Thats how big Im into the Phillies. Philadelphia High School Basketball Catholic League Winners, Year by Year. 2 Roman 76, Cardinal O'Hara 52 No. Coaching that group taught me more about coaching than I probably taught them., On the phone, Griffin offered a little tour of his relationship with Killings, how Killings was at BU for one championship season, but moving on, he never stopped staying in touch., Example: Killings got back to Boston the following year, texted Griffin and some teammates. The classic story of just working hard and just keep pushing and grinding and look what happens, McNesby said. Theyre really excited, McNesby said. They showed no mercy throughout, Mr. Lipka said. Within the Philadelphia Catholic League, Griffin was the President of the Coaches Association for five seasons (2016-2021). Well thanks to Andre Noble (Imhotep Head Coach) and John Mosco (Archbishop Wood Head Coach) hoop heads, sportswriters and, most importantly, High Major D1 college basketball coaches will get to see the best possible matchup. The Cahillites were coached by Dennis Seddon throughout this period of dominance. 5) (April 21-23, 2023), GUAA/Live at the Nook Notebook (Pt. The declining enrollment of the areas catholic schools and financial pressures within the Archdiocese (both national trends) have spilled over onto the court. Boys HS He's also one of Philly's greatest hoops coaches. A few years later, Giordano provided Arrigale with a taste of coaching when he asked the seventh and eighth graders to coach the kids in the younger grades. Arrigale was hired in 1999 and Neumann finished his first season in second place before falling in the playoffs. Previously, Griffin was the head coach at Roman Catholic High School from 2016-2021. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, North Catholic created a $1.5 million dollar information-technology program that gave its students opportunities to train as information technologists, computer repairmen and network managers. Tools William "Speedy" Morris (born April 26, 1942) is an American basketball coach. So that was huge.. (Friday, Temple forward Dre Perry committed to Albany as a grad transfer.). Following that magic run led by future Penn State standouts. Of course, it came from the old shop on 8th Street. BENSALEM The Archbishop Wood-Roman Catholic game Tuesday night featured two of the best boys basketball players in Pennsylvania. . Weve won almost 80 percent of our games here and have been in four Catholic League title games, winning two of them, Griffin said. By Rich Flanagan - Photos: Kathy Leister & Mike Nance, 03/24/21, 9:30AM EDT. Roman Catholic coach Matt Griffin has joined Dwayne Killings' staff at Albany. Basketball Did you know? . Which NBA players are Christian? NAME: 12: Carl Arrigale . Becoming a Division I coach is something Griffins family has a wealth of success doing. But they want to ask about this, Arrigale said. Its not just it was an 88-point margin. The impact he had on me was probably what probably pushed me into the high school coaching thing, Arrigale said. In an editorial on Thursday, The Hartford Courant newspaper commended Sacred Heart for apologizing. Arrigale looks to finish his 25th Catholic League season with a win in Monday's championship vs. Roman. Youre a champ forever and thats an experience with that group of guys that you take forever. Roman Catholic head coach Matt Griffin will become the assistant men's basketball coach at the University of Albany - PSD Photo by Geneva Heffernan He had pitched the idea of having Griffin join his staff with the Great Danes for a few weeks, as the deal evolved from more of a possibility to a reality. Read more Lou Rabito / File Photograph by Mike Jensen | Columnist Stats are entered by the coach or designated team statistician in the admin. Another person said, Every time I drive by the Palestra, my son knows Roman is in that game. Jason Kirck, the head coach at Sacred Heart Academy, during a girls basketball game against West Haven in West Haven, Conn., in 2020. I felt the pressure every day, Griffin said, not just from the tradition, but because he had brought in the highest-level players, certain to go on to Division I hoops. Its a situation where I get to work for someone like Dwayne Killings is humbling and great to be a part of it, Griffin said. 1 thing he wants me to do is develop players and monitor their progress, Griffin said. We still have great relationships with all of the guys who come through our program., Tag(s): (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL). It raises a red flag, Mr. Carbone said on Thursday of the score. He understood the expectations that came with taking over a program like Roman Catholic and he wanted the team and fans to have the same aspirations as those that previous head coaches and players have established as a precedent. Im like Now, its OK if I want to stop.. 21h Shareef Jackson hits a basketball at the buzzer! "It was a special . Senior guards Jahmir Martin and Quadir Brown, senior forward Darnell Carter and sophomore guards Kyree Womack and Toby Ojukwu should all see rotation