BOYS BASKETBALL: Philadelphia Catholic League Mid-Season Standouts and Notable Numbers

Philadelphia Catholic League Boys Basketball Roundup (through Jan. 19)

By: Rich Flanagan

Photos/Videos: Bjorn Beck, Jahmir Dunbar, Lennie Malmgren, Krystal Williams & Mark Zimmaro

The Philadelphia Catholic League season has already reached its midway point and while a few teams are starting to distinguish themselves, there is much to be decided. Consider that many of the contenders have been beating up on one another at a consistent rate through the first half of the league slate.

La Salle took down a revamped Neumann-Goretti squad on opening night while Bonner-Prendergast dominated Archbishop Wood and Cardinal O’Hara defeated Archbishop Ryan. The Raiders bounced back to take care of Archbishop Carroll, which currently has five league losses already and matches its number from all of last season, then on that same night the Friars left Solly Avenue with a stunning victory after a successful, clutch layup on a full-court play. Devon Prep has wins over Neumann-Goretti, Bonner-Prendergast and Father Judge so far and looks primed for more. Meanwhile, one team remains unbeaten and could be in store for a season it hasn’t had in two decades.

Devon Prep vs. Bonner & Prendergast - PSD Gallery by Jahmir Dunbar

With that being said, let’s take a look at some of the headlines in the Philadelphia Catholic League:

St. Joe’s Prep Stands Alone

Jason Harrigan and the Hawks went home early last year after Darren Williams’s game-winning jumper propelled Archbishop Ryan to a win on Girard Avenue and into the league semifinals. Jalen Harper and Matt Gorman graduated with Harper doing a prep year at The Newman School (Mass.) before heading to play at Rhode Island and Gorman is playing at Catholic University.

However, Olin Chamberlain Jr., Jaron McKie and Jordan Ellerbee are all back and a few additions have put the Hawks at a 7-0 record in the league to begin the season. Chamberlain, the 5-11 senior guard, has been the steady presence at the point while McKie has been recipient of Chamberlain’s playmaking with timely jumpers from the outside and Ellerbee is the early favorite for league MVP. The Hawks have already beaten Devon Prep, Cardinal O’Hara, Archbishop Ryan, Archbishop Carroll and two-time reigning champion Roman Catholic thanks to Ellerbee’s clutch left-handed layup at the buzzer to escape with a 40-38 win.

Ellerbee, the 6-3 senior guard and Florida Gulf Coast commit, had 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists while McKie drilled three three-pointers and finished with 17 points in the 75-69 victory over Devon Prep. Chamberlain went for 11 points and three assists and Life Center Academy (N.J.) transfer Mekhi Robertson added 15 points, six rebounds and four steals. Robertson, a 6-3 sophomore wing, brought offers from Villanova, Samford, Drexel, High Point, Rider, and Mississippi State with him to St. Joe’s Prep and has been a sensational addition to the starting lineup.

Chamberlain had 15 points, four rebounds and three assists, McKie led in scoring with 18 points, seven boards, four assists and four steals and Ellerbee chipped in 14 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals in a 64-45 drubbing of Cardinal O’Hara. Robertson played facilitator that night with six assists.

St. Joseph's Prep vs. Cardinal O'Hara - PSD Game highlights by Lennie Malmgren

St. Joseph's Prep vs. Cardinal O'Hara - PSD Gallery by Lennie Malmgren

Ellerbee played hero against the Cahillites but was also the only player in double figures that night with 20 points. Finally, Ellerbee posted 19 points and seven assists while Robertson flirted with a double-double with 11 points and nine boards and Chamberlain had three makes from deep and scored 13 points in a 70-59 win over Archbishop Ryan. Will Lesovitz has been a solid fifth starter for the Hawks, who have won five of their seven league games on the road, as the 6-4 junior guard put together 19 points and 10 rebounds in that win against the Raiders.

The Hawks have arguably the Philadelphia Catholic League’s most potent offensive attack and when it works well, it flusters the opposition and easy opportunities, particularly in transition, come in waves. St. Joe’s Prep is eyeing its first trip to the Palestra since 2018 and could very well do just that.

