MIDDLE ATLANTIC SPORTS NEWS/LLHoops.com PIAA BOYS BASKETBALL RATINGS

 

FINAL RATINGS

April 4, 2011

 

 

NOTES: For the second consecutive year the top three teams stayed the same all year long. Two time defending poll winner Philadelphia Neumann-Goretti, despite losing four of five starters did win their second consecutive AAA State title but stayed at #3 this year as #1 from the get go, Philadelphia Imhotep Charter won the AA state title for the second time in three years and #2 Chester won their record tying 7th large school (AAAA) state championship tying Farrell for that honor. All three finished the season with long winning-steaks, Chester at 26, Imhotep at 22 and Neumann-Goretti at 17. Only one of the three lost to a PIAA school as Neumann-Goretti lost to a very good Council Rock North team in their first game of the season while using four new starters. A look at their losses follows.

 

 

PHILADELPHIA IMHOTEP CHARTER:

Lost to Philadelphia Friends Central (23-4) 56-49. Friends Central ended their season winning the Pennsylvania Independent School State Championship.

Lost to Brooklyn Boys & Girls, New York (24-7) 62-61. Boys and Girls was ranked #1 In NYC by the New York Post and just lost to Mount Vernon in the New York Federation AA state semifinal. But they were minus 7-players in the game, including a starter and two top reserves.

 

Lost to Dallas Kimball, Texas (38-3) 47-42. Kimball went on to win the Texas AAAA state championship.

 

 

CHESTER:

Lost to Sanford, Delaware (22-2) 62-57. Sanford went on to win the Delaware State Championship.

 

PHILADELPHIA NEUMANN-GORETTI:

Lost to Council Rock North (27-3) 63-58 in their very first game of the year. CR North made it to the District 1 AAAA finals before losing to Chester, then lost to Penn Wood in the PIAA AAAA Quarterfinals.

 

Lost to Queens Christ the King, New York (23-7) 69-66 in (OT). Christ the King won the NYC Catholic League championship then lost to Mount Vernon in overtime for the New York State AA Federation title.

 

Lost to Mount Vernon, New York (23-6) 75-66. Mount Vernon won the New York AA State Championship then beat Brooklyn Boys & Girls and Christ the King to win the New York State AA Federation title.

 

Lost to Huntington Prep, WVA (22-3) 75-55 after spending a night in an airport in Philadelphia because of a snow storm, waiting for a flight to Florida where they played in a tournament.

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1. Philadelphia Imhotep Charter (31-3) (PPL/District 12 AA)

The Panthers won their second PIAA AA State Championship in three years with a 67-34 romp over Greensburg Central Catholic. Imhotep led only 20-15 after the first quarter but from there they put it in cruise control and coasted to the easy win. They completely controlled the boards winning that battle 46-20. The 33-point margin of victory is a record for AA title games. Eight Panthers scored as many as five points and only one, 6-2 Jr Khyree Wooten with 12pts scored more than 10. 6-3 Sr David Appolon had 7pts and 10rebs, 6-6 Soph Brandon Austin had 10pts, 5rebs, 3 assists and 2 steals. 6-8 Sr. C Erik Copes had 13rebs, 3blks. 5-9 Sr Bakari White came off the bench to score 10pts in 11 minutes. HereÕs a link to Ted SilaryÕs Imhotep State Title Tribute Page. http://www.tedsilary.com/imhotepBB11.htm É..For the second game in a row, Imhotep had trouble with a fellow Public League Division C foe they had beaten during league play as they scored the final 9-points of the game in a 49-38 win over Philadelphia Communications Tech in the PIAA AA Semifinal. David Appolon scored the games final five points from the free throw line, just like he scored his first four and he led the team in scoring with those 9ptsÉ..In the PIAA AA Quarterfinal, the Panthers had to go overtime to defeat Philadelphia Vaux 54-53. 6-5 Sr Ameen Tanksley missed the first part of a double-bonus but made the second with 1.4 seconds on the clock to clinch the win, but not before Vaux just missed a long shot that would have won them the game. Tanksley was the only player in double-figures with 18ptsÉ..In the PIAA AA Round of 16, Imhotep took a 15-8 lead after the first quarter, extended it to 23-12 at the half and 37-21 after three quarters in a 56-33 win over Wilkes-Barre Meyers. Ameen Tanksley led with 12pts, Brandon Austin had 11pts, David Appolon scored 10pts and Erik Copes had 6pts and 10rebsÉ..Opened state play with an overpowering 78-36 win over Wyomissing in the PIAA AA Round of 32. Ameen Tanksley led with 17pts, 6-4 Sr Tyhiem Perrin had 15pts, 6-6 Sr Earl Brown had 12pts and Erik Copes added 10pts, 10rebs and 4blksÉ..The Panthers drubbed Philadelphia West Catholic 68-40 to win the Philadelphia AA City Title. Leading only 11-7 the scored 13-pts in a row for a 24-7 lead and the rout was on. Double scoring digits were posted by Khyree Wooten (13, 7-for-12 at line; game MVP), David Appolon (11 points, three treys) and Ameen Tanksley (10). Tanksley and Tyhiem "Redz" Perrin had six rebounds apiece and 5-11 Sr Terrell Johnson dealt three assists.

