Judge fell short of capturing its second straight state title, falling in an epic semifinal against city rival Imhotep Charter, but not before Morton-Rivera added a couple more big performances to close out the greatest career in program history. The senior and Temple commit was instrumental in helping the Crusaders dodge a second round bullet, knocking down three 3s and scoring 21 points to survive a double-overtime scare from Central York. In another bigtime local battle in the quarterfinals, he outdueled another D1 commit with 25 points as Judge narrowly edged District 1 champion Plymouth-Whitemarsh. His blend of shooting, dribble-drive ability, and steely toughness has been as consistent a mixture as there’s been in the state over the past several years and should give Morton-Rivera a chance to have a really nice college career as he moves on to Temple.

One of the marks of a great player is the ability to impact winning in the inevitable games where you don’t have your best stuff, and Morton-Rivera embodied that sentiment on Wednesday with a gritty 21-point effort to extend his Judge career and quest for back-to-back state titles. The Temple commit came out hot with 13 points and all three of his 3’s before halftime, before an uncharacteristically slow second half and overtime(s) from a scoring standpoint. Nonetheless, Morton-Rivera remained impactful with his decisive slashing to help ignite the Judge offense along with tenacious effort as a rebounder on both ends of the floor. Already the greatest player in Judge history, he continues to add to his legacy with a chance to write the final chapter over the next week and change.

Morton-Rivera didn’t quite have his best, like he did in last week’s semifinals, but the senior leader had just enough to squeeze out the win and come away with another championship. After struggling from the field to start and then sitting much of the first half with foul trouble, he came out after halftime with a fire in his eyes and a clear refusal to lose, scoring 11 of his 14 points in the second half. He was able to manufacture offense getting downhill and, in a game mostly starved for perimeter shooting, delivered a pair of massive 3s to help maintain separation. The win cements the future Temple Owl as the greatest player in Judge history, with a chance to further add to his legacy in the upcoming state playoffs.

In a game devoid of offensive fireworks, Morton-Rivera made all the difference with a blistering shooting performance on his way to 27 points. The First Team All-League performer and Temple signee started out slow with Judge out to an early deficit but quickly shook it off, accumulating 20 of his 27 in the middle two quarters as Judge established momentum. He connected on a trio of 3’s, staying in consistent motion off-ball to shake free for clean looks. As the game went on, he would gain confidence off the bounce, flowing into midrange jumpers and getting all the way to the rim for smooth finishes. Aside from his scoring, Morton-Rivera’s steely approach and mental toughness were crucial to send Judge to Sunday’s title game.

Among the favorites for league and state player of the year honors, Morton-Rivera continued working back from an early-season ankle injury with a workmanlike 17-point effort. Known as a sharpshooter from the perimeter, the Temple signee mixed it up impressively as his shooting stroke abandoned him for the night. Instead, he was consistently effective working to his spots downhill, whether to find a seam to finish or to draw contact and get himself to the foul line. As always, he brought a steady competitive spirit and smart, unselfish decisionmaking throughout.

Morton-Rivera who is committed to Temple was a 1st team selection last season for defending state champion Father Judge who was one of the most dominant high school teams in the entire northeast region during the 2024-25 season. Morton-Rivera averaged close to 18 ppg as a junior and should increase that number due to graduation of 6A player of the year Kevair Kennedy.

One of the early leaders in the clubhouse for PCL MVP honors, Morton-Rivera is the unquestioned leader for the Crusaders heading into his fourth year as a starter in the backcourt. Steering two runaway wins on Saturday, he made it look easy while pouring in buckets from all over the floor. Known at first as a jump shooter, the Temple commit showed continued growth in his downhill attack while really starting to come into his own physically and athletically. His no-nonsense approach and nonstop motor set the tone for his teammates and should help him see the floor sooner than later at the next level.

24p 4r 1a 1s 1b vs Rutgers Prep

-The Temple commit took advantage of a depleted Rutgers Prep team by showcasing dynamic athleticism as the head of the snake for a very good FJ team. He was really active off the ball defensively as a helper, raced back to get a big chasedown block in transition after missing a layup at the other end, hit a stepback 2 on the baseline that shows his skill development on his touch, and was active on the glass to extend possessions for his team. Love the way that he uses rip-throughs and jabs to get to the rim with ease in 2 dribbles or less from the perimeter. Should be an impactful and dynamic guard for Temple pretty early on in his career.

With more than a half-dozen D1 head coaches and several more mid-major assistants looking on, including nearly the entire staff from Temple, Morton-Rivera continued to stake his claim as the top unsigned scoring guard and one of the top long-term prospects in the state. A proven high-level shooter who was a bit off from long range last weekend, he got back on track while burying a handful of key jumpers down the stretch of a tight finish. Always smart and competitive in the floor game, he’s continuing to blossom physically and athletically to be able to really leave his mark as a defender and rebounding guard. The athletic growth also shows itself in transition where he’s becoming increasingly quick and dynamic as a finisher. Young for his grade and with bloodlines in his favor, Morton-Rivera could wind up looking like a steal at the mid-major level if his late-blooming physical maturation continues into college.

Another Father Judge player who caught my eye is Derrick Morton-Rivera. Derrick is a high-level shooter, and even though it’s where he did most of his work, he is much more than that. Derrick has great speed and does well getting to the rim, blowing by players. He is a tough finisher who doesn’t mind playing through contact. Derrick had 49 points in two games.