DLN Boys Basketball All Area, Stuart Ross DLN Coach of the Year
DLN All-Area Boys’ Basketball
First Team
Duce Jackson, Sr., Collegium Charter: Jackson was the do-it-all man for the Cougars. The 6-foot-7 senior was asked to be the Cougars’ point guard as well as the main inside scorer and rebounder. Jackson averaged 20.5 points per game and nine rebounds, and led his team to the District 1 4A playoffs.
Andrew Phillips, Sr., Malvern Prep: Phillips, a 6-foot-5 wing player, led the Friars in scoring by averaging 18.5 points per game to go along with seven rebounds per game. He was also a force on the defensive end for Malvern Prep.
Donovan Fromhartz, So., Downingtown West: The 6-foot-5 Fromhartz was a breakout star for the Whippets as he averaged 16 points per game to go along with six rebounds per contest. He scored 482 points in his sophomore season and was a big part in leading the Whippets to the second round of the PIAA 6A playoffs.
Jacen Holloway, Sr., Devon Prep: Holloway had a great career for the Tide. This season he averaged 18.5 points per game to go along with six rebounds per game and was named second team in the Philadelphia Catholic League. Holloway led the Tide to the quarterfinal round of the PIAA 3A tournament.
Connor Shanahan, Sr., Downingtown East: The Cougars’ point guard led the Ches-Mont League in scoring by averaging 23.6 points per game. He drained 43 3-pointers and scored over 50 points in a game twice this season.
KJ Cochran, So., West Chester East: The Vikings’ star led his team in scoring by averaging 18 points per game and he also drained 33 3-pointers and has scored 756 points in two years. He led the Vikings to the second round of the PIAA 5A playoffs.
Second Team
Jeremiah Marshall, Sr., Coatesville
Ben Rodney-Tims, Sr., Bishop Shanahan
Ian Schlesinger, Sr., West Chester Rustin
James Anderson, Jr., Unionville
Connor Fleet, Jr., West Chester Henderson
Ty Mishock, Jr., Devon Prep.
Honorable Mention
Adam Ziegler, Avon Grove; Charlie Federico, Bishop Shanahan; Zuri Harris, Dior Kennedy, Coatesville; Ben Robinson, Conestoga; Cooper Shivers, Church Farm; Lucas Orchard, Devon Prep; Kelly Bell, Downingtown West; Jake Woodard, Great Valley; Ryan Williams, Malvern Prep; Reagan Pelletier, Kennett; Matt Boyle, Oxford; Ryan Brown, Robbie Logan, Charlie Kammeier, Unionville; Jack Kushner, Jose Ramos, West Chester East; Nyle Ralph-Beyer, K’Mari Smith, West Chester Henderson; Tyler Giunta, Chase Hatton, Matt Nochumson, West Chester Rustin; Matt Gihool, Westtown.
Coach of the Year
A coach not only instructs and leads, but is someone that can adjust to adversity on the fly and still lead his or her team to reach its potential. Before this season started Stuart Ross of Downingtown West lost his 6-foot-9 center Jake Warren — who decided he would play his senior season at a school in Florida.
It was a big blow for the Whippets who were counting on the talented senior to be their main man inside.
But Ross did not alter his focus and he led West to the Ches-Mont League championship, the first state playoff win in school history and a fourth-place finish in the District 1 6A playoffs.
It is for these accomplishments that Stuart Ross is the Daily Local News’ Boys Basketball Coach of the Year.
Ross had the Whippets playing the likes of Archbishop Wood, Chester, Reading and others in the most challenging non-league schedule in the area, and he still led the Whippets to a 22-7 record. Ross adjusted to the preseason loss of his star center and still led the Whippets to a memorable season.
