THE PHELPS SCHOOL 2025 PAISAA CHAMPIONS
2025 PAISAA Champions - The Phelps School - PSD Photo by Kathy Leister
Photos/Videos: Jeremy Goode, Kathy Leister & Lennie Malmgren
By: Jeremy Goode
Philadelphia - Trey Morin had been in this situation before. In fact, just last year. This time, Morin wanted to finish better than in last year’s PAISAA basketball championship, in which his Phelps team lost to Perkiomen, 77-67.
Morin admitted that last year during pregame, nerves took over. It makes sense. Anytime a team is in a championship game nerves tend to arise. You invest so much in the program and care so much about the outcome that not knowing what the result will be can make someone uncomfortable. Nerves got the best of him.
This year that was not the case. Act like you’ve been here before. Morin did, as his 12-seeded Phelps team beat The Hill School 66-56 to win the PAISAA championship at Hagan Arena at Saint. Joseph’s University on Sun., March 2.
“This year, I was not remotely nervous,” Morin said. “The level of effort and focus that these guys have shown in the last week and a half is a different vibe.”
It was an interesting year for Phelps. They finished 15-22 overall, and 5-6 in conference play. Phelps, located in Malvern, Pa., has a difficult prep school schedule. They play some of the best schools in the Philadelphia area, including schools from the Inter-Ac League, the Friends School League, other prep schools out of state, and of course within their own conference.
In fact, nearly a month ago Phelps had already hosted Hill in a conference matchup. They were up 10 points with 90 seconds left but coughed up the game, losing 83-82 on a Jacob Meachem buzzer beater that stole Hill the game.
That would not happen again.
2025 PAISAA Championship Gallery by PSD's Kathy Leister
This time, Phelps would again lead Hill by double digits in the PAISAA championship, but now they held onto the lead. They made corrections where and when it mattered the most.
“We just lost to Hill three weeks ago… we were up 10 with a minute forty-five to go,” Morin said. “We turned it over. We did not execute correctly. We did not play super tough. We weren’t super intelligent with it.”
Over that period after that loss, Phelps made corrections. Part of what makes this Phelps team so special is how many players contribute. They are led by two seniors who have been at the school for the last three years, Onyx Nnani (Arkansas State), and Justin Houser (Penn State). They were the difference against Hill during the championship game.
The Phelps School vs. The Hill School in PAISAA Championship Game. (Highlights by Lennie Malmgren for PSD)
After trailing 11-6 in the first four minutes, Phelps went on an 8-0 run to end the first quarter. The second quarter was back and forth, as Phelps held onto a 29-28 lead at halftime. Nnani led the team in scoring at halftime with 10 points. David Bottomley had six points off of two three-pointers.
Of course, like any championship game, there was drama. Hill outscored Phelps by one point in the third, sending the game into the final quarter tied at 43. Early in the third, Hill had reclaimed the lead at 35-32 with 5:26 remaining, but it was not able to hold on. Hill’s Ethan Johnson and Meachem combined for 12 points in the third.
Phelps took charge early into the fourth quarter, going up 52-45 with 5:33 remaining. Phelps would not look back, finishing the game on a 14-11 run, thanks to 11 of Houser’s 15 points coming in the fourth quarter.
When Phelps needed to rise to the occasion, the players delivered.
“It was tied going into the fourth quarter, basically zero to zero to me,” Houser said. “I wanted to do everything in my power to win us the game. I gave my best effort and we came out with the dub.”
Nnani finished with 20 points. Bottomley added 12, including three three-pointers, one coming towards the end of the fourth to really separate both teams. Johnson scored 10 points. Phelps finished the game with seven players having played.
It was anyone’s game going into the fourth quarter. And Phelps saved the final eight minutes to score the most points by quarter with 23.
“In the fourth quarter, it’s run the ball, post Justin, he’s going to go to the glass extra aggressive,” Morin said. “Our game plan really was we are going to plant Justin at the rim… and then it’s just, are we going to make plays.”
They would. Phelps made six baskets and drilled 10 free throws.
For both Hauser and Nnani, it was the best way to go out, especially together since they arrived at Phelps at the same time three years ago.
“This is just meaningful because we were able to develop together and end our high school careers with a win,” Nnani said. “Especially with someone who you’ve been with the past few years, the feeling is amazing.”
Johnston led Hill with 17 points. Meachem scored 15, with 13 of his points coming in the second half. Filippo Galli and Caleb Jameson combined for 19 points.
PAISAA Championship Highlights by Jeremy Goode for PSD
Phelp's Justin Houser, Onyx Nnani, and Trey Morin in Post Game Press Conference
Hill's Seth Eilberg and Jacob Meachem
“I think in the fourth quarter, we had some great looks, in and out, things like that,” Hill head coach Seth Eilberg said. “Sometimes that is what it comes down to, but not for any lack of these guys doing all that they could, controlling all they could to prepare for the game. It was a real exciting journey to be able to be able to play until the final day of the season.”
It is Phelps’ first PAISAA championship since 2015, so the wait took an entire decade. While the organizers viewed them as a true 12-seed, Phelps ran the gauntlet, beating Academy of the New Church, Springside Chestnut Hill, Perkiomen, and now Hill.
“There are very few teams that get to win their last game of the season and reach their potential as a team,” Morin said. “It’s been a great run. I could not be happier for the school and for our team, because this is obviously something they will never forget.”