 

 

2. Chester (31-1) (District 1 AAAA)

The Clippers tied Farrell when they won their 7th state title with a 72-60 overtime victory over Mount Lebanon in the PIAA AAAA State Championship. Chester started fast and led 11-4 with 4:38 in the first quarter and held a 19-12 lead after the first quarter. Chester extended the lead to 28-21 at 3:21 of the second quarter, but Mount Lebanon cut it to 34-31 on a trey with 2 seconds left in the half. The Clippers then built a 43-35 lead mid-way of the third quarter but again the Blue Devils came back and forged a 46-45 lead after three quarters. Chester missed 8 field goals and was one-for-two from the foul line in the last 2:23 of the third quarter. The fourth was close the whole way with Chester twice holding leads of three points, but Mount Lebanon sent the game to overtime with 2 foul shots with 24 seconds left. The Clippers kept missing shots for the first minute and a half of the overtime, but 6-4 Sr Lamon Church put them ahead for good with a layup and a foul 60-58 with 2:21 left. Including those three points, Chester went on a 12-0 run in a little over a minutes time to salt the win away. 6-3 Jr Erikk Wright led with 22pts, Church had 14pts, 6-3 Sr DeQuann Walker scored 13pts and 6-5 Soph Rondae Jefferson had 7pts and 14rebs. HereÔs a link to City of Chester celebrates state championship with a video. http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2011/03/28/news/doc4d8ff69b1f689381476030.txt?viewmode=fullstoryÉ..In the PIAA AAAA Semifinal, Chester led from start to finish and then powered by a 31-17 fourth quarter defeated Plymouth-Whitemarsh 73-50. P-W was without two of their top players, Julian Bond and Stephon Baker both out with injuries. 5-11 Sr Maurice Nelson led with 16pts, Rondae Jefferson scored 11pts and Lamon Church and Erikk Wright both had 10pts to lead Chester into the state finalsÉ..Trailed Philadelphia LaSalle 11-4 early but tied it at 12-12 at the end of the first quarter and took leads of 24-21 at the half and 37-30 after three. A 31-20 final quarter gave Chester a 68-50 victory in the PIAA AAAA Quarterfinal. Maurice Nelson and Lamon Church both scored 17pts to lead and DeQuann Walker added 10ptsÉ..In the PIAA AAAA Round of 16, the Clippers got 17pts from Lamon Church and 14pts from Maurice Nelson and defeated West Chester Bayard Rustin 75-56.ÉChester beat Dallastown 69-56, in a PIAA AAAA Round of 32 game. The Clippers had four players finish with 10 points or more, including Maurice Nelson, who had four 3-pointers and paced his team with 21pts, Lamon Church (12), Rondae Jefferson (11) and DeQuann Walker (10) all scored in double-figures. The Clippers led 21-13 after the first quarter and held a 42-28 cushion at intermissionÉ..Chester won their 20th District 1 championship when they defeated Council Rock North 66-43 in the District 1 AAAA Championship game. After leading only 30-27 at the half they exploded with a 25-11 third quarter and ran away with the win. Maurice Nelson led with 22pts, Lamon Church scored 12pts and DeQuann Walker and Rondae Jefferson had 10pts apieceÉ..In the District 1 AAAA semifinal, Chester trailed Neshaminy 38-35 at the half but came through with a 42-28 second half for a 77-67 victory. Five players scored in double-figures led by Erikk Wright with 18pts, 6-0 Soph Darius Robinson 14pts, DeQuann Walker and Maurice Nelson 13pts each and Lamon Church with 11pts.

 

 

3. Philadelphia Neumann-Goretti (27-4) (PCL/District 12 AAA)

The Saints defeated Montour, of the WPIAL, 55-45 for their second consecutive PIAA AAA State Championship. This one didnÕt go down to the wire like last years win over Chartiers Valley but it did feature 10 lead changes and six ties along the way. Montour led after the first quarter 12-9. The lead went back and fourth in the second half but a three-ball by Billy Shank with 31 seconds till halftime put the Saints on top 24-21 heading to the locker room. Montour had their last lead at 34-33 with 2:09 left in the third quarter, but a layup by 6-2 Frosh Ja'Quan Newton and another layup and foul by 6-5 Jr Derrick Stewart gave the Saints a 38-34 lead heading into the final eight minutes. N-G then won the fourth quarter 17-11 and the game as their quickness and great defense was to much for Montour. Newton, as he did in the CL final, was quite aggressive in this one, especially in the second half (13 of 17 points). He went hard to the lane on drives that sometimes began beyond the foul line and capped his last one with, pow!, a dunk. He also had eight rebounds. 5-7 Soph sub Hanif Sutton went 0-for-4 at the line and never did attempt a field goal, but dished four assists and did a great job on the Montour player viewed by N-G coach Carl Arrigale as it best, . He was their tempo guy, Arrigale said, and Sutton kept him from achieving any kind of flow (four points). Derrick Stewart, completing a nice, end-of-season run, had 14 points and 10 boards while 6-4 soph John Davis had 12 and seven. 5-8 Jr Billy Shank settled for seven points, but did hit a big trey to take the Saints into halftime (at 24-21). HereÕs a link to Ted SilaryÕs Neumann-Goretti State Title Tribute Page. http://www.tedsilary.com/NeumannBB11.htm É..Billy Shank scored a career high 26 points, 14 coming in the 2nd quarter. Shank shot 7/13 from field, 6 threes, 6/11 from 3 point land to lead the Saints to an 82-75 victory over Lancaster Catholic in the PIAA AAA Semifinal in a game that was not as close as the final score indicates. Newmann-Goretti led 16-5 after the first quarter and 41-22 at the half and then just stayed safely ahead the rest of the game. John Davis had 17pts, 12rebs, Lamin Fulton had 16pts, 8 assists, JaÕQuan Newton had 15pts and Derrick Stewart had 13rebs and 7blksÉ..In the PIAA AAA Quarterfinals the Saints downed Octorara 57-30. Billy Shank started his two consecutive games with 6 treys and he finished with 18 points and all came on threeballs. He added two apiece in each of the last two quarters and overall went 6-for-9 from deep. On pretty much all of his launchings, he was standing alone and when that's the case, and when he doesn't allow his body to lean slightly one way or the other, the net has no chance. John Davis grabbed 10 boards and shot 4-for-6 while scoring 11 points. Lamin Fulton had 10 pointsÉ..In the PIAA AAA Round of 16 Lamin Fulton scored 17pts and went over the 1,000 point mark for his career to help Neumann-Goretti to a 75-41 win over West Scranton. Billy Shank had 13pts, including 3treys, Derrick Stewart had 13pts, 9rebs and 5blks. JaÕQuan Newton had 11pts, nine in the first half, John Davis had 9rebsÉ..The Saints opened defense of their state title with a 62-34 victory over Annville-Cleona in the PIAA AAA Round of 32. Neumann-Goretti actually trailed in this one 12-8 after the first quarter but then outscored A-C 54-26 the rest of the game. John Davis led with 16pts, 11rebs, Billy Shank had 11pts and Lamin Fulton (6 assists) and Derrick Stewart both scored 10ptsÉ..N-G won their 3rd consecutive Philadelphia AAA City Championship with a 62-54 win over Philadelphia Electrical Charter. John Davis led with 18pts and 18rebs. Derrick Stewart had 15pts, 10 in the second quarter and Billy Shank had 12pts on 4treysÉ..In the Philadelphia Catholic League Championship, N-G went 10-for-23 at the line in the fourth quarter and 18-for-37 for the game but managed to win their third consecutive title with an 59-55 victory over Radnor Archbishop Carroll. Despite the woes from the foul line the Saints became the first team to win three consecutive championships while ALSO achieving league perfection (19-0, 19-0 and 16-0 for a record 54 in a row). John Davis (8rebs) and Lamin Fulton (7rebs, 5 assists) both scored 16pts to lead and JaÕQuan Newton added 13pts.

