Best prep backcourts

HERE IS Ted Silary's opinion of the best backcourts in Philly high school basketball, during his time covering the Public, Catholic and Inter-Ac leagues (beginning with the 1975-76 season).

Requirements: must have played for championship teams and received All-City honors (first, second or third team) in that season.

Point guard is listed first; wing guard second. Seniors unless noted.

1. Tyreek Duren and Tony Chennault, Ss. Neumann-Goretti, 2010.

Both players earned first team All-City honors after leading the Saints to a 30-1 overall record along with Catholic, City and state titles at the AAA level. Chennault was the Player of the Year. Duren is starring at La Salle. Chennault is filling an important bench role for Villanova after transferring from Wake Forest.

2. Ricky Tucker and Joe Washington, Overbrook, 1979.

Both players earned first team All-City honors - listed second and third, respectively - after pacing the Panthers to a 34-1 record along with Pub and City crowns. Tucker was a 4-year starter at Providence. Washington also attended Providence, but remained there only a short time. He died in '95.

3. Jarett Kearse and Marvin O'Connor, Gratz, 1997.

Like Tucker/Washington, these guys received first team All-City honors - listed third and second, respectively - after giving their squad major contributions that produced a Pub title and 24-5 overall mark. Kearse played at West Virginia, Shaw and Lincoln University. O'Connor starred at Saint Joseph's and was just inducted into the Big 5 Hall of Fame.

4. Jerome "Pooh" Richardson (jr.) and Brian "Sugar Bear" Smith, Ben Franklin, 1984.

Richardson collared first team All-City honors after leading the Electrons to a 27-1 mark and the Pub crown. Smith was a third-teamer. Richardson was the '85 Player of the Year, starred at UCLA and spent 10 seasons in the NBA. Smith twice earned second team All-Conference honors at Siena.

5. Chris Clark and John Griffin, St. Joseph's Prep, 2004.

Clark was a first team All-City honoree while Griffin occupied a spot on second team. Sparked the Hawks to a 27-4 record and a second consecutive CL championship; they were also mainstays in '03. Clark captained Temple's '08 squad to the A-10 title. Griffin averaged double figures in points as a junior and senior at Bucknell; played in 127 career games.

Five more goodies . . .

* Shawn "Reds" Smith and Terrell Stokes (jr.), Gratz, 1994

* Mike Slattery and Matt Walsh (jr.), Germantown Academy, 2001

* Levan Alston (jr.) and Aaron McKie, Gratz, 1990

* Eugene Burroughs and Jerome Allen (jr.), Episcopal, 1990

* Antonio "Scoop" Jardine (jr.) and Derrick "D.J." Rivera, Neumann-Goretti, 2006

(Note: All-City requirement not in effect for "goodies" combos, though seven of the players did receive such honors.)