Neumann
The Neumann Pirates are the team the rest of the Catholic League is growing to hate. The squad won the last two championship crowns, and has the talent to do it again this season.
Six of Neumann’s returning players all started at different points last year. The only key loss is guard Chris Del Brocco, the Review‘s 2002 Male Athlete of the Year. The team MVP and Third Team All-Catholic averaged 11.4 points a game.
Of the returning players, junior point guard Richard "Tabby" Cunningham is the most experienced, with two championship rings. He averaged 13 points and six assists a game last season.
College prospects: Senior guard Antwain Wynn is drawing interest from a range of programs, including mid-Division I schools Drexel and Canisius. Senior forward Todd Johnson has Division II attention from West Chester and Shippensburg, while guard Kenny Fulton and forward Kevin Lauer are on the radar screen of Division II and III schools.
Preseason prep: When it comes to the preseason, coach Carl Arrigale doesn’t mess around. In the last week, Neumann defeated Public League championship contenders Bartram, Strawberry Mansion and Southern, and improved its preseason mark to 3-2.
That’s just a warm-up for next week’s trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C., where the Pirates will compete in the prestigious Beach Ball Classic. The 16-team national tournament will include teams from Kentucky, Virginia, New Jersey, Louisiana, South Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee.
Arrigale will prepare his athletes for the playoffs with a contest against a formidable foe. In February, Neumann will travel to the Primetime Shootout in Trenton, N.J., to play against Virginia’s Oak Hill Academy, who is ranked number-one in the country and has lost just three games over the last four seasons.
"I look at that game as we’ve got nothing to lose," Arrigale said. "If we win, it will be like winning a championship."
2002 recap: The Pirates finished fourth in the Southern Division with a 10-4 record and defeated Archbishop Ryan 66-53 for the Catholic League championship. They finished the season ranked ninth in the East Region by USA Today.
Teams to beat: Roman Catholic, St. Joe’s Prep, Cardinal Dougherty and Monsignor Bonner.
Goal: Win the Catholic League title
Coach’s outlook: "We don’t talk about defending anything. We put the rings away. We are playing and preparing to be there in the end."
Projected 2003 Lineup
| F | Kevin Lauer | 6’5" | SR | |
| F | Todd Johnson | 6’5" | SR* | |
| G | Kenny Fulton | 6’1" | SR* | |
| G/F | Adon El | 6’4" | JR | |
| G | Antwain Wynn | 5’9" | SR | |
| G | Richard Cunningham | 5’9" | JR |
*Lineup varies depending on match-up
Bench:
| G/F | David Burton | 6’5" | SO | |
| G/F | Jack Hatty | 6’4" | SR | |
| F | Keith Herron | 6’4" | SR | |
| G | Earl Pettis | 6’4" | FR* |
*expected back in January
2003 Schedule
| Jan. 3 | Monsignor Bonner | Home | 8 p.m. | |
| Jan. 7 | Roman Catholic | Away | 3:30 p.m. | |
| Jan. 10 | Archbishop Carroll | Away | 8 p.m. | |
| Jan. 12 | Kennedy-Kenrick | Home | 2:30 p.m. | |
| Jan. 17 | St. Joe’s Prep | Home | 8 p.m. | |
| Jan. 19 | Cardinal O’Hara | Home | 2:30 p.m. | |
| Jan. 24 | West Catholic | Away | 6 p.m. | |
| Jan. 31 | Monsignor Bonner | Away | 8 p.m. | |
| Feb. 1 | Roman Catholic | Home | 2:30 p.m. | |
| Feb. 6 | Archbishop Carroll | Home | 6:30 p.m. | |
| Feb. 9 | Kennedy-Kenrick | Away | 2:30 p.m. | |
| Feb. 14 | St. Joe’s Prep | Away | 3:30 p.m. | |
| Feb. 16 | Cardinal O’Hara | Home | 2:30 p.m. | |
| Feb. 21 | West Catholic | Home | 8 p.m. |
2002 Final Catholic League
Southern Division Standings
Carroll 11-3
SJ Prep 11-3
Bonner 10-4
Neumann 10-4
Roman 6-8
O’Hara 4-10
Kennedy-Kenrick 2-12
West Catholic 2-12
Public League
Audenried
Coach Hilderbrand Pelzer scheduled two non-league games this month as a learning experience for the Warriors.
It turns out they have a lot more to learn.
