Check out the preview capsules for SOL boys’ basketball teams competing in the District 1 Tournament. Check back for game recaps.
Class 6A
#21 Neshaminy at #5 Plymouth Whitemarsh (Tuesday, 7 pm)
Plymouth Whitemarsh
—17-7 overall
—7-3 SOL Liberty (second place)
Key players: Jr. G Mani Sajid, Jr. C Michael Pereira, So. G Buddy Denard, Jr. G Terron Davis, Jr. G Jack Hayes
Top wins: Bensalem (74-42), Wissahickon (52-44 and 78-43), CB East (59-48), Neshaminy (69-63), Cheltenham (59-54), Abington (80-58), Neumann-Goretti (72-64), Methacton (59-54).
Coach Jim Donofrio said: “It has been a continuous classroom for our guys. It is time we apply what we have learned and experienced and graduate into a confident, tight-knit team if we want to make any real noise into March.
“(Sajid), we need him to continue to evolve as the go-to-guy. (Pereira) is becoming a force. (Denard, Davis and Hayes) are our high-energy foundation. (Micah Thompson and Ehab Ahmed), need to reinforce our size advantage when needed.”
How they got here: Opening round bye
Neshaminy
—11-12 overall
—4-6 SOL Patriot (tied for fourth)
Key Players: Sr. F Max Currie (12 points, 89 rebounds, 3 blocks per-game, 62 percent FG); So. G Logan Gale (15 ppg, 3 rebs, 3 assists), Jr. G Jason Leiva (10 ppg, 3 assists)
Top wins: CB East (67-62), CR South (50-49), Holy Ghost Prep (70-67)
How they got here: Neshaminy upset #12 Abington 62-58. Eriq Gold led the Redskins with 18 points, including the game-winning 3. Max Currie added 16.
Next up: Winner will face the winner of the #4 Garnet Valley/#13 Bensalem contest.
# 11 Cheltenham at #6 Central Bucks South (Tuesday, 7 pm)
Central Bucks South
—18-6 overall
—-8-2 SOL Colonial (second place)
Key players: Sr. F Brett Barrett (12 points, 6 rebounds per-game), Sr. F Ben Harrison (11 ppg, 3.5 rebounds), Jr. C Leo Medwid (7 ppg, 5 rebounds).
“They have been strong for us all year in scoring and rebounding, as well as being a presence on defense,” said coach Louie Ditri. “Brett and Ben usually guard the other teams’ best players and Leo usually guards the other team’s big man.”
Top wins: Souderton (51-50 and 50-40), Central Bucks East (61-37 and 53-43), Upper Moreland (64-60), Neshaminy (59-34)
How they got here: Opening round bye
Cheltenham
–16-7 overall
—9-1 SOL Freedom co-champions
Key players: Sr. Osei Johnson (14.7 points), So. Kamal Mason (5.4 assists), Jr. Tyree Martin (6.1 rebounds, 1.3 blocks), Sr. Salim Kelly (1.9 steals)
Top wins: Wissahickon (63-58), William Tennent (73-59 and 58-51), Neshaminy (62-51), CB East (56-51), Chester (63-56), Upper Moreland (55-53)
How they got here: Cheltenham defeated #22 Penn Wood.45-29.
Next up: Winner will face winner of #3 Conestoga/#14 Methacton game.
#10 Spring-Ford at #7 Souderton (Tuesday, 6:39 pm)
Souderton
—17-6 overall
—9-1 SOL Colonial Division champions
Key players: Jr. Chanse Salone (12 points per-game, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals), Jr. Nate Rusike (12 ppg, 4 rebounds), Sr. Nolan Watkins (10 ppg), Sr. Trey Bui (7 ppg, 3 rebounds, 3 assists)
Top wins: Council Rock South (61-57), CB South (55-50), Central Bucks East (57-52 and 57-51), Abington (80-70), Perkiomen Valley (45-30).
How they got here: Opening round bye
Spring-Ford
—18-7
—10-2 PAC Liberty champions
Key players: Sr. F Tommy Kelly, Sr. G Jacob Nguyen (Program’s all-time leading scorer), Jr. G Syaire Barnes
Top wins: Pope John Paul II (68-62), Reading (65-61), Phoenixville (57-54 and 59-53), Owen J. Roberts (48-46), Methacton (65-51)
How they got here: Spring-Ford defeated #23 Wissahickon 59-54. Jacob Nguyen’s 27 points led the Rams.
Next up: Winner will face the winner of #2 Coatesville/#18 Downingtown West.
#9 Phoenixville at #8 Central Bucks East (Tuesday, 6 pm)
Central Bucks East
—14-9
—5-5 SOL Colonial (third place)
Key players: Sr. G Nolan Behm (16 points, 6 rebounds per game), Sr. G Shane O’Hara-Jamison (13 ppg, 43 3-pointers), Sr. G AJ Molnar (9 ppg, 3 rebounds), Sr. F Graham Smith (7 ppg, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 27 3-pointers).
Top wins: Council Rock South (59-49), Monroe, Wash (46-44 and 63-61), Pennsbury (56-55), William Tennent (81-74)
How they got here: Opening round bye
Phoenixville
—18-7 overall
—8-1 PAC Frontier champions
Key players: Sr. Deacon Baratta, So. Keron Booth, Sr. Trey Lear
Top wins: Pottsgrove (74-70 OT), Great Valley (55-40), Owen J. Roberts (48-46, 59-53, 71-46)
How they got here: Phoenixville defeated #24 William Tennent. Deacon Baratta led the Phantoms with 22 points.
