Pa. Boys: Tues. Pa. boys: Unbeaten MLK tops Imhotep

Martin Luther King might not be known as a boys' basketball powerhouse - yet. But coach Sean Colson knows his team has the depth to compete with any team on its schedule.

The Cougars proved that again Tuesday by winning at Imhotep Charter, 57-54, in a Public League Division A game.

King (4-0) has knocked off league titans Math, Civics & Sciences and Imhotep, the defending state and league champion, in consecutive games.

"People are going to call them upsets because Martin Luther King is not known for basketball," Colson said. "But we went to the Public League semifinals last year, and we have even more players this year. We go nine-deep."

That was on display Tuesday. Chase Rodgers, a 6-foot-6 junior forward, came off the bench and scored 10 points, including a corner three-pointer out of a timeout with about 20 seconds left to give King a 55-54 lead. Rodgers hit two threes in the closing minutes.

Greg Bennett (10 points) had a key steal and free throws to seal the win. Sammy Foreman and Jahmir Taylor each scored 14 points, and Taylor had 10 rebounds.

Sean Lloyd led Imhotep (2-2) with 16 points.

"We'll let everyone rank us wherever they want, but we're coming to win," Colson said. "If you win . . . people will take notice."

Public C. Teair Tart-Spencer's buzzer-beating, putback layup lifted West Philadelphia to a 63-61 win at Lincoln.

Catholic. Derrick Jones scored 19 points and had 11 rebounds, and Austin Tilghman added 10 points and five assists as host Archbishop Carroll cruised past Bishop McDevitt, 87-56.

Central. Rahmi Halaby scored 21 points, and Penncrest downed visiting Lower Merion, 52-50. After winning 44 straight league games, the Aces have lost two of their first three league games. Nolan Carroll had four three-pointers for 12 points, and Drew Hanna's two free throws with 10 seconds left sealed it.

Beni Toure's three-pointer with 15 seconds left gave host Upper Darby a 51-50 win over Radnor. Toure scored 15 points, and Isheem Adams added 13. Terrance Quinn and Nelson Blickman each had 16 for Radnor.

Joey Sweeney tied it on a three-pointer with 12 seconds left and scored six points in overtime as Garnet Valley topped visiting Marple Newtown, 64-53. Sweeney scored 20 points, and Aaron Parenti had 16.

Suburban One Continental. Matt Scamuffo's overtime heroics carried Central Bucks South to a 70-63 defeat of visiting North Penn. Scamuffo scored nine points in the overtime and went 6 for 7 from the line. He scored 25, including a four-point play in overtime that gave the Titans a 63-60 lead.

Suburban One National. Abington rode four first-half three-pointers from Lazaros Mackrides and cruised to a 48-28 win over visiting Council Rock North. Mackrides had 12 points, six rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. Amir Hinton added 12 points, four assists, and three steals.

Mike Stewart sank four three-pointers en route to 20 points, and Council Rock South used a big fourth quarter to put away host Truman, 59-51.

Nonleague. Austin Chabot's three-pointer in the closing seconds went off the front of the rim and the backboard before dropping in to give host Archbishop Ryan a 50-48 triumph over Penn Charter. That was his fourth three of the game, and he finished with 17 points. Brendan Horan had 16.

Chris Clover's 23 points and 13 rebounds powered host St. Joseph's Prep past Germantown Academy, 46-34. Ryan Wall added 11 points and 13 rebounds.

Christian Irons scored 28 points, and Interboro held on to win at Bonner-Prendergast, 55-53.