No fear of Philly powers
Parkland, Executive Ed facing tough matchups en route to semis
The power of the Philadelphia high school basketball is undeniable.
Last year, District 12 had a representative in five of the six PIAA boys championship games, including both teams in the 6A final. Four teams won state gold: Roman Catholic in 6A, Imhotep in 5A, Neumann-Goretti in 4A and Devon Prep in 3A. Three girls programs also won PIAA titles.
Since 2006, Philadelphia schools have won 51 state championships.
There are a number of reasons for this success, but as Ray Barbosa, the boys coach at Executive Education, said: “They just have a lot of great basketball players. That’s all they talk about. That’s what they do. They have a passion for the game. They’ll play all day. They’re talented, they’re hungry and they love to play and that makes a difference.”
But as he prepared his team to face West Catholic on Saturday in the PIAA 3A quarterfinals, Barbosa said his team won’t be intimidated.
Since few area schools will put
Executive on their schedule, the Raptors have spent five seasons going out of the area to find opponents, and many of those teams have been from Philadelphia.
“Here’s where our schedule should pay dividends,” Barbosa said. “We got to a lot of events and play a lot of great teams. This is why we play those type of games. It’s why we’ve played the games we play. It’s why we played The Patrick School and a lot of other good teams.
“We’ve faced a lot of great players and great teams, and the key for us is that we’re playing good basketball at the right time.”
Parkland is very similar to Executive in that the Trojans play a robust nonleague schedule. Because Parkland plays in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference it only has six nonleague dates available and the Trojans like to play good competition in those games even if it hurts the win-loss mark.
Throughout the offseason they also play in showcase events at Philly Live! and other venues all in an effort to get ready for games like the one they have at Norristown Area High School Saturday against Roman Catholic.
“We scrimmaged them early in the year and played pretty well against them,” Parkland coach Andy Stephens said. “We talked to a number of people about them as well and obviously they’re very good. Even though they’re down two starters who are ineligible, they’re still very good.
“They have two St. Joe’s recruits and another kid who is a reclassified sophomore who will probably have his pick of schools. So they have three really good players who will be a problem right there.”
Stephens said his players aren’t thinking about any potential mystique of Roman Catholic or Philly basketball.
“We’re at a point where it really doesn’t matter who you are playing,” Stephens said. “We’ve played Roman Catholic and we’re familiar with them and we’ll put together a good game plan and then it comes down to the kids having the confidence and belief in themselves to go out and get it done.”
Stephens said there’s something special, something unique about his Parkland squad.
“I can’t find the word for it, but they’re playing very well right now,” Stephens said. “Offensively and defensively they’re just playing at a different level than they did earlier in the season. There’s a different air about them. I don’t think they’ll back down at all.”
Here’s a look at Saturday’s matchups:
PIAA CLASS 6A QUARTERFINAL
Matchup: District 11 champ Parkland (20-9) vs. District 12 champ Roman Catholic (25-3) When/where: 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Norristown Area High School What’s next: Winner advances to Tuesday’s semifinals against either Archbishop Wood (District 12, No. 3, 178) or Coatesville (Dist. 1, No. 9, 20-9).
PARKLAND Coach:
Andy Stephens (15th season at Parkland, 277-121, 19 seasons overall, 351-156)
Key players: Nick Coval (6-2, Jr. G) 23.1 ppg, 77 3s; Matt Ray (5-9, Sr. G) 8.5 ppg, 38 3s; Joey Gerbasio (6-1, Sr. G-F) 8.9 ppg, 33 3s; Zaire Smaltz (64, Jr. F) 3.8 ppg; Connor Johns (6-2, Jr. F) 1.5 ppg; Luke Spang (6-0, Jr. G) 5.3 ppg, 34 3s; Robbie Ruisch (6-2, Jr. F) 3.4 ppg, 21 3s; Gio Escalona (6-6, Sr. C) 2.9 ppg, 14 3s.
About the Trojans: Average 57.0 ppg, 49.4 ppg. … Have made 223 3s, allowed 132 3s … Shoot 77.9% from the foul line led by Coval who has made 157 of 171 foul shots (91.8%). … In the win over Garnet Valley, Coval led with 23 points, making 8 of 16 shots from the field. Ray scored 20 points on 5-for-5 shooting from the field and has 6 assists and 6 rebounds and Gerbasio and Ruisch added 9 and 8 points respectively. … Parkland hit 26 of 44 shots and is 45 of 78 from the field in two state playoff games 15 of 36 from 3-point range. … Coval now has 670 points this season and 1,433 in his career. He is third all-time in school history behind only 2002 grad Adam Lane (1,636 points) and 2017 grad Sam Iorio (1,892). … This is Parkland’s 20th appearance in the state tournament and the Trojans are 16-19 all-time. They have reached the quarterfinals three times (2004, 2009, 2016). They beat Central Dauphin 56-47 in 2004, lost to York 58-49 in 2009 and fell to Roman Catholic 73-60 in 2016. ROMAN CATHOLIC
Coach: Chris McNesby
Key players: Xzayvier Brown (6-3, Sr. PG) 16.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.7 asp, 2.2 steals per game; Anthony Finkley (6-7, Sr. F) 8.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.9 apg; Shareef Jackson (6-7, Soph F); Rob Cottrell (5-9 Jr. G); Sammy Jackson (6-4 Fr.