minutes for Roman. Athletic Coaches Directory - Roman Catholic High School Additionally, he was named 2018 Philadelphia Inquirer, 2018 Daily News, 2018 Philadelphia Scholastic, and 2018 6A PIAA Coach of the Year. Those with five: Roman (1924-28), Penn Charter (1940-45, one shared), Malvern Prep (1973-77, one shared) and West Philadelphia (1974-78). Arrigale was on the porch with his dad in North Wildwood a few years ago when he said he was thinking about stepping away. Photographer Paul Burdick has posted a new gallery Reading @ Roman Catholic (PIAA 6A Championship) containing 54 photos. In the role of head coach, you cant make everyone happy all the time. PIAA CLASS 6A QUARTERFINAL. I wasnt sure how it would feel at first, but it keeps coming back to me, Chris McNesby said. Basketball - Christ the King Roman Catholic School Neumann-Goretti High School (Philadelphia, PA) Varsity Basketball Other good players are coming to play the best players. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL), Fortunately, Matt Griffin had a great team that he left, McNesby said. Some were fresh out of school. 84 likes, 7 comments - Bahamas Press (@bahamaspress) on Instagram: "Statement From Hon. 2) (April 21-22, 2023), This website is powered by SportsEngine's. Can we maintain [our schools]? While all the players McNesby coached have been out of high school at least a couple years, hes still got plenty of familiarity with the current state of the Cahillites program. Its been discussed here that things at Roman are going really well, Griffin said. In his five-year tenure, Griffin won onePIAA 6A State Championship (onerun was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and one did not take place for the same reason). Everything had seemed to change since he sat at Deans Bar. Matchup: District 11 champ Parkland (20-9) vs. District 12 champ Roman Catholic (25-3) When/where: 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Norristown Area High School. 1, Pennsylvania hs bbkb state tourney primer. To me, seeing our young men graduate from Roman and go live out what I call their hoop dreams makes it all worthwhile, Griffin said. It was never his plan to own the store filled with refrigerators, dishwashers, and range hoods on the corner of 8th and Passyunk. Griffin played his first two collegiate seasons at Rider then transferred to play at Boston University, where he met Killings, who was an assistant with the Terriers at the time. The potential income of this program was supposed to keep North Catholic open for another five years. Roman has the guards and the wings with scoring prowess. The full-court pressure and man-to-man defense had been just that suffocating. 10.1 points and 6.9 assists. That turned the coaching lights fully on. For 103 years, the Philadelphia Catholic League (PCL) has influenced generations of basketball players and coaches. He helped with deliveries, stood behind the counter, and did whatever else was needed at his grandfathers South Philadelphia appliance store before basketball season started. Coach is a great family man, friend, teacher, & coach who made a mistake which he feels terrible about. And while the Catholic League hasnt undergone a revolution in the last half-decade, theres no doubt that theres been some shifting of power, new faces at other schools that have changed the landscape. Hes done what we want to do before. Killings was with his wife, but drove to the group, put on his hazards, runs over, talks to us for ten minutes thats who he was.. In spite of the passionate fans, the bottom line is that enrollment numbers and financial pressures are concerns that PCL schools must monitor. The large crowds are a calling card of the PCL, although not the standard for high school gymnasiums. Our goal is to create the well-rounded athlete, one who understands sport from the mental and physical perspectives. A familiar face is leading the Roman Catholic basketball program once again as the Cahillites strive to return to familiar heights. According to all-knowing social media, Albany also has extended an offer to Daniel Skillings, who played for Griffin this past season at Roman. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/06/nyregion/connecticut-high-school-girls-basketball-coach.html. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. When the news got out last month former Temple assistant coach Dwayne Killings was the new head mens basketball coach at the University of Albany Killings didnt immediately announce his staff, but promised some Philly flavor. Once McNesby proved to the selection committee he wasnt going to rest on his laurels and success from last time, it was hard to pick a better choice. Im on 11th Street. MaxPreps is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. 