Bennett, Dearry earn first-team honors

This season was a return to normalcy for the Reporter/Times Herald/Montgomery Media area boys basketball teams.

Gone were mask requirements on the floor and social distancing on the bench. Players were able to play in front of their friends, classmates, parents and fans. The spectators were treated to great basketball all season long.

The Suburban One League Liberty Division featured a four-team race that came down to the final game of the regular season. Plymouth Whitemarsh and Upper Dublin shared the league championship with matching 12-4 records while Abington and Wissahickon finished one game behind at 11-5.

Cheltenham went a perfect 16-0 to win the SOL Freedom title before going on to win the SOL Tournament crown. Upper Moreland finished second in the Freedom Division before going on a run to the District 1-5A semifinals.

In the Pioneer Athletic Conference, Methacton won its fourth league title in five years while Norristown reached the District 1-6A championship game — its first district title game appearance since 2009 — and PJP reached the D14A final.

Faith Christian Academy and Dock Mennonite Academy represented the Bicentennial Athletic League well. The Lions won the District 1-1A championship while the Pioneers reached the District 1/11-3A Regional championship game.

In the Philadelphia Catholic League, Archbishop Carroll and Archbishop Wood made deep state playoff runs. The Patriots made it to the PIAA-4A semifinals while the Vikings went all the way to the PIAA-6A final.

Local teams accomplished a lot this season, but it wouldn’t have been possible without outstanding individual efforts. Those players are recognized as members of the 20212022 The Reporter/Times Herald/ Montgomery Media All-Area Teams.

First Team MOSES HIPPS, SO., ARCHBISHOP CARROLL »

Hipps finished third in the PCL in scoring with 18.9 points per game. He was one of the best shooters in the league, hitting 76 threes at a 40.6% clip. Hipps helped the Patriots earn a PCL playoff berth when he scored a game-high 26 points in a 72-66 win at La Salle in the final week of the regular season. He averaged 22 points per game during the Patriots run to the PIAA-4A state semifinals.

JUSTIN MOORE, SR., ARCHBISHOP WOOD » Moore led Wood in most major categories as the Vikings went 11-2 in PCL play. He averaged 15.2 points, 6.1 assists and 4.4 rebounds in his first season after