Last Thursday’s 93-49 loss to Martin Luther King showed the squad has to brush up on even the basketball basics. Audenried was outscored 31-9 in the first quarter and never caught up.
"We’ve got a lot of work to do," Pelzer said.
Senior guards Damien Berry and Khalif Billups are the only two returning starters.
2002 recap: The Warriors finished the season 3-10, missing the playoffs.
Teams to beat: Southern, FLC and Roxborough.
Goal: Improve on last year’s record.
Coach’s outlook: "They will jell by the end of the season. I should have a very strong competitive unit. The kids have a good attitude and are nice."
Projected 2003 Lineup
| F | Barry Henry | 5’11" | JR | ||
| F | Stanley Harris | 6’3" | JR | ||
| C | Isiah Davis | 6’4" | SR | ||
| G | Damien Berry | 5’10" | SR | ||
| G | Khalif Billups | 5’8" | SR |
Bench:
F Kalief Parks 5’10" JR
G Joe Jardine 5’6" JR
2003 Schedule
| Jan. 2 | Masterman | Home |
| Jan. 7 | Mastbaum | Home |
| Jan. 9 | Kensington | Home |
| Jan. 14 | FLC | Away |
| Jan. 21 | Furness | Home |
| Jan. 23 | Lamberton | Away |
| Jan. 28 | Prep Charter | Away |
| Jan. 30 | Southern | Away |
| Feb. 4 | Bok | Away |
| Feb. 6 | GAMP | Away |
| Feb. 11 | Parkway | Home |
| Feb. 13 | Roxborough | Away |
All games will be played at 3 p.m.
Bok
Like most of their Division D mates, the Wildcats must get off to a quick start this season if they are to make the playoff cut. Only six spots are available for Division C and D teams, and the top two finishers in each of the divisions are guaranteed a playoff berth. The fifth and sixth seeds go to the two teams with the best records.
To stay among the top squads, Bok will have to compensate for the loss of graduate Leroy Byrd and his 22 points per game. Instead of relying on one player to carry the load, coach Lloyd Jenkins is hoping to have several competent contributors.
"He’ll be tough to replace as far as points are concerned," the coach said of Byrd. "We have to play good defense and stay out of foul trouble because we are not real deep."
2002 recap: The Burrs finished 7-6 in league play, and missed the cut for the Public League playoffs.
Teams to beat: Southern, Roxborough, Kensington and Furness.
Goal: Clinch a playoff spot and take it from there.
Coach’s outlook: "We are very inexperienced and very young. It depends how quickly we come together as a team. We can possibly sneak up on teams and make a little run."
Projected 2003 Lineup
| F | John Brown | 6’5" | SR |
| F | Marcelluas Barnes | 6’3" | JR |
| PG | Akeem Green | 6’5" | SR |
| WG | James Pope | 6’1" | JR |
| WG | Jamal West | 6’2" | JR |
Bench:
| F | Chris Seaborn | 6’5" | JR |
| F | Kamau Bonaparte | 6’3" | SR |
| G | Allen Major | 5’9" | JR |
| G | Kenny Major | 5’9" | JR |
2003 Schedule
| Jan. 2 | Strawberry Mansion | Home | 3 p.m. | |
| Jan. 7 | Masterman | Home | 3 p.m. | |
| Jan. 9 | Mastbaum | Home | 3 p.m. | |
| Jan. 14 | Kensington | Away | 3 p.m. | |
| Jan. 16 | Southern | Home | 3 p.m. | |
| Jan. 23 | GAMP | Away | 3 p.m. | |
| Jan. 28 | Parkway | Home | 3 p.m. | |
| Jan. 30 | Roxborough | Home | 3 p.m. | |
| Feb. 4 | Audenried | Home | 3 p.m. | |
| Feb. 6 | Furness | Away | 3 p.m. | |
| Feb. 8 | Friends Central | Away | 1:30 p.m. | |
| Feb. 11 | Lamberton | Home | 3 p.m. | |
| Feb. 13 | Prep Charter | Away | 3 p.m. |
Furness
When a team loses more than 37 points of offense and starts the season with nine newcomers, most would probably consider it to be a rebuilding year.
But Furness coach Dave Connolly doesn’t share that view. He thinks his Falcons have a legitimate shot of making the Public League playoffs.
Junior Tywain McKee is a big reason behind the optimism. The guard, who averaged 14.5 points a game last season, will be one of the Falcons trying to make up for graduate David Watson’s 26.2 points per game. By scoring 31 of Furness’ 65 points in last week’s loss to Kensington, McKee showed he is ready for the challenge.
