Wasn't able to post, but I was at Merion Mercy tonight (for the first time ever!) as the Golden Bears beat Pope John Paul II, 41-34. I'll have a story coming in a couple hours on MMA's depth and their importance tonight (and the rest of the season).

Exciting, high-level game today over at Archbishop Carroll as Bridget Grant played hero for the Patriots. @owenmccue.bsky.social with the words (and video!): www.cityofbasketballlove.com/news_article...

Bridget Grant 👌 with three seconds left gives Carroll a 49-48 win over Notre Dame.

Abington (0-0) starters: Rhyane Rogers, Nora Luskin, Shya Crafton, Zyn McClain, Aniyah Williams Pennsbury (0-0) starters: Emily Panaro, Sammie Haws, Alyssa Thomas, Joley Hohman, Milan Reeves

Got an all-Suburban One (Non-League) doubleheader at Abington. Boys first in their season opener against Bensalem (0-1). Girls to follow against Pennsbury in the opener for both. Coverage here and later on @hooplove215.bsky.social

Here are Archbishop Carroll HS where Archbishop Carroll hosts Notre Dame in girls 🏀 action. @hooplove215.bsky.social

Checking in from Devon Prep where the Tide host Constitution in the season opener for both.

Wrote about DelVal commit Kobe Bazemore and Upper Dublin today after a low-scoring, hard-fought affair at St. Joe's Prep: www.cityofbasketballlove.com/news_article...

📍Kelly Fieldhouse, St. Joseph’s Prep Upper Dublin vs. St Joe’s Prep in the season opener. Chris Clark makes his coaching debut against the defending District 1 5A champs. Should be a good one.

Heading into the city today for my first PIAA high school game of the year: St. Joseph's Prep hosting Upper Dublin at 1 PM. Not sure what the rest of my day will hold; might stop by the Palestra afterwards or just head home to write.

Next up, maybe starting a couple minutes after its scheduled 4:30 tipoff: Penn (3-2) vs. Merrimack (2-4). Father Judge alums Ernest Shelton and Kevair Kennedy leading the Warriors, who also feature former La Salle guard Andres Marrero, Lenape (NJ)'s Tye Dorset and a couple other familiar names.

Doubleheaders at the Palestra the next three afternoons for the 2025 edition of the Cathedral Classic. I’m here to cover today’s, which starts with La Salle/Hofstra at 2 PM and concludes with Penn/Merrimack around 4:30.

The Villanova women earned their way into the Big 5 championship with a win tonight over a much-improved La Salle squad: www.cityofbasketballlove.com/news_article...

Wrote about Penn Charter product Aleah Snead, who had the best game of her college career tonight as St. Joe's beat Penn in a Big 5 pod game: www.cityofbasketballlove.com/news_article...

Big 5 WBB action tonight at the Palestra as Penn (4-1, 0-1 Big 5) hosts St. Joe’s (4-1, 0-0). 6 pm tipoff so we’ll be getting underway in about 20 minutes.

Eagles played just about a perfect first 20 minutes of this game and have been absolutely brutal since.

It's been six years since La Salle's women were 5-1, and this team has the makings of one that could actually make some noise in the Atlantic 10, writes @adrobinson3.bsky.social: www.cityofbasketballlove.com/news_article...

Here at Neumann’s lovely Miranda Center for some #D3hoops MBB action between Neumann (3-3) and PSU-Abington (0-6). Don’t let Abington’s record fool you, they’ve played four preseason conference favorites already this year.

Popping up to La Salle for the first time this year to shoot the first half of the Explorers' women against American (Andrew Robinson will be there on coverage) before heading down to Neumann for a 3 PM MBB game against PSU-Abington.

My story from the Big 5 tonight as Penn reached an early milestone under Fran McCaffery: www.cityofbasketballlove.com/news_article...

Big 5 DACtion as Drexel (2-3, 0-1 Big 5) hosts Penn (2-2, 1-0) in a city series pod game. Quakers win means they play for a Big 5 title on Dec. 6. Dragons wins means it’ll likely be St Joe’s coming out of this pod due to NET ratings.

First HS game of the year, and it’s a high-level one as the Blair Academy (NJ) girls and their three D-I commits face Shipley School and its host of D-I recruits. Rider and Drexel have assistants here.

On the WBB side, Richmond beat Temple 72-57 tonight in Richmond. Maggie Doogan (Cardinal O'Hara): 40 minutes, 31 points (12/21 FG, 6-12 3PT, 1-1 FT), 14 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 turnovers. She's having an incredible start to the season.

Here at the DAC as Drexel hosts NJIT in a MBB non-league matchup. Cool to see former CoBL camper Jeremy Clayville, now a sophomore in the NJIT rotation, play in college; found a photo of him from Aug. 2021.

Going to have a big notebook up from tonight's Big 5 game at the Palestra, but still a little ways until it's ready. Maybe by 1am?

Big 5 hoops at the Palestra, always a highlight. Penn (1-2, 0-0 Big 5) hosting Saint Joseph’s (2-1, 1-0). Dr. John Giannini next to me on press row. What could be better?

