelphia Catholic League this season. The 6-7 junior forward leads Roman Catholic (14-0, 5-0) at 17.5 ppg and has taken the mantle from Brown and Anthony Finkley. He had 22 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists in a 57-44 win over Cardinal O’Hara then added 18 points and 11 boards in a win over West Catholic by the same score. He is expanding his range this season and despite seeing increased time on the perimeter as part of the Cahillites’ offensive motion, he is still finding his spots in the paint and at the elbows.

Hunter Johnson starred for Cardinal O’Hara two seasons ago then played at Orlando Christian Prep (Fla.) as a junior. The 6-foot senior guard is back in the league and showing he still has what it takes to make his mark, as he did with a game-winning and-one against Bishop McNamara (Md.) in the Governors Challenge.

Roman Catholic vs. Cardinal O'Hara - PSD Game highlights by Lennie Malmgren

Roman Catholic vs. Cardinal O'Hara - PSD Gallery by Lennie Malmgren

He poured in 17 points, six rebounds and five assists in the Philadelphia Catholic League opener versus Devon Prep then chipped in 11 points in that win over the Lions. Another transfer, 6-2 senior guard Travis Reed Jr. (10 ppg), has been a nice addition to the rotation. The Frankford transfer scored 12 points in a 67-49 victory over the Vikings and nailed three three-pointers on his way to 15 points against the Burrs.

Sebastian Edwards (10.7) has been a nice surprise after playing sparingly last season and he brings instant offense and shooting to the Cahilites lineup. The 6-2 junior guard tied for the team-high with 18 points against the Vikings then hit a pair of threes to finish with 10 points in a 62-33 win over Lansdale Catholic.

Neumann-Goretti and Roman Catholic face off for their lone regular-season matchup on Jan. 28 at Holy Family University and it would not be surprising to see both enter that matchup with perfect records. It may even decide who secures the top seed in the Philadelphia Catholic League playoffs.

Versatile Guards Carrying St. Joe’s Prep

When Tristen Guillouette was ruled ineligible for his final season at St. Joe’s Prep, there was uncertainty about how the Hawks would conform to life without the 6-9 big man. Even with a potential Division I prospect in the middle, the strength of St. Joe’s Prep (12-2, 5-0) resides with its array of talented guards. Guillouette is now finishing his prep career at George School and head coach Jason Harrigan has the Hawks in terrific position for the second straight season.

Seniors Jalen Harper and Matt Gorman along with a trio of juniors in Jaron McKie, Jordan Ellerbee and Olin Chamberlain Jr. have powered the Hawks to five consecutive wins to open league play, including a 57-52 win over Archbishop Ryan when they trailed by 16 in the third quarter. Ellerbee (19 points), Harper (16), McKie (12) and Chamberlain (10) all scored in double figures in that win that has spurred them to this emphatic start. They are one of the streakiest and consistent shooting teams in the league and their performances against Archbishop Carroll (16-34 from three-point range) and Devon Prep (13-29 from deep) are just two instances of that.

McKie, the 6-3 junior guard and son of the former Temple and Philadelphia 76ers standout, leads the team at 17.4 ppg. He hit five three-pointers and finished with 17 points in the 84-63 win over the Patriots and Ellerbee (13.8 ppg) contributed 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals. Harper (11.4) chipped in 17 points and 10 rebounds in that game, Chamberlain (13.6) hit four three-pointers on his way to 14 points and Gorman (7.8) – a Catholic University commit – sank three three-pointers and finished with 13 points.

St. Joseph's Prep vs. Archbishop Ryan - PSD Photos by Luke Gallagher

St. Joseph's Prep vs. La Salle - PSD Gallery by Luke Gallagher

St. Joe’s Prep had four double-digit scorers in a 75-66 victory over Bonner-Prendergast with Chamberlain leading the way with 18 points then McKie was the high scorer with 17 against the Tide as five players scored at least 11 points. Harrigan has created an offense that allows for offensive freedom and doesn’t pinpoint one player facilitating the offense every time down the floor. Any player can get the Hawks set and that versatility bodes well for the team heading down the stretch of the regular season. This is a team that can give the opposition a lot of different looks and switch any position defensively.

Northeast Philadelphia Rivals Renew Rivalry Next Weekend

Father Judge (10-4, 4-1) and Archbishop Ryan (9-6, 4-2) will meet for major bragging rights on Jan. 29 and it’s safe to say for the first time in several years both Northeast Philadelphia programs will have a major say in the Philadelphia Catholic League conversation. This fierce rivalry has much more meaning when both are in contention and have a legitimate shot at getting to the Palestra. Coincidentally, if the season ended today, these programs would meet in the quarterfinals, just as they did most recently in 2017.

The Raiders boast perhaps the best inside-out duo in the league in Thomas Sorber and Darren Williams, both of whom surpassed 1,000 career points earlier this season.

Few teams have been able to stop these two over the past three seasons and the seniors are hoping to get Archbishop Ryan back to the league title for the first time in two years. Sorber, the 6-10 Georgetown commit, is avg. 18.9 ppg and has been nothing short of dominant this season. He went for 22 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks in the loss to St. Joe’s Prep then accumulated 26 points, 15 boards and six rejections in a 53-46 win over Archbishop Carroll. His most recent stat line was 12 points, eight boards, four assists and five blocks in a 62-50 victory over Cardinal O’Hara.

