Boys Basketball Preview: After season wiped by COVID, Academy Park starts over
Building from scratch after not being able to play at all is something completely different. Add in a new coach and you’ve got the measure of the challenge before Academy Park this winter.
The Knights opted out of the 2021 season, citing concerns over COVID-19 in the community. That means new coach Todd Hryn has little experience within the ranks to build on. Instead, the former assistant at Penncrest and Strath Haven has a chance to create this year’s team out of whole cloth.
The closest thing to experience comes from the football field. The Knights will count on a pair of players from AP’s run to the District 1 Class 5A semifinals to provide grit in the post, via senior Ibrahim Sanogo and junior Darrell Fields. Kahlil Greenwood was one of the Knights’ top pass-catching threats in the fall, and the 5-9 senior has varsity experience dating back to 14 games as a sophomore.
Senior captain Zahamir Mobley played sparingly in his sophomore season in 2019-20. Sophomore Jamir Anderson will run the point, while junior Najee Shaw and senior Bryce Mickens will fill out the rotation.
Replacing a 1,000-point scorer in Josh Hankins is the challenge for Chichester. But the Eagles’ nine-win campaign to make the District 1 Class 5A tournament last winter was about more than just Hankins. Maz Sayed, who averaged 10.9 points per game, is back. The frontcourt pairing of Eddie Swinton and Isaiah Diggs offers offensive pop and hard work on the boards. Both Akhir Keys and Zaiyin Keys showed flashes as sophomores, and juniors Vince Wildrick and DJ Anderson will provide height and strength in the lane.
Abu Kamara gives Interboro a known scoring threat, having averaged 16.9 points per game in 2021 and coming off a stellar football season. Dylan Granato and Patrick Brennan also got time for the winless Bucs. Dom Gunter is among the others expected to fill rotation roles. Zakee Brooks, who like Kamara shined on the football field, will also get minutes.
COVID-related disruptions denied Penn Wood a chance to see its class of 2021 build on the previous year’s run to a district final. The only upside in that missed chance is how many young players were forced to step up last year.
Shamir Massenburg returns to run the point, while Naeem Purnell showed he can be a featured scorer. Forwards Even Borward and Mekhi Shillingsford are sizeable presences up front.
Catholic League
The mix never really came together last year for Archbishop Carroll, though it still yielded the Patriots a 9-7 record and a District 12 Class 4A title. Gone is All-Delco Anquan Hill, now at Farleigh Dickinson. And while last year’s core is largely gone, tons of talent remain.
Moses Hipps averaged 13.6 points per game as a freshman, including 37 3-pointers. He’s one of the top players in the class of 2024 in the area. Dean Coleman-Newsome, who contributed as a freshman two years ago, is likewise a hot commodity, the 6-4 junior guard likely to run the point.
Height will be provided by seniors Harold Ivery and Sal Monastero, plus junior Blake Deegan. Justin Cannon also brings experience to the backcourt.
Cardinal O’Hara went 3-10 last year, but the upside on the squad was clear.
Josh Coulanges averaged double-figures as a sophomore. Maasai Harris was also near that threshold, and in 6-4 Amir Speights and 6-6 Pearse McGuinn, the Lions return two sophomore wings with experience and size. Zuri Harris, Kory Jones and Christian Cervellero also got an idea of varsity demands last season.
Seven games was hardly an adequate showcase for Bonner-Prendergast, and it meant an unceremonious farewell for the seniors that were part of a run to the uncompleted PIAA quarterfinals the previous March. Point guard Mandon Seapoe is the only holdover from that squad.
Instead, the page flips to the future, and the Friars have a slew of young players in the sophomore and junior classes who might need time to really make their mark. Seapoe and AJ Dreger, who played sparingly last year, are the only listed seniors. Brady Eagan will contribute as a junior, while Kyree Latimer, Jamal Hicks and Deuce Ketner all got a taste of varsity as freshmen last season.
Inter-Ac League
Haverford School’s biggest loss from last season ventured about 20 miles up the road, All-Delco Jameel Brown transferring to Westtown School for his senior year. The combo guard averaged 21.7 points per game in 2021’s 7-2 Fords campaign. He was committed to Purdue before switching to Penn State.
That leaves something in the neighborhood of 80 percent of the Fords’ scoring from last year going out the door. Ryan Rogers will step into the backcourt in place of older brother Bernie. Dave Kearney and Matt Kearney will play big roles, as will Carson Mastin and Billy Rayler.
Episcopal Academy endured a 1-9 run through the league-only 2021 campaign, but the Churchmen have already exceeded that win total in the late-November portion of the schedule.
Kevin McCarthy’s role as a complementary scorer last season, when he averaged 11.8 points per game, has translated well to a featured role. He’s surrounded by superb athletes who might not have basketball as their primary sport but bring the athleticism to contribute. Matt McCarthy (a Penn lacrosse signee) is one, as is TJ Lamb (Cornell lacrosse/EA wide receiver) and Sam Malloy (one of EA’s best soccer players and likely a college lacrosse player).
Ches-Mont League
A 2-10 season wasn’t what Sun Valley hoped for in 2021. But the growing pains could yield growth.
It’s still a fairly young rotation around 6-7 senior forward Nick Giannakopoulos. But the strength is in the junior class with guards Ishmael Glasgow, Todd Harper and Chris Kwaidah, all with varsity experience. Noah Griffin and Jonathan Grayston are in the mix with promising freshman Kaiden Robinson.
Bicentennial League
Delco Christian has to replace two very big figures in Earle Greer and Jordan Mitchell. The duo averaged 29.8 points last season in helping the Knights to 11 wins and a District 1 Class 2A final appearance, Greer winning the BAL division MVP award.
But the cupboard is hardly bare. Josh Parks averaged 15.8 points per game last season. As the Knights’ leading 3-point shooter last year, he’ll likely adopt more of the dribble-drive responsibilities of Greer, as DC is flush with guys who can knock down shots. Josh Dell’Arciprete and Jace Kees combined for 65 made 3-pointers last year, mainly as catch-and-shoot options off the penetration of Parks and Greer.
Through all that, replacing the tenacity on the boards and defensive toughness that Mitchell provided will not be easy. Lincoln Palmer is among the contingent of sophomores and freshmen who’ll be called upon to step up.
