Role reversal for PW’s McLeod

Plymouth Whitemarsh center Naheem McLeod didn’t play many meaningful minutes as a freshman. Then 6-foot-9, McLeod mostly came off the bench at the end of blowout wins to close out the final minutes.

One of the first times he saw important action, the stakes couldn’t have been higher.

McLeod found himself on the court at Temple University’s Liacouras Center in the second half of the 2016 District 1 championship game against Chester.

While senior guard Xzavier Malone did most of the scoring, McLeod’s presence in the paint on both ends of the floor helped the Colonials rally to their sixth district title in program history.

Now a senior and standing 7-foot-4, McLeod is set to take on Chester in the District 1 Class-6A second round Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at Chester.

This time around, McLeod is in a much different role. The 1,000-point scorer and Florida State commit is the centerpiece for the Colonials, both offensively and defensively.

PW will need a big-time performance from its big center if it wants to clinch a state playoff berth. A win against Ches PW >> PAGE 2

GENE WALSH — MEDIANEWS GROUP Plymouth Whitemarsh’s Naheem McLeod goes in for a layup as Abington’s Eric Dixon defends.

GENE WALSH — MEDIANEWS GROUP Dock’s Jackson Scialanca drives to the basket against Holy Ghost.