2023-24 boys basketball: Who are the teams to watch in Bucks County
There were plenty of high-level boys basketball teams during the 2022-23 season in Bucks County and nearby Montgomery County, including numerous schools that captured league championships. There's no reason to expect this winter to be any different.
Here are our top squads.
Top 10 big-school teams (5A, 6A)
1. Archbishop Wood
The Vikings, who advanced to the PIAA state semifinals last season, have plenty of quality players returning. Star senior Jalil Bethea, who is headed to Miami, leads the way for John Mosco's guard-heavy squad that also boasts Drexel commit Josh Reed. Lack of size could be an issue with center Carson Howard having moved on to East Stroudsburg.
2. Central Bucks East
The defending Suburban One League Colonial Division champion Central Bucks East Patriots qualified for the state playoffs a year ago. Guard Joey Giardano, who hit a pair of buzzer-beaters in 2022-23, and 3-point specialist Kyle Berndt graduated, but leading scorer Jake Cummiskey, a senior guard who was first-team All-SOL Colonial Division last season, and senior wing Tyler Dandrea key a deep roster.
3. North Penn
The Knights qualified for states as the eighth seed in District One Class 6A a year ago. John Conrad's squad features a solid senior duo of point guard Norman Gee (first-team All-SOL Colonial Division) and shooting guard Corey Meade.
4. Pennsbury
The Falcons secured the SOL Patriot Division crown in 2022-23, though Ty Kocak (first-team All-SOL Patriot) and Ryan Zuckerman (second-team All-SOL Patriot) graduated. The other three starters are back in senior wing Connor Taddei (second-team All-SOL Patriot), senior point guard Teddy Mangan and junior guard Mike Roccograndi, so Pennsbury figures to again be in the title mix.
5. Abington
New coach Dan Marsh takes over for the Abington Ghosts after coaching the girls for 18 years. Abington has plenty of talent on its senior-laden, guard-oriented roster, highlighted by senior guards Jeremiah Lee and Aaron Jones, from a 2022-23 squad that was one win from a state playoff berth.
6. Central Bucks West
Adam Sherman's Bucks are capable of being one of the Bucks County area's most-improved teams. Returning senior starters Matt Engle, Julian Phillips and Bowen Gugger could help West contend for the SOL Colonial crown.
7. Neshaminy
While needing to replace graduated first-team All-SOL Patriot pick Sean Curley, Mark Tingle's team will rely heavily on its strong senior backcourt of Emeer Coombs (second-team All-SOL Patriot Division a year ago) and Nate Townsend (first-team All-Patriot) after finishing second to Pennsbury in the division last winter.
8. Bensalem
Ron Morris' Bensalem Owls return three starters in first-team All-SOL Patriot Division senior guard Antonio Morris (the coach's oldest son), junior power forward Jaidyn Moffitt and senior wing Micah White. They also have numerous players with experience from 2022-23 after losing first-team All-SOL Patriot guard Eric Gonzalez to graduation.
9. William Tennent
The Panthers won their first championship (SOL Freedom Division) since 2003-04 a year ago. High-scoring senior guard Kirby Mooney (first-team All-SOL Freedom) is back to help Tennent try to repeat, but guard George Marion' (first-team All-SOL Freedom) and the other three starters graduated. Robert Mulville's Panthers are counting on some role players from a year ago to become starters/core guys this season.
10. Holy Ghost Prep
New coach Tom Heston replaces longtime bench boss Tony Chapman, who guided the Firebirds to a PIAA Class 5A state berth a year ago, and plans to push the pace more. Junior Adrien Varella and senior Gavin McLaughlin should be essential players with expanded roles from a year ago.
30 boys players to watch: These Bucks County standouts are poised for big seasons
Top returning boys players: For the 2023-24 boys basketball season
Top 5 small-school teams (A-4A, non-PIAA)
1. George School
Ben Luber's Cougars will have a hard act to follow after winning their first Friends School League title and nearly securing a Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISAA) title. Standouts Kachi Nzeh (Xavier) and Christian Bliss (Virginia) are gone, but junior big man Luke Bevilacqua returns. Highly touted freshman guard Tyler Sutton and senior power forward Tristen Guillouette, a St. Joseph's Prep transfer, should make George School fun to watch.
2. Germantown Academy
The Patriots bring back the core of their team that won a game at the PAISAA tourney. Juniors Bryce Rollerson (second-team All-Inter-Academic League), Tyler Nolan, AJ Towsen and sophomore Bryce Presley will lead Matt Dolan and guard-heavy GA.
3. Dock Mennonite
The Pioneers graduated seven, including all-time leading scorer Nate Lapp, from a 27-3 squad that extended its Bicentennial Athletic League win streak to 30 games. Mike Fergus is relying on returning starters Tony Martin, a sophomore combination guard, and senior point guard Vaughan Martin, among others.
4. Conwell-Egan
With a core of junior guard Antwone George, junior point guard Seb Khan and senior guards Franz Fabian and Aidan Mondragon, coach Tyrone Lewis and the Eagles should be a much-improved team in the Catholic League. Sophomore Justin Bobb, a 6-6 transfer from Academy of the New Church, is worth watching.
5. Bristol
Warriors first-year head coach Anthony Gencarelli, who was an assistant with former coach Jerry Devine, is looking to sophomore guards John Sozio and Kyleal Cottrell, who started last year as freshmen, and junior Joseph Burk. The roster features a bunch of multi-sport athletes in the BAL.
Tom Moore: tmoore@couriertimes.com; @TomMoorePhilly
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: 2023-24 boys basketball: Bucks County teams to watch
