Longtime coach Carl Arrigale leads Neumann Goretti back to the Catholic League final
It came down to the wire, but the Saints earned a 64-60 victory over Bonner-Prendergast. They will make a PCL final appearance for the first time since 2023.
Neumann Goretti’s Deshawn Yates knew the Catholic League boys’ basketball semifinal game was in his team’s favor at halftime Wednesday night, even though the Saints trailed Bonner-Prendergast by four points.
“[At] halftime Coach was talking to us like, ‘Stay together. It’s a two-possession game,’” Yates said. “So just Coach telling us, keeping us together.”
The Saints took their first lead of the game with six minutes to play when Yates made a jump shot and went on to defeat Bonner-Prendie, 64-60, inside a roaring Palestra crowd of 9,000 fans. Yates and teammate Marquis Newson finished with 19 points apiece.
Neumann Goretti will return to the Catholic League championship for the first time since 2023. The Saints will face Father Judge, the defending PCL champion, on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
While Bonner-Prendie led for almost three quarters, it could not separate itself from Neumann Goretti by more than five points. Newson scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, which included a wide-open statement dunk with 30 seconds left to give Neumann Goretti a 62-57 lead.
However, the lead changed five times before that. Bonner’s Korey Francis, the league MVP, tied the score at 53 with a pair of free throws with 3 minutes, 56 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Neumann Goretti then went on a 7-0 run to take command.
Critical charge
Bonner-Prendie made four free throws to make it a three-point game with over a minute left. Neumann Goretti led, 60-57.
Francis, who finished with 18 points, recorded a steal at halfcourt and drove to the basket. As he finished the layup, it was waved off. Francis was given an offensive foul for a charge.
The Bonner fans erupted in disagreement with the call.
“I would say we were really excited,” Newson said when asked about the charging call. “That’s something we practice a lot. Just taking charges. We have a whole drill for that. Knowing that what we practice works in the game, it was just a great feeling.”
Yates added that the team thought it was going to be a foul.
» READ MORE: Father Judge overcomes early deficit to beat Archbishop Wood, earns spot in boys’ Catholic League final
Two free throws from Stephon Ashley-Wright put the Saints up, 64-60, and sealed the game with 0.9 seconds remaining.
“I would say I was just worried about the game, getting the win,” Yates said. “It was more so getting to the next round.”
Arrigale looks to add to his title count
Neumann Goretti coach Carl Arrigale has the opportunity to extend his all-time PCL title record to 13. He has led the Saints to 19 PCL final appearances since taking the helm in 1999.
“People ask me about, ‘You’re going back to the Palestra. You’re going back to the Palestra,’ Arrigale said. “This never was about me. It’s never been about me, honestly — I want to do it for these guys to get back. I mean, Deshawn [Yates] played a couple years ago, and we were just banged up beyond belief. One of the worst losses in our history. … I just wanted to have a chance to come back and do it all over again.”