Korey Francis helped transform Bonner-Prendie boys’ basketball — and he’s not finished

If you walk into the Bonner-Prendergast gym in Drexel Hill during the basketball season, you will find more than 30 family members and friends cheering for rising senior Korey Francis.

Basketball has always been a family affair for the Francises. Korey’s father, Keefer Francis, played at Bonner and went on to play collegiately at Cabrini. His grandfather, uncle, and aunt all played the game as well.

Now, Francis has become one of the state’s most competitive and complete players, being named Mr. Pennsylvania Basketball and the Catholic League MVP after leading Bonner-Prendie to a PCL semifinal appearance and its first PIAA 5A state championship in program history during the 2025-26 season.

“I pretty much do everything,” Francis said. “I’m able to defend and guard bigger [players], but I’m also able to score and be a point guard and bring the ball up and set my teammates up to make the right plays.”

Francis averaged 21.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while shooting 52.3% from the field, 36.7% on three-pointers, and 75% on free throws. He enters his senior season with 1,265 career points.

Francis, who received a basketball as his first birthday gift, began playing for Brookhaven Youth Basketball and Chester Biddy League before joining Team Iverson.

“Korey was always special growing up,” said Bonner-Prendie head coach Billy Cassidy. “He was the kid you heard about and read about from the time he touched the basketball.”

Cassidy’s relationship with the Francis family dates back to his own high school years, when he played basketball with Francis’ father at Bonner.

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When Cassidy was named the head coach in 2022, he knew he wanted Francis to play for him.

“Korey wanted to make his own mark on the high school, that was his biggest thing,” he said. “Obviously, he had a lot of options and choices to go elsewhere and be the next guy in their programs. He took the leap to come to Bonner to basically turn this program around. He has done that and more already.”

Francis hasn’t just made an impact on the court. He served as the class president his freshman year, and has now been the vice president of his class for the past two years.

“The community and making an impact on the school was a huge thing he wanted to do outside of basketball,” Cassidy said.

Late last season, Bonner hosted Roman Catholic in an important game for league standings and postseason seeding. Francis went head-to-head with the league favorite for MVP, Sammy Jackson, before delivering what Cassidy said was the defining moment of his season.

“He dunked on the kid, and the place went nuts,” Cassidy said. “That was the moment everyone realized he was the MVP, which has not been done by a junior many times at all.”

Although Francis has emerged as one of the state’s best players, he admits confidence didn’t always come naturally to him.

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“Towards the start of my high school career, a lot of games I would be really nervous for, and overthink and not have as much confidence,” Francis said. “But my coach gave me the motivation and the knowledge to know that I’m supposed to be out there.”

Each year, Francis has added to his body and improved his game, Cassidy said.

The attention from college coaches began during his freshman year, but following his junior season, the process sped up. He now has 19 scholarship offers, including St. Joseph’s, Temple, La Salle, Virginia Tech, and Xavier.

When deciding on a school, Francis is looking for more than basketball.

“I’m looking for a place that feels like family, a place where I feel at home and then a coach that’s going to push me and be able to take me to the next step in my game.”

Before moving on to college, Francis is focused on his final season at Bonner.

“I’m just excited to finish out my high school career,” he said, “playing with my teammates that I’ve been playing with since I was younger.”

His goals are simple: Win another state championship and earn the school’s first Catholic League title since 1988.

“Basketball requires time to become as good as you want to be,” Francis said. “The more work you put in, the more you get out. Things take time, and being able to stay in the race is better than trying to sprint through it.”