Judge junior sharpshooter Justin Fleming is one of many talented backcourt players for the Crusaders, who are off to a perfect 4–0 start. BILL ACHUFF / FOR THE TIMES
Over the weekend, St. Joseph’s Prep and Archbishop Wood repeated as state football champions, officially ushering in the end of an eventful fall sports season. With winter upon us, the Northeast Times shifts its focus to high school basketball season. In total, there are 14 boys teams in our area vying for success on the hardwood.
Here is a closer look at those local squads (all records through Tuesday):
PHILADELPHIA CATHOLIC LEAGUE
Archbishop Ryan
Last season: 10–12 overall, 2–11 league
Head coach: Bernie Rogers, 15th season
Record so far: 4–1
The Raiders have been a model of consistency for most of Bernie Rogers’ tenure at Ryan, which made seeing the school near the bottom of the Catholic League standings and out of the playoffs last season that much more surprising. And while the Raiders are young again with just two seniors on the roster, Rogers does return some experience and has the Raiders off to a 4–1 start. Kevin Nichols and Shane Taylor return as seniors, while juniors Austin Chabot, Austin Slawter and Fred Killian are all returning starters. Chabot and sophomore Izaiah Brockington (mostly a JV player last year) have handled the bulk of the scoring through four games.
“We’re young and trying to find our way,” Rogers said. “But I think we have good, young players who have a good future. We have guys who can pass, dribble and shoot. Our goal is not only to get them to play well, but to make their teammates better to give ourselves the best shot in a tough league.”
With La Salle, Carroll, Neumann-Goretti and Roman expected to be the league’s top four, Rogers’ team falls somewhere within that next tier.
“We have to control the ball and play good ‘D’ to give ourselves a chance every night,” Rogers said. “I think we’re a little unknown, but as a program we strive to make the playoffs every year.”
Father Judge
Last season: 8–15, 5–8
Head coach: Sean Tait, sixth season
Record so far: 4–0
Last year was a learning experience for the Crusaders. Loaded with a roster full of new players in 2013–14, point guard Will Brazukas was the only one on Tait’s roster with any real varsity experience. Brazukas is back as a senior, and now he’s got help. Judge can go eight-deep, with sophomore Marc Rodriguez and juniors Quincy Reed and Justin Fleming all capable scorers at the guard position. Junior Quinn DeNofa and senior Aaron Higgins, who missed last season with a heart ailment, add backcourt depth. Not big on size, seniors Pat Mulville and Nick Nowack do most of the dirty work down low.
“Our guard play is very good, and we have a lot of guys back,” Tait said. “All of them have experience from last year. Will is obviously the driver that makes our bus go, but everyone else has been much more consistent. That’s what we were missing last year.”
Judge qualified for the playoffs in 2013–14, but lost an opening-round, pre-playoff game to McDevitt. Tait is hoping that big-game experience pushes the Crusaders back toward the middle of the pack.
“To extend our season and get that experience in a big game was great,” Tait said. “We know we have a group that can pass, dribble and make shots. We want to build off what we did down the stretch last year. The reality is, in this league you can be 5–8 and be a real nice high school basketball team. At the end of the day we want to be in the playoffs and be in a situation to be one game away from the Palestra. How that will come remains to be seen.”
PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC LEAGUE, DIVISION B
Frankford
Last season: 8–16, 0–10 Division A
Head coach: Dave Huzzard, fifth season
Record so far: 3–5, 1–1
A tough showing in an uber-talented Division A in 2013–14 saw Frankford drop down to B; and even with almost an entirely new roster, expect the Pioneers to win a lot more this time around.
Between graduation and transfers, head coach Dave Huzzard has one starter (senior guard Quadire Truesdale) and two bench guys (seniors Jemire Solomon and Aleem Griffith) from last year’s roster. Everyone else is new, highlighted by Demetrius White, who, along with Truesdale, has done most of the scoring for Frankford.
“With a completely new team, we’re still teaching the kids the system,” Huzzard said. “We’ll have some growing pains, but we’re getting better. We don’t have the big guys yet, so rebounding and securing the ball have been our biggest issues.”
The Pioneers will go as far as Truesdale takes them, and Huzzard called Solomon “our heart and soul, the toughest kid I’ve ever coached.” Beyond that, guys are still learning their roles.
“I think we’ll be a top-three or four team in our division,” Huzzard said. “We need to continue to get better and beat the teams we know we should beat. We’ve lost some close games early, but as guys get more comfortable I think we’ll be OK.”
George Washington
Last season: 15–7, 9–4
Head coach: John Creighton, third season
Record so far: 6–0, 2–0
John Creighton has made the playoffs in his first two seasons as Washington’s head coach; 2014–15 is shaping up to be even more special.
