PIAA State Championship Tournament Preview: Kehler on Hoops
Written by: Dell Jackson on March 6, 2024
PIAA State Championship Tournament Preview: Kehler on Hoops
Article by David Kehler
The PIAA state championship tournament begins on Friday with a total of 192 teams competing, with 32 teams arrayed in each of six classes. The full schedule is at PIAA.org. It’s always chancy to predict the outcomes of high school basketball tournaments, but I’m going to give it a try. While I haven’t seen all 192 teams this season, I’ve seen plenty of them. So, here is my guide to the tournament:
CLASS 1A
Last season, Imani Christian Academy defeated Berlin Brothersvalley 81 to 64 for the Class 1A state championship. I expect these two squads to meet again in Hershey for this season’s title. This time, I’m looking for Berlin Brothersvalley to win.
Imani Christian’s record this season is a deceptive 14-10. They played a national schedule in addition to competing in the WPIAL, and they lost a number of games on the road against outstanding opposition. Those losses include defeats to 31-0 Montverde Academy (Montverde, FL); 29-2 Grayson (Loganville, GA), rated #11 in the country by MaxPreps; 22-8 Lancaster (Lancaster, SC); 25-8 St. John’s College (Washington); 25-8 Riviera Prep (Miami); and 25-8 The Rock (Gainesville, FL).
Two players who starred for Imani last season transferred to national powers for the 2023-24 campaign. 6’ 11” Alier Maluk, who was a 1st Team Class 1A All-State selection last year, is now at Long Island Lutheran, and 6’ 1” Dame Givner, 2nd Team All-State last season, is now at Putnam Science Academy.
This season, Imani’s outstanding player is 5’ 11” junior RJ Sledge. On the other hand, well-coached Berlin Brothersvalley returned their top two players from last season: 6’ 2” senior Pace Prosser and 6’ 1” senior Craig Jarvis, both of whom were 1st Team Class 1A All-State selections in 2022-23. Prosser, a superb all-around athlete, was an All-State football selection as a defensive back last fall. He is a Gannon U. basketball recruit who has scored 2000+ career points. Jarvis scored a school-record 61 points in a game at Juniata Valley this season
Lancaster Country Day, a Lancaster-Lebanon League team, has a tough first round matchup in Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg. NDES, 17-9 this season, has an outstanding player in 6’ 3” senior Xavier Spears, who was a 2nd Team All-State selection last season.
Two other Lancaster County teams are in the Class 1A bracket. Lancaster County Christian is playing District 4 champion Bucktail. I don’t know these two teams, so I have no prediction, but if Lancaster County Christian beats Bucktail, their likely second round opponent would be Berlin Brothersvalley. Linville Hill, from Gap, is 20-1. Last season, they finished 25-1, advancing to the Class 1A final four, where they were defeated by Berlin Brothersvalley. I expect them to make a deep run again this season, again getting to the final four and facing Berlin Brothersvalley.
My pick for the best Class 1A first round game is 24-2 Elk County Catholic vs. 20-5 Monessen. Monessen has an outstanding senior in 6’ 4” Lorenzo Gardner, a versatile player, who was a 3rd Team All-State selection last season.
CLASS 2A
Lancaster Mennonite, 17-7 this season, is the defending Class 2A state champion. Their game vs. St. John Neumann Regional Academy in the first round of the tournament last season was one of the 30 best high school games that I ever saw, a one point win for Mennonite with a dramatic finish between the two top Class 2A teams in the state. Mennonite and St. John Neumann play each other in the first round again this year, although many of the key players who made last season’s game between the two such a classic have graduated. Once again, the contest is at Mennonite, and I would encourage anyone reading this article to attend the game.
The top contenders for the Class 2A state championship this year are perennial power Holy Cross, undefeated Mahanoy Area, WPIAL champion Aliquippa, and WPIAL runner-up Greensburg Central Catholic.
Holy Cross is 20-3 this season. Last year, they advanced to the Class 2A final four, losing to Mennonite in a semifinal. Longtime coach Al Callejas, Sr., retired after last season, and his son, Al Callejas, Jr., is now at the helm. The team is the District 2 champion.
District 11 champion Mahanoy Area is led by 6’ Tanner Zawada, a 3rd Team All-State selection last season. Mahanoy has a long tradition of basketball excellence. Last season, they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Mennonite.
Always tough Aliquippa is led by 6’ 3” senior Cameron Lindsey, who was a 1st Team All-State selection last season. Aliquippa advanced to the championship game last year where they were defeated by Mennonite 60 to 44.
