SOL Boys’ Basketball District One Preview (2-22-22)

Check out the preview capsules for SOL boys’ basketball teams in action in the District One Tournament.

Class 6A

#19 PERKIOMEN VALLEY at #3 CHELTENHAM (Tuesday, 7 p.m.)

Cheltenham

25-0 overall
16-0 SOL Liberty Division champions
SOL Tournament champions – wins over Neshaminy (60-43), CB East (62-54) and Bensalem (50-37)
Won 25 games with an average margin of victory of 23.1 points per-game. Only one game – #21 Wissahickon (57-49) wasn’t a double-figure win. Also have wins over Class 5A #4 Upper Moreland (67-56, 73-50), #9 Upper Dublin (55-43), #13 Great Valley (70-39), #22 Plymouth Whitemarsh (72-56) and #23 Abington (62-46).
Senior guard Rasheem Dearry leads a deep team in scoring at 15.7 points per-game and was the team’s top scorer in 13 different games. Freshman point guard Josiah Hutson and senior forward Justin Savage each average 11.3. Other key players include Brandon Bush, Elias Walker, Nasir Edens, Kevin Addison-Anderson and Johnathan Fevrier.

How they got here: Opening round bye

Perkiomen Valley

16-8
7-3 Pioneer Athletic Conference
The Vikings were 2-4 against SOL teams during the season, including losses to CB South, Souderton, Wissahickon and North Penn. They won 11 of 14 games before a PAC-12 tournament loss to Phoenixville last week. It has quality wins over Class 4A #2 Pope John Paul II (60-55), Spring-Ford (49-47, 55-45), Norristown (68-51).
Players to watch include sophomore leading scorer Josh Sadler, and seniors Josh Pelzer, Dawson Debebe and Vance Sadler for a team with a lot of guys who can fire it up from outside.

How they got here: In an opening round game, Perk Valley – which opened up a 20-4 lead after one quarter – held on to defeat #14 Central Bucks East 55-53. Dawson Debebe (19 points) and Julian Sadler (16 points) led the Vikings.

#20 WEST CHESTER HENDERSON at #4 BENSALEM (Tuesday, 7 p.m.)

Bensalem

19-6 overall
13-3 SOL Patriot Division champions
Second in SOL Tournament, losing in the championship game to #3 Cheltenham (50-37) after wins over #16 Pennsbury (50-45) and #9 Upper Dublin (62-54) to get there.
Also own regular-season wins this season over #18 Neshaminy (61-56, 64-54), #16 Pennsbury (42-37), #21 Wissahickon (81-60), #14 CB East (66-38), #11 CB South (67-53), #15 Council Rock North (49-41) and #23 Abington (77-71).
Senior guard Aaron Sanders, a three-year starter and holdover from Bensalem’s 2020 state playoff qualifying team, makes things go, either on the ball as point guard or off the ball. He averages 16.1 points per-game and has only been held to single figures in two games. Senior guard Jeremy Rodriguez (14.2 ppg) is an outside shooting threat, and 6-foot-7 senior Allen Myers (11.6 ppg) handles the inside game. Other key players include Eric Gonzalez, Jack Wineburg, Tra Edwards and Antonio Morris.

How they got here: Opening round bye

West Chester Henderson

15-7 overall
8-4 Ches-Mont National tied for second place
Young team led by sophomores Nyle Ralph-Beyer (14.3 ppg), Nelson Lamizano (11.3 ppg) and Connor Fleet (10.3 ppg). Senior forward Ryan Bell averages 8.1 points a game.
Wins over Class 5A #8 Sun Valley (64-58), #10 West Chester Rustin (75-69)
Split season series with Class 6A #6 Downingtown West (44-54 & 58-56), #13 Great Valley (66-78 & 60-52), Class 5A #6 Bishop Shanahan (48-50 & 50-48)
Seven straight wins to close out the season.

How they got here: In an opening round game, West Chester Henderson defeated #13 Great Valley 60-52. Ryan Bell (15 points) and Nyle Ralph-Beyer (14 points) led the way.

#15 COUNCIL ROCK NORTH at #2 LOWER MERION (Tuesday, 7 p.m.)