Devon Prep Making Noise Early on

With two PIAA Class 3A titles in the past three seasons, the Tide aren’t sneaking up on anyone anymore. However, Devon Prep hasn’t recorded double-digit league victories since joining the Philadelphia Catholic and this may be the year it does that in addition to hosting a quarterfinal matchup. The Tide fell short against the Hawks to open the league season then defeated West Catholic, Archbishop Wood and Neumann-Goretti, the latter two wins coming by at least 12 points.

Reece Craft, Zane Conlon and Shane Doyle are the three returning starters who were integral to last season’s state title victory while Mason Thear and Calvin Smith were impact transfers a year ago and now have full eligibility after sitting out during the postseason. Craft, a Swarthmore College commit and 6-7 senior forward, had 16 points and 11 rebounds while Doyle, a 6-3 senior guard, added 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists, five steals and four blocks in a customer state-sheet-stuffing line in a 60-57 win over Bonner-Prendergast. Smith and Thear combined for five three-pointers and 24 points. Conlon was limited to six points but corralled 10 rebounds and dished out three assists.

Two days later, the Tide picked up their biggest win of the season as Conlon, the 6-5 senior forward and Southeastern University commit, led the way with 24 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and two blocks while Craft went for 20 points and 13 boards in a 69-64 triumph over Father Judge. The vaunted front line controlled things inside shooting a combined 18-39 from the field and Conlon worked his way out to the perimeter with three three-pointers. The corps is back, and Devon Prep is hoping to turn its state tournament success into league success with its first trip to the Palestra in February.

Devon Prep vs. Father Judge - PSD Highlights by Lennie Malmgren

Devon Prep vs. Father Judge - PSD Gallery by Lennie Malmgren

(To see & purchase photos from the Devon vs. Judge game click here!)

Notable Numbers

There have been several high-scoring performances in the early part of the season and multiple players have showcased their scoring prowess in what is regarded as the premier high school basketball league in Pa.

Let’s start with La Salle’s Nick Parisi, who shot 12-18 from the floor and 7-10 from the three-point line to finish with a career-high 39 points in a 76-61 win over Lansdale Catholic. The 6-4 senior guard, who avg. 20.2 points per game last season, has taken his development a step further this year as his 39 points are tied for the third-most in Explorers history with Joey Heyer against Father Judge in 1956. Parisi scored 11 points in the first quarter and had 20 at halftime. His 39 points are the most by a Philadelphia Catholic League player this season.

Brandon Russell posted a career-high 36 points as he shot 12-20 from the field and 10-10 at the free throw line in Archbishop Ryan’s 84-79 overtime win over Archbishop Carroll. The 6-3 senior guard scored the most points by an Archbishop Ryan player since all-time leading scorer Thomas Sorber (Georgetown) had a school-record 41 points against Rutgers Prep (N.J.) on 12/29/2023. Russell scored 11 points in the extra period to secure the win.

Derrick Morton-Rivera, the son of former Neumann-Goretti standout DJ Rivera, put on a show against his father’s alma mater with 34 points in a 93-81 victory. The 6-3 Father Judge junior guard is one of the elite shooters in southeastern Pa. but his full skill set has been on display this season. He hit four three-pointers in that game as he shot 10-14 from the floor and 10-12 at the charity stripe. His 34 points were the most by a Father Judge player since Nahseer Johnson had 36 against Cristo Rey on 12/23/2019. Morton-Rivera has scored 20 or more in multiple games and continues to blossom into one of the more versatile players the Philadelphia Catholic League has to offer.

Father Judge vs. Neumann-Goretti - 1st half highlights by Mark Zimmaro for PSD

Father Judge vs. Neumann-Goretti - 2nd half highlights by Mark Zimmaro for PSD

Korey Francis led Bonner-Prendergast to an 86-69 win over Archbishop Wood, scoring a career-high 35 points on 10-20 shooting with 15 of his points coming at the foul line. The 6-3 sophomore guard didn’t hit a single three-pointer on his historic night and is the future of the league. He’s the first Friars player to score 35 or more points since former standout and Charlotte Hornets guard Isaiah Wong poured in a school-record 44 points against Neumann-Goretti on 1/11/2019.