Greensburg Central Catholic is 23-3, and they are led by 6’ senior Tyree Turner and 6’ 5” senior Franco Alvarez. Last season, both players were 3rd Team All-State selections.
CLASS 3A
Last season, West Catholic defeated Deer Lakes in the title game. West Catholic suffered major graduation losses, in Budd Clark and Zion Stanford, but they qualified for this season’s championship tournament with a 6-17 record. Deer Lakes’ top player from last season, Bryce Robson, also graduated. However, Deer Lakes has had a great 2023-24 season, winning the WPIA title and compiling a 21-4 record. The view from here is that Deer Lakes should be the leading contender to win this year’s Class 3A championship.
Columbia, of the Lancaster-Lebanon League, is the District 3 champion and has a 19-4 record. They should win their first round game vs. a Philadelphia charter school, Pickett Mastery, which has a 7-15 record. Columbia’s likely second round opponent would be Math Civics and Sciences Charter, also from Philadelphia, who promises to be a difficult foe. MCS Charter, a perennial participant in the state championship tournament, is closing at the end of this school year, and the team has been playing with an edge. They have quality wins this season over Chester and Brooklyn power Eagle Academy II.
Other teams that should thrive in the Class 3A bracket are Bishop Guilfoyle, led by Jude Haigh, a 6’ 5” junior who has scored over 1000 career points and was a 3rd Team All-State selection last year; Executive Education Academy Charter, who are always good and advanced to the quarterfinals last year where they lost to eventual champion West Catholic; District 4 champion Loyalsock Township, with a 26-1 record; District 2 champion Riverside, with a 22-3 record; and 18-5 Trinity, led by 6’ 2” junior Owen Schlager, who was a 2nd Team All-State selection last year.
I think that these two first round games should be interesting and competitive: West Catholic vs. Notre Dame Green Pond, which is 24-3. Although West Catholic has a losing record, they play in by far the most competitive league in the state, the Philadelphia Catholic League. The other game is District 6 champion Westmont Hilltop, 20-5, vs. Ellwood City, 17-9. Elwood City has one of the state’s top athletes in 6’ 5” senior Joseph Roth, a PIAA swimming champion and a 2nd Team All-State basketball selection last season.
CLASS 4A
Last year, Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter defeated Neumann-Goretti 62 to 58 in an excellent championship game. I expect Lincoln Park to be successful in defending their title. WPIAL champion Lincoln Park is 23-3 and return two of their top players from last season: 6’ 4” junior Meleek Thomas and 6’ 4” senior Brandin Cummings. Cummings will play at Pitt next season, and Thomas has extensive high level college recruiting interest. Both were 1st Team All-State selections last year. Neumann-Goretti, plagued by losses from transfer and injury, was 22-3 this season. They have a great coach and are one of the very best teams in Pennsylvania. They should advance to the title game again this season.
Octorara, from the Lancaster-Lebanon League, is 18-7 and play at Danville Area in the first round. Danville is the District 4 champion, and they have a 20-7 record. It’s a winnable game for Octorara, who have several fine players in Zach Kirk, Chase Fetrow, and Vincent Thaler. Kirk, a 6’ senior, was 3rd Team All-State in 2022-23. If Octorara gets past Danville, their likely second round opponent would be the very formidable Carver Engineering & Science of the Philadelphia Public League.
Other Class 4A teams that ought to advance include 21-3 Berks Catholic; 20-4 Fleetwood Area; 20-6 Allentown Central Catholic, the District 11 champion; 19-7 Shamokin Area, a very well-coached team; and 21-4 Greater Johnstown, the District 6 champion.
Berks Catholic at 23-4 Blue Mountain looks to be a competitive first round game.
CLASS 5A
Last season, Imhotep Charter defeated Exeter Township 78 to 40 in the title game. Imhotep Charter should retain the 5A championship. This season, Imhotep Charter is 24-3, the District 12 champion, and the Philadelphia Public League champion. They have wins over Philadelphia Catholic League powers Archbishop Wood and Archbishop Ryan; have a sensational coach in Andre Noble; and are led by Connecticut recruit Ahmad Nowell, who was a 1st Team All-State selection last year. Imhotep is unbeaten vs. Pennsylvania opposition this season. They lost to Brooklyn power 18-9 South Shore, 31-4 Quincy (Quincy, IL), and 21-9 Mater Lakes Academy (Miami).
Exeter Township suffered significant graduation losses from last year’s team, including 2nd Team All-State selection Anthony Caccese and 3rd Team All-State selection Zyion Paschall. If Exeter Township defeats 21-4 Upper Dublin in the first round of this year’s tournament, they will face Imhotep in the second round.
