5 SEPA Games to Watch this Week

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Below are five <em>“must see”</em> PIAA 1^st Round state tournament games featuring teams from southeastern Pennsylvania.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Fri., March 8^th…Overbrook at Pope John Paul II: </strong>Overbrook's senior duo of [player_tooltip player_id='2383126' first='Omar' last='Davis'] (16 ppg.; 2^nd Team All-Public) and Nasir Kelly (15 ppg.; 2^nd Team All-Public) take their dynamic scoring show on the road for a PIAA 4A 1^st Round contest against PJP. Running with hose two high level prospects will be 6'4”, 220 -pound forward [player_tooltip player_id='2391408' first='Tahmiere' last='Manning']. He is a double-double threat every night. PJP is the 2023-24 District 1-4A title holder thanks to a balanced perimeter attack. Point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1589203' first='Dom' last='DeMito'], shooting guard [player_tooltip player_id='2400245' first='Ayden' last='Wise'] and wing [player_tooltip player_id='2383351' first='Caleb' last='Zavertnik'] form a trio that presents serious matchup problems for opponents. Small forward Chase Mondillo is an under the radar prospect for PJP. <em>Tipoff is at 6:00PM.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Fri., March 8^th…Exeter at Upper Dublin:</strong> The reward for Upper Dublin finishing as the District 1-5A runner up is that they get to host an extremely talented and experienced Exeter squad. Exeter returns two All-Berks league players from last year's 5A state tournament runner up team. The first is scoring wing [player_tooltip player_id='2226362' first='Kevin' last='Saenz'] who can drain threes and score off the dribble. The other is comb-guard [player_tooltip player_id='1850267' first='Reece' last='Garvin']. He is 3-point ace and can serve as a primary ball handler too. For Exeter college coaches will also want to watch 2026 prospect [player_tooltip player_id='1705871' first='Aidan' last='Dauble']. Upper Dublin (19-4) comes into states having won 12-of-their-last-13 games. The scoring performances of shooting guard [player_tooltip player_id='1269299' first='Ryan' last='Mulroy'] (1st Team All-SOL selection) have been a major reason for that impressive run. Floor general [player_tooltip player_id='1888851' first='Kobe' last='Bazemore'], point-forward [player_tooltip player_id='2047682' first='Idris' last='Rines'] (6'4′, 200 lbs.) and wing Brady Fogle have played outstanding ball during this stretch as well. <em>Tipoff is at 7:00PM.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sat., March 9^th…Delaware County Christian School vs. Constitution: </strong>This 2A state tournament opener pits Bicentennial Athletic League runner up (Delco Christian; 17-7) against a Philly Public League team that won 22 games this winter. Delco Christian's lineup features combo guards [player_tooltip player_id='1271436' first='Khamai' last='Orange'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1466616' first='Beau' last='Lyren']. Both can light it up from behind the arc and score off the bounce. Shooting guard [player_tooltip player_id='1466596' first='Caleb' last='Jameson'] and hybrid-forward Josiah Gaineswill be major contributors for DCCS too.Constitution will counter withpoint god [player_tooltip player_id='1130841' first='Kyree' last='Latimer'] and combo guard [player_tooltip player_id='1848507' first='Perry' last='Fields']. Each of those 2024 backcourt prospects were recently named as a 1^st Team All-Public League selection. 6'5” scoring wing [player_tooltip player_id='1123887' first='Amir' last='Speights'] (2^nd Team All-Public) and 3-point ace [player_tooltip player_id='1865352' first='Talasi' last='Henderson'] will also be in the starting lineup for Constitution. <em>Tipoff is at 3:00PM at Ben Franklin HS</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sat., March 9^th…String Theory at Executive Education ACS: </strong>String Theory's scoring point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1181651' first='Justus' last='Robertson'] (16 ppg.) and combo guard Justin Pezzetti form one of the better backcourts in the PPL. Those two get tremendous support from wing Luca Varallo and forward Dawud Jones. Still, that group faces an uphill battle when they take the court against a deep EEACS roster that just captured the District 11-3A hardware. Leading the way for the Raptors is a trio of perimeter prospects who can fill it up. Scoring point guard Rylan Muniz is one of the best uncommitted 2024s in the region. Shooting guard [player_tooltip player_id='1764304' first='Gabe' last='Hornberger'] is a walking bucket. Combo guard [player_tooltip player_id='2047680' first='Jaden' last='Shipley'] can produce points at every level too. 6'9” power forward [player_tooltip player_id='1850279' first='Lamine' last='Sanoh'] handles business on the interior for EEACS. <em>Tipoff is at 3:00PM.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sat., March 9^th…Plymouth Whitemarsh at Parkland:</strong> The District 11-6A champions (Parkland) host a “P-Dub” squad that was tested by a brutal schedule down the stretch run of the 2023-24 season. Elite floor general [player_tooltip player_id='1116013' first='Jaden' last='Colzie'] runs the show for “P-Dub.” Colzie remains one of the top unsigned guards in the region. Stretch-4 prospect [player_tooltip player_id='1589161' first='Jahseir' last='Sayles'] and 3-point ace [player_tooltip player_id='1576723' first='Mani' last='Sajid'] have grabbed the attention of college coaches this season too. Two underrated prospects on the Plymouth Whitemarsh roster are combo guard Ben Marsico and forward [player_tooltip player_id='2400225' first='Michael' last='Pereira']. Parkland has plenty of talent on their roster too. However, their success typically hinges on the performance of all everything shooting guard [player_tooltip player_id='1123885' first='Nick' last='Coval'] (Davidson commit). This season Coval averaged 22 ppg.; eclipsed the career 2,00-point mark and was the East Penn Conference POY for the second straight season. Taking the court with Coval will be athletic wing [player_tooltip player_id='1188232' first='Zaire' last='Smaltz'] and multi-skilled guard [player_tooltip player_id='2322849' first='Jayden' last='Thomas']. <em>Tipoff is at 3:00PM.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->