 

4. Plymouth-Whitemarsh (25-6) (District 1 AAAA)

The Colonials had to play Chester in the PIAA AAAA Semifinals without both 6-7 Sr Jaylen Bond (out injury against Red Land) and 6-0 Sr Stephon Baker (played one minute after injury against Philadelphia Frankford) and were just not strong or deep enough with 35ppg out of the lineup and lost to the Clippers 73-50. 6-1 Sr Sam Pygatt did all he could scoring 18pts but it was not nearly enoughÉ..In the PIAA AAAA Quarterfinals, P-W was playing their first game without Stephon Baker, but still had enough quickness in the backcourt to force 19 turnovers and defeat Red Land 56-45. They led from the start, but couldnÕt gain much in the second quarter as Jaylen Bond sat on the bench in foul trouble most of the quarter. Bond led the way with 22pts before going down on a hard foul trying a dunk. 6-1 Sr

Marcus Badger added 14pts to the causeÉ.Outscored Philadelphia Frankford 44-20 in the middle two quarters to take a 71-51 victory in the PIAA AAAA Round of 16. It ended up a costly win as Stephon Baker became the first of two Colonials to go out with injuries. Sam Pygatt who scored 9pts in the third quarter led the way with 23pts and 8 assists. Jaylen Bond had 20pts, 13rebs, 2blks, 4 assists and 3 stealsÉ..Plymouth-Whitemarsh opened state tournament play with a 61-43 victory over Central Dauphin in the PIAA AAAA Round of 16. A 27-15 fourth quarter broke open a much closer game as they led only 34-28 after three quarters. Sam Pygatt led with 19pts, (11 in fourth quarter) 4 assists, 4 steals and 5rebs, Stephon Baker had 17pts, 3 assists and 5rebs and Jaylen Bond had 11pts, 8rebs and 5 stealsÉ..In the District 1 AAAA Third Place game, P-W defeated Neshaminy 67-61 as Jaylen Bond had 25pts, 8rebs, Sam Pygatt 21pts, 6rebs and Stephon Baker had 12ptsÉ..In the District 1 AAAA semifinals, the Colonials lost to Council Rock North 58-50. Marcus Badger led with 15pts, Stephon Baker scored 14pts and Jaylen Bond had 11pts.

 

 

5. Mount Lebanon (27-4) (WPIAL/District 7 AAAA)

The Blue Devils playing in their first ever state title game pushed Chester to overtime before losing 72-60 in the PIAA AAAA State Championship. Mount Lebanon was led by 6-5 Sr Paul Lang with 17pts, 9rebs, 6-1 Jr Luke Hagy with 16pts, 6-3 Sr Evan Eaton with 12pts and 6-3 Soph Tyler Roth with 11pts and 9rebsÉ..In the PIAA AAAA Semifinal Mount Lebanon kept Penn Wood from getting into their third consecutive state title game as they defeated the Patriots 52-48 in overtime. Mt. Lebanon sophomore guard Tyler Roth shot. And shot. And shot. And didn't hit a thing. Until it mattered. Really mattered. Roth's 3-point basket from the left-center top of the arc with 46 seconds remaining in regulation was a profile in timeliness: The basket, Roth's first of the game, gave Mt. Lebanon a shot at its first PIAA basketball championship. His 3-pointer enabled the Blue Devils to take 2010 Class AAAA runner-up Penn Wood into overtime. From there, Mt. Lebanon outplayed and outshot the Patriots in the extra four minutes, producing a historic 52-48 triumph Wednesday at Chambersburg High School. And who nailed down that first trip to the PIAA Class AAAA boys championship at 7 p.m. Saturday at Bryce Jordan Center? None other than Roth, who went 4 for 4 from the line in overtime, including the last two points with 8.2 seconds left. Evan Eaton 23pts and Paul Lang 13pts led the Blue DevilsÉ..In the PIAA AAAA Quarterfinal, Mt. Lebanon defeated Butler 51-42, the team that ended Shaler (the WPIALÕs season long #1 AAAA team in the District 7 quarterfinals). Evan Eaton led with 17pts and Paul Lang added 13ptsÉ..Paul Lang scored 18pts for Mt. Lebanon, Evan Eaton scored 17pts and Tyler Roth added 12pts in a 59-33 romp over WPIAL champ, Gateway in the PIAA AAAA Round of 16.É.In the PIAA AAAA Round or 32 Mount Lebanon outscored the Little Lions 18-3 in the third quarter to break open a close game and defeat State College 60-48. The Blue Devils, who will meet Gateway in the second round on Wednesday, were led by 24 points and six rebounds from Paul Lang and 23 points from Evan EatonÉ..Mount Lebanon ended Pittsburgh SchenleyÕs long history with a 78-61 victory in the PIAA AAAA Play-In Round. In pacing the Blue Devils effort, Paul Lang scored 19 of his 30 points in the first half and kick-started his team's offense, while Evan Eaton added 24 points and sank three 3-pointers in the second halfÉ..The Blue Devils who had defeated Chartiers Valley twice in the regular season lost to the Colts 54-48 in the WPIAL/District 7 AAAA Semifinal. Since the WPIAL goes by the follow the leader rule and Gateway defeated CV in the final, Mount Lebanon had to settle for the #4 seed heading into the state tournament. Paul Lang helped Mt. Lebanon keep pace by scoring eight of his 12 points in the third quarter, but the lead remained 10 heading into the fourth quarter, 38-28. Mt. Lebanon began the fourth with an 11-3 run, including two baskets by Evan Eaton, who scored 11 points. Luke Hagy led Mt. Lebanon with 14 points and helped cut the lead to two. With 3 minutes left, Chartiers Valley led, 46-44. But Kuntz made six of his seven free throws in the final quarter to seal the victory.

