Catholic League Basketball Championship Preview
Who: St. Joseph's Prep vs. Neumann-Goretti When: Monday, 8:15 p.m. Where: The Palestra. Records: SJ Prep is 20-4 with a four-game winning streak. N-G is 19-5 with a two-game winning streak.
Who: St. Joseph's Prep vs. Neumann-Goretti
When: Monday, 8:15 p.m.
Where: The Palestra.
Records: SJ Prep is 20-4 with a four-game winning streak. N-G is 19-5 with a two-game winning streak.
Coaches: William "Speedy" Morris, 12th season, 254-75 (642-171 in 28 total seasons at three schools). Carl Arrigale, 15th season, 338-81. Arrigale was the Inter-Ac MVP while playing for Penn Charter in 1984 under Morris. Their teams have met 21 times during Morris' 12 seasons at SJP. Arrigale leads, 14-7 overall and 4-0 in playoffs.
Previous meeting: On Jan. 14, the Prep was skunked on its home court, 67-43. Ja'Quan Newton (15) and John Davis (12) led the way. Miles Overton (16) and Stephen Vasturia (14) topped SJP.
Background: SJ Prep, a private school located at 17th and Girard, has participated in all 94 of the CL's basketball seasons. It won the first title in 1919-20 and has captured seven total, including two under Morris (2003 and '04). N-G, located at 11th and Moore, entered the CL for the 1935-36 season under its original name, Southeast Catholic. It has captured 18 titles, including eight under Arrigale (2001, '02, '05, '06, last four in a row). In last year's final, it defeated SJP, 59-57, in OT.
SJ Prep personnel: Stephen Vasturia (Notre Dame), the definition of smooth, now doubles as a wicked defender . . . Miles Overton is at his best when he mixes perception with his passion . . . Chris Clover has really found himself over the last half of the season, becoming much more of a factor . . . Kyle Thompson hits treys and adds rebounding spunk . . . P.J. Kelly handles/dishes/does little things . . . Off the bench: Dan Nedbal and Dan Sherry add grit (though neither was used in the semis).
N-G personnel: Ja'Quan Newton is equally effective as a driver/sniper and has The Look . . . John Davis (Towson), a shade undersized for the role he must fill, has every possible positive quality . . . Lamarr "Fresh" Kimble is mostly a treyballer . . . Tony Toplyn had seven blocks in the semis; 'nuf said . . . Hanif Sutton exists to run the ballclub and play shutdown defense . . . Off the bench: Jamal Custis bangs and Troy Harper slices/leaps.
What SJ Prep must do: Same as last year. Stay out of foul trouble and remain close deep into the game, thus keeping its huge student fan base involved and dialing up the pressure meter . . . Knock down the available treys . . . Don't hesitate to get out in transition. Sensibly, of course.
What N-G must do: Attack the hole and play relentlessly . . . Keep Vasturia off the foul line . . . Guard the arc as if the crown depends on it ('cause it does).
What can be expected: After getting humiliated by Chester recently, the Saints have boulder-sized chips on their shoulders. If they want to tie the record next year for consecutive CL titles with six, they first have to win No. 5, right? Many signs point to a semi-comfortable triumph, though Morris' rage over the AAAA City Title situation (Prep needs to win this or the top CL seed goes to Roman) does add
extra motivation.