"I don’t think we’ll have trouble replacing Watson," Connolly said. "McKee fills his shoes nicely."
The coach is also buoyed by the aggressive defensive play of sophomore guard Malik Perry and newcomer Raheem Hargust, who scored 27 points in a non-league win over Bodine.
Preseason prep: Furness will travel to Erial, N.J., to play in the Rotary Club Christmas Tournament. The team will compete against Timber Creek, Camden and Gloucester Catholic.
2002 recap: The Falcons finished the season a respectable 7-6, but ended up missing the playoffs.
Teams to beat: Strawberry Mansion, Southern and Bok.
Goal: Clinch a playoff spot.
Coach’s outlook: "I think they’ll be competitive, and I’ll have most of them back next year."
Projected 2003 Lineup
| F/C | Raul Vazquez | 6’2" | JR | |
| F/C | George Davis | 6’2" | SR | |
| G/F | Raheem Hargust | 6′ | JR | |
| G/F | Malik Perry | 6’3" | SO | |
| G | Tywain McKee | 6′ | JR |
Bench:
G Ronald Jones 5’6" SR
2003 Schedule
| Jan. 2 | Bodine | Away |
| Jan. 7 | Strawberry Mansion | Away |
| Jan. 9 | Masterman | Home |
| Jan. 14 | Mastbaum | Away |
| Jan. 16 | Roxborough | Home |
| Jan. 21 | Audenried | Away |
| Jan. 28 | Lamberton | Home |
| Jan. 30 | Prep Charter | Home |
| Feb. 4 | Southern | Home |
| Feb. 6 | Bok | Home |
| Feb. 11 | GAMP | Away |
| Feb. 13 | Parkway | Away |
All games will be played at 3 p.m.
GAMP
The Pioneers would love for this to be the season they surprise the rest of the Public League.
But to even contend for a playoff spot, the undersized team would need seven wins — four more than last season. GAMP is once again one of the Public League’s smallest squads with just two players topping 6 feet.
The upside is, coach Art Kratchman has two of his top scorers back in senior Chris Feggans and junior Michael Brino, who combined for more than 30 points a game last year.
"They both have the ability to score and understand how to play the game," Kratchman said. "Hopefully, we’ll start to click."
College prospects: Feggans is getting attention from Division II and III programs.
2002 recap: The Pioneers missed the playoffs once again with a 3-10 league mark and 4-18 overall record.
Teams to beat: Southern, FLC, Strawberry Mansion and E&S.;
Goal: Win more games and contend for a playoff spot.
Coach’s outlook: "I kind of like this team in terms of work ethic. They have really good chemistry. I am concerned about their ability for getting the ball up the floor and our lack of height."
Projected 2003 Lineup
| G/F | Chris Feggans | 6’1" | SR | ||
| G/F | Michael Brino | 5’11" | JR | ||
| C | Michael Ballard | 6’2" | SR | ||
| G | Kyle Torriero | 5’11" | JR | ||
| G | Taron Cain | 5’8" | JR |
Bench:
F Greg Pecca 6′ JR
G Gabe Natale 5’9" SO
2003 Schedule
| Jan. 2 | E&S; | Home |
| Jan. 7 | Bodine | Away |
| Jan. 9 | Strawberry Mansion | Away |
| Jan. 14 | Masterman | Away |
| Jan. 16 | Prep Charter | Home |
| Jan. 21 | Southern | Away |
| Jan. 23 | Bok | Home |
| Jan. 30 | Parkway | Away |
| Feb. 4 | Roxborough | Home |
| Feb. 6 | Audenried | Home |
| Feb. 11 | Furness | Home |
| Feb. 13 | Lamberton | Away |
All games will be played at 3 p.m.
Prep Charter
The Huskies want to be taken seriously in their second Public League season.
Last year ended with one victory and a blow to the team’s ego, so coach Jonathan Groom actively worked to build up the athletes. The coach entered the young squad into the Greater Philadelphia and Positive Image summer leagues, and recruited several players for his Amateur Athletic Union team. He said the preparation already is paying off.
"They have more enthusiasm and more talent," Groom said. "There are total improvements across the board."
But the Huskies lost a valuable player in Jontai Holmes, who averaged 18.1 points and is now playing at Penn State Delco.
College prospects: Senior guard Jay Groover has caught the eye of some Division II schools.