 

 

6. Penn Wood (23-9) (District 1 AAA)

The Patriots had a year-end 7-game winning streak snapped when they lost to Mount Lebanon 52-48 in overtime in the PIAA AAAA Semifinals. 6-8 Sr Darian Barnes 15pts, 14rebs, 5-11 Jr Malcolm Richardson 13pts, 6-5 Sr Aaron Brown 11pts led the wayÉ..A 14-2 third quarter and a 33-16 second half helped Penn Wood overcome a 26-18 first half deficit on the way to a 51-42 victory over Council Rock North in the PIAA AAAA Quarterfinals. Darian Barnes led the Patriots with 13pts (all in the second half) and 13rebs. Malcom Richardson had 12pts and Aaron Brown had 10pts and 7rebsÉ..It was much closer than the 36-point win they had earlier in the year, but Penn Wood still defeated Neshaminy 54-50 in the PIAA AAAA Round of 16. Richardson, Brown and Barnes all scored 12pts in the winÉ..After finishing ninth in District 1 and having to win a Preliminary game, Penn Wood drew District 3 champion York in the PIAA AAAA Round of 32. But they used their height advantage and played one of their better games and behind a 25-14 third quarter they downed the Bearcats 76-66. Aaron Brown led four players in double-figures with 20pts and 10rebs. 6-9 Sr Shawn Oakman had 14pts, Darian Barnes 13pts, 10rebs and Malcom Richardson scored 11ptsÉ..In the PIAA AAAA Play In Game, the Patriots got a home game and smacked District 2Õs #2 team Wyoming Valley West 87-60. It was 29-16 at the half and PW scored 35 points in the third quarter to put it away. Darian Barnes who scored 14pts in the third quarter led with 24pts, Malcom Richardson had 18pts, Aaron Brown had 14pts, Shawn Oakman had 11pts and 6-5 Sr Akil Anderson had 10ptsÉ..In the District 1 AAAA Play-Back for 9th Place Championship, Penn Wood advanced to state tournament play with a 47-27 win over North Penn. It was 4-3 after one quarter and 15-14 at the half, but the Patriots broke it open in the third quarter with a 19-5 quarter. Aaron Brown led with 13pts and 7rebs and Darian Barnes scored all of his 12pts in the second half and also grabbed 7rebsÉ..In the District 1 AAAA Play-Back for 9th Place Semifinal, Penn Wood defeated Wissahickon 63-57 to advance to the final. Aaron Brown led with 23 points and Darian Barnes had 13 points.

 

7. Council Rock North (27-3) (District 1 AAAA)

The Indians used a 17-8 third quarter to break away from a 24-23 halftime lead and defeated Plymouth-Whitemarsh 58-50 in the District 1 AAAA Semifinals. 6-4 Jr Arron Goodman led with 19pts, 5-10 Jr Aaron Morgan scored 12pts and 6-6 Sr John Raymon added 10ptsÉ..Lost to Chester 66-43 in the District 1 AAAA Championship. Aaron Morgan led with 21pts and Arron Goodman scored 12ptsÉ..Opened state tournament play with a 60-52 victory over Chambersburg in the PIAA AAAA Round of 32. Aaron Morgan led with 20pts, John Raymon had 15pts and 14rebs and 6-6 Sr Charlie Anastasi had 14pts, 14rebsÉ..In the PIAA AAAA Round of 16, Rock North edged Bethlehem Liberty 41-38 with no players scoring 10 or more points. Five players scored more than 5pts led by Charlie Anastasi and John Raymond with 9pts apieceÉ..Season then ended in the PIAA AAAA Quarterfinals with a 51-42 loss to Penn Wood. The Indians led 26-18 at the half, then were outscored 14-2 in the third quarter as their promising season came to an end. Aaron Morgan led with 14pts.

 

 

8. Neshaminy (22-7) (District 1 AAAA)

Neshaminy was up four points after one quarter, led by three at halftime, was tied 50-50 late in the third and trailed by just four with under 3 minutes to play. But a 17-9 run led Chester to a 77-67 victory in the District 1 AAAA Semifinals.6-4 Jr Ryan Arcidiacono led with 20pts and 6-3 Sr Dwight Williams and 6-6 Sr Mike McGarry both scored 13ptsÉ..In the District 1 AAAA Third Place game, the Redskins lost to Plymouth-Whitemarsh 67-61. Ryan Arcidiacono led with 26pts and 6-2 Jr Tyler Katz had 10ptsÉ..Neshaminy received a 30-point offensive explosion from junior guard Ryan Arcidiacono as the Redskins tomahawked Pottsville (24-3) by a 64-45 margin in the PIAA AAAA Round of 32. Neshaminy played very well in first period of its win over Pottsville. The Skins raced to a 20-5 lead and were never seriously challenged the remainder of the gameÉ..In the PIAA AAAA Round of 16, Neshaminy who had lost to Penn Wood by 36pts six weeks earlier gave it their all but still had their season ended by the Patriots 54-50. Ryan Arcidiacono was the lone double-figure scorer for the Redskins with 22pts.