2023 PIAA Boys' Basketball Championships 6A Boys' Championship, Photos: Reading @ Roman Catholic (PIAA 6A Championship), 66-56 (W) Roman Catholic @ Archbishop Wood, 60-56 (W) Roman Catholic vs. Lower Merion, MaxPreps Top 25 Basketball Rankings | 2022-2023 Regular Season Update #16, 70-31 (W) Roman Catholic vs. Perkiomen Valley, 62-49 (L) Roman Catholic @ Neumann-Goretti. Every day, its pushing each other and getting each other better. Three of his assistant coaches , are all still on staff, as is team statistician and local hoops figure, Theres another couple familiar names on the staff in freshman coaches. His dad told him he couldnt leave. North Catholic and Cardinal Dougherty shut down because of enrollment reasons. The team of Allan Hilton-Clarke, Kaj Sanders, Andrew Boakye and Logan Casey led from the gun to the finish line at . Prepping for Preps '22-23: Roman Catholic (Boys) Our basketball program is in a great place. That trio alone will be plenty for opponents to deal with, along with 6-8 big man Chad Anglin and promising sophomore Toby Ojukwu, who started a few games as a freshman; it remains to be seen if 6-7 rising senior wing Matija Radanovic, a Montenegro native, comes back for another year. MaxPreps National Basketball Editor Jordan Divens takes a look at this week's MaxPreps Top 25 basketball rankings. Arrigale besides his four years attending Lycoming College in Williamsport never found a reason to leave the neighborhood that raised him. Maybe he could just go to a game at the Palestra and watch as a fan or have something else to talk about than basketball when he runs into old friends down the Shore. After five seasons, Chris McNesby is back as head coach following the departure of previous coach Matt Griffin, who replaced McNesby, to become an assistant at Albany. Coach Speedy Morris '60 was the coach of the East Team at The Spectrum in 1978. We return almost our entire roster and I think the staff has been together for a really long time. It was always in me.. Morris finished his career with 1,035 victories as the coach of five teams, including high school boys' teams at Roman Catholic, Penn Charter, and St. Joseph's Prep, as well as the La Salle University women and men. get out of your glass houses & move on.. Working at the store, Arrigale figured, ensured his mother could still be there during the day so he could assist her and also distract her from the disease that would claim her life five years later. He got everything you could possibly get out of it, so were excited. Every time he thinks hes out, the guy from South Philly gets pulled back in. Home Anyone can read what you share. But if you look backwards, [Bishop] McDevitt has closed, [John] [W.] Hallahan has closed, North Catholic has closed, said McKee. , who has offers from Marquette, Fordham, VCU, St. Joes and more. People started to take notice.. JuniorJhamir Martinis also a returning starter as is 6-7 juniorMatija Radunovic. Im 56 and I get cranky this time of year, Arrigale said. Junior point guard Xzayvier Brown (above) is a three-year starter for the Cahillites. Carl Arrigale balances running C & D Appliance with coaching the Neumann Goretti High School men's basketball team. Roman Catholic's Xzavier Brown '23 has emerged as the finest pure point guard in the Greater Philadelphia region . [ November 28, 2022 ] North Philadelphia: Can the Next Crimes be Prevented? He played for Jim Boeheim and against Mike Krzyzewski and said Arrigales basketball mind is just as sharp. There is nothing like it.. Mike Doyle, just hired as the schools head coach, wanted Arrigale to join his staff, so they met in Grays Ferry after a mens league game. Roman Catholic basketball coach Matt Griffin to work for former Temple assistant Dwayne Killings at Albany | Mike Jensen "It was a PhD in coaching," Griffin said of his time at Roman. Through their abilities, these Christian NBA players glorify God. Administrators at Sacred Heart did not immediately respond to phone and email messages seeking comment on Thursday, but expressed remorse over the episode in a statement to GameTimeCT, a scholastic sports website that is part of Hearst Connecticut Media Group. Basketball is one of the most popular sports at Christ the King for boys and girls in grades 3-8. So there was the rest of the family, voicing their support. Ill look back and think it was a time where I kind of grew up, said Griffin, the younger brother of St. Josephs University assistant John Griffin, whom he speaks with multiple times a day. Roman Catholic Head Coach Matt Griffin Joins Dwayne Killings in New A closer look reveals individuals in localcommunities who make sports accessible and enjoyable for others. 2022-23 Preview Wood junior guard Jalil Bethea earned Catholic League Player of the Year honors and is being recruited by the likes of Syracuse and UCLA, while Xzayvier Brown is a high-level senior guard headed to St. Joseph's. should all see rotation minutes for Roman. Mr. Carbone said that Mr. Kirck, who has two daughters who play basketball for Sacred Heart, would miss the teams highly anticipated game against Hamden High School on Thursday night. Roman Catholic HS names new coach with deep roots in Catholic League A Roman alum, McNesby went 168-55 (.753) overall and 90-16 (.849) in the Catholic League in the eight years that followed, winning back-to-back Catholic League and PIAA state championships in both 2015 and 16. McNesby hadnt thought much about coaching since his departure, though hed been around his former program from time to time. Anything were going to be doing this year is going to be geared to playing in a Catholic League championship.. I still remember exactly where I saw him. Coach, Im on 11th Street. Im like 11th Street is the new Broad Street. But the lopsided result of the high school girls basketball game in Connecticut this week might have made even Bobby Knight blanch the final score between Sacred Heart Academy and Lyman Hall High School was 92-4. 