PCL Semifinal Awards

In front of a sellout crowd of approximately 10,000 at the fabled Palestra on the campus of University of Pennsylvania, four teams squared off in one of the most anticipated nights of the year in Philadelphia for a right to play for the Philly Catholic League (PCL) championship. In atypical fashion, both games wound up in resulting in blowouts, with Roman Catholic and Father Judge advancing to the title game on Sunday. With that said, we'll eschew the typical game recaps for some "superlative" awards from the night as a whole.   Best Performance: [player_tooltip player_id='1197608' first='Kevair' last='Kennedy'] (Father Judge)    From the opening tip, Kennedy put on a masterclass at the lead guard spot, following up a 23-point effort vs. Prep on the last day of the regular season with a 17-point triple-double before leaving the game to a standing ovation. Kennedy pushed every right button as the engine of Judge's potent offense, dominating the game in transition while putting pressure on the rim but keeping a keen eye out for shooters at all times. He guarded the ball with passion and was a factor crashing down to the glass. It was clear to anyone watching on that Kennedy would not be allowing his team to lose on this night, after falling one game short of the PCL finals last year. Merrimack looks to have gotten another under-recruited gem out of the PCL at the point guard position.    Best Supporting Actor: [player_tooltip player_id='2525533' first='Rocco' last='Westfield'] (Father Judge)    Those in attendance at last year's semifinals may remember Westfield as he knocked down four 3's to help keep Judge within striking distance before ultimately bowing out to Roman. There may have been some deja vu when Westfield came out firing again, this time cashing in FIVE times from deep before the halftime buzzer. He would ultimately make six 3's en route to a 20-point effort. A consistently efficient sniper off the catch, Westfield has boosted his stock this year by rounding out his game as both a defender and dribble-drive threat. He'll have a chance to continue elevating into the spring and summer as he takes on more ballhandling reps in the grassroots season.    Breakout Performer: [player_tooltip player_id='2563334' first='Julian' last='McKie'] (St. Joe's Prep)    For those who have watched St. Joe's Prep down the stretch of the season, one of the key storylines has been the emergence of the young McKie, but for those unfamiliar it was impossible to miss the youngster's impact despite the lopsided score in Judge's favor. Coming off the bench with a strikingly long and lively frame and an energetic bounce in his step, he was a consistent factor on both ends with his length, athleticism, instincts, and motor. He showed his simplistic but wideranging impact as he got out in transition, blocked multiple shots, knocked down a 3, and created extra possessions with his effort. Improving quickly, still just 14 years old, and with high-level bloodlines in his favor, McKie will be tracked closely heading into the grassroots season with the clear potential for high-major recruitment in his future.    Lifetime Achievement: [player_tooltip player_id='1188620' first='Shareef' last='Jackson'] (Roman Catholic)    It can be easy to overlook Jackson as he's largely been doing what he does as the centerpiece of Roman's offense up front from the moment he stepped on a varsity floor as a freshman. His game doesn't generate highlights, but it's consistently effective in generating wins with his blend of skill, physicality, and IQ on both ends. The Lafayette commit coasted to a 19-point, 12-rebound effort in what's become a regular occurrence for him on the Palestra stage. Known as a post player, he showed his expanding ability to take defenders off the dribble along with his advanced sense for making decisions across the offense. A hand-in-glove fit in the Patriot League, he'll look to cap a storied career with a third straight PCL title on Sunday.    Most Improved: [player_tooltip player_id='1406768' first='Sammy' last='Jackson'] (Roman Catholic)    It was around this time last year when Jackson started to break out on the big stage, much like McKie is doing now. He showed he's clearly a different player from last year at the Palestra until now, as he's grown from a budding prospect into a full-fledged high-major recruit. Jackson shines with his versatility and IQ on the perimeter, using his size, shotmaking ability, and court sense to play on and off the ball while picking out mismatches all over the floor. Known to be more of the cerebral type, he also showed some added pop in his legs on a two-hand poster dunk off a backdoor that was effectively the nail in Devon's coffin. Jackson will look to solidify his standing on the national scene this summer on the EYBL.    Best New Artist: [player_tooltip player_id='1865353' first='Mason' last='Thear'] (Devon Prep)    Not familiar with Thear as anything more than a name, he caught the eye with a valiant effort despite going down in defeat. He showed a balanced game in the backcourt, knocking down a trio of shots from long range but also showing a polished skill level and smooth pace attacking off the bounce. Thear isn't the splashiest athlete, but is quick enough with a frame that should support plenty of good bulk moving up to the college level. We hope to catch him one more time in the district or state playoffs, but higher-level D3 programs would be wise to keep close tabs on Thear heading down the stretch of his senior season.    Went Down Swinging: [player_tooltip player_id='1188621' first='Olin' last='Chamberlain'] (St. Joe's Prep) and [player_tooltip player_id='1230538' first='Zane' last='Conlon'] (Devon Prep) -- TIE    He's surely disappointed that it came in losing fashion, but Chamberlain saved maybe the best game of his career as a four-year starter for his last, going out with a smooth and efficient 22 points. He demonstrated his proficiency as a pullup shooter, knocking down shots off the bounce from the arc and in the midrange with smooth footwork and nice elevation to get his shot off consistently. Chamberlain showed great resolve, stepping up with key shots to keep Prep within striking distance before the wheels ultimately fell off late in the game. Being recruited by all levels right now, Chamberlain would be smart to pass the tape of this one along to any coach on the fence about pulling the trigger on him.     The lone member of Devon's lineup voted First Team All-Catholic, Conlon backed up his standing with his typically rugged and versatile impact that kept Devon within striking distance until late in the game. He stands out with his ability to play all over the floor offensively, stepping out to the perimeter for jumpers but also punishing mismatches in the post or working off the bounce while keeping eyes out for cutting teammates. Conlon has also done good work on his body over the years to maximize his athleticism. Concerns about his defensive fit were what largely hindered his D1 recruitment, but it wouldn't be a surprise for Conlon to continue his productive ways at the NAIA level for Southeastern (FL).    Best Highlight: [player_tooltip player_id='1460634' first='Everett' last='Barnes'] (Father Judge)    With the clock ticking down in the fourth quarter and the last wind being taken out of Prep's sails, Barnes provided the highlight of the night with his emphatic hammer dunk off the roll right on the head of the contesting defender. It served as the exclamation point on another night in which Barnes controlled the paint on both ends, serving as a consistent rim protector and dumpoff threat. He's gotten his body to a great place to where he can consistently keep up with the breakneck pace of a game like this as the only big man on the floor. Still just 17 years old and with his best basketball clearly still ahead of him, Barnes looks like a potential steal heading into the Patriot League for Loyola.

In front of a sellout crowd of approximately 10,000 at the fabled Palestra on the campus of University of Pennsylvania, four teams squared off in one of the most anticipated nights of the year in Philadelphia for a right to play for the Philly Catholic League (PCL) championship. In atypical fashion, both games wound up in resulting in blowouts, with Roman Catholic and Father Judge advancing to the title game on Sunday. With that said, we'll eschew the typical game recaps for some "superlative" awards from the night as a whole.