‘Nobody can stop it’: Neumann Goretti’s 5-11 point guard Khaafiq Myers isn’t afraid to get physical

On Sunday at Philly High School Live’s first session, all eyes were on Court Two in Jefferson University’s Gallagher Athletic Center.

Camden and Neumann Goretti were squaring off in a matchup featuring plenty of Division I basketball talent. Spectators and college coaches flocked to watch the defending PIAA Class 4A state champions take on a Camden program with five-star recruits in DJ Wagner and Aaron Bradshaw coming off the Group 3 state championship.

Though it was Camden that edged out a 63-56 win partly due to Bradshaw’s dominance inside, Neumann Goretti had several standouts. Among those was class of 2024 point guard Khaafiq Myers, who showcased the full breadth of his game.

“‘Fiq put on full display what he can do,” Saints assistant coach John Brennan said. “He controls the game entirely. He can score at three different levels. … When he wasn’t knocking down the corner floaters, he was facilitating finding the corner shooters.”

On offense, one of Myers’ greatest assets is his ability to get downhill and find spots in the second level to unload a floater. A matchup against Camden figured to challenge Myers’ ability to get inside. The High’s frontcourt duo of Bradshaw and 6-foot-8 forward Dasear Haskins is a threat for blocked shots in the paint.

Driving downhill against bigger opponents doesn’t shake Myers, however, who simply adjusts his game to ensure he can make the play no matter who’s in the way.

“Just being physical with them,” Myers said. “You can’t go to the paint soft; it’s going to get blocked. But when you’re getting physical, going straight downhill, getting to where you need to go on the court, nobody can stop it.”

Myers, as well as his backcourt mate Rob Wright III, isn’t one to get anxious in big games or against tough opponents. As a result, the Saints’ coaches expected the duo to perform.

“They’re not afraid of anything,” Neumann Goretti coach Carl Arrigale said. “He’s not afraid. He’s as tough as they come … [they’re] not afraid of the moment, they actually embrace it.”

» READ MORE: Neumann Goretti sophomore star Rob Wright III is getting recruiting attention

Myers’ and Wright’s confidence on the court traces back to last season when the pair took over as Neumann Goretti’s starting backcourt as sophomores. The pandemic-shortened 2020-2021 season had effectively taken away any chance for the pair to get meaningful minutes as freshmen, and they had to learn on the job.

“Last year, I was like a senior,” Myers said. “I had to be a leader because I was the point guard … last year was a lot of pressure because [I thought], ‘I’m starting now, and I was just on the bench.’ ”

As Neumann Goretti’s season progressed, Myers and Wright continued to develop. The pair started to learn each other’s on-court tendencies, and their styles of play began to complement one another. That growth paid off in the Philadelphia Catholic League playoffs, when the pair firmly established themselves as two of the city’s top players.

In the Saints’ PCL semifinal matchup against top-seeded Roman Catholic, Myers and Wright scored a combined 36 points, including all but three of Neumann Goretti’s fourth-quarter points.

As if the stakes of a PCL semifinal matchup weren’t enough, the game also came in front of a packed crowd at the Palestra. The pressure didn’t faze Myers, and instead, it became a motivating opportunity.

“When that game happened, my mindset was, ‘When I leave here, everybody’s going to know who I am,’ ” Myers said. “So, I was just being aggressive. … I wanted to make a statement.”

Myers and Wright made their statement, and in turn helped drive Neumann Goretti to its 12th PCL title under Arrigale. The pair also played a large role in the Saints’ state championship victory, with Wright scoring 16 and Myers adding 12.

“I got the experience now,” Myers said. “I know [with] all the trials and tribulations that come with it, it’s not always going to be good, and it’s not always going to be bad. … [This year] is like the same thing but being even better and being an even better leader.”

Myers’ breakout sophomore year helped him start to attract attention on the recruiting trail. The 5-foot-11 point guard currently has offers from four Division I schools: Binghamton, North Texas, Temple, and Wichita State.

But as Myers’ 18-point, six-rebound, and four-steal performance against Camden showed, he’s still working on making his statement.

“‘Fiq has taken every step and just keeps climbing the ladder,” Arrigale said. “It’s all through confidence and hard work.”