Boys basketball: Wood's Bethea proves PCL's most valuable; District One playoffs begin
Jalil Bethea has been at his best in Archbishop Wood's biggest games.
The Vikings' junior scored 40 points in a key February 6 victory at St. Joseph's Prep and had 31 in a 90-79 win that resulted in Neumann-Goretti's lone Philadelphia Catholic League loss.
For those and other reasons, Bethea was named the PCL Most Valuable Player. Against Catholic League competition this season, he averaged 24.8 points, 7.2 rebounds. 4.2 assists and 1 steal while shooting .564 from the field, .432 on 3-pointers and .898 from the line. Bethea, the sixth man on the 2021-22 team that reached the Class 6A state title game, propelled Wood to a fourth-place showing in the loaded Catholic League.
"Jalil has grown as a player, making his teammates better along with himself," said Wood coach John Mosco. "He is a hard worker."
That means four of the last seven Catholic League MVPs are from Wood, counting two-time winner Rahsool Diggins (2019-20, 2020-21) and Collin Gillespie (2016-17).
Vikings senior center Carson Howard, an East Stroudsburg commit, earned second-team All-Catholic honors after reaching 1,000 career points in Sunday's win over Lansdale Catholic.
On Friday at 7, No. 4 Archbishop Wood hosts fifth-seeded St. Joe's Prep in the PCL quarterfinals. The winner advances to the semifinals at the Palestra. The Vikings downed Prep 77-63 in the regular season behind Bethea's 40.
District playoff time
The PIAA District One boys basketball playoffs begin Thursday, with berths in the state championships on the line.
Here's a closer look at Class 6A first-round games involving Courier Times/Intelligencer schools:
No. 17 West Chester Henderson at No. 16 Pennridge, 6: Friday's winner visits No. 1 Spring-Ford next Tuesday (February 21).
No. 20 Abington at No. 13 Pennsbury, 7 Thursday: The winner would earn a trip to No. 4 Central Bucks East on Tuesday. CB East edged Pennsbury 52-51 in the regular season on senior Joey Giordano's buzzer-beating reverse layup.
No. 21 Haverford at No. 12 William Tennent, 7 Friday: Winner visits No. 5 Downingtown West. Tennent won its first SOL division title since 2003-04.
No. 18 Neshaminy at No. 15 Boyertown, 7 Thursday: The winner travels to No. 2 Lower Merion.
In a second-round game Tuesday, No. 6 North Penn, which has won 13 of its last 15, hosts the victor of No. 11 Coatesville and No. 22 Harriton.
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Twelve teams qualify for the PIAA Class 6A playoffs.
In 5A, No. 10 Upper Moreland visits No. 7 Holy Ghost Prep on Friday at 7. The two teams didn't play during the regular season. The winner visits second-seeded Chichester.
Six 5A teams advance to the state tournament.
On Tuesday at 7, Class 2A top seed Dock Mennonite hosts No. 4 Calvary Christian, while, in Class A, No. 4 Plumstead Christian visits No. 1 Chester Charter in semifinal contests. Two teams from each of those classes advance to states.
Taking a look at districts: District One boys basketball schedule, results and recaps
Bensalem just misses out
While Bensalem sat at No. 23 in the district rankings going into its SOL National finale against Neshaminy, the Owls' 58-53 home loss and several other schools' wins dropped Ron Morris' team to No. 25, one spot from the 24th and final district berth.
George School eyes another title
Second-seeded George School hosts No. 15 The Haverford School in the first round of the Pennsylvania Independent School championships Friday night (7:30). A victory would propel the Cougars into the second round vs. the Malvern Prep-Westtown winner. George School secured the Friends School League title, marking its first FSL championship and first title since 1970-71 in the Penn-Jersey League.
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Public school rankings (with record)
CB East (21-4)
2. North Penn (18-6)
3. William Tennent (16-7)
4. Pennsbury (16-7)
5. Pennridge (15-8)
6. Neshaminy (14-9)
7. Upper Moreland (13-9)
8. Abington (12-11)
9. Bensalem (12-10)
10. CR North (10-10)
Boys basketball: Pennridge game has unique twist for CB West's Charlie Cashman
Private school rankings (with record)
George School (20-6)
2. Archbishop Wood (14-7)
3. Dock Mennonite (21-2)
4. Holy Ghost Prep (12-10)
5. La Salle (9-12)
Game to watch
MaST Charter at Dock Mennonite, Thursday (7): After a second consecutive undefeated Bicentennial Athletic League regular season, coach Mike Fergus and top-seeded Dock are two victories from winning the BAL Tournament. The Pioneers downed The Christian Academy 58-44 in Tuesday's quarterfinals behind 13 points apiece from Nathan Lapp and Vaughn Martin. Dock defeated visiting MaST Charter 78-26 on January 3.
Tom Moore: tmoore@couriertimes; @TomMoorePhilly
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Boys basketball: Wood's Bethea proves PCL's most valuable; District One playoffs set