19.1 points and scored 30 against Cardinal OHara, and 6-1 sophomoreXzayvier Brown, who avg. , who replaced McNesby, to become an assistant at Albany. He was already tied with Romans Dennis Seddon for the most. Both McNesby and Griffin have won two Philadelphia Catholic League titles in their time at the helm, but Roman has finished as the runner-up the last two seasons. . Thats what its all about. Late Rally Lifts Roman To 2023 PCL Boys' Basketball Championship In five years, his overall record was 96-29. Roman Catholic Athletics (@RomanAthletics) / Twitter McNesby is a graduate of Roman Catholic, class of 1995, and played for the basketball team as a student. Killings recommended a workout place he used in Fairmount and Griffin signed on, getting closer to his old coach as Griffin taught at a charter school on Broad Street and helped out Speedy Morris at the Prep. The Griffin name means something in Philadelphia basketball. When youre in it, you dont realize it, but when you step away, [you miss] the relationships of the Philly basketball community and your players, he said. Having them around is great, McNesby said It makes you feel good because maybe in some way theyve really enjoyed the experience of Roman and playing for me at Roman, so as a coach you feel a little proud about that.. Of course, despite Romans terrific talent, thats not so easily done. People dont know how good he is, Killings said of Griffin, who moves into the college ranks after five seasons at Broad and Vine, as head coach at Roman Catholic High. McNesby will still have plenty of familiar faces around him, including Tom McKenna (behind, with glasses). For me, being a Catholic League guy for years, McNesby said last month at the City of Basketball Love Interstate Shootout, (the goal) is to win the Catholic League. With an enthusiastic and passionate group of coaches . I was at the stage where I didnt know what I didnt know. Its amazing, senior guard Khalil Farmer said of working with McNesby. Now, McNesby and his team are aiming to pick up 2021-2022 where the coach left off his last time: on top of the PCL. Griffin's Roman history realized with first head coaching job our coaches focus on basketball development and instilling a love of the game in each of our players. It was 13 years ago that McNesby, several years a Roman assistant coach, succeeded longtime Roman coach Dennis Seddon as the Cahillites courtside leader. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL). I get that, and thats the fun of coaching at Roman, too, the expectations are high and they have a lot of support as well. Philadelphia Catholic Roman Catholic Basketball His mom worked two jobs to keep his dream alive. Then the Roman job opened up the following year. Hes been there before. Conversations with Killings were part of his own evolution, Griffin said. The thing about the championships is that they will never go away. That promise, it turns out, goes back to Boston University, when Killings was hired as an assistant by Pat Chambers, and there was this ballplayer already there, a guard out of St. Josephs Prep. Following that magic run led by future Penn State standouts Lamar Stevens, Tony Carr & Co. McNesby stepped aside in May 2016. He currently coaches the Under-16 team, but he previously directed the Under-10 and Under-8 teams as well. The two years I had with him, I just enjoyed them and the family atmosphere he created around the team and the way we felt for each other., READ MORE: Roman Catholic vs. Neumann Goretti sets up familiar championship matchup for Catholic League title, I thought that if I ever had the opportunity, if I could just have one kid feel the way that I felt, then I would be successful. Hes going to make sure we do what we have to do to win., Leading the Roman roster is star two-way senior forward, ., who has committed to Cincinnati; a pure scorer in Farmer, who has offers from a number of schools including Drexel, Albany and Fairfield; and junior point guard. 6) (April 21-23, 2023), GUAA/Live at the Nook Notebook (Pt. Arrigale will receive another one on Monday night when the Palestra fills up and the old building buzzes. Are we making more money than were spending?. Through the way of 17 varsity sports as well as an intramural program, we teach young men the core values of preparation, teamwork, commitment and humility. In addition to his coaching duties, Griffin served as the Athletic Director for the last two years, overseeing 17 athletic programs. The former St. Joes Prep point guard, who had also taken over as the schools athletics director, had the team in prime position to challenge for yet another PCL title in 2021-22 when he jumped on the opportunity to be a Division I coach. [ April 26, 2023 ] Amateur Sports: Philadelphia Catholic League Has Traditions That Extend Beyond the Court. 