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With the local high school football season complete, basketball has become the beneficiary of sports fans’ late autumn cravings. After today, all eight boys’ squads will have contested at least one game, with the next few weeks set to weed out those most capable of enjoying prosperous campaigns.
Representing four divisions, the seven Public League units possess diverse pedigrees. The School District of Philadelphia has chosen to use recent results to order teams into divisions, so Prep Charter High School, 1928 Point Breeze Ave., which advanced to the second round of the PIAA Class AA tournament, finds itself moving from Division C to the loaded Division A.
The West Passyunk school’s Huskies welcome a new coach, Rahim Washington, whose troops will try to top last season’s 16-12 record. Seven triumphs came in league play, with two more in the city playoffs. Their success landed forward Laquan Stephens Third Team Division C recognition. The junior hopes to propel his bunch, which dropped two games in last weekend’s West Catholic Tipoff Tournament, to a run at a state crown. The road to redemption resumes today at Frankford.
Lou Williams, another first-year coach, will look to make Prep Charter’s new status a fruitless one, as he and Lower Moyamensing’s South Philadelphia High School, 2101 S. Broad St., strive for victories. The Rams claimed eight wins from 13 league battles last year and 10 overall successes. They dropped a preliminary Class AAA playoff yet are poised to be a factor in their 12-team division, beginning with today’s road test against Bartram.
The Rockets from Universal Audenried Charter High School, 3301 Tasker St., impressed in their first varsity season. The Grays Ferry ballers definitely acclimated themselves to the rigors of top competition by dropping only one game from 11 Division D contests. Guard Qaadir Nock earned a Second-Team distinction, with fellow guard Daquan Jones grabbing a Third-Team nod. The junior and senior stars will listen to first-year leader Wali Smith to better their amazing 14-4 novice season, which included a first-round defeat in the Public League Class AA playoffs. They started their year Tuesday by falling to World Communications, 63-61, and travel to Overbrook today.
The district rewarded them for their success by shifting them to the 14-team Division C, along with The Academy at Palumbo, 1100 Catharine St. The Griffins also enjoyed amazing progress, registering 19 wins against only three losses. The Hawthorne players could not sustain their gusto in the postseason, as they lost their opening-round tilt.
Coach Steve Gittleman had many reasons to be proud, as guard Demetrius Davenport appeared on Division C’s First Team and guard Sharif Smith joined the Third Team. The senior standouts could not lead their mates past University City Saturday, 67-58. Their busy schedule intensified with Monday’s road loss to Kensington, 65-53, and Tuesday’s road win against Marianna Bracetti, 47-41.
Edward Bok High School, 1901 S. Ninth St., claimed only three wins from 15 Division B games and four overall victories out of 17 total games last year. The East Passyunk Crossing school also lost coach Lloyd Jenkins, who passed away April 9.
Replacement Greg Frangipani, long-tenured as the girls’ basketball coach, will lead the Wildcats in a new branch, as they are among the members of the 13-team Division D. They play their third game this week today, following Monday’s road loss to Communications Tech, 79-46, and Tuesday’s home win over Swenson, 53-51.
The Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, 901 S. Broad St., could not muster a win in 11 Division D games and picked up only one overall in 14 games. Having lost 1,000-point scorer Matt Powers, a First-Team selection, to graduation (now suiting up for Philadelphia University), coach John Dunphy will need his young charges to commit to establish winning ways at their Hawthorne institution, as they begin their inaugural year in Division E. They fell in Friday’s home opener to Rush, 55-43, Monday’s opening road tilt to Douglas, 56-36, and Tuesday’s home game against Science Leadership, 63-19.
Art Kratchman returns for another year at the Girard Academic Music Program, 2136 Ritner St. The Girard Estate institution, a Division E member, picked up one win in 13 league affairs yet only one other reason to rejoice in nine other games, finishing with a 2-20 mark.
The Pioneers remain Division E trailblazers, with competition from 12 other hungry squads, and will call upon junior guard Tobias Stokes, a Third-Team honoree last year, to please fans. They began with a Friday home loss to Masterman, 63-36, yet rebounded at home yesterday by beating Parkway Northwest, 46-29. They travel to face Rush today.
The Public League programs will need awesome years if they are to drown out all the talk about the dynasty at Ss. Neumann-Goretti High School, 1736 S. 10th St. The East Passyunk Crossing institution registered a 27-4 mark last year, claiming the Catholic League, District 12 City and Class AAA State titles.
The Saints lost league co-MVP Lamin Fulton to graduation (St. Peter’s University), but other guards, including sophomore Ja’Quan Newton, are ready to score and set up plays for returning First-Team forwards John Davis, a junior, and Derrick Stewart, a senior who last month committed to Rider University.
Coach Carl Arrigale earned his 300th career win Saturday against Washington, D.C.-based Sidwell Friends, 76-61. The victory put his team into the finals of the Gonzaga Classic, where it dropped the championship, 56-52, to the host school, another D.C. unit. At 2-1, the parochial players will look to rebound tomorrow against Reading at Albright College.
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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