PCL Championship: Father Judge 41, Roman Catholic 34

In front of a sellout crowd of nearly 10,000 at the Cathedral of College Basketball (The Palestra, for those uninitiated), relative upstart Father Judge knocked off perennial power and two-time defending champ Roman Catholic to capture its first Philly Catholic League (PCL) crown since 1998. Senior Merrimack commit [player_tooltip player_id='1197608' first='Kevair' last='Kennedy'] led the way as he has all season, but it was a true team effort with key support from a number of teammates. Roman guard [player_tooltip player_id='2195052' first='Tyler' last='Sutton'] impressed in defeat, leading all scorers with 20 points.    While he didn't produce the gaudy stat line that's become the norm down the stretch of the season, Kennedy did all the little things necessary in a dogfight of a game to ensure his team came out with the win. A four-year starter who's helped revitalize the Judge program, it was clear there was nobody on the floor for whom the game meant more. In a game where buckets were at a premium, the Merrimack pledge dished a key assist to beat the third-quarter buzzer and knocked in four consecutive free throws to ice things late. Finding ways to win games is a skillset of its own, and Kennedy has proven to have it in spades.     With Roman in desperate need of offense, the Cahillites turned to their dynamic young guard who took a back seat in the scoring column during the semifinals. Typically known more for his dribble-drive prowess, Sutton really opened up the floor from beyond the arc, knocking down four triples (mostly off the pullup variety) and another jumper with his toe on the line. He flashed his trademark downhill game with a twirling finish during a run in which he scored seven straight points for Roman to capture a 4th quarter lead. Sutton also showed the rapid hands and instincts on defense that have become expected by those familiar with him. Despite the defeat, Sutton left a strong impression on anyone in attendance to more than back up his lofty standing.     Nobody swung the game more than Moshinski, the typical last man in the rotation who came off the bench with an energetic and efficient eight points. His six in the first half were key to spark a Judge team that mustered just two first-quarter points. It was impressive how ready he was when his number was called after being seldom used in the semifinals. There's still a lot to like about Moshinski long-term with his athleticism and slashing ability on the wing, with good positional size for the next level. The consistency of his jumper will be key toward translating better into halfcourt settings, but there's definite potential of a summer breakout coming Moshinski's way.     One of the premier scorers in the PCL, Morton-Rivera didn't quite reach double figures, but his seven second half points were huge toward securing the win. A three to open the half helped sway momentum, as did a cutting layup to beat the third-quarter buzzer. His streaking transition finish in the fourth would push Judge ahead for good. The steeliness and mental toughness that Morton-Rivera displayed through a grind of an offensive outing was impressive to say the least.     He wasn't relied upon as a focal point offensively, but there's no doubt that Barnes was key toward Judge coming away with the win. The much-improved two-way big was essential to keeping the Crusaders in the game during its early offensive drought. He put a lid on the rim with six blocks and consistently made life difficult for Roman centerpiece [player_tooltip player_id='1188620' first='Shareef' last='Jackson']. With the improvement and two-way impact he continues to show, it's beyond fair to say Loyola got a steal in securing Barnes' services.     With a lot of Roman's supporting cast struggling to step up alongside Sutton, Miller looked comfortable and energetic to give Cahillites a spark in the frontcourt. He's become an increasingly reliable presence as a versatile wing forward with some breakout offensive performances throughout the year that really swung games. If he can show himself to be a consistent shooter off the catch, there's definite potential for a scholarship, but small-colleges should be all over Miller should he not choose to pursue football at the next level.     Beck made the most of his minutes, coming off the bench to spell Barnes up front during key stretches in both halves. Despite giving up several inches and a few-dozen pounds, he consistently made Jackson work for everything up front while making every catch difficult. He didn't convert from deep, but the threat he posed as a floor-spacer helped to open up the Roman defense. With his toughness, versatility, and winning experience, small-colleges would be wise to circle around on Beck into the state playoffs.     It was far from the breakout 20-point effort he had during Judge's semifinal romp, but Westfield's toughness and floor game were still felt throughout the win. Battling the flu, he defended the ball impressively and crashed down for a number of tough boards, while helping to spell Kennedy as a secondary ballhandler on the other end. He saved his one bucket for the decisive quarter, knocking down a cold-blooded deep three to counter a Sutton flurry and take back the lead. Coming off his first D1 offer from Merrimack, he'll look to keep up his momentum into states and the spring grassroots season.

In front of a sellout crowd of nearly 10,000 at the Cathedral of College Basketball (The Palestra, for those uninitiated), relative upstart Father Judge knocked off perennial power and two-time defending champ Roman Catholic to capture its first Philly Catholic League (PCL) crown since 1998. Senior Merrimack commit Kevair Kennedy Kevair Kennedy 6'1" | PG Father Judge | 2025 State PA led the way as he has all season, but it was a true team effort with key support from a number of teammates. Roman guard Tyler Sutton Tyler Sutton 6'1" | PG OTE | 2027 State #34 Nation PA impressed in defeat, leading all scorers with 20 points.