All-Delco Boys Basketball: Jackson Hicke hoping he’s become part of Radnor’s legacy
RADNOR — The boys basketball team at Radnor had the kind of season that required multiple trips to the archives. It was the only source of relevant context for its accomplishments.
So many of the Raptors’ achievements begged the question of, “when was the last time?” That led to dusting off the record books, especially to find a way to describe how unprecedented the Central League and District 1 Class 5A champions’ season was.
One day, might a shot of the current squad be so venerated? Will what they’re doing be frozen in amber as the standard to which future teams are held?
“That would be awesome,” Jackson Hicke said. “There’s certainly potential for that. What we did this year was memorable and kind of hard to replicate in however many years to come. I think we’ve earned it, to be recognized throughout the years and leave a lasting mark, for sure. We hope it’s a bar we set for future teams and that’s something they try to attain.”
Hicke’s aspiration carries nuance. What Radnor achieved was extraordinary: A first Central title in more than five decades in the league, a District 1 crown, 29 straight wins, a trip to the PIAA quarterfinals. He’d love for this season, on the heels of states qualification in 2022, to start an extended run of success akin to the Ellis Dwyer era of the 1960s.
So less than a culmination for an undeniably special class, Hicke hopes this is instead a first wave in a new era.
“We’re just trying to re-create the perspective and narrative of Radnor High School basketball,” Hicke said. “Usually they’re sitting at the bottom of the league and no one takes us seriously. But we’re trying to inspire younger generations to really stick with it and for the good players to stay in the township and keep working at the sport, because we showed how much fun we had playing together. Kids see that and they want to be in our shoes. I think it’s really that we won all these things for the first time, but we hope it’s not the last time. We hope that we can come back in 10 years and see Radnor continuously competing for district and league championships.”
Hicke helped make that happen this year. In a storied senior class, the Princeton signee stood out, his high-powered scoring and ability to take over games spearheading Radnor’s storybook season. For that, Hicke is the 2023 Daily Times Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
Hicke is joined on the All-Delco team by teammate Charlie Thornton, Cardinal O’Hara guard Izaiah Pasha, Penn Wood guard Nasir Washington, Haverford guard Googie Seidman and Upper Darby guard Nadir Myers.
All six first-teamers are seniors. Pasha and Hicke were All-Delcos last season, Pasha as Player of the Year. Seidman was a third-team pick last year. The All-Delco team is selected in consultation with area coaches.
Hicke finished his career with 1,109 points. He’s the ninth member of the school’s 1,000-point club, ranking fifth all-time. He’s the first Radnor player to win Player of the Year since the Daily Times instituted the award in 1980, and he’s just the second Central League player to take home the honor since 2006 (Penncrest’s Tyler Norwood in 2017).
This season, he was fifth in Delco at 19.3 points per game and averaged a team-best 8.3 rebounds plus 3.0 assists. He shot 60 percent from the field.
Hicke, Thornton, Danny Rosenblum and Cooper Mueller comprised the spine of a special class that led Radnor’s renaissance. The Raptors won their first 29 contests by an average of 20.5 points per game. Only two games were decided by single digits. Rare were outings that the Raptors were forced to play a full four quarters to subdue opposition.
“You don’t want to underestimate any opponent, but when you’re winning games by as much as we were, it was almost difficult to get amped up for some games,” Hicke said. “But Coach (Jamie) Chadwin did a great job of making sure we knew how important it was to focus day in and day out and not let any games slip away from us. We ultimately were able to do that and bring our best every game.”
The core of that mission was playing for each other. The Raptors have spoken at length about a nucleus together since elementary school. They showed promise in 2019-20, starting 8-0 and making districts before falling in playbacks with a 15-11 record. (Thornton and Rosenblum played on that team, though Hicke did not). The shortened 2021 season was a wash at 4-8, before last year’s run to the second round of states and an overtime loss to Chester in the District 1 Class 5A final.
That adversity strengthened them for a senior season that they knew could be special. But no one imagined it would be this outstanding.
“I don’t think any of us expected what happened this year, winning 29 straight,” Hicke said. “But I think we all knew this was a special group, that it just worked out perfectly. We all stayed in the same school, so we were really looking forward to this year and had really high expectations, but I think we definitely exceeded them.”
Hicke was the ringleader. He paced the team with 15 points in a win over North Worcester in Florida, a two-point victory. He added 16 in the OT win over Garnet Valley in January and 24 in topping Archbishop Ryan in December. He was held quiet in the regular season win over Lower Merion but added 19 in the Central League final, helping shift momentum in the first half. He tossed in 18 in routing Unionville in the District 1 final, then 30 to see the Raptors past Warwick in the first round of states.
His whirlwind spring included watching Princeton spring a surprise run to the Sweet 16 as a No. 15 seed, further amping his excitement for next year (and helping him in a bracket pool here and there).
“I think it gained respect for Ivy League basketball as a whole,” Hicke said. “It’s a really high level, and it was amazing to see how well they played on the biggest stage in college basketball. I was already excited to go next year, and I can’t wait now. Hopefully we get back a couple of times while I’m there and, you never know, win a couple of games like they did this year.”
Fighting for respect at a place not regarded for basketball is something Hicke knows well. He’ll head to Princeton with that blueprint in mind, while embracing a set of memories and friendships at Radnor to last a lifetime.
“They’re my brothers, especially Charlie, Danny and Coop – they’re my best friends from playing together for so long,” he said. “I’m just really thankful for all of it, the wins and losses and all we’ve been through. But through all the years and many years to come, I think the entire team and coaching staff, I think of how close we are. We’ll be in touch for decades, for sure, and I’m very thankful for that.”
