Stating their case

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In past seasons, after the Philadelphia Catholic League crowned its champ, the focus switched to getting ready for baseball and other spring sports. But the 2009 boys’ basketball champions plan on holding on to their uniforms for a few more weeks since the Saints are making their Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association debut in the AAA bracket. The goal is to still be playing March 20 when the winner is determined at Penn State University.

It’s the final task on a list of preseason goals. Neumann-Goretti also has the Catholic League Blue regular-season title, and added the District 12 Class AAA City Title with last Saturday’s 80-78 victory over Franklin Learning Center. The match was a lot closer than anticipated, with those including Neumann-Goretti boys’ basketball coach Carl Arrigale. His team opened the fourth quarter trailing for just the second time all year.

"I think FLC did a great job," he said. "I guess to our credit we fought back."

The success has washed away the bad memories from last winter when Neumann-Goretti was knocked out in the first round of the league playoffs. Instead of letting the situation keep them down, the coaching staff and players used it as motivation to prove they were much better than the final outcome had indicated.

Now, they’re dribbling to the tune of a 24-2 record and two titles, with a third in striking distance. The coach said his athletes have really been dedicated.

"They maintained it and stayed true to each other," Arrigale said. "It’s nice for them to get their due."

The focus now shifts to the next championship, which requires five more victories. The first challenge is 8 p.m. tomorrow at South Philadelphia High, Broad Street and Snyder Avenue. The top seed in District 12 will face an unfamiliar foe in Steelton-Highspire of Dauphin County. The Saints even might take an evening stroll from 10th and Moore streets while the opposition deals with the long ride into town.

"We were kind of hoping to have a chance to play there," Arrigale said of Southern.

No matter what happens, this squad has made its mark, but this talented group has aspirations of becoming PIAA Class AAA champions.

"Our goal is to be 29-2 in a couple of weeks," Arrigale said.

South Philadelphia High junior Jamir Hanner (below) and his Rams will attempt to get back on the winning track Saturday afternoon when they open the state tournament against Plymouth-Whitemarsh (Photo by Rob Torney).

The South Philadelphia High boys’ basketball team is looking to get back on the winning track after a disappointing showing in last weekend’s District 12 Class AAAA title game, where it dropped to Roman Catholic. The 60-48 contest wasn’t as close as the final score indicates.

The Rams, who are District 12’s Class AAAA champs, experienced states when they advanced to the quarterfinals in 2008. At 1 p.m. Saturday, this 16-11 squad gets a fresh start against Plymouth-Whitemarsh (22-5) at St. Joe’s Prep, 1733 W. Girard Ave. The winner plays again Wednesday night.

As the No. 3 seed coming out of PIAA District 12, the Prep Charter boys’ basketball team opened the tournament in Tuesday’s play-in game against Devon Preparatory out of District 1, and won. 75-48. It means the Huskies are back in action 5:30 p.m. Saturday against District 3’s Pequea Valley (16-10) at New Holland’s Garden Spot High.

The Prep Charter girls also are making a return trip to states but, unlike previous seasons, coach Paul Reiser doesn’t have to worry about packing up the school van for the long trek into foreign territory. Tomorrow night, they’ll simply head east to Broad and Snyder for a 5:30 contest against Springfield Delco. The 20-7 Lady Huskies are looking to regroup from last weekend’s 55-31 defeat at the hands of Archbishop Carroll in the City Title game. The opposition is 22-3 this season.