The Eagles have opened the season with six straight wins, including victories over Catholic League foes St. Joseph’s Prep and Ryan, as well as ending Chester’s 45-game home winning streak. Creighton has a wealth of returning talent in the backcourt (seniors Asante Ali and Jheron Johnson) and down low (6-foot-6 inside/outside threat Charles Brown and 6-foot-5 forward Jerome Blume); not only that, but he scored transfer guard Elmange Watson from Northeast, who averaged 23 points per game in Division C a year ago.
“We’re a senior-heavy team, and they’re mature and know the expectations,” Creighton said. “We always talk about how versatile we are, and we can use that to our advantage. With all our returners, we’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. We still have a lot to work on, but I’m extremely proud of our start.”
Washington, known for years as a football powerhouse, is making tremendous strides on the hardwood with Creighton in charge.
“GW isn’t known as a massive basketball program with all this tradition,” he said. “We’ve gone from looking for signature wins to, if someone beats us, that’s their signature win. We’ll take no team for granted, and these kids see now they can be successful within a disciplined program. We’ve put in the work behind the scenes; now, it’s time to execute.”
Northeast
Last season: 10–9, 6–6 Division C
Head coach: Ira Stern, third season
Record so far: 1–3, 0–3
A move up to Division B, as well as losing the team’s top scorer, has done little to diminish Ira Stern’s enthusiasm. While Northeast lost Watson to Washington, Stern is excited about returners Tyriq Wilson (senior point guard), Deshan Brown (senior guard), Darren Bagget (senior forward) and Drew Heller (senior forward). Senior big man Darius Thomas, in his first season of varsity ball, has been a pleasant surprise.
“We start five seniors,” Stern said. “Tyriq is leading our team, and Deshan is our go-to shooter. We lost an All-Public guard (Watson), but I’m still very confident that we can contend with most of the teams in our division. My questions are: are we willing to dedicate ourselves to defense, and can we get better at boxing out? It takes five people to get one rebound.”
There are few coaches who get more excited to coach up the talent he has than Stern, and his extensive coaching pedigree bodes well for his roster.
“If we can improve on the things we don’t do well, we think we’ll stand toward the top of that middle of the pack,” Stern said. “If not, we’ll be more toward the bottom. Losing our leading scorer is very difficult, so we have to play better defense. This division is taller, stronger and quicker, but we’re not scared of anybody. We have a lot of returning experience, and that will carry us through.”
DIVISION C
Lincoln
Last season: 12–8, 7–5
Head coach: Al Brown, fifth season
Record so far: 0–7, 0–3
Lincoln head coach Al Brown is finding out just how hard it can be when faced with the task of losing his top three scorers from last season. Seniors Raymond Fred and Akquil Harrington graduated, while dynamic point guard Blair Bowes transferred to Division A’s Philadelphia Electric Charter, leaving Brown with senior Ishmael Marshall and a whole lot of inexperience.
“It’s pretty much a whole new group of guys,” Brown said. “We lost most of our scoring, so we don’t have the chemistry yet we’ve had in the past. Point guard play hasn’t been the same since losing Blair, so there’s been a lot of mental errors. They’re young, and we’re working them through it.”
Marshall is a defensive-minded player who has transitioned into the Railsplitters’ leading scorer, a challenge Brown said the senior has been up for so far. Junior Ben Franklin transfer Marquis Horton provides more scoring and experience, while seniors Lamar Talley and Kyle Bailey and sophomore Nassir Coleman have taken on expanded roles as well.
“I’m actually excited,” Brown said. “I’m OK with taking some bumps and bruises with this young group, and I’m excited for their futures. We just have to coach ’em up and get them on the same page. When they jell, we’ll be alright. Realistically, if things come together I think we can finish in the middle of the pack in our division.”
Samuel Fels
Last season: 4–16, 2–11 Division B
Head coach: Mark Heimerdinger, sixth season
Record so far: 2–3, 1–2
Fels moves down to Division C after a 2–11 showing in B last season, and veteran coach Mark Heimerdinger is still watching his 2014–15 group take shape.
Senior forward Jaquann Harrell and junior forward Aasim Campbell return as starters, while transfers James Sneed and Devon Adams are expected to contribute heavily on the court for the Panthers. Sophomore Matt McFarland, at 6-foot-6, gives Heimerdinger some nice size in the post. Heimerdinger, who coached for decades at Cardinal Dougherty, still loves the energy that comes from the start of a new season.
“My optimism comes from kids who have never played together forming a chemistry on the court,” Heimerdinger said. “They appear to be good kids willing to work hard and buy into playing together in a system. If they keep doing that, we’ll be successful.”
