Penn Charter captures the school’s first outright Inter-Ac title in 20 years

After losing to Malvern Prep in January, Penn Charter boys basketball coach Brandon Williams gathered several of his team’s key contributors.

Something needed to change.

Williams, still in his first year with Penn Charter, had recruited several big-name transfers this season, causing some to believe that the Quakers would make short work of the Inter-Ac field.

Instead, they lost their first two games in league play.

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“I told them, ‘You guys ultimately not only drive the train this year, but all four of you come back next year,’ ” Williams recalled recently, “ ‘so whatever it is that’s preventing you all from staying locked in with each other, we have to get it out on the table.’ ”

On Wednesday, Williams and his Quakers beat Episcopal Academy, 68-62, claiming the school’s first outright league title since 2004. (The Quakers shared the last two league titles with Malvern Prep.)

Had Episcopal won, the Churchmen and their coach, Taylor Wright, son of former Villanova coach Jay Wright, would have shared the title with Penn Charter.

According to City of Basketball Love, Penn Charter also became the first team to win at least a share of the league with three losses since 1969.

Next up, the Quakers host Friends’ Select on Friday in the Pennsylvania Independent School Athletic Association tournament.

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“This means a lot because we’ve just been through so much,” Williams said postgame. “Young kids, they’re young and skilled, but they’re not always the most mature these days.”

Later, he added: “I’m just so proud of these dudes for continuing to lock in and play together.”

For much of the season, injuries and inconsistency plagued the Quakers, who boast a talented group of highly touted juniors.

Matt Gilhool, Jake West, and Kai Shinholster all missed games because of injuries.

Gilhool, the 6-foot-10 transfer from Westtown, blocked several shots Wednesday, while West, who transferred from Archbishop Carroll, led the team in scoring with 22 points. Shinholster, who has been a significant contributor for the Quakers since he was a freshman, added timely baskets.

All three are highly sought recruits by various Division I college programs.

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As a team, however, the Quakers struggled to coalesce earlier this season. That’s why Williams forced them to clear the air.

“So we got into a room one day and we put stuff on the table and had some real conversations,” Williams said.

It didn’t take long to see benefits.

Instead of offensive-minded players focusing solely on when and where they were getting shots, Williams noticed more attention to detail on the defensive end.

Wednesday’s championship-clinching victory seemed emblematic of the team’s evolution.

Offensively, the ball was shared early and often. Defensively, the Quakers were stout late.

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Junior guard Jamal Hicks, who transferred from Bonner-Prendergast, emerged as a somewhat unexpected offensive threat, finishing with 21 points. Defensively, he also stepped up when Episcopal’s Matt McCarthy, who finished with 28 points, got hot in the second half.

Earlier in the season, Hicks, who didn’t play much at Bonner-Prendie, struggled to fit in, especially on offense.

“I was just floating around and didn’t really have an identity,” Hicks said. “Later in the season, I figured out how I could help, which was getting to the rim, getting fouled, making free throws, playing defense, and giving our team energy.”

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Williams praised the 6-2 wing for being patient and not complaining when things didn’t go his way. That kind of patience and discipline might still be necessary since Hicks has yet to field a scholarship offer.

True to form, Hicks said he isn’t worried.

“We always talk about staying in the present,” he said. “It’s not about how many offers you have, how many stars you have next to your name. It’s just about working hard. I’ve always believed in that. And everything will fall into place.”