Keith Pompey: It's hard to say goodbye to a thrill-packed season

This has been the hardest column to write.

That's because it signifies the end of another thrilling boys' basketball season in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

So, if I appear a little grouchy the next few months, it's nothing personal. I'm just having a negative reaction to basketball withdrawal.

And believe me, there's a lot to miss about this recently completed season.

For every mention of Penn Wood's first PIAA Class AAAA state title, there was a conversation about Chester's inability to nab an eighth consecutive District 1 Class AAAA title.

People will praise Archbishop Carroll's upset of Neumann-Goretti in the Class AAA state quarterfinals. Then, they will wonder how Roman Catholic lost what appeared to be a guaranteed Class AAAA first-round game to Central Bucks South.

In the end, the area lived up to its label as a hotbed of high school hoops.

Roman Catholic's Maalik Wayns became the area's fourth McDonald's all-American in the last four seasons.

Penn Wood, Carroll, Imhotep Charter and Girard College carried on the area's long tradition of producing state champions.

Here are some of the highs and lows of the season:

Team of the year. It shouldn't come as a surprise that Penn Wood is Southeastern Pennsylvania's top team, regardless of classification or league.

Sure, Imhotep capped its season with 31 consecutive wins. But the Patriots (28-4) are the team that separated itself from the pack.

Penn Wood won its state playoff games by an average of 14.8 points. Peaking at the right time, it defeated Mount Lebanon in a state semifinal and William Penn-York in the final by 21 and 19 points, respectively. In all, the Patriots defeated 12 Class AAAA state tournament qualifiers.

Coach of the year. One might assume that all Imhotep Charter coach Andre Noble had to do was show up wearing a nice suit. Some may point out his Panthers had three Division I-caliber starters in guards Sam Prescott, Will Adams and Parrish Grant.

But Noble's decision-making and devotion to the program were the reasons why Imhotep swept the Class AA state, District 12 Class AA, Public League and Public League C Division titles. More than just a coach, he was a father figure to his players. And, like a father, he demanded the best out of his players. The Panthers bought into his team-first philosophy. Noble's best decision came when he tinkered with his starting lineup during the playoffs.

Sayonara to the streak. Chester's streak of consecutive District 1 Class AAAA tournament victories ended Feb. 21 at 38. The Norristown Eagles defeated the Clippers, 61-59, in the district quarterfinals. Chester had won the previous seven district titles.

Disappointing debut. Roman Catholic headed into its first Class AAAA state tournament as Pennsylvania's top-ranked team in its classification, according to the Harrisburg Patriot-News. With Wayns back from a knee injury, the Cahillites were supposed to win a state championship. Or so we thought.

But Central Bucks East defeated Roman, 62-57, in the first round on March 7. The District 12 champion Cahillites lost to a Titans team that was the eighth seed in District 1.

Statement game. On March 13, Carroll proved that it should no longer be judged on past failures.

That's when the Patriots faced Neumann-Goretti, then the nation's 14th-ranked team, according to ESPN Rise Fab 50, in a Class AAA state quarterfinal. The Saints, who had an 18-game series winning streak over Carroll, looked at this game as tuneup for the semifinals. They were wrong.

The Patriots won, 70-65. It was an upset that sent shock waves throughout the state and instantly made Carroll the favorite to win the state title.

End of an era. The end of the season also marked the conclusion of a stellar coaching career as Gerald Hendricks completed his 28th and last season at Strawberry Mansion. The 62-year-old will retire in June after 40 years as a health and physical education teacher.

Hendricks compiled 397-225 record, and he led the Knights to Public League titles in 2000 and 2002. Mansion reached the Class AA state final in 2008.