Next up: Winner face the winner of the #1 Lower Merion/#17 Pennsbury contest.
#13 Bensalem at #4 Garnet Valley (Tuesday, 7 pm)
Bensalem
—15-9 overall
—8-2 SOL Patriot champions
Key Players: Amir Drummond (19.5 points, 4 rebounds, 4.3 assists per game), Aidan Mayfield (10.5 ppg, 4.6 rebounds), Jahmir Chatman (6 ppg, 5.9 rebounds).
Top wins: Neshaminy (57-52 and 66-65), Abington (69-61), Pennsbury (57-39 and 56-50), Cheltenham (57-54).
How they got here: Bensalem defeated #20 Owen J Roberts 57-33. Aidan Mayfield led the Owls with 15 points, Amir Drummond had 11, and Christian Lee had 10.
Garnet Valley
–17-5 overall
–12-4 Central League third place
Key players: Sr. Jake Sniras (Program’s all-time leading scorer), Grayson Golek, Brady Krautzel
Top wins: Lower Merion (66-61), Penncrest (32-29), Springfield-Delco (40-37)
How they got here: Opening round bye
Next up: Winner will face the winner of #5 Plymouth Whitemarsh/#21 Neshaminy
#17 Pennsbury at #1 Lower Merion (Tuesday, 7 pm)
Pennsbury
—13-10 overall
—7-3 SOL Patriot (second place)
Key players: Sr. G Grayson Gozum, Sr. G Mike Roccograndi, Fr. G Pat Jajua, Jr. F Max Manga, So. F Sean Breslin
Top wins: Council Rock South (60-59 and 68-61), Neshaminy (75-55 and 51-44), Souderton (53-44)
How they got here: Pennsbury defeated #16 Great Valley 63-49. Grayson Gozum led 3 players in double figures with 18, Mike Roccograndi added 15, and Max Manga had 13.
Lower Merion
—20-4 overall
—13-3 Central League second place
Key players: Carson Kasmer & four fellow senior starters (Rashyne Patterson, Sam’I Singletary, Gus Wright, Lamont Grier)
Top wins: Conestoga (70-63), Penncrest (63-55), Garnet Valley (58-56), Springfield-Delco (54-45), Phoenixville (67-62), Upper Dublin (82-68)
How they got here: Opening round bye
Next up: Winner will face the winner of #8 Central Bucks East/#9 Phoenixville
Class 5A
#9 Chichester at #1 Upper Dublin (Wednesday, 7:30 pm)
Upper Dunblin
—24-1 overall
—10-0 SOL Liberty champions
Key Players: Sr. F Ryan Mulroy (16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 58 percent FG), Sr. G Idris Rines (11.1 ppg, 4.8 rebounds), Sr. G Kobe Bazemore (6.7 ppg, 4.6 assists), Sr. Justin Ragsdale (8.5 ppg, 4.6 rebounds)
Top wins: Coatesville (66-53), Upper Moreland (69-48 and 55-53), Plymouth Whitemarsh (65-44, 73-55, and 57-43), Cheltenham (68-42 and 66-44), Abington (75-46), Wissahickon (46-35 and 68-33), Bensalem (67-39), Spring-Ford (59-56), William Tennent (74-52), Souderton (59-42), Downingtown West (58-37), La Salle (57-50)
How they got here: Opening round bye.
Chichester
–13-10 overall
–4-4 Delaware Valley League
Key players: Derek D’Amico, Dilyn Butler, Kayron Kinney, Sabir Lyn
Top win: Unionville (64-40)
How they got here: Chichester defeated #8 Sun Valley 49-48 when Derek D’Amico hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer of overtime. Dilyn Butler led Chichester with 14 points.
Next up: Winner will face the winner of #4 Upper Moreland/#5 Marple Newtown
#5 Marple Newtown at #4 Upper Moreland (Wednesday 7 pm)
Upper Moreland
—20-5 overall
—-1 SOL Freedom co-champions
Key players: Sr. Colson Campbell (12 points per-game, 4 assists, 7 rebounds, 49 percent FG, 70 percent FT), Sr. Jadon Cybok (12 ppg, 53 3-pointers, 40 percent 3-point FGs); Jr. Larry Hughes (10 ppg, 8 rebounds, 65 percent FG), Jr. Nate Best (7.5 ppg, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 52 percent FG, 3.0 assists/turnover ratio)
Top wins: CB South (40-39), CB East (80-73), Cheltenham (64-59), William Tennent (53-45 and 56-32), Pennsbury (56-49), Souderton (38-35), Neshaminy (63-40), Wissahickon (65-49), Owen J. Roberts (61-44), Pottsgrove (39-35)
How they got here: Opening round bye
Marple Newtown
—18-7 overall
—10-6 Central League
Key players: Matt Gardler (1,000-point scorer), Ryan Keating
Top wins: Conestoga (54-53), Garnet Valley (64-60), Strath Haven (67-54, 72-50)
How they got here: Marple Newtown defeated #12 Strath Haven 64-40. Matt Gardler’s 23 points led the way.
Next up: Winner will face winner of #1 Upper Dublin/#9 Chichester.
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