Council Rock North

17-7 overall
11-5 SOL Patriot, second place
Lost to #9 Upper Dublin (44-41) in the SOL Tournament quarterfinals
Went 6-1 in final seven league games, including two wins over #16 Pennsbury (53-48 and 37-35) in the final week of the regular season. Also owns wins over #14 Central Bucks East (54-52) and #4 Bensalem (64-51).
The Indians have one of the SOL’s top point guards in senior three-year starter Bernie Parent, who averaged 16.6 points per-game, all but one regular season game in double figures and 26 in the upset of Bensalem. Other top scorers include juniors Adam Mahtat (9.3 ppg) and Jack Blum (8.8), while they’ve also gotten contributions from senors Shane Anhalt, Ryan Burkett and Logan Saifer.

How they got here: In an opening round game, Council Rock North defeated #18 Neshaminy 58.53. The Indians were led by Adam Mahtat (23 points) and Bernie Parent (14 points).

Lower Merion

20-3 overall
15-2 Central League regular season co-champions
Defeated Radnor 59-49 to capture the Central League title
Program boasts a tradition of excellence with 38 league titles and seven state titles
Led by 6-10 center and Penn State University commit Demetrius Lewis
Wins over Class 6A #24 Garnet Valley (58-45 & 48-45), Class 5A #1 (60-48 & 59-49), #5 Penncrest (61-39), #7 Marple-Newtown (62-32)
Split with Class 6A #5 Haverford (58-47 & 60-65) and won two of three with #10 Conestoga (43-45, 50-37 & 55-33)
Won 10 of 11 games heading into districts

How they got here: Opening round bye

#22 PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH at #6 DOWNINGTOWN WEST (Tuesday, 7 p.m.)

Plymouth Whitemarsh

16-7 overall
12-4 SOL Liberty Division co-champions
Clinched a share of the division title with key wins over #9 Upper Dublin (47-44) and #21 Wissahickon (63-48) in the last week of the regular season.
Also owns wins over #5 Haverford High (50-49), #9 Upper Dublin twice (55-39 and aforementioned 47-44) and Class 5A #4 Upper Moreland (66-46).
Junior forward Qudire Bennett emerged as the team’s top scorer and the leading scorer in the entire SOL during the regular season, averaging 17.8 points per-game. He’s joined in double figures by explosive sophomore Jaden Colzie (13 ppg) and senior Marshall Baker (10.9 ppg). Others to watch include Zende Hubbard, Taji Hubbard and Trey Jones.

How they got here: In an opening round game, Plymouth Whitemarsh rallied from behind to defeated #11 Central Bucks South 73-66.

Downingtown West

16-5 overall
12-1 Ches-Mont National first place
Lost to West Chester East 55-48 in the Ches-Mont title game
Junior point guard Dylan Blair and 6-9 junior forward Jake Warren led the Whippets
Regular season wins over Class 6A #7 West Chester East (79-61, 45-38), Class 5A #6 Bishop Shanahan (50-38 & 64-40, #8 Sun Valley (51-25)
Split season series with Class 6A #20 West Chester Henderson (54-44 & 56-58)
Won nine of 11 to close out regular season

How they got here: Opening round bye

#23 ABINGTON at #7 WEST CHESTER EAST (Tuesday, 7 p.m.)

Abington

15-8 overall
11-5, SOL Liberty, tied for third
Won last five games of regular season to earn a spot in the Class 6A tournament
Up-and-down season, the Ghosts have wins over #21 Wissahickon (43-36), Plymouth #22 Whitemarsh (72-67), and Class 5A #4 Upper Moreland (42-24), and #17 Penn Wood (59-41).
Abington’s leading scorer all season has been 6-foot-6 senior forward Derrius Lucas (16.3 points per-game), while 6-5 senior Connor Fields (9.1), guards Fhenyx Scutt (8.8) and Jeremiah Lee (8.5) have all had big games as well.

How they got here: In an opening round contest, Abington upset#10 Conestoga 36-32 in double overtime. Derrius Lucas scored 20 points to lead the Ghosts.

