Chester lands three on All-Del Val boys basketball team

Chester’s third straight boys basketball season without a loss in the Del Val League was duly rewarded in all-league voting, with the Clippers earning half of the first-team spots in the All-Del Val League team, released Thursday.

Karell Watkins, Akeem Taylor and Zahmir Carroll were first-team selections. Chester’s other two starters, Fareed Burton and Rahmee Gilbert, landed on the second team, with sixth man Faheem Berry and reserve forward Shaquan Horsey on the third team.

Watkins, the 2019-20 Daily Times Boys Basketball Player of the Year, averaged 19.9 points and 12.6 rebounds for the Clippers, who made the PIAA Class 6A quarterfinals before the season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic. Watkins was a second-team All-State.

Taylor averaged 14.4 points per game to earn All-Delco recognition. The Kutztown commit was a third-team All-State pick in Class 6A.

Carroll hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer in Chester’s comeback win over Simon Gratz in the second round of states. He averaged 9.5 points per game, third most on the team.

Also on the first team is the Penn Wood duo of Shamir Baynes and Jerry Flynn, which led the Patriots to the District 1 Class 5A final and a states berth. Baynes, a second-team All-Delco, was the Patriots’ most consistent scorer, the combo guard leading the way at 17.8 points per game. Flynn, a junior forward, added 10.8 points per game and was a regular double-double threat by the postseason for a 16-win squad. Flynn was a third-team All-Delco.

Rounding out the first team All-Del Val is Academy Park guard Derrick Northern. Despite missing seven games early in the season, Northern was one of AP’s most consistent performers, averaging 16.1 points per game.

Note: All-Del Val teams are selected by league coaches. The Daily Times has no input whatsoever in the process.

First Team

Karell Watkins, F, Chester
Akeem Taylor, G, Chester
Shamir Baynes, G, Penn Wood
Jerry Flynn, F, Penn Wood
Zahmir Carroll, F, Chester
Derrick Northern, G, Academy Park

Second Team

Tahriq Marrero, G, Academy Park
Josh Hankins, G, Chichester
Fareed Burton Jr., G, Chester
Rahmee Gilbert, G, Chester
Jasir Shaw, G, Chichester
Desman Johnson, F, Penn Wood
Jalen Cassidy, G, Academy Park

Third Team

Abdullah Dublin, G, Penn Wood
Faheem Berry, G, Chester
Jeremiah Butts, G, Interboro
Paris Blackwell, F, Chichester
Andrew Monroe, F, Chichester
Shaquan Horsey, F, Chester

Honorable Mention

Academy Park: Barry Brown, Namir Simmons
Chichester: Ousmane Fofana, Ramir McDowell
Interboro: Logan McCaffrey, Colin Jones, Connor Hughes, Josh Asadi, Dylan Granato
Penn Wood: Saalih Moore