PA Playaz Continues Strong 'Family' Tradition

PA Playaz - which includes former Villanova and Neshaminy star Ryan Arcidiacono among its alums - continues its strong 'family' tradition.

Seven years ago, the PA Playaz AAU team made headlines when it captured the 2009 Mid-Atlantic Division One championship and then stole the spotlight at the prestigious Adidas Super 64 Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev. Five players from that team went on to earn Division One scholarships.

Leading the way was then Neshaminy sophomore Ryan Arcidiacono, who capped a stellar career at Villanova University this spring with his selection as the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four during the Wildcats’ magical run to a national title.

These days Arcidiacono is back in Las Vegas playing in the NBA Summer League after signing a two-year partially guaranteed contract with the San Antonio Spurs.  Despite his ascent to the top of his sport, the former Neshaminy star has not forgotten his roots and was back on the bench helping to coach the Playaz in May during a tournament in King of Prussia.

“It was very special - we all love seeing him and the NCAA championship was still pretty fresh.” said Playaz coach Adam Bowen. “In the middle of the game, people were walking onto the court getting pictures with him while he was on our bench.”

Leading this year’s Playaz squad is Ryan’s younger brother, Chris Arcidiacono, who was the ball boy for that successful squad. The rising Neshaminy junior point guard – a team captain - is looking to come back strong after being sidelined with a broken finger. He is averaging 17 points and five assists a game.  

“Chris shows great leadership,” Bowen said. “He’s very competitive.

“With someone like him, you feel like you have a chance to win every game. When he plays well, we usually win regardless of who we are playing against. He is starting to receive a lot of attention from the scouts and college coaches.”

Matt McAlister, a rising junior at Council Rock North, also is following in the footsteps of another member of the 2009 squad. His brother, Billy McAlister, is now an assistant coach for the Playaz. Matt – a captain and starting shooting guard - is averaging 14 points and three assists.

“Matt has matured into a great leader this season,” Bowen said.  “He’s our version of Villanova’s Kris Jenkins, when he has a one-two step jumper - it’s going up and it’s going in.”

Rising Conwell Egan junior Eric Esposito is averaging 14 points and eight rebounds.

“He’s a very versatile player who plays multiple positions,” Bowen said. “He can take over a game offensively and defensively. He has a clear passion for basketball, and he is very coachable. He will be in high demand at the next level.”

Rising Medford Tech junior Nate Conyer is averaging a double-double for the Playaz – 12 points and 12 rebounds - while Anthony Papeo, a rising junior guard at Neshaminy, also averages 12 points a game.

“Nate Conyer is match-up problem for the other team,” Bowen said. “He is very skilled with a nice inside/outside game. Both his parents are teachers so he does very well in school. Someone at the next level will be very lucky to get him.

“Anthony (Papeo) is by far our most improved player,” Bowen continued. “He’s a combo guard that has really stepped up. He is very coachable, and he’s sparked us to win several games. He is going to have a breakout high school season for Neshaminy.”

Vince Busico, a rising junior at St. Joseph’s Prep, is averaging 10 points and five steals a game.

“Vince Busico is the ultimate warrior,” Bowen said. “He has unbelievable mental and physical toughness, and he does all the little things that no one else wants to do that help you win big games. We wish we had several of him.”

La Salle rising sophomore forward Jack Rothenberg averages eight points a game.

“He’s a great athlete who can score in bunches,” Bowen said. “He is a year younger so he’s playing up an age group but you would never know it. He has the potential to be a big-time player.”

Also contributing are Holy Ghost Prep rising junior Jack Elliott, Patrick Robinson, a rising junior at Conwell Egan and a newcomer to the team, and rising Neshaminy junior Charles Dominick.

“Jack has a great attitude,” Bowen said. “He’s a very good shooter with a high basketball IQ and does very well in school at Holy Ghost.

“Patrick Robinson is a great athlete – very quick and can attack the basket and put pressure on the defense. Charles Dominick is a hard worker who loves the game. He is a high academic kid who defines the term student-athlete.”

The Playaz continue their tradition of playing a schedule that includes prestigious invitation only tournaments featuring some of the top teams in the country. Even though the championship trophies aren’t as frequent as they were for Ryan Arcidiacono’s team, the Playaz still compete at the highest level and knock off some of the country’s most elite programs.

Playing against the best competition will always be a core value regardless of record. The coaches believe the experience and competitiveness of those games make players better and give them exposure to the best competition and to scouts/colleges. The team recently competed in the Rumble in the Bronx in New York City and advanced to the final four of the Mid-Atlantic championships.

In July – the live recruiting period, the Playaz will be competing in a pair of invitation only tournaments, including the Elevate Hoops Tournament at Philadelphia University July 8-10 and the Southern Hoop Group Jam Fest at Spooky Nook July 15-17.

“Players that are this talented have many options when choosing a high level AAU team, and we are blessed they play for our AAU program in the spring and summer,” Bowen said. “Many of these kids have been playing together since intramurals, travel, and CYO. That is very special. I actually think the parents have more fun than the kids sometimes; especially when we travel together.

“We try to be different by playing in invitation only tournaments against the best competition, having very competitive practices, individual improvement skills clinics, and by treating each other like a family. We have now developed a tradition and can reference teams and players who have been here before us. We try to run it like a good high school program, which I think is pretty unique for AAU. We take that very seriously and because of that I do think we have separated ourselves as the premiere AAU program in Bucks County. And of course, having Ryan Arcidiacono helps.”

Moving forward, the PA Playaz will be adding multiple AAU teams at different age groups and will be running camps and clinics highlighted by former players for kids in Bucks County.

The above article is sponsored by PA Playaz AAU booster club. For additional information about the PA Playaz, contact coach Adam Bowen at coachbo@paplayaz.com

The 2009 PA Playaz squad captured the Mid-Atlantic Division One championship.

Coach Adam Bowen and Chris Arcidiacono at the NCAA title game that saw Villanova edge North Carolina 77-74.

Coach Adam Bowen with Ryan Arcidiacono the morning of Villanova's win over North Carolina in the national championship game.

2016 PA Playaz Roster