In this age of Public League ball, Heimerdinger acknowledged how difficult it is to gauge talent with so many players switching schools from year to year.
“I always understand at this point that I don’t know what I’m up against,” he said. “All I think about is how I can maximize my players’ talents and fit those into the system I’m working with. I’m positive with what we can do.”
DIVISION D
Franklin Towne Charter
Last season: 9–10, 7–5
Head coach: Chris Lauber, third season
Record so far: 2–3, 1–2
With the loss of his top three scorers (Ryan Boyd, Mike Kessler and Demetrius Frye), Towne head coach Chris Lauber finds his program in a transitional year. As a result, he will count on senior holdovers to fill voids in leadership and the scoring column.
“We have a very new roster that’s left us with a struggle to find an identity,” Lauber said. “It’s going to be an uphill battle while we try to become the team we need to be. We’re in a good position for the future, but now we might struggle as we find ourselves.”
Lauber, also the school’s baseball coach, will lean on his best player on the diamond, senior forward Steve Callahan, during basketball season. Callahan, a natural leader, will be a Towne headliner on the hardwood, as will senior forwards Ishmael Lanzo and Will Welch.
“Our goal is to be in the top five in our division and be in playoff contention,” Lauber said. “Realistically, my brain tells me no to this, but I think we have to see how the guys bounce back. I know it can be disheartening for the seniors, because they’re doing something really good to school these younger kids. We expect some grind ‘em-out games, and we’re excited for those moments.”
Swenson
Last season: 7–6, 6–6
Head coach: Kevin Lockett, third season
Record so far: 4–1, 3–0
Now in his third season as Swenson’s head coach, Kevin Lockett is counting on experienced players who have been with him from the start to carry the team toward the top of the division.
Senior captains Clarence Brunot and Somah Slewion have been with Lockett since he took the job, with Slewion being one of the team’s leading scorers. He has lots of help from fellow seniors Alex Rodriguez and Jihad Warner, all of whom have paced the Lions to a 3–1 start.
“This year, I have five guys total who have been with me for three years,” Lockett said. “Not a lot of coaches can say that these days, and I have 14 phenomenal young men who work their tails off to get better and compete. It’s been a great experience.”
Lockett told his players before the season that he expects Swenson to be one of Division D’s top teams; now, it’s up to the senior-heavy Lions to prove it.
“Somah and Clarence are two of the best kids I’ve ever been around, Alex is a lockdown defender and Jihad can really score,” Lockett said. “The experience we have should help take us a long way. We aren’t a basketball powerhouse, so if we can win some games, fantastic; but as long as they work their tails off and compete hard, that’s all I can ask for.”
DIVISION E
Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush
Last season: 2–11, 2–10
Head coach: Cliff Breese, third season
Record so far: 1–2, 1–2
As an arts school, athletics may not be the end-all, be-all at Rush; that said, the Knights certainly have some talent on the basketball court.
Cliff Breese, who previously coached JV basketball at Southern, has watched his first team in 2012 mature into a veteran-laden group, led by senior co-captains Deion Hammond and Isaiah Riddick and flanked by junior point guard Malik Hughes, all three-year players. Riddick starts at shooting guard, while the 6-foot-4 Hammond mans the middle.
“Those guys are catalysts for the entire program,” Breese said. “They’re leaders on the court and in the classroom, where they all have rigorous courses. Our core values are based on responsibility and selflessness. We run man defense from start to finish, which has produced a group of very hard-working and motivated kids.”
At this point, Breese sees Rush as a middle-of-the-pack team in Division E with potential to go further if things go well.
“The games on the schedule are winnable, and we don’t have to overmatch anyone to find ways to win,” he said. “If we can find ways to close teams out in close games, I think we can be a .500 team or better. We’ll figure out a way to take care of business.”
Philadelphia Academy Charter
Last season: 3–10, 3–9
Head coach: David Brown, fourth season
Record so far: 1–4, 0–3
When David Brown took over at PACS, “We were wearing reversible mesh jerseys and hadn’t won a game in two years.” Now, as expected after laying a foundation, things have gotten more established for the Chargers.
Brown’s four top players are senior center/captain James Smith, senior guard Wyatt Broomhead and junior forwards Jeff Days and Allen Ramsey. PACS has bounced back and forth from Division E, up to C and back to E again, and Brown is ready to prove his young team, flanked with strong leadership at the top, can contend in the division.
“We’re back in that rebuilding phase, with half our guys being freshmen and sophomores,” Brown said. “But we do have good, strong leadership at the top. Not only are they talented basketball players, but they are good boys who work hard.”
PACS has dropped its first two division games, but at this point in the season, your guess is as good as Brown’s on how league play will unfold.
