Imhotep/Neumann-Goretti matchup will determine who's best in city

BUCKLE UP, folks. Wild Ride Part II is set for Friday night.

For the first time since 1980, a full-fledged City Title showdown will allow Philadelphia's high school basketball community to know which team in the Public/Catholic leagues is the best.

Imhotep Charter, winner of four of the last five Pub crowns, will meet Ss. Neumann-Goretti, Cath kingpin for five consecutive seasons, at 8:30 at Saint Joseph's University.

Luckily for all, both schools fall into the Class AAA classification enrollment-wise, thus allowing the use of full-fledged.

The original CT hoops series existed from 1939 to '80. It was scrapped after the CL refused to be drawn into the girls' competition. A resumption took place in '09 after the CL began competing in the PIAA.

Forty-one games were played in the first go-round, and the Pub compiled a 24-17 record, winning the final six (the Cath had captured nine straight, starting in '45). There was no game in '73 due to a lengthy strike by Pub teachers.

Twelve games have been played since the resumption - one each year at the AAAA, AAA and AA levels - and the Cath owns a 7-5 edge.

This weekend's other CTs: Martin Luther King vs. Roman Catholic, Friday, 7 p.m., at Saint Joseph's University for AAAA honors as a prelim to Imhotep/N-G (both games will be TV-streamed live at www.sportsfanbase.com); Communications Tech vs. Conwell-Egan, Saturday, 3 p.m., at St. Joseph's Prep for AA laurels.

(Just wondering: Do you think the Prep will ever drop St. in favor of Saint? Beyond that, do you think both will ever ditch the possessive? I mean, it's not, say, Rowan's University or Abraham Lincoln's High School. Does Saint/St. Joseph really own those places?)

In league finals, Imhotep edged Roberts Vaux, 67-66, despite Rysheed Jordan's 45-point effort, and N-G thumped the Prep, 60-42.

In 1980, Overbrook bested Roman Catholic, 65-56, in overtime, as Tony Costner totaled 23 points and 15 rebounds and Roman's Lonnie McFarlan had 18/13. Both then headed to Hawk Hill for their college careers.

The main men

IMHOTEP CHARTER

Projected Starters

Brandon Austin 6-6 Sr. 255 points

Basil Thompson 6-5 Jr. 150 points

Deryl Bagwell 6-0 Sr. 112 points

Jakwan Jones 5-9 Jr. 74 points

Dymir Logan 6-4 So. 54 points

Key Substitutes

Abraham Massaley 5-10 Sr. 97 points

Jalil Myers 6-5 Sr. 71 points

Deion Evans 6-5 Jr. 51 points

Nigel Grant 6-5 Sr. 43 points

Note: Point totals for 15 PL games, including playoffs.

NEUMANN-GORETTI

Projected Starters

Ja'Quan Newton 6-3 Jr. 298 points

John Davis 6-5 Sr. 223 points

Lamarr Kimble 6-1 So. 152 points

Tony Toplyn 6-5 Jr. 99 points

Hanif Sutton 5-9 Sr. 64 points

Key Substitutes

Troy Harper 6-1 Jr. 118 points

Jamal Custis 6-5 Jr. 98 points

Note: Point totals for 16 CL games, including playoffs.