PAISAA Semifinals: Phelps 82, Perkiomen 87

In the semifinals of the PA independent schools state tournament, 12th-seeded Phelps continued its Cinderella run by knocking off top-seeded two-time defending champion Perkiomen on the Panthers' home floor. In a thrilling up-and-down contest that featured well over a dozen scholarship-level players, the Phelps duo of junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2833833' first='David' last='Bottomley'] and senior Penn State commit [player_tooltip player_id='1589088' first='Justin' last='Houser'] up front proved too much to handle. The Lions advance to Sunday's championship game at St. Joe's where they'll take on third-seeded Hill School.    Often the smallest player on the court, Bottomley packed a huge punch with his play, running the show with expert precision while scoring 21 points and having a hand in seemingly every key sequence in Phelps' favor. He was rock-solid as a ball handler, navigating both with and without a screen to break down the defense as either a scorer or passer depending on what the situation dictated. Bottomley showed a command of his team and a sense for the flow of the game that's become increasing rare to find at the high school level. He showed he could stretch defenses as well with a number of tough pull ups that established or swung momentum. A clearcut D1 floor general, we're eager to see where the Canadian's recruitment goes once he hits the AAU circuit this summer.     From the smallest player on the court to the biggest, Houser put the progressions in his game on full display and showed anyone looking on why he'll be taking his talents to the Big 10 next year. He was a consistent force as a finisher inside, both off of rolls to the rim and creating his own shot via the post or facing up. Having clung to the perimeter at times in the past, the level of aggression and physicality Houser showed represent real turning points in his growth. He would step out for a clutch 3 in the second half, while also controlling the glass and being a factor as a rim protector throughout. He couldn't have picked a better time to put it all together.     With his backcourt mate struggling, Tanner did all he could to keep Perkiomen in the game, particularly with a dynamic first-half scoring performance that sent the Panthers into the locker room down just a point. He showed his evolving athleticism early in the game with a poster dunk in transition, before going on to display the smooth, high-IQ play off the bounce that saw the Northeast PA native draw interest up to the high-major level in his recruitment. A high-level competitor, Tanner was a consistent factor defensively and in the floor game while leaving it all out on the floor as the only current Panther to have been part of each of the last two PAISAA title games. Despite the loss, he showed exactly why he looks like a steal heading down to FGCU as part of a continued PA pipeline to Fort Myers.     It's been an important season of progression for Bakare, as the Canadian swingman has gone from a deep reserve to a valued starter on the wing. In the biggest game of his career to this point, he made himself an immediate threat with multiple early jumpers that would help to stretch the defense for his teammates to create. The best athlete on almost any floor he's on, Bakare also displayed his above-the-rim exploits while getting out in transition. He'll likely never be relied upon as much of a ball handler or playmaker, but the way he's been able to produce efficiently with limited usage should draw plenty of intrigue on the recruiting trail given the athletic tools he also brings to the table.     With Perkiomen facing an uncharacteristic early deficit, Sadler's play off the bench was key to help stem the tide and recapture momentum heading into halftime. Known for his ability to stretch defenses with his pull-up game, he showed added wrinkles as a scorer and playmaker off the dribble. His first-half scoring provided a necessary jolt in a role that figures to be appropriate for Sadler's skillset as he moves to the next level. While he found himself on the outside looking in following his senior year at Perkiomen Valley (PA), Sadler has used his post-grad year to solidify himself as a scholarship-level prospect.     The unsung hero for Phelps was Johnson, a swingman who's worked his way up the rotation from the second team two years ago into the starting lineup as a senior. His natural inclination is to get buckets, and he certainly boasts a skillset to warrant that approach with his inside-out abilities that pose a consistent mismatch for opposing forwards. Where Johnson impressed most was with the added toughness and maturity to his approach, as he made several key plays around the rim on both ends that we wouldn't have seen him make in years past. This is a clear scholarship-level wing forward by this point, with the chance to creep to the D1 level in time if the consistency can match the talent level.

In the semifinals of the PA independent schools state tournament, 12th-seeded Phelps continued its Cinderella run by knocking off top-seeded two-time defending champion Perkiomen on the Panthers' home floor. In a thrilling up-and-down contest that featured well over a dozen scholarship-level players, the Phelps duo of junior guard David Bottomley David Bottomley 6'0" | PG The Phelps School | 2026 PA and senior Penn State commit Justin Houser Justin Houser 7'0" | C The Phelps School | 2025 State PA up front proved too much to handle. The Lions advance to Sunday's championship game at St. Joe's where they'll take on third-seeded Hill School.