Boys Basketball: Predicting the District-1 4A Playoffs

By Andrew Marcus
Sportswriter for The Lansdale Reporter

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

(1) Conestoga
(32) Norristown
                           Conestoga
                           Ridley
(16) Ridley
(17) Methacton
                                          Conestoga
                                          Lower Merion
(8) Pennwood
(25) Bishop Shanahan
                          Pennwood
                          Lower Merion
(9) Lower Merion
(24) Central Bucks East
                                                          Lower Merion
                                                          Pennsbury
(4) Spring-Ford
(29) Kennett
                         Spring-Ford
                         Coatesville
(13) Coatesville
(20) Harriton
                                           Coatesville
                                           Pennsbury
(5) Pennsbury
(28) Academy Park
                        Pennsbury
                        Central Bucks South
(12) Oxford
(21) Central Bucks South
                                                                                 Great Valley over Lower Merion

(2) Chester
(31) W C Henderson
                       Chester
                       Pennridge
(15) Pennridge
(18) Souderton
                                              Chester                             
                                              Upper Darby
(7) Abington
(26) North Penn
                     Abington
                     Upper Darby
(10) Upper Darby
(23) Haverford
                                                                   Chester
                                                                   Great Valley
(3) Great Valley
(30) Wissahickon
                      Great Valley
                      Radnor
(14) W C Rustin
(19) Radnor
                                                  Great Valley
                                                  Plymouth-Whitemarsh
(6) Plymouth-Whitemarsh
(27) DTown East
                      Plymouth-Whitemarsh
                      Central Bucks West
(11) Penncrest
(22) Central Bucks West


PIAA Qualifiers: (1) Great Valley, (2) Lower Merion, (3) Chester, (4) Pennsbury, (5) Conestoga, (6) Plymouth-Whitemarsh, (7) Coatesville, (8) Upper Darby, (9) Abington, (10) Pennwood

Breakin' down the First Round Match-Ups

Norristown at Conestoga - Zack Yonda and crew get a tough 32-seed in the Eagles. The group is a perennial state playoff team, but most of the players on this year squad watch from the end of the bench with their warm-ups on over the last few seasons. The Eagles will put up a fight, but the top seed should eventually pull away. Win - Pioneers.

Methacton at Ridley - The Warriors will put out a gutsy performance every night, but with no true take-over scorer Ridley, who kept up with the top teams in the Central League, should cruise into the second round of the tournament. The Warriors best chance is to slow it down and execute their half court sets. Win - Green Raiders.


Kennett at Spring-Ford - The Blue Demons Jackson Hyland has the ability to take over the game and down the road coach Chris Talley and his team may lack the experience to make a deep run. But I'll take the one-two punch of Nick Stanek and Drew Kakareka over Hyland and his 22 points per game. Win - Rams.

Souderton at Pennridge - The Rams beat the rivals Indians twice this year and I really only lean toward the 15 seed because they play so well in their home gym. This game is sure going to go down to the wire. The Rams need to rebound down the stretch and hit foul shots and the game and the second round is there for the taking. Win - Rams.

North Penn at Abington - The Knights are just glad to be in, though they get a final four team from a year ago, a very strong seven seed. However coach Jon Conrad's bunch nearly knocked off Upper Darby in the first round last year and they know the game is not won on paper. But coach Charles Grasty has his machine well-oiled and ready to reach the state playoffs. Win - Ghosts.

Wissahickon at Great Valley - It is senior year for the Trojans Chase Wilson, but he will not be able to reach his state playoffs goals without some help from his friends. A lot of help. Led by 6-7 Villanova recruit Mikal Bridges the Patriots are poised to win the District Championship. Win - Patriots.

Downingtown East at Plymouth-Whitemarsh - The Colonials can score with the best of them and the best of them includes the Cougars sophomore Cary Angeline. The 6-7, 215 scorer is a match-up nightmare, but guards Andre Micthell and Jimmy Murray are no easy assignment either. Win - Colonials.

Central Bucks West at Penncrest - The Lions are good, real good, and maybe under-seeded at 11. But the Bucks can surpise with their scrappy play and find a way to sneak by the Central League boys. Kelly and Kelley, Jared and Patrick, are the in-and-out presence needed to step up if they are going to prevail.