The Inquirer’s 2018-19 All-Area Boys’ Basketball Team: Abington’s Eric Dixon headlines Southeastern Pa.'s best players

This boys’ basketball season featured dominant performances, talented teams, and storybook seasons.

Here is The Inquirer’s 2019 All-Area boys’ basketball team. The players are taken from all leagues in the Southeastern Pennsylvania:

First Team

Eric Dixon, Abington

--- Charles Fox / Staff Photographer
Eric Dixon of Abington hits a three-pointer as Devon Lawrence of Plymouth Whitemarsh looks on.

This season’s player of the year, the 6-foot-7 senior forward powered the Ghosts to a third straight PIAA Class 6A District 1 championship by averaging 27.9 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. Bound for Villanova, he finished with 2,454 career points, tops in school history. He is the only Abington player to eclipse 2,000 career points.

“Eric’s hard work and dedication allowed him to get to this point,” Abington coach Charles Grasty said. “I know he’s going to work his tail off to become an impact player at Villanova.”

Jhamir Brickus, Coatesville

STEVEN M. FALK / Staff Photographer
Coatesville's Jhamir Brickus

The 5-10 junior combo guard is the best player to don a Coatesville uniform since NBA champion Richard “Rip” Hamilton. He surpassed Hamilton as the school’s second highest all-time scorer, and his 52-point performance against Chester in the PIAA Class 6A state playoffs was a highlight of the season.

“This kid is an unbeatable offensive player,” Coatesville coach Fred Thompson said. "Jhamir has a really high basketball IQ that makes him so much better than a lot people he plays with or against. "

Isaiah Wong, Bonner-Prendergast

ELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer
Isaiah Wong of Bonner-Prendergast (right) looks up to the basket.

Since transferring to Bonner-Prendergast two seasons ago, the 6-foot-4 senior guard has become one of the most dominant players in the area, earning two Catholic League MVP awards as voted by the league’s coaches. The Miami recruit made several game-winning shots this season, averaged a league-high 21.2 points and led the Friars to the District 12 Class 4A title.

“It’s tough to guard Isaiah,” former Bonner-Prendie teammate Ajiri Johnson said. “And if you foul him, he’s going to hit his free throws.”

“He’s a very high-level player,” former Bonner-Prendergast coach Jack Concannon said.

Hakim Hart, Roman Catholic

CHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Hakim Hart of Roman Catholic celebrates after a big play.

The 6-6 senior forward led his squad in scoring, averaging 21.1 points per game, as the Cahillites won their second straight Catholic League championship. He recently reopened his college recruitment after St. Joseph’s fired former basketball coach Phil Martelli.

"When he gets good looks, he knocks them down, " Roman coach Matt Griffin said.

“I go to a lot of games, scout a lot of teams,” Highland (N.J.) coach Joe Lewis said in 2017. "I haven’t seen a scorer better than him. He can shoot any way -- off a screen, off the dribble. I think he’s a great player. "

Sean Yoder, Pennridge

ELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer
Pennridge's Sean Yoder gets between Kennedy Catholic's Helon Amos (left) and Mattia Acunzo while going to the basket.

The 6-2 senior guard was the leader of a Pennridge team that made the PIAA Class 6A state championship game and lost in double overtime to Kennedy Catholic. The Naval Academy recruit was the engine for the Rams, making big shots, usually guarding the opponent’s best player and helping the team exceed even its own expectations.

Yoder’s buzzer-beating three-pointer kept the Rams’ storybook season alive with a 50-47 win over Methacton in the state quarterfinals.

“I remember watching Sean in seventh grade and thought, ‘This kid could be special,’ ” Pennridge coach Dean Behrens said. “We always figure out who is the best guard on the other team, and Sean is going to guard him."