At Carroll, Yacob right where he belongs

IF HE'S EVER short on cash, perhaps Yosef Yacob can rent himself out as a good-luck charm.

He most showed that skill 4 years ago, while watching Archbishop Carroll High's basketball team in person for the first and only time that season.

Yacob, then, as now, a Chester resident, traveled all the way to Archbishop Ryan, in the Far Northeast, to see Carroll play Ss. Neumann-Goretti in the quarterfinal round of the PIAA Class AAA state playoffs.

Mind you, 2 1/2 weeks earlier, N-G had crushed Roman Catholic, 86-53, in the Catholic League championship game.

This time? Carroll triumphed, 70-65, thus ending an 18-game losing streak against the Saints.

But there'd be more.

A week later, St. Katharine Drexel, of Chester, featuring Yacob as one of its stars, played a game on the road en route to capturing Pennsylvania's CYO title. The players then hustled back to their hotel and gathered 'round a TV to catch Carroll's act in the state final.

Bingo. Another win.

"Yup, the win over Neumann at Ryan, and the win on TV for the state championship," Yacob said, smiling. "Those were the only two games I saw. After seeing those two wins, and how cool everything was, and how hyped the players were, there was no doubt. I was coming here.

"I mean, I was kind of leaning toward coming here anyway, but seeing them claim that state chip was the icing on the cake. It was, 'Yeah, I'm going to Carroll!' "

Yacob spoke those words Wednesday in a basement hallway, roughly a half-hour before the start of practice.

Coach Paul Romanczuk was not nearby, but if he had been, he likely would have gushed, at high volume, "And we've been so lucky to have you!"

Later, while taking a break from barking orders, Romanczuk did offer major praise when asked about his 6-foot, 170-pound senior point guard, a Binghamton signee.

"He's just a great kid," Romanczuk said. "He works hard. He's so well-liked by his teachers and peers. He's a leader, not a follower. He's outgoing . . . He's everything I want Archbishop Carroll basketball to be about."

The coach paused for a moment, then added with a laugh, "He's also low-maintenance, and there aren't enough kids like that."

As Yacob well knows, his career is down to a low number of games.

There could be as many as five, if the Patriots advance to the AAA final. There could be as few as one, if Friday night's first-round contest against Berks Catholic, set for 7:30 at Garden Spot High in New Holland, does not go well.

In his pregame speech to teammates, you'd better believe Yacob will make reference to 2009.

"We had a rough stretch these past two games," he said, mindful that the Patriots fell to N-G in a Catholic League semifinal and then to Philadelphia Electrical & Technology Charter in a game to decide District 12's third/fourth AAA seeds. "But we're eager and ready to play, and we're confident. I think we're going to have a good run."

If not, Yacob will switch his attention to Chester, a strong favorite in AAAA.

He lives no more than a 10-minute ride from the school and is good buddies with many of the players, but especially with franchise forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and guard Isaiah Warren, who as recently as last season was playing for Carroll.

"You should be here." If Yacob had even 25 cents for every time he's heard that statement, his tuition would be covered.

And his feelings are  . . . ?

"I wouldn't trade my time at Carroll for anything," he said. "I love this place. I'm happy about everything I've experienced here. There's nothing I regret. Making it to the Palestra all 4 years. All the close games I got to play in; this league is the best.

"These 4 years really came and went pretty fast. It's been a great journey, and I hope it doesn't end soon."

The rest of Carroll's starting lineup features junior Joe Mostardi and a trio of sophomores, Derrick Jones, Nick Jones (no relation) and Ernest Aflakpui.

Let's face it. Since Yacob is headed to a Division I program, he's pumped about facing new challenges. Part of his heart, though, will remain with this crew.

"I'd like to think," he said, "that the leadership I'm showing this year will help them going forward. Lots of talent here. These guys are going to have a lot of fun."

As did Yacob in the very beginning.

Carroll opened the 2009-10 season with a nonleague contest against Academy of the New Church. At that juncture, Yosef was an early sub.

"I can't remember for sure how many points I had. Either four or six," he said. "But I do remember the first two [en route to his current career total of 1,087]. I came off a screen and roll, split the defenders and hit a jumper against [6-9] Rakeem Christmas."

A delayed reaction followed.

"I thought,'Wow! I just scored on Rakeem Christmas! He's going to 'Cuse!' "