Two Lancaster-Lebanon League teams are in the Class 5A bracket. I’ll be covering one of them, Warwick, for this website in their first round game at WPIAL runner-up Franklin Regional. Warwick has good outside shooting, so they have a puncher’s chance. If Warwick gets by Franklin Regional, their second round game will be vs. an easier opponent. The other L-L team, Manheim Central is in tough vs. District 1 champion Unionville, a disciplined and well-coached squad. Unionville, 23-2, runs elements of the Princeton offense, and they have several nice outside shooters. However, Unionville has difficulty against pressure defense. To compete, Manheim Central will need to press, and then they will have to press some more.
There are some other outstanding teams in the Class 5A bracket, including District 2 champion Abington Heights, which is 24-0. Abington Heights has great coaching and quality wins over 20-4 Scranton (twice), 22-4 Berks Catholic, Aliquippa, Executive Education Academy Charter, and Shamokin Area.
Archbishop Ryan came within eight seconds of winning the Philadelphia Catholic League championship last month. Last season, two of their players, 6’ 10” Thomas Sorber and 6’ 4” Darren Williams, were both 1st Team All-State selections. Sorber will play at Georgetown next season, and Williams will be at Florida Gulf Coast. Ryan is 17-9 and lost to Imhotep last week in the District 12 championship game.
I expect Moon Area and Hershey to do well in the tournament. Moon won the WPIAL title, and they are 23-3, and Hershey, the District 3 runner-up, is 21-3.
A couple of intriguing first round games: 20-4 Radnor at 22-4 Pocono Mountain West and 21-4 Thomas Jefferson at 20-6 York Suburban.
CLASS 6A
Reading defeated Roman Catholic in overtime in last year’s championship game. Many of the key players from both squads have graduated, and Reading has a new coach this season. Reading is 17-9 in 2023-24, and their first round game is vs. longtime rival 20-4 Chester. That game looks to be the best Class 6A first round matchup.
Roman Catholic is 25-2 and won the Philadelphia Catholic League championship and also the District 12 title. However, Roman has several transfers who have been ruled ineligible for the state championship tournament. Still, they are a leading contender once again this season.
Also in the eastern half of the bracket is longtime power Lower Merion, 25-1 this season and the District 1 champion. Because of their membership in the Central League, Lower Merion plays only a few non-league games. Their only loss this season was to 14-10 Stow-Munroe (Stow, OH). Last season, Lower Merion advanced to the quarterfinals of the state championship tournament, where they lost in overtime to Roman Catholic. Cedar Crest, of the Lancaster-Lebanon League, plays at Lower Merion in the first round, a very tough assignment.
The winner of the Cedar Crest-Lower Merion game will likely face 16-8 Archbishop Wood. Wood advanced to the final four last year, and they are a main contender to win the state championship this season. Led by McDonald’s All-American and Miami commit Jalil Bethea and Drexel commit Josh Reed, Wood has the firepower to run the table.
I think that 19-6 Chambersburg Area will do well in the tournament. Led by 6’ 6” junior JJ Kelly, who is also a sensational track athlete, the well-coached Chambersburg squad was the runner-up in the District 3 tournament. Kelly is such a great athlete that, even though he didn’t play football last season, Syracuse recently offered him a football scholarship.
In the western half of the bracket, District 3 champion Cumberland Valley, with a 22-3 record, has to be respected. Although 21-3 Central York didn’t do well in the District 3 tournament, they have the talent and potentially favorable matchups to make a deep run.
I’ll be covering the Upper St. Clair-Central Dauphin game for this website. USC is the WPIAL champion, and they have couple of nice guards and 6’ 9” junior Tyler Robbins. However, ball-hawking Central Dauphin could spring an upset, as the team set a school record for steals and is very quick.
The 6A class is more wide-open than in any season in memory.
Two teams that could have won the Class 6A title didn’t even qualify for the tournament. Not more than two Class 6A Philadelphia Catholic League teams can participate in the PIAA state championship tournament. This season, the excellent squads of Father Judge and St. Joseph’s Prep are not in the tournament, due to losses in the Philadelphia Catholic League championship tourney.
WRAPPING IT UP
There are just two unbeaten teams in this year’s tournament—Mahanoy Area and Abington Heights. There are two overwhelming favorites in Imhotep Charter in Class 5A and Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter in Class 4A. There should be great competition throughout the tournament, some upsets, and some sensational individual performances. The NFHS website will broadcast a lot of it on the internet.
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