3 of 18 4 of 18 University at Albany men's basketball assistant coach Matt Griffin, right, . Roman Catholic coach Matt Griffin has joined Dwayne Killings' staff at Albany. Ever since Ive coached at Roman, they expect us to be in the championship every year, he said. As the only Roman players to have started all 12 games last year, the trio will carry most of the load on the court for the Cahillites and will also be expected to handle many of the leadership responsibilities. Men's Basketball Signs Three to National Letters of Intent Boys' Class 6A final - Roman Catholic vs. Archbishop Wood, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 26: The Cahillites (23-4) have won 16 of their last 17, losing to eventual champion Neumann-Goretti in the. Most importantly, Cunningham was at practice the day before. Mantua: Neighborhood Community Center Faces Potential Demolition, Philadelphia has a rich sports tradition thatmany throughout the city share a deep passion for. It just kind of happened. Note: This story is the latest in CoBLs Prepping for Preps series, which will take a look at many of the top high school programs in the region as part of our 2021-22 season preview coverage. Jason Shea, the head coach of the boys basketball team at Notre Dame High School in West Haven, where Mr. Kirck had previously worked, defended him Tuesday on Twitter. You see that and say, Wow. The school announced his hiring Tuesday. As he was only 17 years-old, Greer chose to reclassify to the Class of 2021 and while his final season of basketball before college will not be at Roman Catholic, he still helped orchestrate one final, memorable year. But it wasnt the Xs-and-Os that made Arrigale special. Griffin stressed that those three guys are really going to run the program. Where were they? Catholic League, with 8 teams, dominates PIAA championships The score is there. He probably wouldnt look at it like this, but, given the trust he has for his new boss, Griffin might have less pressure with this latest move. Morris, who had more than 1,000 wins as a high school and college coach, was Penn Charters coach for Arrigales final two seasons. Although Heydt [continue reading]. When Griffin graduated, he did a two-year Teach for America stint in Boston, then came home, not sure what he was going to do. But in recent years, despite the championship pedigree, the PCL has become known for something else: A lack of resources. The suspension of Jason Kirck, the third-year coach of the Sharks, one of the top-ranked teams in the state, was confirmed on Thursday by Al Carbone, the commissioner of the Southern Connecticut Conference. Skillings led the team in scoring and rebounding last season with 19.7 points and 8.1 boards per game as Roman went 10-2 (9-1). Mr. Carbone, the Southern Connecticut Conference commissioner, pointed out that scholastic coaches in the state must be certified. Sacred Heart won the leagues Division 2 championship last year. (Photo courtesy Roman Catholic High School) Josh Verlin ( @jmverlin) -- Don't let the resum fool you. When Griffin said "yes" to his new assignment, he couldn't help but smile. He is the son of former Temple star and Philadelphia 76er Marc Jackson. Then coming into this year,[I] [am] really getting to see it explode, especially with the pandemic behind us. Which NBA Players Are Catholic? - Sportsmanist Neumann Goretti's Carl Arrigale sells washing machines. Home I want the kids to have things that theyll talk about forever, Arrigale said. Home - Roman Catholic High School Youd get like 10 or 15 bucks and back then in the 70s, you had money in your pocket for the week. In 2020, the effects of his fathers lung cancer re-emerged just before Arrigale was set to play for that 11th title. First step was a consultation with his wife, Lisa, herself a state championship coach, of cheerleading at St. Huberts. Roman Catholic's basketball coach resigns - Catholic Philly He avg. Its the longest street in the city. The long-standing tradition and reputation of the program made this issue easier to handle. He did reach out to me as soon as he got the job on Monday night. He served as an assistant coach to head coach Dennis Seddon for several years before . No, Jardine said, Arrigale was just a South Philly kid like him and his teammates. As he pulled into the fabled school at the corner of Broad and Vine Streets, he received a call from an old friend: riffin will step down as Roman Catholics head coach and athletic director, effective April 1, and become an assistant on Killings staff at Albany. The shirt and tie he wore for the first title were swapped out for a tracksuit. He had pitched the idea of having Griffin join his staff with the Great Danes for a few weeks, as the deal evolved from more of a possibility to a reality. Luckily, this is my second year, so I am getting more of a familiar taste of it to see what worked last year and what didnt work.