All-PCL First Team

<p>With the Philly Catholic League regular season behind us, attention now shifts to the playoffs with the Palestra just more than a week away. Before the start of the postseason, we wanted to look back and name our First Team All-League selections. Instead of the 10-player first team that the PCL coaches name, we decided to go NBA style and name a first five with one player at each position.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Point Guard: [player_tooltip player_id='2206834' first='Caleb' last='Lundy'] (Archbishop Wood/Jr.)</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Fending off some stiff competition for this selection, Lundy gets the nod in large part due to Wood's 12-1 league record and first-place finish in the standings. The junior guard continued to grow into his lead guard role throughout the year, building on an up-and-down sophomore season to become one of the most consistently dynamic threats in the region. He's a blur getting downhill as a scorer or playmaker with capable range as a shooter and a penchant for stepping up in big moments. Lundy's upside as he continues to grasp the nuances of the point guard position is apparent, already having caught the attention of several mid and high-major programs.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Shooting Guard: [player_tooltip player_id='2398422' first='Korey' last='Francis'] (Bonner-Prendergast/Jr.)</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Our pick for league MVP and the expected winner on behalf of the coaches, Francis is as easy a selection as it gets for this selection. He plays up and down the lineup for a guard-heavy, relatively undersized Bonner team but can best be categorized overall as a scoring guard. Francis flourishes with a blend of physicality, skill, and increasing athleticism as one of the most potent downhill threats in the region. He's not afraid to use his size and strength to mix it up either, showing strong instincts in the floor game with a high defensive ceiling moving forward. He shows flashes of transitioning into a lead guard down the line, but was effective when asked to take on a primary scoring role this year, leading the PCL with 23 points per game in league play. </p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Small Forward: [player_tooltip player_id='1406768' first='Sammy' last='Jackson'] (Roman Catholic/Sr.)</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Leading Roman to a 10-3 league record, Jackson consistently lived up to his billing as the top senior in the state. He thrived both on and off the ball, being used as both a point forward and wing scorer. A cerebral facilitator by nature, he was still able to show that side of his game but was forced to take on more of a scoring burden for the first time, answering the bell to the tune of 22 points per game within the league. Jackson showed added creativity off the bounce with enhanced versatility to his perimeter jumper, making him a pretty tough cover when combined with his size and passing chops. He should be an instant impact piece at VCU with a chance to one day play at the highest levels.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Power Forward: [player_tooltip player_id='2352449' first='Alassan' last='N'Diaye'] (Neumann-Goretti/Sr.)</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">N'Diaye gets the nod here narrowly over [player_tooltip player_id='2251711' first='Malik' last='Hughes'] thanks in large part to Saints' 10-3 record in the league. The senior forward was a model of consistency as the only frontcourt presence for a high-octane Neumann team, thriving as an undersized big despite his natural position being at the '4'. He brings a versatile blend of skill and physicality with a steady motor that should bode well for his translation to the PSAC. N'Diaye's season was stamped by a 35-point outburst in the penultimate game of the regular season to help Neumann escape with an overtime win.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Center: [player_tooltip player_id='2397578' first='Jaydn' last='Jenkins'] (Archbishop Wood/Jr.)</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">With the league being devoid of many true bigs, Jenkins was as easy a selection as any for this spot. Jenkins continued to emerge as one of the premier defensive presences in his class nationally, leading the league in blocks at over 3 per game while also showing the mobility and coordination to keep the ball in front on the perimeter more often than not. He shows steady signs of progress offensively, thriving as a vertical spacer with his massive length and quick leaping ability, but will also flash some ability as a standstill shooter or perimeter decisionmaker in small doses. His best basketball still lies well ahead, but Jenkins asserted himself this season as the PCL's preeminent two-way frontcourt presence, helping Wood to a 12-1 league record in the process and drawing attention from the very highest levels of college basketball.</p>    <p></p>

With the Philly Catholic League regular season behind us, attention now shifts to the playoffs with the Palestra just more than a week away. Before the start of the postseason, we wanted to look back and name our First Team All-League selections. Instead of the 10-player first team that the PCL coaches name, we decided to go NBA style and name a first five with one player at each position.