PIAA 6A Semifinal: Father Judge 69, Imhotep Charter 58

In front of a sellout crowd that included at least a half dozen D1 coaches and a who's who of the local basketball scene, powerhouses Father Judge and Imhotep Charter squared off for the third time on the season. Overcoming a sizable early deficit, the Crusaders won the rubber match to advance to the state championship game next weekend in Hershey. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1611959' first='Derrick' last='Morton-Rivera'] sparked the comeback and led the way with 20 points on a barrage of six 3s. Imhotep junior guard countered with a dazzling 31 points of his own in defeat.    While he'd hit some massive shots down the stretch of the season for Judge, in many ways it felt like the breakout was due for the junior sharpshooter. It came at the perfect time, as he sparked the Crusaders back from an early 21-6 deficit, pouring in 14 of his 20 points in the second quarter including four of his six 3s. Morton-Rivera routinely flowed to open space and fired with his typical confidence and high release. He made a handful of nice passes and defensive plays in the floor game, along with a putback in traffic just before the halftime buzzer that really swung the momentum Judge's way heading into the locker room. It was clear to any of the thousands looking on why many of the mid-major coaches in attendance have already made Morton-Rivera a priority in their upcoming recruiting class.     Leaving it all on the floor in a gargantuan effort to end his junior year, Smith came out firing and went down swinging with a dazzling 31 points that left the crowd in awe. Smith was particularly dynamic with his increasingly lethal pullup jumper, showing his lightning-quick release and newly extended range while pouring in five shots from beyond the arc and a handful more from the midrange. He mixed it up by getting all the way to the rim on a number of occasions, while also being sure to get off the ball whenever appropriate to set up teammates for a series of layups and catch-and-shoot 3s. Smith knocked down his first five shots from the field en route to 12 first quarter points as the Panthers jumped out to a big lead, then poured in 15 in the fourth quarter to will his team back into the game. The lionhearted guard went out with a bang and left a sizable impression on anyone in attendance.     It wasn't quite the masterclass performance that's become commonplace for Kennedy in big games through the course of the season, but the future Merrimack guard did more than enough in a gutsy effort to ensure he walked out with the win. Shaking off an uncharacteristic start, Kennedy made his presence felt consistently across the final three quarters. He knifed to the rim with regularity, particularly to his nominally weak left hand for a series of swift finishes. As he's become known for, he was also a differencemaker across the floor game while also orchestrating the offense and setting teammates up for a number of easy looks. All that's missing for Kennedy in a storybook senior year is a state title which he'll look to secure next weekend in Hershey.     Tyler has carved out a nice niche over his early high school career as a reliable floor-spacer and decisionmaker, and did more of the same in a workmanlike 14-point effort. The sophomore scoring guard was slow and steady while consistently being in the right spots. He knocked down a pair of momentum-swinging 3s and helped ice the win while converting eight of 10 free throws in the final quarter. He'll look to begin attracting D1 interest heading into the grassroots season this spring and summer.     While he would undoubtedly trade it for a win, Henderson put together an admirable performance in his final high school game to leave a final impression in the minds of coaches and scouts. A versatile combo guard with a smooth jumper and a dynamic first step, Henderson started out a bit overaggressive, but settled in nicely during a clutch second half effort with most of his teammates struggling. He knocked down a pair of 3s, showcasing a smooth high release and keen instincts for relocating to open space. Henderson was also a factor getting out in transition while displaying improving feel and skill level in the halfcourt drive-and-kick game. With the physical tools for the D1 level and his best basketball still clearly left ahead of him, it will be interesting to see where Henderson's next step takes him following a standout senior season.

In front of a sellout crowd that included at least a half dozen D1 coaches and a who's who of the local basketball scene, powerhouses Father Judge and Imhotep Charter squared off for the third time on the season. Overcoming a sizable early deficit, the Crusaders won the rubber match to advance to the state championship game next weekend in Hershey. Junior guard Derrick Morton-Rivera Derrick Morton-Rivera 6'4" | SG Father Judge | 2026 State PA sparked the comeback and led the way with 20 points on a barrage of six 3s. Imhotep junior guard countered with a dazzling 31 points of his own in defeat.