PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH BOYS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEW
Coach: Jim Donofrio, 12 seasons, overall record: 258-85 (.752)
Last year’s record:
· SOL American Conference Champions (14-0)
· 30-2 overall, District One 2nd-seed,
· 2010 PIAA AAAA Boys Basketball StateChampions
· 2010 PIAA Western Regional Champions,
· CJ Aiken and Jalen Bond were both named to the 2010 PIAA Boys AAAA All-State First Team.
· Head Coach Jim Donofrio earned 2010 Philadelphia Inquirer Coach of the Year honors.
· Finished 20th nationally in the USA TodaySuper 25 final rankings. Only two losses came to nationally-ranked teams (St. Benedict’s, 4th in USA Today/Super 25 and Penn Wood, 25th in USA Today/Super 25).
Notable losses (key players lost to graduation): 2010 Pennsylvania PIAA AAAA Player-of the-Year, CJ Aiken (St. Joseph’s University), Whis Grant (Prep School in CT), and Brandon
Dixon (Prep School in PA).
Key returners: Senior center & Pitt-signee Jalen Bond (6-6), senior guard/forward Sam Pygatt (6-1), senior guard Stephon Baker (6-0), and senior point guard Marcus Badger 5-11.
Others to watch (include grade/position/height): Junior forward Jake Silvers (6-6), junior guard Kenny Williams (5-10), senior point guard Marcus Glover (5-10), senior forward Brandon
Johnson (6-2), junior power forward Garnell Sanders (6-1), senior guard Wayne Thompson
(5-11), junior forward Morgan Jackson (6-2).
Outlook: The overall look that PW will put on the floor this year is a combination of veteran and young talent. Four key players return from the State Championship team while six players from last year’s 18-2 junior varsity team step into key support roles.
Fun facts: Team reached the 1,000-win mark in the school’s history last season. From 1954-2010, PW has 1,042 wins and 401 losses (.722) overall, overall league record of 625-173(.783), twenty league titles, and seven straight SOL American Conference League titles. Won third state title (1963, 1997 & 2010).
Host the Rock the RimClassic (PW, Neshaminy, CB South & Girard College) December 10-11th, Neumann-Goretti at Gwynedd Mercy College (Dec 29th), Friends Central at Philadelphia University (Jan 23rd), and Atlantic City Tournament against Quality Education (NC) on February 4th & St. Benedict’s (NJ) on February 6th. Current PWHS junior varsity coach, Chuck Moore, was the star on the 1997 state championship team, along with John Salmons, current starter for the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks.
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