PCL Postseason Awards

<p>With the regular season in the rearview and playoffs beginning this week, it's as good a time as any to hand out awards for the Philly Catholic League season. Keep reading for selections for each of the major NBA postseason awards.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">MVP: [player_tooltip player_id='2398422' first='Korey' last='Francis'] (Bonner-Prendergast/Jr.)</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Francis began his campaign for this award from the very start of the season and seized it for good with a statement 28-point effort in a win against [player_tooltip player_id='1406768' first='Sammy' last='Jackson'] and Roman Catholic. The physical downhill guard led the league in scoring at over 23 points per game while leading Bonner to a 10-3 record and 2nd seed in the playoffs. He was largely impossible to contain getting to the rim off the bounce while also contributing across the floor game to tie things together as the second-tallest piece to Bonner's regular rotation. He's also shown signs of growth as a lead guard despite playing as part of a crowded backcourt. With continued growth as a perimeter shooter, he should continue trending up and right onto high-major radars throughout the spring and summer.</p>    <p><strong>Honorable mention: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1406768' first='Sammy' last='Jackson'] (Roman Catholic/Sr.), [player_tooltip player_id='2206834' first='Caleb' last='Lundy'] (Archbishop Wood/Jr.), [player_tooltip player_id='1608258' first='DeShawn' last='Yates'] (Neumann-Goretti/Sr.)</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Defensive Player of the Year: [player_tooltip player_id='2397578' first='Jaydn' last='Jenkins'] (Archbishop Wood/Jr.)</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Jenkins made this an easy call with his play throughout the year, solidifying himself as one of the premier rim protectors in the junior class across the country. The lanky forward blocked over 3 shots per game, holding down the paint as the only frontcourt presence for a Wood team that went 12-1 in the league to finish in first place. He combines his massive wingspan with impressive verticality, quick leaping ability, and natural timing as both a primary and help defender. What separates him further is his mobility, as he shows impressive ability to keep the ball in front on switches or recover back to the rim against 5-out offenses. He could get a bit more effective in terms of controlling the defensive glass, but has nonetheless established himself clearly as the foremost defensive presence in the league.</p>    <p><strong>Honorable mention: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2462304' first='Max' last='Okebata'] (La Salle College HS/Jr.), [player_tooltip player_id='1576722' first='Kingston' last='Wheatley'] (West Catholic/Sr.)</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Most Improved Player: [player_tooltip player_id='2251711' first='Malik' last='Hughes'] (Archbishop Ryan/Sr.)</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Making the transition from complementary piece to focal point look like a seamless one, Hughes bumped his scoring average over 20 per game as a senior while helping keep Ryan afloat in the league with a 7th seed and home opening round playoff game. Aside from the increase in raw production, Hughes looked far more confident and assertive in his attack, posing a consistent matchup problem for opposing frontcourts. He brings a blend of quickness, explosiveness, and skill that can be tough to contain when he's consistently playing within himself. Hughes had some of the better individual games of anybody in the league this season and looks like a safe bet to help a scholarship-level program. A young senior, he also stands out as someone who could benefit from a post-grad year to continue stacking reps and add some muscle to his frame.</p>    <p><strong>Honorable mention: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2563334' first='Julian' last='McKie'] (St. Joe's Prep/So.), [player_tooltip player_id='2194361' first='Yasir' last='Turner'] (Archbishop Carroll/So.)</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Rookie of the Year: [player_tooltip player_id='2919221' first='Khory' last='Copeland Jr']. (Father Judge/Fr.)</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">There weren't many contenders for this award as very few freshmen across the league were able to make a splash at the varsity level this year. That made it somewhat of an easy choice to recognize Copeland, who spent a large portion of the season as the starting point guard for a Father Judge team that's shown it can play with anybody in the league. Copeland wasn't asked to do a ton of scoring with a deep roster of older talent surrounding him, but more than held his own as a primary ballhandler with dynamic flashes of downhill driving and on-ball defense. He tracks as one of the premier freshman guards in the region and should emerge as a D1 prospect in due time.</p>    <p><strong>Honorable mention: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2507489' first='Ahmir' last='Brown'] (Father Judge/Fr.)</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Comeback Player of the Year: [player_tooltip player_id='1608257' first='Ian' last='Williams'] (Archbishop Carroll/Sr.)</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">It's no secret that Carroll came in off a disappointing year that saw them miss the playoffs, but what hasn't been talked about as much was the absence of Williams for the entire season and the impact that had for the team. He showed his worth in spades as a senior, fighting back from multiple knee surgeries to help quarterback Carroll back to the playoffs with a 9-4 record in league play despite the loss of 3 top-100 ranked recruits to transfer. Williams stands out as a true floor general, running the show with poise and vocality beyond his years. He led the league in assists while also showing he could step up as a scorer when needed to keep defenses honest. Scholarship-level programs looking for a pass-first option in the backcourt would be wise to look Williams' way throughout the postseason.</p>    <p><strong>Honorable mention: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2427311' first='Cole' last='Zalewski'] (Conwell-Egan/Jr.), [player_tooltip player_id='3280983' first='Ryan' last='Damon'] (La Salle College HS/Sr.)</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Coach of the Year: Billy Cassidy (Bonner-Prendergast)</h2>   <p>Cassidy answered a lot of questions about his ability to build a PCL winner, continuing a year-by-year ascent up the standings with a 10-3 record and second seed in the playoffs. The Friars were led by a crop of junior guards who have contributed since they were freshmen and Cassidy was a first-year coach, showing growth on the fly while carving out an identity as a gritty, undersized group that consistently brought out the best in each other. He was also able to seamlessly work in a couple unheralded transfers to blend with the homegrown talent.<br><br><strong>Honorable mention: </strong>John Mosco (Archbishop Wood), Chris Clark (St. Joe's Prep)</p>

With the regular season in the rearview and playoffs beginning this week, it's as good a time as any to hand out awards for the Philly Catholic League season. Keep reading for selections for each of the major NBA postseason awards.