PIAA 6A Second Round: Imhotep 68, William Penn (York) 45

Public League and District 12 champion Imhotep Charter ran past York High on Wednesday in a game that was played with a running clock for the entire second half. Junior guard Kevin Benson led the Panthers with 16 points in limited minutes. Imhotep will advance to take on District 11 champ Parkland in Saturday's quarterfinals, a rematch of a February meeting that the Trojans won narrowly.        Clearly one of the Panthers' best long-term prospects, Johnson is still biding his time behind an experienced group ahead of him, but showed promising flashes off the bench that provide the foundation for what makes him so intriguing in the long run. Continuing to grow like a weed, the southpaw was effective using his bob-and-weave style attack off the bounce to navigate to his spots and make plays going downhill. Johnson was a perfect 3-for-3 from the field for his 8 points, also knocking down a smooth 3 off the catch. One of the younger prospects in his class, he profiles as a potential jumbo lead guard with real upside for D1 coaches to be monitoring closely.     Continuing to emerge since being inserted into the Imhotep starting lineup midseason, Niare was effective in his role while contributing 8 points in the win. Playing as an undersized '5' in a Panther rotation lacking a true post, he was able to put pressure on the rim as a rim-runner in transition or cutter in the halfcourt, taking an advantage of a smaller opposing frontcourt. He shows explosive athleticism to play bigger than his height around the rim along with the ability to use either hand as a finisher and flashes of ball skills after catching on the move. He'll have to expand his game over time in order to find a role at the D1 level if he doesn't grow, but Niare shows a clear foundation for scholarship-level success with his energy and athletic gifts.     One of the most prolific scorers across the state this year, Barnes had an uncharacteristically off night from an efficiency standpoint but was still able to showcase himself as a potential D1 guard despite his team being clearly overmatched. The southpaw struggled getting shots to fall but was nonetheless largely effective in getting to his spots off the bounce and creating space for his pullup shots. He showed deceptive strength while working toward the rim off the dribble and consistent mechanics on his pullup with range out to 3. His level of competitiveness also never wavered despite the score starting to get out of hand well before halftime. It was far from Barnes' best performance but still one in which his talent was able to shine through.     The other bright spot for the Bearcats, Romero contributed double figures in an efficient complementary performance. He got the game started with a confident 3 from the wing, showcasing a smooth stroke off the catch. Romero also flashed a capable skillset as a dribble-drive threat whether pushing in transition or attacking closeouts in the halfcourt. He finished with 9 points, all in the first half, and put himself on the radar moving forward as a potential scholarship-level prospect in time.

Public League and District 12 champion Imhotep Charter ran past York High on Wednesday in a game that was played with a running clock for the entire second half. Junior guard Kevin Benson led the Panthers with 16 points in limited minutes. Imhotep will advance to take on District 11 champ Parkland in Saturday's quarterfinals, a rematch of a February meeting that the Trojans won narrowly.