West Chester East

17-6 overall
8-4 Chest-Mont National tied for second place
Defeated Downingtown West 55-48 in the Ches-Mont title game.
Led by junior Josh Kushner and sophomore Ryan Price
Wins over Class 6A #13 Great Valley (69-65 & 59-52), #17 Penn Wood (54-41), #20 West Chester Henderson (65-64 & 46-40), Class 5A #6 Bishop Shanahan (66-54 & 42-40), #10 West Chester Rustin (52-39)

How they got here: Opening round bye

Class 5A

#12 CHICHESTER at #4 UPPER MORELAND (Wednesday, 7 p.m.)

Upper Moreland

14-8 overall
9-7 SOL Freedom Division, second place
The Golden Bears survived a difficult league schedule and emerged as one of the favorites in Class 5A. During the season their top wins were over Class 6A #20 West Chester Henderson (52-50), Class 5A Upper Merion (56-51) and Class 4A #3 Springfield (52-41, 31-30).
Senior forward Matt Tiernan is the top inside player for the Bears and averages 13 points per-game, while point guard Byron Hopkins (12.3 ppg) is a three-year starter in both football and basketball. Other top scorers including Bo Meakim (5.6 ppg) and Stefano Garofalo (6.8). The return of senior Jake Tiernan from injury late in the season has been a boost, as well.

How they got here: Opening round bye

Chichester

10-12 overall
4-4 Delaware Valley League
Average 53.5 points a game
Led by 6-3 junior guard Akhir Keys (12.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg) and 6-1 junior point guard Mazen Sayed (11.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.4 spg)
Key contributors also include junior forward Vince Wildrick (8.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg), junior guard Zaiyin Keys (6.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg) and 6-4 senior Isaiah Diggs (6.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg)
Regular season wins over Class 5A #6 Bishop Shanahan (42-41) and #8 Sun Valley (65-64)
Lost to its only two SOL opponents – Council Rock South (64-48) and Pennsbury (60-39)

How they got here: In an opening round game, Chichester upset #5 Penncrest 50-43. Mazen Sayed scored 17 points.

Class 4A

#3 SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP at #2 POPE JOHN PAUL II (Tuesday, 7 p.m.)

10-10 overall
6-10 SOL Freedom Division, fourth place
Won 10 games one season removed from a 0-12 COVID-shortened 2020-21 season. It’s also the first season with a .500 record since returning to the SOL. Wins included two times over rival Lower Moreland (50-45, 47-33) and MaST Charter (70-59) in a nonleague game.
Junior guard Dylan McKenzie is the team’s top scorer at 12.2 point per-game, and he’s scored in doubles in seven of the last eight games of the regular season. He also had a 26-point game against Plymouth Whitemarsh. Seniors Ben Cooney and Kyle Smythe average 9.2 and 7.8 per-game, respectively. Others to watch include sophomore Brett Smith and senior Harry Rittenhouse.

Pope John Paul II

13-8
8-5 Pioneer Athletic Conference Frontier Division co-champs
Lost to Class 6A #1 Methacton (55-42) in the PAC-10 championship game after defeating Class 5A #3 Phoenixville (55-43) in the semifinals.
Other big wins included over Class 6A #10 Conestoga (46-40) and Class 5A Class 5A #11 Upper Merion (67-59)
Senior point guard JP Baron led the Golden Panthers, and the PAC-10, in scoring at 17.9 ppg. He’s going in the backcourt by a pair of double figure scorers in seniors Jaden Workman and Kevin Green.

#4 NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY at #1 COLLEGIUM CHARTER (Tuesday, 7 p.m.)

New Hope-Solebury

2-20
1-15 SOL Freedom Division
Rebuilding season with only one returning player with significant varsity experience has seen the Lions struggle against larger Class 6A and 5A schools. They do hold wins over Hatboro-Horsham (35-24) and Roxborough (55-40).
Players to watch include sophomore Miles Demby (10.2 ppg) and senior Charlie Albano (7.7).

Collegium Charter

20-2
13-1 Bicentennial Athletic League
Only league loss this season was to Class 3A #1 Dock Mennonite. Meanwhile, it has some impressive nonleague wins over the likes of Class 6A #7 West Chester East (65-56), Class 5A #3 Phoenixville (71-45) and Class 5A #6 Bishop Shanahan (43-42).
Top players for the Cougars including leading scorer junior Dinero Washington (18.7 ppg), junior Duce Jackson (13.9 ppg) and senior top rebounder Travon Mack.