2021-22 Inter-Ac Midseason Notes

The Inter-Ac league play got underway this week, giving teams their first full season since 2020. And after only a handful of games, it looks like the league is as talented as ever. Here are a few players to take note of going forward.   Rising Stars [player_tooltip player_id="1200762" first="Camden" last="Burns"] | Springside Chestnut Hill 6’0 G ‘24 An underclassman and new to SCH, Camden is adjusting just fine to the Inter-Ac. He’s proven himself as a tough shot-maker, scoring 14 points/game on a solid volume of jumpers from behind the arc. He can get to his pull up or just catch-and-fire. But when the Devils need a bucket, it’s his burst getting to the rim that they can always count on. Burns has a naturally big frame which helps him finish through contact. It also aids him when defending bigger players. His strength-based finishing and shot-making will go a long way for SCH as they contend for the Inter-Ac title. Dave Kearney | Haverford 6’5 W ‘22 The Fords lost a ton of talent and experience from last season’s team. Yet it’s hard to tell with the way Dave is the league’s second leading scorer at 16 points/game. Coach Rogers is comfortable running the offense through Kearney because of his decision-making versus man and/or zone. He can do a little bit of everything on that end, so it’s difficult to completely shut him down. In their recent win on the road against Penn Charter, Dave scored 22 points by running off screens, posting up, and spotting up. And when he drew help, he found the open man. [player_tooltip player_id="1188249" first="Kevin" last="McCarthy"] | Episcopal Academy 6’3 G ‘24 The Churchmen play five out on offense, allowing Kevin’s technical approach to the game to flourish. Kevin showed he had the chops to be this level of player last season and this time he has upped the ante. He’s currently near the top of the Inter-Ac in scoring at about 15 points/game and it comes from all over the floor. A lot of his scoring comes off-the-catch - coming off screens and spotting up. Kevin gets his three-pointers off quickly and uses his momentum while cutting to get to the basket. An underrated part of his game is that when he’s not open, Kevin sets screens for others, which in-turn leads to him getting clean looks. [player_tooltip player_id="991421" first="Ryan" last="Williams"] | Malvern 6’2 G ;24 Running the grassroots scene with Philly Pride, Ryan showed signs of being one of the top offensive talents in the Inter-Ac. Yet, no one could have guessed that he would lead the conference in scoring this soon (approx. 18 pts/g). Williams shows a ton of poise on the court. The trust his coaches and team have in him is evident. Even though Ryan Malvern’s primary option and he always has the green light, he’s more than willing to make the extra pass and play without the ball. The ease with which the game comes to him leaves room for other players to fit in around him. Pleasant Surprises Isaiah Grimes | Penn Charter 6’3 F ‘23 Out of PC’s core of juniors, Isaiah may be the least heralded, but that’s not stopping him from making an impact with and without the ball. He gives them 10 points/game without ever getting designed touches and without taking many shots. A tight end and defensive end on the football field, Isaiah brings energy and physicality to the court by fighting for rebounds against taller players. Him crashing the boards results in put-back opportunities for himself or second-chance points for teammates. He gets open by constantly moving and finding windows, then using his leverage to take spaces he wants around the rim. Andrew Phillips | Malvern Prep 6’4 F '23 Going into the season, many expected one of Malvern’s seniors (Vanderguess or Lauder) to be their second leading scorer behind Williams. But Phillips has taken that responsibility, averaging around 14 points/game. Andrew’s most valuable skill is his shooting. His high release is hard to contest and his one dribble pull up is a nice counter when defenders closeout too hard. In a conference that doesn’t have an overabundance of height, Andrew being a knock-down shooter from deep at his size makes him a source for efficient offense. His passing and activity on the glass are also assets for the Friars. Blake Smith | Germantown Academy 6’5 W '22 Coming out of his junior season, when the Patriots played just eight games as a role player alongside Longino (Villanova) and key starters Hsu and Traina, Blake didn’t have many opportunities to showcase his abilities. As a senior, he’s scaled up his game to maximize every chance he gets to contribute to the team’s success. The tallest player for GA and often getting mismatches, Smith forces opposing bigs to defend out on the perimeter. He gets to the rim consistently, using his handle and agility to exploit driving lanes. Displaying the same skills on fastbreaks as he does in the halfcourt, Blake leads GA with 13 points/game. Other Impact Players [player_tooltip player_id="991208" first="Casey" last="Traina"] | Germantown Academy 6’4 W ‘22 Carson Mastin | Haverford 6’3 G ‘23 Tyler Lauder | Malvern 6’6 F/C ‘22 [player_tooltip player_id="1116056" first="Trey" last="Shinholster"] | Penn Charter 6’2 G ‘23 [player_tooltip player_id="991383" first="Mark" last="Butler"] | Penn Charter 6’0 G ‘23 [player_tooltip player_id="1188210" first="Alassane" last="Amadou"] Springside Chestnut Hill 6’9 F ‘23 Darius Isaac | Springside Chestnut Hill 5’11 G ‘22