City of Basketball Love

By Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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The biggest preseason event in the area each fall, the 2024 West Chester ‘Big 64’ Showcase has more than 150 teams participating this year, all coming down to West Chester University this weekend. 

Games will take place Friday night, all day Saturday and Sunday morning into the early afternoon at four different venues: three courts at the WCU Recreation Center, two in Hollinger Gymnasium, four at the school’s South Campus (Sturzebecker Health Science Center), and five at the Glen Mills School. 

There’s far too many teams and matchups to highlight all of them, but a quick look at some of the high points:

• Things get underway with a bang on Friday night, with all three courts at the Rec Center — the only venue in action that evening — all featuring high-level games. There’s PCL powerhouses (Wood, Neumann-Goretti), District 1 contenders (Downingtown West, Upper Dublin), FSL favorites (ANC, Westtown, Friends’ Select) and more. Four really, really good sets with 12 great games.

• Hollinger and the Rec Center will be the places to be on Saturday afternoon, with two courts in the Rec Center and one in Hollinger (the main court, instead of two sideways courts) hosting some more powerhouses from multiple states. Morris Catholic (N.J.), St. George (Del.), and the George School get things started with some late-morning games, with the likes of Imhotep Charter, DeMatha Catholic (Md.), Perkiomen School, St. Benedict’s (N.J.) and more all playing a couple games against one another.

• Sunday’s games at the Rec Center are great as well from the morning into the early afternoon. Several quality local programs like Cheltenham, Epsicopal Academy, Phoenixville and Garnet Valley are joined by District 3 6A champs Cumberland Valley, with Roman Catholic, Phelps School and two teams from Mt. Zion Prep (Md.) finishing things off after noon. 

Here’s the full schedule, which is subject to change:

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Friday, September 20
5:30 PM
Rec 1: Neumann-Goretti vs. Westtown
Rec 2: West Catholic vs. Upper Dublin
Rec 3: Cherry Hill West vs. Downingtown West

6:30 PM
Rec 1: West Catholic vs. Westtown
Rec 2: Upper Dublin vs. Cherry Hill West
Rec 3: Neumann-Goretti vs. Downingtown West

7:30 PM
Rec 1: Academy New Church vs. Coatesville
Rec 2: Archbishop Wood vs. Blue Storm Basketball
Rec 3: Friends’ Select vs. Salesianum (Del.)

8:30 PM
Rec 1: Academy New Church vs. Archbishop Wood
Rec 2: Salesianum (Del.) vs. Coatesville
Rec 3: Friends’ Select vs. Blue Storm Basketball

Saturday, September 21
9:00 AM
Rec 1: Abington Friends vs. Bishop Eustace (N.J.)
Rec 2: Lower Merion vs. Reading
Rec 3: Marple Newtown vs. Abington
Glen Mills 1: Avon Grove vs. Hightstown (N.J.)
Glen Mills 2: Oxford vs. Collegium Charter
Glen MIlls 3: Souderton vs. William Penn (Del.)
Glen Mills 4: Penncrest vs. Chichester
Glen Mills 5: West Chester Rustin vs. North Penn
South Campus 1: Liberty vs. Pennridge
South Campus 2: Bensalem vs. Dock Mennonite
South Campus 3: Neshaminy vs. Muhlenberg
South Campus 4: Owen J. Roberts vs. Hatboro-Horsham

10:00 AM
Rec 1: Bishop Eustace (N.J.) vs. Lower Merion
Rec 2: Marple Newtown vs. Abington Friends
Rec 3: Reading vs. Abington
Glen Mills 1: Avon Grove vs. Collegium Charter
Glen Mills 2: West Chester Rustin vs. Hightstown (N.J.)
Glen MIlls 3: Penncrest vs. William Penn (Del.)
Glen Mills 4: Souderton vs. Chichester
Glen Mills 5: North Penn vs. Oxford
South Campus 1: Pennridge vs. Muhlenberg
South Campus 2: Owen J. Roberts vs. Bensalem
South Campus 3: Neshaminy vs. Dock Mennonite
South Campus 4: Hatboro-Horsham vs. Liberty

10:45 AM
Hollinger 1: Morris Catholic (N.J.) vs. George School
Hollinger 2: St. George (Del.) vs. Timber Creek (N.J.)

11:00 AM
Rec 1: Executive Charter vs. Carlisle
Rec 2: Seneca Valley (Md.) vs. Upper Darby
Rec 3: Middle Twp. (N.J.) vs. St. Elizabeth (Del.)
Glen Mills 1: Great Oaks (Del.) vs. Hempfield
Glen Mills 2: Caravel Academy (Del.) vs. Overbrook
Glen MIlls 3: Holy Ghost Prep vs. Pottsgrove
Glen Mills 4: Boyertown vs. Rocktop Academy
Glen Mills 5: Abraham Lincoln vs. Bethlehem Catholic
South Campus 1: Cherry Hill East (N.J.) vs. Appoquinimink (Del.)
South Campus 2: Chester Charter vs. Parkland
South Campus 3: Council Rock North vs. Penn Wood
South Campus 4: Bishop Shanahan vs. Williamsport

11:45 AM
Hollinger 1: Timber Creek (N.J.) vs. George School
Hollinger 2: Morris Catholic (N.J.) vs. St. George (Del.)