 

9. Radnor Archbishop Carroll (21-6) (PCL/District 12 AAA)

6-3 Sr Juan'ya Green scored 30pts but it wasnÕt enough as Carroll was defeated 59-55 by Philadelphia Neumann-Goretti in the Philadelphia Catholic League championship. 6-5 Sr Tracy Peal added 12pts in the lossÉ..Defeated Philadelphia BoysÕ Latin 72-61 in the District 12 AAA Third Place game. 6-0 Soph Yosef Yacob led with 23pts, 6-2 Sr Jay Donovan had 21pts and JuanÕya Green added 12ptsÉ..Then was upset by Eastern York 56-55 in the PIAA AAA Round of 32. They had beaten Eastern 57-46 on January 23. Tracy Peal led with 21pts, 10rebs, JuanÕya Green and 6-2 Jr Alec Stavetski both had 13pts.

 

10. Philadelphia LaSalle (21-6) (PCL/District 12 AAA)

LaSalle was up set 48-46 by Philadelphia Frankford when Frankford hit 2 fouls shots in the final seconds in the Philadelphia AAAA City Championship. Four Explorers scored from nine to 11 points. 6-1 Soph Amar Stukes with 11pts led the way, followed by 6-5 Sr Joe Brown 10pts, 6-0 Rider bound senior Eddie Mitchell and 5-10 Sr Mike Poncia nine apiece. The 'Splorers shot just 17-for-48 from the floor and went an unsightly 2-for-17 on treys. Mitchell had five rebounds, Stukes dealt three assists and Stukes/Poncia halved four stealsÉ.LaSalle, who opened last seasonÕs state play with an upset over Chester did the same thing this year as they upset Reading 57-55 in the PIAA AAAA Round of 32. Mike Poncia hit two threeÕs in the fourth quarter, the last at the end to give LaSalle the win. Eddie Mitchell led with 19pts, Joe Brown scored 13pts and 6-6 Sr Brennan Woods had 10pts and 8rebsÉ..In the PIAA AAAA Round of 16, LaSalle was down by 10 with 3:00 left; 5-11 Sr Kevin Piotrowicz hit a free throw to tie game at 47 with 0:37 left; Eddie Mitchell, who scored 20 of his game-high 24pts in 2nd half, hit the game winning field goal with 0:03 left. Joe Brown added 10ptsÉ..LaSalle then pushed Chester for three quarters, tied at 12 after one and down 24-21 at the half and 37-30 after three. But the Clippers erupted for 31 points in the fourth quarter and the Explorers saw their season end 68-50 in the PIAA AAAA Quarterfinals. Eddie Mitchell led with 19 points and Joe Brown had 10 points.

 

11. Allentown Allen (23-5) (District 11 AAAA)

The Canaries broke open a 43-41 game after three quarters with a 16-8 fourth quarter and defeated Pocono Mountain West 59-49 in the District 11 AAAA Semfinals. 6-4 Jr D. J. Brown led with 22pts, 6-6 Sr Jalen Cannon scored 14pts and 6-2 Sr Branden Harrington had 13pts, 9rebs and D. J. Brown added 10rebs as Allen crushed Liberty on the boards 47-19É..In the District 11 AAAA Championship Allen avenged two one-point losses during the regular season with a 45-35 victory over Bethlehem Liberty. Jalen Cannon led with 22pts, 20rebs and Branden Harrington had 11ptsÉ..In the PIAA AAAA Round of 32, the Canaries took a 25-12 halftime lead and defeated Norristown 56-44. 6-7 Sr Daquan Holiday led with 20pts, Branden Harrington scored 14pts and Jalen Cannon added 12ptsÉ..Then came a controversial intentional foul call with 35.9 seconds left and led to a 49-47 loss to Philadelphia LaSalle in a PIAA AAAA Round of 16 game. However Allen had a 41-31 lead with 3:57 left and a 47-39 lead with 1:32 left but could not hold on. Daquan Holiday led with 20pts and Jalen Cannon scored 10pts.

 

 

12. Bethlehem Liberty (23-6) (District 11 AAAA)

In a game dominated by defense, 6-0 Sr Alewdy Rivera managed to sprinkle in some offense at just the right time. The senior reserve scored 10 points, including Liberty's last five of the first half to spark the Hurricanes' to a 41-30 victory over Pottsville in the District 11 AAAA Semfinals. 6-5 Villanova bound Sr Darrun Hilliard added 9ptsÉ..In the District 11 AAAA Championship, Liberty was beaten by Allentown Allen 45-35. 5-11 Sr Izel Dickerson led Liberty with 16pts. Liberty's Darrun Hilliard, The Easton Express-Times Player of the Year in 2010, was held to six points, his lowest output since his sophomore season. He was just 3 for 19 from the field and took two nasty spills, one a head-over-heels job over the press table at mid-court with 6 minutes, 59 seconds to go, and another underneath the basket at the 3:26 mark. Hilliard did not return after the second fall, though he could be seen sitting on the bench pleading with the training staff to let him re-enter the gameÉ..In the PIAA AAAA Round of 32, Liberty defeated Philadelphia Roman Catholic 56-41. Darrun Hilliard had only 14pts but his teammates gave him more than enough support. Izel Dickerson, Liberty's point guard, matched his season-high with 17pts, hitting 5 of 10 shots and 7-for-8 from the free throw line. He had eight of those in the last quarter, six from the foul lineÉ..Their season then ended in a 41-38 loss to Council Rock North in the PIAA AAAA Round of 16. The energy rush that enabled Liberty to rally from a 12-point, third-quarter deficit ran out in the last five minutes of the game. The District 11 runner-up Hurricanes just didn't have anything left in the tank over the final five minutes, and it resulted in their elimination. Trailing 28-16 early in the third quarter, Liberty summoned up one more adrenaline rush and went on a 14-2 tear to tie the game at 30-30 going into the fourth quarter. 6-1 Sr Alex Akabogu, started the Hurricanes' run with a 3-point shot. Darrun Hilliard added a right-hand finish off a drive plus a 3-pointer. 6-4 Jr Dante Holmes hit twice inside, and 6-4 sophomore Greg Noack ended the quarter with a dunk off a steal by Hilliard. Hilliard's 3-pointer in the middle of the run ended a streak of 18 straight misses by him from beyond the arc over Liberty's last five games. He hit two more 3s in the fourth quarter and finished with 19 points. After Hilliard's two free throws gave Liberty its 35-32 lead, the Hurricanes missed their next nine shots and turned the ball over three times. Hilliard ended his Liberty career with 1,413 points, second on the school's all-time list behind Warren West (1,486 from 1983-87).

