Boys Basketball: First-teamer Wong leads seven from Delco voted All-State
The core of Delco’s hoops prowess this season resided in Class 5A, and media voters across the state reflected that in the release of the All-State basketball teams Tuesday.
Bonner & Prendergast’s Isaiah Wong was voted to the first team in Class 5A, one of seven Delco honorees, all in Class 5A.
Four of the seven second-team nods were doled out to Delco players: Bonner’s Ajiri Johnson, AJ Hoggard of Archbishop Carroll, Christian Ray of Haverford School and Penncrest’s Tyler Norwood. Antwuan Butler of Cardinal O’Hara and Tariq Ingraham of Bonner were third-teamers.
Players were chosen by media across the state according to PIAA classification/enrollment size, with three teams of honorees in each of the PIAA’s six classes. A player of the year and coach of the year were also recognized in each class.
Wong, the 2017-18 Daily Times Boys Basketball Player of the Year, averaged 22.2 points per game in his first season with the Friars after transferring from Notre Dame (N.J.). The 6-3 junior guard led Bonner & Prendie to its first PIAA tournament, advancing to the Class 5A semifinals before being knocked off by champion Abington Heights in overtime. (The Comets were represented by first-teamers Jackson Danzig and George Tinsley as well as coach of the year Ken Bianchi.)
Hoggard led Carroll to a 10th straight states berth. The sophomore point guard, already a two-time All-Delco, averaged 15.7 points per game.
Johnson was the big man in the middle for Bonner, averaging 11.1 points and 10.5 rebounds per contest. The All-Delco will continue his career at Rider.
READ: The 2018 All-Delco Boys Basketball first-team capsules
Tyler Norwood, the 2016-17 Daily Times Player of the Year, averaged 21.6 points in his senior campaign, leading the Lions to a second straight District 1 title, a program record for wins in a season (26) and the second round of the PIAA tournament.
Ray piloted the Fords to a 10-0 record in the Inter-Ac League for the program’s first title since 1999, 23 wins overall and the final of the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISAA) Tournament. The All-Delco, a transfer from Octorara, averaged 18.9 points.
Butler transferred from the shuttered Del Val Charter and helped power a turnaround for the Lions. He averaged 18.9 points and led O’Hara to a win in the first round of the Catholic League playoffs. The Austin Peay signee was a third-team All-Delco pick.
Ingraham landed on the second team All-Delco. The 6-9 junior forward who transferred from Salesianum averaged 12.6 points in a potent 1-2 punch with Johnson.
READ: The full list of All-State honorees
The Southeastern corner of the state dominated the postseason awards, garnering four of the six Player of the Year nods. Eric Dixon of Abington, a 6-7 junior forward who recently committed to Villanova, was tabbed as the top player in 6A. Roman Catholic’s Matt Griffin earned Coach of the Year honors, and four Cahillites — Seth Lundy and Lynn Greer III on first team, Allen Betrand on second and Hakim Hart on third — were honored for doubling as Catholic League and Class 6A state champs.
The 4A accolades were monopolized by state champ Imhotep Charter, headlined by POY Donta Scott and fellow first-teamer Dahmir Bishop. Cameron Reddish of Westtown School, bound for Duke, was deemed the top player in Class 3A (based on enrollment for the non-PIAA outfit). Damon Wall of Constitution earned Class 2A POY.
The top honor in 5A went to Mars’ Robby Carmody, who’ll play at Notre Dame next year, while Kennedy Catholic’s state-title leader Maceo Austin was crowned in Class A.
