After months of legal turmoil veiling my focus, I found myself thrust back into the heart of basketball drama, this time amidst the fervor of a Philadelphia Catholic League Playoff clash between Archbishop Ryan and St. Joseph’s Prep. I haven’t been writing much about high school basketball. I’ve been largely preoccupied with a pressing legal matter for the past 11 months. Fortunately, those issues are in my rearview mirror. Just know, I’ve got a helluva story to tell and I’m gonna tell it in excruciating detail. For now, like the late great Marion Barry, all I’m gonna say is…

“Bitch set me up!”

Y’all ain’t gonna believe what the prosecutor tried to do. But that’s another story for another day in the very near future… Stay tuned for details.

Today, in a battle reminiscent of classic Philadelphia high school basketball lore, Archbishop Ryan clashed with St. Joseph’s Prep in a Catholic League Playoff game that had the entire city on edge. The stakes were high, with a trip to the iconic Palestra dangling as the ultimate prize.

The matchup was a spectacle, boasting a lineup of D1 prospects destined for greatness. Both teams were under the guidance of esteemed coaches eager to etch their names in the annals of Catholic League history. Jason Harrigan, known for his past successes at Del-Val Charter and Cardinal O’Hara, now helmed St. Joe’s Prep, aiming to lead his squad to glory after coming agonizingly close last season.

However, the road to victory was fraught with challenges. Harrigan’s plans took a hit when standout 6’9” 240 pound, PF/C Tristen Guillouette faced eligibility issues, altering Prep’s strategy and forcing them to adapt on the fly. Despite the setback, Harrigan’s quartet of D1 guards, Jaron McKie, Jordan Ellerbee, Jalen Harper and Olin Chamberlain fought valiantly to keep their dreams alive.On the opposing bench, Joe Zeglinski, a coaching veteran with a storied track record, marshaled his Archbishop Ryan team with precision. Led by the dynamic duo of Thomas Sorber and Darren Williams, Ryan’s players showcased their mettle in a tightly contested affair on the road.

The venue was perfect… The refurbished and renovated St. Joseph’s Prep gym is stunning. The lighting is wonderful, the floor is spectacular, there’s ample space for a couple thousand fever pitched spectators and the scoreboards are state of the art. Danny DiBerardinis and the rest of the Prep Administration have done a phenomenal job restoring the gymnasium to peak condition.

The game unfolded as a defensive chess match, with Prep’s relentless pressure testing Ryan’s offensive prowess. Sorber, in particular, found himself the focal point of Prep’s defensive scheme, laboring for every point while Williams seized opportunities to shine.

No one should be surprised that Ryan is back in the Final Four. Georgetown commit, Sorber is concluding one of the great schoolboy careers in recent memory. His sidekick, Florida Gulf Coast commit, Darren Williams is morphing in Cuttino Mobely right before our eyes.

In a tightly waged contest, the two Ryan stars managed to eke out a road win over the four D1 guards. To Harrigan’s credit, St. Joseph’s Prep had an excellent defensive gameplan. They hounded, harassed, fronted and double Sorber. He worked extremely hard for every point.

The intense focus on Sorber allowed Williams to take advantage opportunities on the wing. The smooth southpaw hit big shot after big shot to fight off a persistent Prep attack.

Heavily reliant on isolation, Prep struggled to establish a rhythm on the offensive end. While Ellerbee and Harper can thrive in transition and beating defenders off the bounce, McKie is an absolute knock down jump shooter. While he can create his own shot, that’s not his forte. I kept waiting for Prep to run McKie off a screen or two or three or four to get an open look. McKie with his feet set from 22 feet is equivalent to a layup and Chamberlain can get him the ball in shooting position.

In the end, Sorber missed a free throw and Jaden Murray misfired on consecutive layups to give Prep an opportunity to steal a win. Huge shots by Ellerbee and McKie led to a tie game. After what seemed like 7 consecutive time outs, Ryan inbounded the ball and Ryan Everett made a perfect entry pass to Williams who immediately released a picture perfect 15 foot jump shot that was pure from the moment it left his hand.

Game!

Ryan is once again in the Final Four at the Palestra.

Will someone other that Roman or Neumann-Goretti cut down the nets this year?

I don’t know… But I would not bet against, Zeglinski, Sorber and Williams.

Joe Zeglinski is, by far, the most accomplished coach in the Catholic League without a title. Since taking over at his alma mater, he’s been to the Final Four damn near every year. He’s produced a plethora of scholarship players. One of his guys is an NBA player. All he does compete against the best year in and year out.

Could Archbishop Ryan defy the odds and topple perennial powerhouse Neumann-Goretti and beat Roman Catholic or Father Judge to claim the championship? With Zeglinski, Sorber, and Williams leading the charge, anything seems possible.

In the unpredictable landscape of Catholic League high school basketball, one thing is certain: the stage is set for an epic showdown, where legends would be made and dreams realized. And in this tale of triumph and tenacity, Archbishop Ryan has staked its claim as a team to be reckoned with.