Archbishop Ryan vs. Cardinal O'Hara - PSD Gallery by Krystal Williams

Williams is headed to play at Florida Gulf Coast next season and the 6-4 lefty is having a sensational season avg. 19.1 ppg. He hit five three-pointers on his way to 21 points in a 72-71 loss to Archbishop Wood then hit six more treys and scored 22 points in the win over the Lions. The Raiders go as Sorber and Williams take them but the contributions of Gannon University commit Rocco Morabito, senior guard Ryan Everett and 6-6 senior forward Jaden Murray, who had 17 points, nine rebounds and six against vs. Cardinal O’Hara, could be the key to a deep postseason run. Add in 6-6 junior guard Brandon Russell (18 points, six assists against Archbishop Wood) and a little more consistency could push Archbishop Ryan over the top.

Chris Roantree has his best shot at a deep postseason run behind three stalwart guards in senior Laquan Byrd, junior Kevair Kennedy and sophomore Derrick Morton-Rivera.

Morton-Rivera, the 6-3 rangy sophomore, is avg. a team-high 16.4 ppg and has scored in double figures in every game this season. He knocked down four three-pointers on his way to 17 points and added eight rebounds in a 73-67 win over Cardinal O’Hara then shot 6-11 from the floor and finished with 15 points in a 95-53 thrashing of Conwell-Egan. Kennedy (16.1 ppg) is filling up the stat sheet this as the 6-1 guard posted 21 points, six assists and six steals in a 71-48 victory over West Catholic then went for a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds against the Lions.

Father Judge vs. Archbishop Wood - PSD Gallery by Kathy Leister

Byrd (13.7) is the senior leader who brings everything together and his 15-point, 15-rebound performance against the Burrs was one of the latest examples. The 6-3 guard shot 6-12 from the field and tallied 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists against the Lions then chipped in 12 points and six boards vs. the Eagles. The X-factor in all this is 6-3 freshman guard Nazir Tyler, who played as an eighth grader at Germantown Friends School and is avg. 7.4 ppg. He is coming off his best outing of the season with 20 points on 8-10 shooting with four three-pointers, six rebounds and four assists.

The Crusaders and Raiders are primed for postseason appearances, but next week’s matchup will go a long way in determining how ready they both are.

News & Notes:

Aasim Burton has been scorching the nets this season for Cardinal O’Hara. The 6-3 senior floor general and Rider commit has five 30-point games, including a career-high 40 points against Reading that tied the program single-game record with Jaye'lyn Peebles who went for 40 against La Salle on Jan. 15, 2017.

Burton made 17 shots, including three three-pointers, to go along with six rebounds, four assists and seven steals. His latest 30-point game came against Father Judge as he went for 33 on 14-23 from the floor.

The Lions are sleepers to make the postseason thanks in large part to Burton and his scoring prowess.

Aasim Burton #2, Cardinal O'Hara senior - PSD Photo by Krystal Williams

Morris Ivery scored 15 points and hit a game-tying three-pointer to force overtime then Conwell-Egan took care of business in the extra period to hold off West Catholic, 67-64. It marked the Eagles first Philadelphia Catholic League win over a team other than Lansdale Catholic since beating Father Judge on Feb. 4, 2021. Antwone George is one of the better guards in the league that not too many know about, and the 6-2 junior guard went for 17 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and six steals in that victory. The Eagles have been building to get back into contention for a few years and second-year head coach Tyrone Lewis has them playing together.

Conwell-Egan vs. Lansdale Catholic - PSD Gallery by Donna Eckert

Sorber is poised to finish his Archbishop Ryan career as the all-time leading scorer, but he already has a record to this name. He shot 18-23 and finished with a school record 41 points in a 75-56 win over Rutgers Prep (N.J.). He surpassed the previous total of 38 points scored by Anthony Starace against Bishop McDevitt in 1998. Sorber added 16 points and nine blocks for good measure. He has scored 20 or more points in six games this season.

Zane Conlon poured in a career-high 32 points in a 69-65 loss to Archbishop Carroll, but in the process, the 6-4 junior forward set the Devon Prep record for points scored in a Philadelphia Catholic League game (Devon Prep joined the league in 2018). Conlon has been on a tear this season, avg. 17.3 ppg and scoring in double figures in every contest with four 20-point games. He possesses the type of versatility that can carry the Tide to victories down the stretch, as evidenced by performance in a 74-70 win over La Salle where he posted 17 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Devon Prep vs. Roman Catholic - PSD Photos by Mike Nance

The best kept secret in the Philadelphia Catholic League is in Montgomery County as first-year head coach Ryan Ansel has high-scoring guard Nick Parisi leading the way.

While the Explorers have not won a league game to this point, they have been competitive, dropping four of their five contests by no more than four points and Parisi has kept them in games with an average of 20.9 ppg. The 6-3 junior guard saw little action as a sophomore but now has a league-leading nine 20-point games this season. He scored 28 points against St. Joe’s Prep then poured in 25 vs. Archbishop Carroll. His best game of the year to date was a 33-point explosion in a loss to Archbishop Wood where he shot 11-24 from the floor.

La Salle vs. Archbishop Wood - PSD Gallery by Kathy Leister

It was the most points by a La Salle player in a game since assistant coach Amar Stukes scored the same total against St. Joe's Prep on Feb. 1, 2013. Parisi is having a breakout season and so far no team has been able to slow him down.

Philadelphia Catholic League Standings (through Jan. 20)

Roman Catholic (5-0)

St. Joe’s Prep (5-0)

Neumann-Goretti (4-0)

Father Judge (4-1)

Archbishop Ryan (4-2)

Archbishop Wood (3-2)

Archbishop Carroll (3-3)

Bonner-Prendergast (2-3)

Conwell-Egan (2-3)

West Catholic (2-3)

Devon Prep (1-4)

Cardinal O’Hara (1-5)

La Salle (0-5)

Lansdale Catholic (0-5)