His name is Peters.
Xavier Peters.
His teammates call him “X,” and the junior guard from Pennridge has the ability to shake, stir, or turn a game entirely upside down.
The Souderton Indians jumped out to an 8-0 lead at home against rival Pennridge last Friday, and had a comfortable 16-10 advantage after the first quarter. The visiting Rams, who entered the game winless, looked outmatched.
Then, the X Factor took over.
In an astonishing display, Peters buried a pair of 3s and also took flight, smoothly weaving through big men in the post and adjusting in mid-air — twisting through long arms and bodies with artistry and Gumby-like ease — as he hit basket after basket or dished the ball when the defense collapsed on him.
The X Factor scored 16 points in the second quarter, accompanied by Charles Rising’s 12 at forward, and finished with 30 as he carried the Rams over Big Red 76-67.
“When Xavier goes off like that, there’s not much an opposing team can do to stop him,” said Souderton coach Okoteh Sackitey, who helped train several NBA draft picks before taking the helm with the Indians. “He overcame everything we put on him.”
What Peters lacks in size (keep in mind he’s still growing) he makes up for in natural skill, boundless agility, control of every nuance, and a special combination of intangibles that can’t be taught.
But he’d be the first to tell you hard work is key.
“I just focus on the work,” Peters said. “I just put in the work to get better and try to help my team.”
Despite their difficult start, the Pennridge Rams (1-3, 1-1 SOL Colonial) could be right there at the end, as long as they have the X Factor on their side.
SOL Colonial may come down to the wire
If last week’s games in the Suburban One League Colonial showed anything, aside from Peters’ brilliance, it was that the division winner is likely to be decided late.
It’s too soon to determine if any team will emerge as truly great, but there are lots of competitive clubs, and any team can beat any team on a given night.
Just ask Central Bucks West.
The Bucks led the entire contest against North Penn last Thursday until Ahmaar Godhania drained a go-ahead 3-pointer with 2.7 seconds left. It was enough for a stunning, 47-45 Knights victory over the Bucks.
West coach Adam Sherman was irate with his squad afterward, knowing a division game had slipped away because of some sloppy play. In their defense, the Bucks may have had a letdown after a narrow, emotional loss to rival Central Bucks East two nights earlier.
North Penn didn’t put together a tight performance either, but showed it could eek out a win, even if it looked ugly until the final seconds.
CB East, which is off to a hot start, and North Penn sit atop the Colonial. But Pennridge, Souderton, South and West all look capable of taking over, too.
“It’s a good division, really tough,” Sackitey said. “But we think we can beat anybody. We think we can compete with anyone. We’re excited. We’re not backing down from any competition, and we know we’re going to face good competition consistently. We have worthy rivals.”
It should be an entertaining season.
KWS a small-school power
Look out for Kimberton Waldorf School.
The Phoenixville area’s fast-paced KWS Bulls, who went undefeated in the Red Division of the 26-team Penn-Jersey Athletic Association last year, raced past Dock Mennonite 54-23 last Monday.
While it’s true that Dock is in a major rebuilding phase, featuring several girls who have never even played basketball before, KWS is legit — and has a legit junior guard in Ciara O’Hara.
O’Hara scored a game-high 31 points and made plays on both ends of the court. She could be a feature player on any large-school team.
Also, Kimberton Waldorf has a couple of young big girls that could emerge over the course of the season and in coming years.
KWS doesn’t always get much media coverage, but it’s a team worth a look.
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Email Christiaan DeFranco at cdefranco@thereporteronline.com. Follow him on X at @the_defranc, or visit ChrisDeFranco.com.