 

 

13. Philadelphia Math, Civics & Sciences (25-6) (PPL/District 12 A)

MC&S flew under the radar behind Philadelphia Constitution all year long in our ratings partly because most felt Constitution was slightly better and partly because of what was a bad situation after their season ending loss to Reading Central Catholic last year. But they need to be commended for the way they conducted themselves this year and it took them all the way to the state title where they outclassed Lincoln Park Charter 70-55 to in the PIAA A State Championship. Lincoln Park would get within 54-51 with 4:42 left, but the Mighty Elephants stormed to the next seven points and were never threatened again. 6-6 Soph Jeremiah Worthem led with 22pts, 12rebs, 6-2 Sr Warren Dogan 18pts, 5 assists and 2 steals and 6-1 Sr Tyreek Riddick had 3treys and 11ptsÉ..In the PIAA A Semifinals, MC&S avenged a loss to fellow Public League foe in the Public League semifinals with an 87-74 win over Philadelphia Constitution. Jeremiah Worthem led with 26pts, Warren Dogan had 21pts, Tyreek Riddick had 19pts and 6-5 Sr Muhammad Amin scored 10ptsÉ..Jumped to a 35-14 first half lead that led to a 70-48 win over Church Farm school in the PIAA A Quarterfinals. Mighty Elephants were led by Jeremiah Worthem with 16pts, Muhammad Amin with 12pts, 10rebs, Warren Dogan with 11pts and Tyreek Riddick with 10ptsÉ..In the PIAA Round of 16 MC&S rolled to a 78-38 win over Millville. Tyreek Riddick led with 25pts (5 3-pointers), Warren Dogan had 13pts and Jeremiah Worthem scored 10 pointsÉÉOpened state play by coasting to a 71-45 victory over Marian Catholic in the PIAA Round of 32. Jeremiah Worthem scored 20 points, 5-11 Sr Thomas Moore had 18pts and 6-6 Jr Jonathan. Davis had 10 rebounds.

 

 

14. Montour (23-8) (WPIAL/District 7 AAA)

The Spartans had to avenge two regular season losses to South Fayette to get to the state final, but once they were there the played Philadelphia Neumann-Goretti tough before losing to the two time state champions 55-45 in the PIAA AAA State Championship game. 6-4 Jr Dillon Buechel was the only Montour player in double-figures with 17pts, 6-3 Soph Devin Wilson, their best player was hounded into scoring only 4pts but led the team with 10rebsÉ.. In the PIAA AAA Semifinals, Montour stopped South Fayette 57-44 as Dillon Buechel had 19pts, 6-2 Sr Aaron McGee scored a career-high 18pts and pulled down 10rebsÉ..In the PIAA AAA Quarterfinals they defeated Pittsburgh Perry 56-51. 6-5 Sr Austin Heter had 15pts, Devin Wilson 14pts and Dillon Buechel scored 12pts. Things couldn't have started any worse for Montour. They had seven turnovers in the first six minutes of the game, went more than six minutes without a point and faced a 12-point deficit after the first quarter. But in the end, the best season in Montour history was extended a few daysÉÉIn the PIAA AAA Round of 16, Montour was having trouble scoring so they gave Austin Heter the ball. The 6-foot-5 senior scored nine of his 10 points in the fourth quarter of Montour's 55-50 victory over New Castle. It was fitting that the future college lineman would play a leading role in a not-so-pretty game won with ball-control and defense. "It took us 25 minutes to figure out, 'Hey, he has an advantage down there,' " coach Adam Kaufman said. "Let's get him the ball. ... Austin did a great job of finishing." Dillon Buechel scored 15 points for Montour, the WPIAL champion, and Devin Wilson added 11.É.Devin Wilson scored 26 points to lead Montour to a 72-42 win over Sharon in the PIAA AAA Round of 32. Aaron McGee added 13 points, and Dillon Buechel scored 12.É.In the WPIAL AAA Championship Montour silenced top-seeded South Fayette 45-34. It was the schools first ever WPIAL title and avenged two regular season losses to the Lions. Austin Heter led the way with 11pts and Devin Wilson added 10ptsÉ..Devin Wilson then scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half to lead seventh-seeded Montour to a 49-44 come-from-behind victory over No. 3 seed Blackhawk in the WPIAL AAA Semifinals. Montour trailed by 10 twice in the third quarter, but Wilson scored six points during a 15-3 run in the final period that put the Spartans ahead to stay.

 

15. South Fayette (25-3) (WPIAL/District 7 AAA)

The Lions were the defending AA state champions last year and after moving to AAA this season it seemed most of the season they had a good shot at making it to the AAA state final, but a pesky Montour team stepped in their way both in the WPIAL championship game and again in the state semifinals. SF had beaten them twice during the regular season in Section play. But for the second time in the playoffs Montour pulled the trick in the PIAA AAA Semifinals with a 57-44 victory over the Lions. 6-0 Sr Pat Zedreck 21pts, 5-10 Sr Nick Elder 12pts led the Lions, but Mike Lamberti, a 6-6 senior and South Fayette's leading scorer at 17.9 a game, did not have a basket and finished with two points. He was 0 for 10 from the fieldÉ..In the PIAA AAA Quarterfinals, South Fayette defeated Eastern York 67-59. Mike Lamberti led with 23pts, Pat Zedreck had 16pts and 6-1 Sr Josh Patterson added 12ptsÉ..The Lions frustrated Johnstown early with pressure wherever the Trojans moved the ball, then connected on nine of their 18 3-point attempts en route to a 67-47 victory in the PIAA AAA Round of 16. The LionsÕ Pat Zedreck led all scorers with 29 points, including six of his squadÕs 3-pointers. Zedreck was the only Lion to reach double figures in scoring while 6-4 Sr Christian Brumbaugh pulled down 11 boardsÉ..Pat Zedreck scored 18 points to 
lead South Fayette to a 51-39 win over General McLane in the PIAA AAA Round of 32. The Lions led by five heading into the fourth quarter, then outscored General McLane, 21-12, to put the game awayÉ..In the WPIAL AAA Championship game Montour avenged a 65-58 and a 58-38 loss to the Lions as South Fayette lost the title game 45-34. Mike Lamberti had a first half to forget. South Fayette's 6-foot-6 star made just one of seven shots — a layup with 2:40 left in the second quarter. His second half was better, and he finished with 14 pointsÉ..In the WPIAL AAA semifinal game with New Castle South Fayette's Josh Patterson was happier about the shots New Castle missed than those he made. "Stopping their best guy was my goal coming into the game," said Patterson, whose strong defense was invaluable for No. 1 seed South Fayette in Tuesday's 56-42 semifinal victory over No. 4 New Castle. "It's rough. Sometimes, it takes you out of the offense. But I'll do anything for the team." Patterson scored 17 points, and Pat Zedreck added 10.

