5 SEPA Playoff Games to Watch This Week

Below is a preview of five must-see post-season games taking place this week in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Mon., 2/13…Lower Merion vs. Radnor: Tonight’s Central League championship game will give hoop heads the rematch theywanted. Lower Merion defeated Radnor in the 2022 CL ‘chip game. Back in January Radnor (23-0; No. 1 seed) easily won the regular season contest vs. the Aces. Now LM has the chance to spoil Radnor’ perfect season. Upset minded LM (20-3; No. 2 seed) will deploy a five-guard lineup that centers around combo guard phenom Sam Brown Sam Brown 6'3" | CG Lower Merion | 2023 State PA (18 ppg.; Penn commit). Running with Brown are fellow seniors — floor general Justin Poles Justin Poles 6'1" | CG Lower Merion | 2023 State PA and shooting guard Sam Wright Sam Wright 6'2" | SG Lower Merion | 2023 State PA . Radnor will rely on Princeton commit Jackson Hicke Jackson Hicke 6'5" | SF Radnor | 2023 State PA (20 ppg.), wing Charlie Thornton Charlie Thornton 6'4" | SF Radnor | 2023 State PA (11 ppg.) and 6’6” shooting guard Jackson Gaffney to bring home the program’s first league title since the 1960s. Tip-off is at 7:45PM at Harriton HS.

Tue., 2/14…Upper Merion at Spring Ford: The Pioneer Athletic Conference championship game will see Upper Merion (No. 2 seed) travel to Spring Ford (No. 1 seed). Both teams are coming off thrilling PAC semi-final wins. SF needed over time to down Pottstown and UM required double OT to defeat Perk Valley. Leading SF is a pair of elite backcourt prospects in shooting guard Jacob Nguyen Jacob Nguyen 6'3" | SG Spring Ford | 2025 State PA (15 ppg.) and floor general EJ Campbell EJ Campbell 6'0" | CG Spring Ford | 2024 State PA (12 ppg.). Nguyen (50 3PM) is one of the most feared deep shooters in the region. UM will counter with their own pair of star players in combo guard Devon Nelson (10.5 ppg.) and shooting guard Nick Smiley (8 ppg.). Nelson’s mid-range game is filthy.

Wed., 2/15…Father Judge at Archbishop Carroll: Thisopening round Philly Catholic League playoff contest will feature several of the top uncommitted 2023s in the area. FJ’s Ernest Shelton Ernest Shelton 6'3" | CG Father Judge | 2023 State PA (11.4 ppg. & 44% on threes) and Kyle Jones (13 ppg. & 39% on triples) are bucket getting 2023s who are being slept on. Running with those two is top junior prospect Laquan Byrd Laquan Byrd 6'3" | SF Father Judge | 2024 State PA (15 ppg.) and elusive floor general Kevair Kennedy Kevair Kennedy 6'1" | PG Father Judge | 2025 State PA . Carroll uncommitted seniors – combo guard Dean Coleman-Newsome Dean Coleman-Newsome 6'2" | PG Archbishop Carroll | 2023 State PA (16 ppg.) and 6’6” small forward Blake Deegan Blake Deegan 6'6" | SF Archbishop Carroll | 2023 State PA (8 ppg. & 7 rpg.) – are solid DI prospects. Carroll’s lineup also boasts cold blooded, 2024 shooting guard Jake West Jake West 6'1" | SG William Penn Charter | 2025 State PA and standout freshman Ian Williams Ian Williams 5'9" | PG Archbishop Carroll | 2026 State PA .

Fri., 2/17…Westtown School at Malvern Prep: The opening round of the Pennsylvania Independent Schools state tournament has Malvern Prep hosting Westtown. In an interesting plot twist, ‘Town eliminated the Friars from states in 2022. So, MP’s electric combo guard Ryan Williams Ryan Williams 6'3" | SG Malvern Prep | 2024 State PA (multiple DI offers) and elite stretch-4 prospect Andrew Phillips Andrew Phillips 6'3" | SF Malvern Prep | 2023 State PA will be out for revenge. That incredible scoring duo will get significant help from freshman sensation Rowan Miller Rowan Miller 5'10" | PG Conestoga | 2026 State PA . Westtown will be without leading scorer Matt Mayock Matt Mayock 6'4" | SG Westtown School | 2023 State PA (American Univ commit) because of a wrist injury. However, their roster has the talent to overcome his absence. Point guard Seyphon Triplett Seyphon Triplett 6'1" | CG Westtown School | 2023 State PA (Stonehill commit) and power forward Matt Gilhool Matt Gilhool 6'10" | PF Long Island Lutheran | 2024 State #133 Nation NY (numerous DI offers) are practically unstoppable. Highly ranked ‘Town sophomores Cameron Wallace Cameron Wallace 6'4" | CG Westtown School | 2025 State PA and Jayden Forsythe are superstars in the making.

Fri., 2/17…Cristo Rey at Hill School: Hill School (No. 4) is the higher seed in this PISAA state tourney game, but do not sleep on Cristo Rey (No. 13 seed). Cristo Rey’s Joshua Wyche (Lafayette commit) can torch the nets from all over the floor. Plus, Cristo Rey’s lineup has sophomore wing phenom Devon Booker. Booker has posted several 30-spots this season. Wyche and Booker will get support from Amir Nelson Amir Nelson 5'10" | PG Cristo Rey Philadelphia | 2025 State PA as well as Amari Dow Amari Dow 6'2" | SG Cristo Rey Philadelphia | 2024 State PA . Hill has a well-balanced offensive attack. On the perimeter is elite shooting guard Trey O’Neil Trey O’Neil 6'1" | CG Hill School | 2024 State PA (handful of DI offers), crafty point guard Jacob Meachem Jacob Meachem 5'8" | PG Hill School | 2025 State PA and stretch-4 Augustus Gerhart Augustus Gerhart 6'9" | PF Hill School | 2023 State PA (Penn commit). In the paint Hill has a trio of college prospects in forwards Josh Cameron Josh Cameron 6'7" | SF Hill School | 2023 State PA , Justin Molen, and Matt Field.