Photos: Mike Nance

Videos: Rich Flanagan & John Knebels

By: Rich Flanagan

PHILADELPHIA - Simply put, “it’s a Roman thing.”

That is what legendary head coach Dennis Seddon, the winner of 10 Philadelphia Catholic League championships, professed on Monday night, and it encapsulates the tradition of excellence that Roman Catholic has exemplified as the marquee program in the league and Philadelphia high school basketball. Touted players have developed and prospered with an irregular regularity but more than that, those who have donned the purple and gold consistently win titles at a pace and rate that no other team in league history can match.

It was the latest moment for the Cahillites, who won their second consecutive title after Xzayvier Brown banked in the memorable game-tying three-pointer to force overtime before Roman Catholic finished things off in the extra period a season ago. Thinking back even a few years ago, Hakim Hart caught a pinpoint pass from Lynn Greer III in the closing seconds as Roman Catholic defeated Bonner-Prendergast in 2018.

Brad Wanamker, who was on hand for this win, recalled winning his lone title in that famous arena under Seddon 17 years ago, and even now, as he runs his AAU program, BW Elite, he still feels that chip on his shoulder where Roman Catholic has established an expectation that even in what some would categorize as down years, it will always have a say.

“We’re built different,” Wanamaker said. “Even when we’re the top dog, people still doubt us, so it’s that underdog mentality of going into every game and thinking people are betting against us.”

In the same way, he returned from those knee injuries, Goss and the Cahillites came back from a potential back-breaking three and didn’t lose their composure during that final possession. He dribbled down the right side, took a left-handed dribble from just outside the three-point line and pulled up from just above the foul line for a jumper that will reside in Roman Catholic lore for generations.

“Everything comes full circle,” Goss said. “This is just a testament to let everyone know to keep working and not ever stop because of injury or hard times. Just keep working.”

This gives McNesby his fourth Philadelphia Catholic League title, joining greats like his mentor in Seddon, William “Speedy” Morris and Billy Markward, all of whom won at least four titles while manning the Cahillites sideline.

It has been a continuation of success that each generation understands and vows to emulate, and when former players return and speak to the current group, McNesby wants his corps to be aware of and embrace the expectations of wearing Roman across their chests.

“They know when Xzayvier Brown, Anthony Finkley, Brad Wanamaker, Tony Carr, or Lamar Stevens come into practice, and they talk about their championship and how they won, the guys think, ‘There’s some pressure there,’” McNesby said. “It’s a little gut-wrenching.”

As gut-wrenching as it may be, Roman Catholic is consistently holding the Philadelphia Catholic League plaque and more plaques reside at the intersection of Broad & Vine than anywhere else. Maalik Wayns is a connection between Seddon and McNesby, having won his lone league crown with Wanamaker under Seddon then finishing his career with McNesby at the helm. Even more so, Wayns is a household name on a list of household names that have called Roman Catholic home and as the decades have gone on, the program remains at the top of the league with no signs of slowing down.

“If you look around, some schools have come and gone, but Roman has been a staple,” Wayns said. “Neumann has obviously also been a staple but the tradition at Roman and the way it’s operated, there’s really nothing like it.”

Johnson, the 6-foot senior, closed out his high school career with a coveted title while adding to the rich history that is Roman Catholic basketball. He wanted to be part of that before enrolling and he will now be mentioned in the same breath as Wanamaker, Wayns and Brown.

“When you play in the PCL, your goal is to always get to the Palestra, and the fact that I was able to make it and be valuable to my team is really important to me,” Johnson said. “I’m really happy to be in this moment with my guys.”

Johnson converted a tough layup to give the Cahillites a 23-12 lead in the second quarter for his only field goal of the night. Scoring was not his forte or role on this team but rebounding and face-guarding players were elements he knew he could flourish in, and he took that to heart. Reed, the 6-2 senior, led the team with 39 made three-pointers this season and played his role to perfection as both a marksman and multi-dimensional defender who could guard several positions.

“Even when it was the first day coming in, we had to make sure we were a team because you can bring in a whole bunch of great guys and they may not mesh together,” Reed said. “We all came together and got it done.”

Transfers are nothing new at Roman Catholic as Finkley, Carr, Stevens, Hart, and Allen Betrand, among others, did not begin their careers with the Cahillites but left as champions and their names will go down in history. Winning a title is one thing but winning a Philadelphia Catholic League title at Roman Catholic is everything. The way this group gelled together may have been McNesby’s best work as a head coach as a team with Brown, Shareef, Daniel Skillings Jr and Khalil Farmer did not win a title two seasons ago then Brown and Finkley graduated following last year’s title. Shareef is the star of this team but he needs players like Goss, Cottrell and Johnson to feed him the ball, allowing others to create on their own when teams key on the big man.

There are programs who have had stars and made their runs but came up short. None can measure up to the track record of winning Roman Catholic has put together for over a century. The standard is Roman Catholic and even as the game has changed, it has remained the standard. Until another program knocks it off its pedestal, it will stay there and it’s difficult seeing it leave anytime soon.

It has withstood the passage of time, and the best players want to wear that famed jersey worn by McDonald’s All-Americans and NBA Draft choices. Moreover, they want to play for the winningest program in Philadelphia Catholic League history and etch their names next to those who helped build Roman Catholic into the standard of Philadelphia high school basketball.

As Seddon confesses, holding that plaque in that hallowed arena is the expectation for Roman Catholic basketball every, single season. It always will be.

“It’s a tremendous tradition and as members of the Catholic League, we live for this,” Seddon said. “Even though we joined the PIAA, that’s totally secondary. If you asked any team or coach in the Catholic League if they had to choose between the two, it’s not even a contest. It’s playing in front of 10,000 of your closest friends and enemies, and something you will never forget. Every kid that has ever played here talks about it. It never gets old.”