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Each time Wayne Knight’s character would annoy Jerry Seinfeld on the latter’s eponymous sitcom, the comedian would declare his displeasure by blaring “Newman!”
For most of the last decade and a half, frustrated Catholic League basketball clubs have hollered “Neumann-Goretti!” in reference to the boys’ team based at 1736 S. 10th St. The almighty Saints again entered the annals Monday, as they defeated Roman Catholic 53-48 at The Palestra to score their sixth straight parochial plaque.
“This one puts us in the stratosphere,” coach Carl Arrigale said of conquering the Cahillites, the Center City-based ballers whose predecessors also pulled off a six-peat from 1989 to ’94. “These guys just continue to amaze me.”
In avenging this year’s lone league loss, Jan. 23’s 71-64 setback at Philadelphia University, the 21-4 Saints graced the resident of the 2900 block of South 15th Street with his 10th championship, tying him with former Roman head Dennis Seddon, who sat on the Cahillites’ bench Monday at the University of Pennsylvania-based arena. It also gives them more confidence ahead of tomorrow’s 7 p.m. trip to Saint Joseph’s University for the District 12 AAA City title game versus Philadelphia Electrical and Technology Charter School.
“We never try to get ahead of ourselves,” senior guard and First-Team All-Catholic selection Troy Harper said. “We’re always looking to become stronger and learn lessons about ourselves.”
Over the last sextet of years, opponents have become educated in just how good the East Passyunk Crossing-based hoopsters are, as Monday’s triumph gave Arrigale’s troops their 100th win from 102 contests, including playoffs, during that frame. As Roman had delivered them one of those defeats, with La Salle College High School inflicting the other last year, the Saints knew they needed to quiet the Cahillites’ stars and backers early on. With a couple big dunks from senior forward and Syracuse University football signee Jamal Custis, of the 1500 block of South 32nd Street, immediate momentum went to the Saints, but aside from those aerial displays and contributions from league MVP and Miami University-bound senior guard Ja’Quan Newton, the defending champions struggled to achieve offensive rhythm and completed the quarter tied 10-10.
The Cahillites, unblemished in league play, grabbed their first lead with the second quarter’s inaugural score and welcomed the up-tempo style their foes have so frequently frustrated teams with over their decorated run. Three-pointers by Newton, who in Feb. 19’s semifinal win over Archbishop Carroll became the school’s all-time leading marksman, and Harper, a fellow Southwest inhabitant who will matriculate at North Carolina’s Campbell University, brought the customary hoots that follow such heaves, but the Cahillites kept matters close, as neither team showed a golden touch and left many wondering why such skilled scorers entered halftime having mustered only 44 points, with 23 of them belonging to Roman.
As their hoops sisters had won the girls’ title prior to their tilt, the Saints entered the evening with the possibility of making their school the first to field the boys’ and girls’ victors in the same year since Cardinal O’Hara achieved the feat in 1968. The Cahillites, though, wanted to help themselves to some history and complete an impressive night with a thumping win. Scoring the first four points after the break, they had their supporters hollering and the Saints huffing before Newton and company regrouped as they have done so well in becoming behemoths.
Back-and-forth action resulted in a 33-28 edge for Roman, but the Saints, perhaps sensing fatigue or fright over the magnitude of the situation for their January conquerors, proved that February matters far more by staging an 8-0 quarter-ending spurt.
“I can’t lie and say I don’t get nervous,” Harper, whose trek to the Tar Heel State will again find him teamed with Saints senior center Tony Toplyn, said. “We just preached getting stops and being consistent offensively.”
As he has done so often at The Palestra, Newton made crunch time his stint to solidify his legacy as a worldbeater, as he scored nine of his game-high 23 points in the last quarter. The Saints built a 10-point lead, but their poor free-throw shooting coupled with Roman’s hot hands put the score at 51-48 with 14.7 seconds left. Knocking down his charity stripe attempts with 10 ticks remaining, Newton hurried back on defense, with Harper, who sniped 10 points, hoisting the ball in the air after collecting Roman’s final errant heave.
“I owe so much to Ja’Quan,” he said of his fellow soon-to-be graduate and summertime workout ally. “He’s a big-time player, and he’s given so much to this program.”
Arrigale, who likewise lauded Newton as a clutch performer, accepted kudos from former players, including Tony Chennault and Tyreek Duren, ’10 alums and seniors at Villanova and La Salle universities, respectively. He fielded frequent inquiries about classifying the Saints as a dynasty and determining which club has impressed him the most.
“Whenever they are in the gym,” he said of ex-roster members, “they are fighting like crazy, arguing over which was the best. That makes it really fun. When those guys come back, it makes it all worth it.
“It means a lot; this just, to me, finalizes this great run, this great six-year run. I wanted to see them do it, be part of it. Now it’s three groups of seniors that never lost a playoff game. [That’s] really something special.”
Contact Managing Editor Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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