First @d3hoops.bsky.social game of the year… Moravian (1-0) at Immaculata (1-1) MBB. Nice crowd in the building, including a student section.

Princeton 73 Villanova 68 FINAL Villanova goes without a field goal across the final 8:33 and cannot hold onto what was a 14-point lead. Wildcats fall to 2-2. Full story coming to @hooplove215.bsky.social in a bit.

Big 5 WBB opener: Penn (2-0) at Drexel (2-0).

Fact One: The Temple men are only two games into their season. Fact Two: The Owls have looked *good.* From the Liacouras Center tonight: www.cityofbasketballlove.com/news_article...

Busy night in the Big 5 tonight. Here's a recap of all the action: www.cityofbasketballlove.com/news_article...

Temple (1-0) vs. La Salle (2-0) in Big 5 play from Liacouras Center. TU starters: Gavin Griffiths, Derrian Ford, Aiden Tobiason, Jordan Mason, Babatunde Duradola La Salle starters: Ashton Walker, Jaeden Marshall, Rob Dockery, Josiah Harris, Jerome Brewer Jr.

Headed to Broad and Montgomery for the first time in a bit... Temple hosting La Salle in a men's Big 5 game at 7:00 PM. First in-person look at both teams for me this year. I'll be taking pictures and writing a big notebook for publication later tonight.

Hot take: college basketball doesn't need instant replays. Save them for maybe the last two minutes of a game. So much wasted time, which is a problem the sport already struggles with.

Duke Brennan did something tonight for the Villanova men that hadn't been done in a decade in a win over Queens: www.cityofbasketballlove.com/news_article...

So....anybody watch Pluribus yet?

Starters for Villanova: G Bryce Lindsay (1st start after 22 points against BYU Monday) G Tyler Perkins G Acaden Lewis F Matt Hodge F Duke Brennan Starters for Queens: G Nasir Mann G Kam Clark G Chris Ashby (ASUN Preseason Player of the Year) G Yoav Berman F Avantae Parker

On Deuce Jones' big day, Austin Williford's quality start, Drexel's offensive identity and more from the Big 5 MBB opener: www.cityofbasketballlove.com/news_article...

Big 5 hoops on a beautiful Saturday afternoon? I’ll take it. Saint Joseph’s (1-0) hosting Drexel (1-0) in the city series opener. Tip-off at 1pm.

Was at the Palestra last night to check out the Penn men for the first time; wrote this feature on a couple freshmen who seem ready to make an impact from the jump: www.cityofbasketballlove.com/news_article...

Temple 39 George Washington 19 Halftime! A commanding 26-10 2nd quarter for the Owls has put them in the drivers seat after 20 minutes. Khloe Miller, a redshirt freshman, couldn’t find her first bucket at the collegiate level Monday. Tonight, she’s already 3-3 from the field.

Temple 13 George Washington 9 End Q1 Sophomore guard Brianna Mead knocks down 3 free throws to extend Temple’s lead at the end of the 1st. It’s been a ferocious effort on the glass for the Owls, outrebounding GW 15-9 with Jaleesa Molina leading the way with four boards and two points.

First look at the Penn men tonight as they take on D-III Rowan (N.J.) in their season opener. Penn starters: AJ Levine, Michael Zanoni, TJ Power, Ethan Roberts, Augustus Gerhart Rowan starters: Taz Cantey, Brycen Williams, Nafi Muhammad, Dan Mason, Ife Okebiorun

At the Palestra this afternoon/evening for a Penn women's + men's doubleheader, both against D-III opponents. Here to grab a couple feature stories and show one of the CoBL interns the ropes of college coverage. Women are up 28-10 on King's College (Pa.) early in the second quarter.

Harvard head coach Carrie Moore had high praise for first-years Olivia Jones and Aubrey Shaw today, ahead of the season opener on Friday vs. St. John's. "I think those two have a great chance to compete for an Ivy League Rookie of the Year," she told reporters. @theixbasketball.bsky.social #NCAAWBB

Tonight’s coverage: Villanova vs. Fairfield (WBB) at the Pavilion. Stags up 9-1 early after a trio of triples. Nova timeout, 6:30 1Q.

Huge WBB result from the western side of the state: Drexel 68, Pitt 60 Laine McGurk with a career-best 33 points on 13/19 shooting (5/7 3PT). Monster game from the Rustin alum and DU junior.

Back at Hagan Arena for the @sjuhawks-wbb.bsky.social season opener against D-II West Chester. Tip-off at 7pm.

Great to see a bunch of new followers on here the last 24-48 hours. As an intro, I've been covering the Philadelphia area's high school + college scene since 2011-12. You'll get a bunch of college coverage this month and then I'll switch into mostly high school come Nov. 28.

That transition from off-season to in-season is jarring. One night I'm able to get to sleep at a reasonable hour...the next it's midnight and I'm all amped up after a game, pressure and pumping out 1,500 words. First official game of my 15th season. Crazy to think it's already been that long.