Additional 30-point performances include Archbishop Carroll’s Luca Foster with 34 against Archbishop Ryan, Neumann-Goretti’s Stephon Ashley-Wright scoring 34 against Father Judge, and Conwell-Egan’s Antwone George tallying a career-high 32 points against Neumann-Goretti. George’s 32 points were the most by an Eagles player in a game since former College of Charleston standout Patrick Robinson had 33 against Father Judge on 2/4/2018.

Looking Ahead:

Father Judge and Roman Catholic will battle at Jefferson University on Thursday night in a potential Philadelphia Catholic League title game.

The Crusaders are led by Morton Rivera, 6-3 sophomore Nazir Tyler, 6-2 senior guard and Merrimack College commit Kevair Kennedy and 6-10 senior big man and Loyola (Maryland) commit Everett Barnes presents a multitude of mismatches. The wild card is 6-1 junior guard Rocco Westfield, who had 18 points against La Salle and 16 points in a victory over Camden (N.J.). Lafayette commit Shareef Jackson and his 6-7 younger brother, Sammy Jackson give the Cahillites one of the versatile front courts in the area. That duo combined for 31 points and 16 rebounds in Roman Catholic’s 73-65 win over Neumann-Goretti at Drexel University on Friday night. Floor general Tyler Sutton, the 6-2 sophomore who had 15 points and six assists, is the X-factor in this one.

Roman Catholic vs. Neumann-Goretti - PSD Photos by Krystal Williams

Cardinal O’Hara and Bonner-Prendergast are both in the midst of major turnaround seasons with new personnel and they will face off on Friday night.

Milak Myatt, who came over to the Lions after Math, Civics & Sciences closed at the end of the 2023-24 scholastic year, has been one of the true impact transfers this season. The 6-4 junior guard is avg. 17.1 ppg and alongside 5-8 junior Tygee Clark (11.8 ppg) and 6-7 sophomore forward Malik Brown, Cardinal O’Hara has made huge strides in Ryan Krawczeniuk’s first season. Francis (18.4) has been sensational for the Friars and so has Millersville commit Devon Nelson, who is avg. 15.2 ppg in league contests, and 5-10 sophomore Kam Jackson, who converted the game-winning layup at Father Judge.

Bonner & Prendergast vs. Roman Catholic - PSD Photos by Bjorn Beck @bjornbeckphoto

Archbishop Carroll and Neumann-Goretti meet on Sunday for the first time since the Philadelphia Catholic League quarterfinals and this matchup is even more intriguing as both teams are vying for playoff position in the middle of the pack. Foster has been everything as advertised this season with 20.1 ppg, but the Patriots have struggled to find their footing without point guard Ian Williams, who has been sidelined all season. Williams had surgery on his knee then had to have a second surgery. Foster, 6-6 sophomore wing Munir Greig, and 6-2 junior lefty Christian Matos have been the catalysts for Archbishop Carroll and could certainly turn things around down the stretch.

The Saints are always a threat with 12-time Philadelphia Catholic League champion Carl Arrigale roaming the sideline. Neumann-Goretti has a new group of faces led by Ashley-Wright, DeShawn Yates, and Keon Long-Mtume, all of whom are returnees from a team that advanced to the league semifinals a season ago. Ashley Wright, the younger brother of Baylor freshman guard Robert Wright III, is avg. 19.4 ppg has spearheaded the Saints offense and acclimated newcomers, 5-11 junior guard Kody Colson and 6-5 junior forward Alassan N’Diaye, into the mix. N’Diaye is avg. 15.0 ppg in league contests this season. This game should be a good barometer of where each program stands at this point in the season.

Philadelphia Catholic League Standings (through Jan. 19)

St. Joe’s Prep (7-0)

Devon Prep (5-1)

Roman Catholic (5-1)

Father Judge (5-2)

Bonner-Prendergast (4-3)

West Catholic (4-3)

Cardinal O’Hara (3-3)

La Salle (3-3)

Archbishop Ryan (3-4)

Neumann-Goretti (2-4)

Archbishop Carroll (2-5)

Archbishop Wood (1-4)

Conwell-Egan (1-5)

Lansdale Catholic (0-7)