THE PATRIOT-NEWS' BOYS' BASKETBALL RANKINGS -- CLASS AAAA
Stickbacks: Carry a 58-game winning streak that includes the last two PIAA Class AAAA championships and what does that get you? In Chester’s well-deserved case — Arizona signee Rondae Jefferson, Darius Robinson and Friends Central transfer Conrad Chambers each landed all-state recognition following the 2012 campaign — several more guaranteed weeks as the Keystone State’s top-ranked team. ... Sitting right behind Larry Yarbray’s Clippers are Gregg Downer’s Lower Merion Aces, who tumbled to Chester in last year’s Class AAAA title game at Penn State’s Bryce Jordan Center. Lower Merion has its own returning star in Syracuse recruit B.J. Johnson, but Downer’s expertise manipulating the Xs and Os is worth more than a few victories. ... In at No. 3 is St. Joseph’s Prep, which features backcourt stars Steve Vasturia and Miles Overton. Vasturia has signed with Notre Dame, while Overton landed a scholarship from rebuilding Wake Forest. ... At No. 4 is Erie Cathedral Prep, which returns just about everyone from the club that bounced all the way to the state semifinals before falling to Lower Merion. ... Deep, deep Harrisburg, fresh from a run to the state quarters, rounds out the top five. The Cougars may have watched all-state scoring machine Haiishen McIntyre glide off to High Point, but Kirk Smallwood’s club will crank up the defensive pressure behind Jerel Patterson, Steven Stoney and Chris Britton and simply run opponents weary.
1. Chester* (1) 32-0 1
2. Lower Merion (1) 29-4 2
3. St. Joseph’s Prep (12) 21-6 9
4. Cathedral Prep (10) 21-6 5
5. Harrisburg (3) 21-7 8
6. McCaskey (3) 22-8 NR
7. Williamsport (4) 18-9 NR
8. New Castle (7) 27-1 NR
9. Abington (1) 20-8 NR
10. Roman Catholic (12) 17-10 4
Honorable mention: Coatesville (1) 25-7, Easton (11) 22-8, Gateway (7) 21-7, Hampton (7) 25-5, Liberty (11) 14-9, Norristown (1) 20-9, Penn Wood (1) 16-9, State College (6) 18-5.
*-defending PIAA champion