 

 

16. Greensburg Central Catholic (27-4) (WPIAL/District 7 AA)

The Centurions were playing in their second ever state championship game, the first when they lost to Susquehanna Township in 1980. Although they had a good season they were no match for the stateÕs #1 team as they were defeated by Philadelphia Imhotep Charter 67-34 for the PIAA AA State Championship. But despite looking like they were a step or two behind, the Centurions hung around for a quarter. They made 6 of 11 shots and trailed, 20-15, after the opening quarter. The Panthers, however, then went on the first of two major runs they made in the game. They scored the first nine points of the second quarter to take a 29-15 lead, holding the Centurions without a point for the first 4:23 of the quarter. After falling behind by 15 points at the half, the Centurions hoped to crawl back into the game in the third quarter, but their hopes began to unravel even more. The Centurions trailed, 46-31 with 2:21 left in the third quarter, before the Panthers went on a 16-0 run to blow the game open. The Centurions were held without a point for 6:01. 6-5 Sr pg Jesse Reed led GCC with 19pts and 6-7 Jr P.J. McLaughlin added 10ptsÉÉIn the PIAA AA Semifinals, Greensburg Central Catholic avenged a 63-43 loss to Monessen in the WPIAL Championshp game, with a 64-61 victory. P.J. McLaughlin led with 24pts and Jesse Reed had 22ptsÉ..A controversial call at the end of the game, helped GCC defeat Beaver Falls 61-60 in the PIAA AA Quarterfinals. Jesse Reed was high with 25pts, 5-9 Jr Ben Klimchock and P.J. McLaughlin both scored 10ptsÉ..In the PIAA AA Round of 16, Greensburg Central Catholic defeated Summitt Academy 72-61 as Jesse Reed scored 23pts while Jake Swan and P.J. McLaughlin both had 18ptsÉ..Defeated Bellwood-Antis 88-62 in the PIAA AA Round of 32. Ben Klimchock scored 21pts, P.J. McLaughlin 18pts and Jesse Reed added 17ptsÉ..The Centurions were pounded by Monessen 63-43 in the WPIAL AA Championship. The Monessen Greyhounds took the highest-scoring team in the WPIAL and held it to one of the lowest offensive outputs in Class AA championship history, defeating Greensburg Central Catholic, 63-43, at Duquesne University's Palumbo Center. In the previous 50 years of Class AA championships, only three teams scored fewer points than Greensburg Central Catholic. Shady Side Academy had 38 in 2001, Freedom 35 in 1983 and Avonworth 39 in 1962. This also was the most lopsided Class AA final since Wilmington defeated Bentworth, 88-62, in 1987. Greensburg Central Catholic senior point guard Jesse Reed scored 20 points, but had only five in the second half when Monessen pulled way from the Centurions. "They're just so athletic," said Greensburg Central coach Greg Bisignani, whose team was averaging 75 points a gameÉÉIn the WPIAL AA Semifinal, GCC defeated Sto-Rox 73-53 as Jesse Reed led GCC to victory with 25pts.

 

 

17. Monessen (26-3) (WPIAL/District 7 AA)

Monessen, who had beaten Greensburg Central Catholic two weeks earlier by 20 points led 29-28 at halftime and took a seven-point (44-37) lead late in the third quarter, but could not hold on and lost in the PIAA AA Semifinal to the Centurions 64-61. 6-2 Sr Jalen Madison led the Greyhounds with 15pts, 6-0 Sr Nick Bolias had 14pts and 6-1 Jr Earl Pinkney added 11ptsÉ..In the PIAA AA Quarterfinal defeated Sto-Rox 62-48. The Greyhounds started fast against the Vikings, jumping out to an 11-2 lead. The lead was built with the help of super-sub 6-3 Jr Jaisen Irwin. Irwin came off the bench to score six points in a 1:39 span to give Monessen the 11-2 bulge with 2:50 left in the quarter. Monessen led 16-10 after the first quarter and the lead grew to 36-19 at halftime thanks to a pair of runs, one being 9-0 and the other 7-0. In the third quarter, the Greyhounds' lead grew as high as 19 points before Sto-Rox battled back. The Greyhounds got 13 points and 12 rebounds from 6-7 Sr Cam Johnson and 13 points and six rebounds from IrwinÉ..Defeated North Star 67-45 in the PIAA AA Round of 16. Jaison Irwin scored 17pts to lead Monessen, 5-7 Sr Jeff Francia added 11pts for the Greyhounds and Nick Boilas and Cam Johnson had 10pts eachÉ.. Monessen defeated Erie Mercyhurst Prep 53-42 in the PIAA AA Round of 32. The Lakers did their best to take the air out of the ball and the minutes off the clock against the high-octane Greyhounds. And the plan worked for nearly half the game before Monessen pulled away for the win. The final score was deceiving because Monessen led by as many as 17 points in the middle of the fourth quarter before coach Joe Salvino went to his bench and the Lakers hit a couple three-pointers in the final minute to close the gap. In the first half, after Monessen got out to a 6-0 lead less than two minutes into the game on two Jalen Madison three-pointers, the Greyhounds appeared to get frustrated by Mercyhurst's triangle passing offense. The Lakers passed ... and passed ... and passed the ball around. The plan seemed to work as the Greyhounds went scoreless for 10:25. In that time, the Lakers scored eight points to take an 8-6 lead. Jaisen Irwin came off the bench and remained a problem for the Lakers at both ends of the floor as the junior finished with a game-high 18 points and four blocked shots to go with four rebounds. Cam Johnson, who starred for Monessen during the run to the WPIAL crown, was scoreless in the first half. The second half was another story as the 6-7 senior erupted for 15 points. He also grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked five shotsÉ.. Monessen rolled over Greensburg Central Catholic 63-43 to win the WPIAL/District 7 AA Championship. It was an impressive performance from the Greyhounds, which is Class A in terms of school enrollment, but chooses to play "up" in Class AA. Monessen is the only boys team in the entire WPIAL that plays "up" in classification. "I think this shows how with heart, desire and determination, you can accomplish anything," Salvino said. Monessen's Nick Bolias, a second-team all-state defensive back in football, stopped Jessie Reed's penetration in the second half, and the Greyhounds perimeter defenders wouldn't leave Greensburg Central's shooters to help on Reed. Consequently, it was rare when Greensburg Central got open outside shots. Greensburg Central made only 31 percent (15 of 49) from the field and only 22 percent (5 of 23) from 3-point range. While Monessen's defense was awfully impressive, the Greyhounds were also efficient and well-balanced offensively. Jalen Madison had 13pts and six rebounds. Forward Cam Johnson added 12pts and eight rebounds, forward Earl Pinkney 11pts and 10rebs, and Jeff Francia 11pts. Monessen shot 47 percent (25 of 53 from the field). "Today, everything was running well for us," Salvino said.

