Keith Pompey: New venue for a champion

Parrish Grant is a champion.

These days, Grant is a senior point guard for the Imhotep Charter boys' basketball team. But around Southeastern Pennsylvania, the 18-year-old is recognized for his exploits at Prep Charter.

Grant was a member of Huskies' back-to-back Class AA state championship teams during his freshman and sophomore seasons. Prep Charter also won the Philadelphia Public League title during his sophomore campaign.

After transferring to Imhotep, the North Philly native hopes to help the Panthers win a state title.

The District 1 prospect took time to chat about the possibility of winning another state title with a different team.

Question:

How has the adjustment been for you on a new team?

Answer:

It's been great. My teammates are showing me a lot of love. It's just like it was at Prep Charter.

Q:

What is your role on this team?

A:

The guys on the team look at me as a leader, because as a sophomore I won the state and Public League titles. So they are looking at me for leadership. So I am trying to bring it here for them.

Q:

Does this team possess the same hunger and desire of those championship-winning Prep Charter squads?

A:

Yes. . . . We try to come out and outwork our opponents every game.

Q:

What separates the Panthers from this season's other state-championship hopefuls?

A:

Ball pressure in the game. And we work hard every day.

Three things about last week

1.

Thumbs-up to Dalton Pepper for setting the Pennsbury boys' basketball team's career scoring record on Tuesday. The senior guard had 1,555 points after scoring 23 points in a 68-45 victory over Council Rock North that night. Jason Vegotski set the previous record of 1,552 in 2005.

2.

A "You're the man" goes out to Westtown's 112-pound wrestler Alex Becker. The standout recorded a 19-second pin in Tuesday's victory over St. Andrews (Del.).

3.

The early candidate for Mr. Excitement is Franklin Learning Center boys' basketball player Denzel Yard. The senior guard tallied 37 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals in Tuesday's 69-65 Public League B Division victory over Simon Gratz.

Three things about this week

1.

The Conestoga boys' basketball team travels to Lower Merion for tomorrow's 7:30 p.m. Central League showdown.

2.

The Archbishop Carroll and Cardinal O'Hara girls' basketball teams will compete in the prestigious Nike Tournament of Champions. The tournament will be held Thursday through Dec. 22 in Phoenix.

3.

Several local wrestling teams will compete in Saturday's and Sunday's 16th annual Beast of the East tournament at the University of Delaware's Bob Carpenter Center.

Pompey's Super Seven

Here are the final rankings for the top seven fall teams in Southeastern Pennsylvania, regardless of sport:

1. Downingtown West boys' soccer.

The Class AAA state champion Whippets are ranked fifth in the final ESPN Rise Fab 50 national rankings.

2. North Penn boys' cross-country.

The Class AAA state champion Knights are ranked 10th in the latest Harrier Super 25 national rankings.

3. Merion Mercy girls' volleyball.

The Class AA state champion Golden Bears are ranked 21st nationally by Prepvolleyball.com.

4. Malvern Prep football.

The Inter-Ac League champion Friars have won 19 of their last 20 games, dating back to the start of the 2007 season.

5. Germantown Academy girls' soccer.

The Inter-Ac champion Patriots are ranked 13th in the final ESPN Rise Fab 50 national rankings.

6. North Penn football.

The District 1 Class AAAA champion Knights scored 41 or more points on seven occasions this season.

7. Friends' Central girls' tennis.

The Phoenix finished 15-0 en route to winning their sixth Friends Schools League title in seven seasons.

Under consideration:

Avon Grove girls' volleyball, Conestoga girls' soccer, Downingtown West girls' soccer, Merion Mercy field hockey and West Catholic football.