Malvern’s Andrew Phillips knows how to rebound from adversity

Malvern Prep senior forward Andrew Phillips, who was recently named the Inter-Ac Boys Basketball Player of the Year, is a young man who knows how to bounce back after adversity strikes.
In May 2020, his father Andrew passed away due to COVID-19. The following April, as a sophomore, he broke his collarbone while playing in an AAU tournament.
But he came back strong for his junior year, earning first team All-Inter-Ac honors and averaging 15.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 2.3 apg as a forward/guard for a Malvern squad that went 16-9.
“Andrew is one of the most versatile offensive players and gifted scorers I have ever coached,” said Malvern coach Paul Romanczuk. “He varies his offensive attack game by game to put himself and our team in the best possible position. He is a very skilled, versatile basketball player with good footwork and a high basketball IQ.”
When Andrew’s father died, it was a real blow for the soon-to-be-sophomore.
“He was my biggest mentor – he and I would always talk about how I was growing up and developing in basketball,” said Phillips. “He played basketball for Upper Darby High School (graduating in 1985), and he knew that I had a lot of potential. After he died, it gave me a motivation, to make him proud of me.
“The most important thing I learned from him is to keep my head up – there will be many obstacles but keeping your head up will lead to many more opportunities and success. After my Dad passed, I worked even harder to get to where I am today. I learned to bounce back, to stay in the gym after basketball practice, to keep working.”
In April 2021, playing in an AAU tournament in Pittsburgh, Phillips broke his collarbone.
“Someone tripped me as I was running up the court, and as I fell, I tucked my arm under, and broke my collarbone,” said Phillips.
For the 6-foot-5 sophomore, the biggest challenge he faced in his rehab was not being able to play basketball.
“Having to watch and not being able to participate made me realize how much love I had for the game and how I wanted to come back stronger and better,” said Phillips.
Just a few months later, Phillips started the last five games of Malvern’s 2021 football season as a defensive end for the Inter-Ac champions. One of his favorite experiences as a football player was a game played at Franklin Field, the former home of the Philadelphia Eagles. The Friars defeated Archbishop Wood in the Sept. 18, 2021 contest.
“That was a cool experience, playing on that field and looking into the stands,” said Phillips. “I remember being in Penn’s locker room and enjoying the experience of playing in a college stadium. It was a great experience and we all felt what it would be like to play at the next level.”
Phillips did not play football for Malvern as a senior – he opted instead to concentrate on his basketball career. And he closed his basketball career with a bang his senior season, finishing the 2022-23 campaign as the team’s leading scorer (18.7 ppg), leading rebounder (7.4 rpg) and leading assist man (3.0 apg). He shot 53 percent from the field and 37 percent from three-point territory.
“Winning (the Inter-Ac Player of the Year honor) means a lot to me; it’s something I’ve always wanted since my freshman year at Malvern,” said Phillips. “It felt great because I worked so hard to get to this point.”
The 6-foot-5 Phillips played several games at point guard, as well as forward. Interestingly, his favorite basketball player is 6-foot-7 point guard Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks.
“I like how he slows the game down and makes it look so easy every time,” said Phillips. “He can do it all – shoot, dribble, he has composure and is crafty. He looks so happy playing and has so much love for basketball.”
Phillips also served as a Malvern basketball team captain this winter.
“I feel that this year I took a big leap with my leadership role,” said Phillips. “As a captain, I had more responsibilities and had to always be positive and to be willing to work even harder for my teammates. I felt that I really got better in that role as the season went on.”
Phillips comes from a basketball family. His sister Grace played for Dartmouth, his mother played for Villanova (playing as Patricia McDonough, she graduated in 1993) and his older brother Colin played for Episcopal Academy (graduated in 2018). His maternal grandfather, Bill McDonough, played for Malvern in the early 1960s under future Villanova coach Jack Kraft.
In fact, Phillips wears uniform jersey No. 20 in honor of his grandfather, who has been active in basketball for more than half a century, was the very first boys basketball head coach at Archbishop Carroll High School in the late 1960s (Kraft recommended him for the job), and still coaches AAU girls basketball.
“My grandfather and Colin have been my biggest (current) mentors,” said Phillips. “They have both taught me to overcome adversity and not give up. My brother pushes me to get better and to work harder each week. They are both some of my biggest supporters.”
Phillips plans to play basketball in college – he has not committed to a school yet – and would like to major in business.