“Kids change schools in the Public League all across the grid now, so you never know which teams are going to be good,” he said. “Nothing looks the same. It’s tough to predict, but I think it’s a reasonable expectation for us to go .500. We’re strong on defense and can rebound the ball; we may not have the most talent, but the grit we show is the essence of this program.”
Tacony Charter
Last season: First season in Public League
Head coach: Sean Riley, first season
Record so far: 3–2, 2–1
At 26, Sean Riley never expected to be in this position. But he’s not arguing.
“I was making good money in my career earlier this year, but my job let me go,” Riley said. “If someone would have told me three years ago coming home from school that I’d be the head coach of a high school team, I wouldn’t have believed it. It’s surreal.”
Riley, who played Division II ball at Central Penn College, used mutual contacts to network and land his new job, and he couldn’t be happier. He’s tasked with ushering Tacony Charter into its first season in the Public League, and is equipped with talented players Jeremiah Alston (senior forward, leading scorer and “the heart of Tacony,” according to Riley), Imhotep transfer Justin Johnson and fierce senior defender Joe Purnell.
“Losing my job humbled me,” Riley said. “It showed me you could lose everything, but still should be thankful to be alive. That’s what I’m trying to teach these kids. Support here for athletics and basketball is growing, and I’ve got an extremely hard-working team.”
BICENTENNIAL LEAGUE
MaST Charter
Last season: 3–18
Head coach: Lou Costanzo, fifth season
Record so far: 3–3, 0–3 league
Now in his fifth season at MaST Charter, Lou Costanzo knows just how tough it can be to compete as a smaller school against formidable opponents such as Holy Ghost Prep, Church Farm, Calvary Christian and New Hope-Solebury.
“We lost by 33 to Church Farm tonight; they had a 6-foot-10 kid from Nigeria, kids from Iceland and the Ukraine,” Costanzo said by phone Monday evening. “We have kids that get in by lottery. The 15 kids who try out are usually the ones who make the team. We’re a very small school playing against much larger ones who have had programs around for years. We’re just trying to get ours kick-started.”
That said, MaST has come a long way since the school opened in 2000, when, “We didn’t have a gym and were shoveling snow to play on a playground in the winter,” Costanzo said. This year, he’s got two seniors, two juniors and a horde of sophomores and freshmen. Headliners should be sophomore Matt Carter, the team’s best player, junior point guard Colin Dever and senior leaders/forwards Jordan Telessord and Bryan Kaelin.
“They changed our playoff system so that everyone in the league makes it, so we want to fight for a spot that will put us in a position to win a game,” Costanzo said. “We’d like to be that surprise team. We’ll try to improve one quarter and day at a time.”
PENN-NEW JERSEY LEAGUE
New Foundations Charter
Last season: 13–8, 9–3 Public League Division E
Head coach: Ryan Kilkenny, third season
Record so far: 3–4
Ryan Kilkenny has brought some Father Judge toughness to New Foundations Charter School (NFCS), resulting in instant success for the hoops program, now in its third season overall and second at the varsity level.
Kilkenny was the Judge manager under Bill Fox and graduated in 1997. He, along with assistants Jim Reeves and Tim Ryan (also Judge grads), are overseeing NFCS’ transition from the Public League to the Penn-New Jersey League, which also features Girard College. And while NFCS will not be eligible for postseason play this season, there’s lots to be excited about.
“At first, I didn’t know anything about the school, just where it was,” Kilkenny said. “The real appeal was starting something fresh from the ground up. We built the foundation, and we’ve grown it from there.”
NFCS is led by senior point guard Travon Williams, a standout for Northeast’s football team; other contributors include Williams’ stepbrother, sophomore Nazir Wilson, junior three-year starter Keith Blassingale (the team’s leading scorer), senior and fellow three-year starter Matt Campbell and sophomores Ian Kennedy and Ed Cahoe.
“We’re still finding ways to win,” Kilkenny said. “We’ve been up and down finding our fight, and the beauty is we have almost the entire core back next year when we’re eligible for the playoffs.” ••
Ryan junior Austin Chabot drives to the hoop in an early-season loss against George Washington. Chabot, one of three returning junior starters for Ryan, has helped pace the Raiders to a 4–1 start overall. BILL ACHUFF / FOR THE TIMES
Washington head coach John Creighton already had a team loaded with returning seniors when he scored Northeast transfer guard Elmange Watson (right). Watson scored 23 points per game at Northeast in 2013–14. BILL ACHUFF / FOR THE TIMES
Frankford senior guard Quadire Truesdale is the team’s only returning starter. BILL ACHUFF / FOR THE TIMES