Monessen jumped to a 12-1 lead to start the game and led, 31-25, at halftime. Johnson's dunk put the Greyhounds ahead by 12 early in the third quarter and Greensburg Central couldn't recover. A sidelight to the title is the saga of the Stepoli brothers. They were both starters at Monessen a year ago before leaving in the middle of the season and transferring to Greensburg Central Catholic. They left Greensburg Central's team, though, in January. Now get this: Salvino and Monessen's players said the Stepolis will enroll at Monessen again Monday, but will not try to play basketballÉ..In the WPIAL/District 7 AA Semifinal Monessen defeated Wilkinsburg 48-44. Monessen trailed by three with just more than four minutes left. At that point, Greyhounds forward Cam Johnson was stunned when his dunk attempt hit the back iron and caromed wildly toward midcourt. Dejected, Johnson headed up the floor, then made the play that turned the Greyhounds from potential upset victims into WPIAL finalists. Johnson stole the ball, streaked down the court and jammed it home to get Monessen back within one. He then finished the fourth quarter by scoring 11 of his 21pts to lead the Greyhounds to the victory. Johnson also finished 20rebs.

 

 

18. York (27-3) (AAAA)

Won their first District AAAA title since 1995 and 10th overall. To get that title the Bearcats defeated Hershey 82-71 (Kelvin Parker 27pts, Dejian Williams 15pts, Zach Newby 13pts, Collin Smith 10pts) in the Round of 16, Chambersburg 66-61 (Kelvin Parker 21pts, Dejian Williams 20pts, Zach Newby 13pts, Collin Smith 12pts) in the Quarterfinals, Cedar Cliff 62-59 (Kelvin Parker 18pts, Dejian Williams 16pts, Tavon Parker 11pts, Zach Newby 10pts) in the Semifinals and Red Land 69-58 (Collin Smith 18pts, Dejian Williams 17pts, Kelvin Parker 15pts, Zach Newby 12pts) in the ChampionshipÉ..York then had the unfortunate task of playing and losing to powerful Penn Wood 76-66 (Dejian Williams 23pts, Kelvin Parker 15pts, Collin Smith 10pts) in the PIAA AAAA Round of 32.

 

 

19. Philadelphia Constitution (25-6) (PPL/District 12 A)

The Generals avenged a regular season loss to Philadelphia Math, Civics & Sciences with a 56-53 victory in the Public League Semifinals, but with three players nursing nagging injuries, they lost again to the Mighty Elephants, 87-74 in the PIAA A Semifinals. Four Generals 6-1 Jr Daiquan Walker 15pts, 6-8 Sr Erik Raleigh 13pts, 6-5 Sr Xavier Harris 12pts and 6-2 Sr Abdul King 11pts all scored in double figuresÉ..Overcame a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter and defeated Reading Central Catholic 55-53 on a last second shot in the PIAA A Quarterfinals. Abdul King led with 18pts and Daiquan Walker scored 14ptsÉ..Defeated Mansfield 67-53 in the PIAA A Round of 16 as four players again scored in double-figures led by Xavier Harris with 16pts, Daiquan Walker with 14pts, Abdul King 11pts and 5-7 Jr Amonie Holloman 10ptsÉ..Daiquan Walker 17 points, Xavier Harris 15 points, Erik Raleigh 14 points and Abdul King 11 points led the Generals to a 70-45 win over Phil-Mont Christian in the PIAA A Round of 32.

 

20. West Chester Bayard Rustin (25-5) (District 1 AAAA)

The Golden Knights were unranked all year but on the bubble and victories over Norristown 57-50 and Lower Merion 63-52 gave them Fifth Place in District 1 AAAA. In the win over Norristown, Rustin led 39-22 after three quarters and held on for the win as 6-6 Jr Anthony Nash had 19pts and 10rebs and 6-4 Sr Cory Blake had 16pts and 12rebs. Anthony Nash had 22pts, 7rebs and Cory Blake had 17pts and 9rebs in the win over Lower MerionÉ..In the PIAA AAAA Round of 32, Rustin defeated District 3Õs #2 team Cedar Cliff 55-39, using a 23-10 third quarter to propel them to the win. 6-2 Sr Zach Butcher led with 17pts, Anthony Nash had 13pts, 9rebs and Cory Blake had 12pts and 10rebsÉ..In the PIAA AAAA Round of 16, Rustin was defeated by eventual state champion, Chester 75-56. Anthony Nash was high with 20pts and Cory Blake had 11pts.