Preseason prep: The Huskies finished last weekend’s Girard College Tournament with a 65-63 win over Village Charter. The local squad overcame a 21-point halftime deficit for the victory. Prep Charter will play in the four-team Ben Warley Invitational Tournament Dec. 28-29.
2002 recap: The Huskies finished last in Division D with a 1-12 record, missing the playoffs.
Teams to beat: Southern, Roxborough and FLC.
Goal: Have a winning season and contend for a playoff spot.
Coach’s outlook: "In the second year of a program, reaching the playoffs is a pretty ambitious goal."
Projected 2003 Lineup
| F | Jason Dogan | 6’3" | SO |
| F | Paris Griffin | 6’5" | FR |
| G | Jay Groover | 6’2" | SR |
| G | Haven Wroten | 6’2" | SO |
| G | Bilal Rogers | 5’9" | SO |
Bench:
| F/G | Rodney Green | 6’3" | FR |
| G | Jarvae Reed | 5’9" | SO |
| G/F | Malcolm Biddle | 6’2" | JR |
2003 Schedule
| Jan. 2 | FLC | Away |
| Jan. 7 | Franklin | Home |
| Jan. 9 | Fels | Home |
| Jan. 14 | E&S; | Away |
| Jan. 16 | GAMP | Away |
| Jan. 21 | Parkway | Home |
| Jan. 23 | Roxborough | Away |
| Jan. 28 | Audenried | Home |
| Jan. 30 | Furness | Away |
| Feb. 4 | Lamberton | Away |
| Feb. 11 | Southern | Away |
| Feb. 13 | Bok | Home |
All games will be played at 3 p.m.
Southern
They have the talent and the playoff experience, but does South Philadelphia High finally have what it takes to contend with the Public League’s "big dogs?" It’s a question coach George Anderson hopes to answer this season. Strawberry Mansion, who has won two of the last three titles; Simon Gratz, who either wins or is in the title game just about every season; and John Bartram, on the verge of winning its first championship in three decades, are also serious contenders for the crown.
"I think we have as good a shot as the rest of the big dogs," Anderson said. "It all depends on how things play out."
College prospects: Antoine Brown, better known as "Do-Dirt," is attracting an endless list of Division I schools, including Louisville, Stanford and Miami as well as local programs La Salle, Temple and St. Joe’s. Junior Shawn Saab is getting a healthy dose of Division II interest.
Season highlights: The Rams will compete in the two-day Black Knights Christmas Tournament in Lancaster over the holiday break. The squad also has non-league games scheduled against Shipley High in January and St. Dominic’s of Long Island, N.Y., in February.
2002 recap: The Rams finished second in Division D with an 8-5 record and advanced to the Public League quarterfinals, where they were eliminated by Bartram.
Teams to beat: Bartram, MLK, Strawberry Mansion, Gratz and FLC.
Goal: Win the Public League title.
Coach’s outlook: "I think they are at the point now where they just have to believe in themselves. Up until now, it is just me telling them. I think they have the ability."
Projected 2003 Lineup
| F | Ray Alexander | 6’2" | SR | ||
| F | Shawn Saab | 6’5 | JR | ||
| C | Steve Rudd | 6’5" | JR | ||
| G | Keith Grimes | 6’2" | JR | ||
| G | Antoine Brown | 6’1" | JR |
Bench:
| C | Brian Wilson | 6’6" | SR |
| G | Amir Ryan | 5’1" | SO |
| G | Kasheif Carr | 6’3" | SO |
Sleepers:
F William Byrd 6’3" JR
G Mark Lee 5’9" SR
2003 Schedule
| Jan. 2 | Mastbaum | Home |
| Jan. 7 | Kensington | Away |
| Jan. 9 | FLC | Home |
| Jan. 14 | Ben Franklin | Away |
| Jan. 16 | Bok | Home |
| Jan. 21 | GAMP | Home |
| Jan. 23 | Parkway | Away |
| Jan. 28 | Roxborough | Home |
| Jan. 30 | Audenried | Home |
| Feb. 4 | Furness | Away |
| Feb. 6 | Lamberton | Away |
| Feb. 11 | Prep Charter | Home |
All games will be played at 3 p.m.
2002 Final Division D Standings
Roxborough 11-2
Southern 8-5
Bok 7-6
Furness 7-6
Parkway 6-7
Lamberton 6-7
Audenried 3-10
GAMP 3-10
Prep Charter 1-12