G); Sebeastion Edwards (So. G). AbouttheCahillites: Average 65.4 ppg, allow 46.6 ppg. … In a 60-56 overtimewinoverLowerMerionon Wednesday, Brown’s steal led to a go-ahead three-point play. He finished with 27 points. He is one of two St. Joe’s commits on the Roman roster and is a first-team all-Catholic League selection. … Finkley is the other St. Joe’s-bound player. … Won the 2023 Philadelphia Catholic League title with a 57-52 overtimewinoverNeumann-Goretti. … Jackson is the son of Marc Jackson, who played at Temple and for the 76ers.…,McNesbyhaswonover200 games in two stints at Roman. He has guided teams to three Philly Catholic League and three PIAA titles and the Cahillites have four state golds overall. … Two players are ineligible due to PIAAtransferrules,6-5seniorJermai Stewart-Herring, who averaged 13.2 ppgandseniorErikOliver-Bush,who averaged 8.4 ppg. … Besides last year, won state titles in 2015, 2016 and 2018. Prediction: Trojans have gone on a remarkable run through five district and two PIAA games, but this is easily the most challenging opponent they have placed since losing to Archbishop Wood in the Hoop Group Showcase on Feb. 5 They will give it their best shot, and a win would create shockwaves across the state. But even without two starters the Cahillites have more than enough talent.
Roman Catholic 64-60.
PIAA CLASS 3A QUARTERFINAL
Matchup: Executive Education (District 11-1) vs. West Catholic (District 12-1)
When/where: 1 p.m. Saturday at Schuylkill Valley High School What’s next: Winner advances to Tuesday’s semifinals against either Devon Prep (12-3) or Trinity (3-1). EXECUTIVE EDUCATION
Coach: Ray Barbosa (fifth season at Executive Education, 90-54; 154-54 in eight seasons overall) Players to watch: Gabe Hornberger (So. G) 12.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg 3.8 apg; 28 3s; Jelarick Gonzalez (Jr. G) 3.9 ppg; Jayden Manning (Jr. G) 3.3 ppg 4.2 rpg; Rylan Muniz (Jr. G) 16.1 ppg, 76
3s; Moustapha Sanoh (6-11, Sr. C) 7.6 ppg, 9.1 rpg; Lamine Sanoh (6-9, Jr. F) 4.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg; Jaden Shipley (So. G) 4.2 ppg; Al Rios (Jr. G-F) 2.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg; Elias Lopez (So. G) 2.5 ppg. About the Raptors: Average 59.0 ppg, allow 47.2 ppg. … Have made 1131 3s, shoot 50.8% from the field, 40.6% from 3-point range and 62.2% from the foul line. … Hornberger is the best foul shooter of those with at least 20 attempts, making 75.6%. … Began season 2-2 and then won 14 straight before losing to The Patrick School at the Lehigh Valley Hoop Group ShowcaseFeb.5.…Otherlosseswere to Columbia of District 3, District 2 champ Abington and District 4 power Williamsport, by a combined 10 points. … Advanced with a 78-45 win over North Penn-Mansfield. It was their firstsecond-roundPIAAwinafterfour previous losses. In the win over North Penn-Mansfield, Hornberger scored 18 points and had 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Muniz scored 16 points and had 4 assists and 2 steals. Lopez scored 15 points and Moustapha Sanoh had 10 points, 5 rebounds and 7 blocks.
WEST CATHOLIC Coach: Key players:
Miguel Bocachica
Zion Stanford (6-5, Sr. F) 18.3 ppg, Adam Clark (5-10, Sr.
G); 18.2 ppg; Amyr Walker (6-2, Sr. G) 6.2 ppg.
About the Burrs: Average 63.5 ppg, allow 55.4 ppg … Won their first District 12 or Philadelphia Catholic League title since 1953 when it beat Math, Civics and Sciences 77-60 on March 3. … Lost to Neumann-Goretti in overtime in the Philly Catholic League semis. Stanford, who has scored more than 1,000 points, is a Temple commit and Clark is headed to Coppin State. … Lost to eventual state champ Devon Prep 60-51 n last year’s 3A quarterfinals.
… In a 56-47 win over Holy Redeemer on Wednesday at Liberty, Stanford compiled 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Clark had 15 points and seven rebounds and Walker scored 13.
Prediction: The Raptors have already made school history getting to the quarterfinals and having played many quality teams they won’t be intimidated by West Catholic. But West Catholic may just have a little too much quickness.