12:00 PM
Rec 1: Upper Darby vs. Executive Charter
Rec 2: St. Elizabeth (Del.) vs. Carlisle
Rec 3: Middle Twp. (N.J.) vs. Seneca Valley (Md.)
Glen Mills 1: Bethlehem Catholic vs. Great Oaks (Del.)
Glen Mills 2: Rocktop Academy vs. Abraham Lincoln
Glen MIlls 3: Holy Ghost Prep vs. Caravel Academy (Del.)
Glen Mills 4: Boyertown vs. Hempfield
Glen Mills 5: Pottsgrove vs. Overbrook
South Campus 1: Cherry Hill East (N.J.) vs. Chester Charter
South Campus 2: Penn Wood vs. Parkland
South Campus 3: Council Rock North vs. Williamsport
South Campus 4: Appoquinimink (Del.) vs. Bishop Shanahan

1:00 PM
Glen Mills 1: Upper Dublin JV vs. Avon Grove JV
Glen Mills 2: Fairfax Christian (Va.) JV vs. St. Elizabeth (Del.) JV
Glen MIlls 3: Middletown (Del.) vs. York
Glen Mills 4: New Hope Charter vs. Prestige Prep
Glen Mills 5: Haverford High vs. Rocktop Academy

1:30 PM
Rec 1: Perkiomen School vs. Virginia Saints
Rec 2: Patrick School (N.J.) vs. Father Judge
Hollinger 1: DeMatha (Md.) vs. Imhotep Charter

2:00 PM
Glen Mills 1: Avon Grove JV vs. St. Elizabeth (Del.) JV
Glen Mills 2: Fairfax Christian (Va.) JV vs. Upper Dublin JV
Glen Mills 3: Rocktop Academy vs. New Hope Charter
Glen Mills 4: Prestige Prep vs. Middletown (Del.)
Glen Mills 5: York vs. Haverford High

2:30 PM
Rec 1: Montgomery (N.J.) vs. JFK (Md.)
Rec 2: Virginia Saints vs. St. Benedict’s (N.J.)
Hollinger 1: Plymouth Whitemarsh vs. Fairfax Christian (Va.)

3:30 PM
Rec 1: DeMatha (Md.) vs. Perkiomen School
Rec 2: Patrick School (N.J.) vs. Imhotep Charter
Hollinger 1: Brandywine Boyz vs. Father Judge

4:30 PM
Rec 1: JFK (Md.) vs. Plymouth Whitemarsh
Rec 2: Fairfax Christian (Va.) vs. St. Benedict’s (N.J.)
Hollinger 1: Montgomery (N.J.) vs. Brandywine Boyz

5:00 PM
South Campus 1: Downingtown East vs. Milton Hershey
South Campus 2: Delco Christian vs. Cherokee (N.J.)
South Campus 3: Medford Tech (N.J.) vs. William Allen
South Campus 4: New Hope Charter National vs. Dobbins Tech

6:00 PM
Rec 1: Lancaster Mennonite vs. SCH Academy
Rec 2: St. Andrew’s (Del.) vs. 238 Academy (N.Y.)
Rec 3: Spring-Ford vs. Conwell-Egan
Hollinger 1: Audenried Charter vs. Sanford School (Del.)
Hollinger 2: Constitution vs. Springfield Commonwealth (Mass.)
South Campus 1: Dobbins Tech vs. Delco Christian
South Campus 2: William Allen vs. Milton Hershey
South Campus 3: New Hope Charter National vs. Medford Tech (N.J.)
South Campus 4: Downingtown East vs. Cherokee (N.J.)

7:00 PM
Rec 1: St. Andrew’s (Del.) vs. Conwell-Egan
Rec 2: 238 Academy (N.Y.) vs. SCH Academy
Rec 3: Spring-Ford vs. Lancaster Mennonite
Hollinger 1: Audenried Charter vs. Springfield Commonwealth (Mass.)
Hollinger 2: Constitution vs. Sanford School (Del.)

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Sunday, September 22
9:00 AM
Rec 1: Central Bucks West vs. Garnet Valley
Rec 2: Phoenixville vs. Cumberland Valley
Rec 3: Cheltenham vs. Episcopal Academy
Hollinger 1: Sankofa Freedom vs. Germantown Friends
Hollinger 2: Central Bucks East vs. Red Lion
South 1: Pennsbury vs. Conestoga
South 2: Pennsauken (N.J.) vs. Eng. & Sciences
South 3: Lansdale Catholic vs. Central Bucks South
South 4: Phelps HS vs. Harriton

10:00 AM
Rec 1: Episcopal Academy vs. Garnet Valley
Rec 2: Central Bucks West vs. Cumberland Valley
Rec 3: Cheltenham vs. Phoenixville
Hollinger 1: Germantown Friends vs. Central Bucks East
Hollinger 2: Sankofa Freedom vs. Red Lion
South 1: Pennsbury vs. Lansdale Catholic
South 2: Eng. & Sciences vs. Conestoga
South 3: Harriton vs. Pennsauken (N.J.)
South 4: Phelps HS vs. Central Bucks South

11:00 AM
Rec 1: Ewing (N.J.) vs. Eleanor Roosevelt (Md.)
Rec 2: 238 Academy vs. Phelps Prep
Rec 3: Scranton Prep vs. La Salle College HS
Hollinger 1: Friends’ Central vs. St. Joe's Prep
Hollinger 2: Kingsway (N.J.) vs. Central Dauphin
South 1: Kennett vs. Strath Haven
South 2: Radnor vs. MaST Charter
South 3: Delaware Military (Del.) vs. Chester
South 4: Upper Moreland vs. West Chester Henderson

12:00 PM
Rec 1: La Salle College HS vs. Ewing (N.J.)
Rec 2: Scranton Prep vs. 238 Academy
Rec 3: Eleanor Roosevelt (Md.) vs. Phelps Prep
Hollinger 1: St. Joe's Prep vs. Central Dauphin
Hollinger 2: Friends’ Central vs. Kingsway (N.J.)
South 1: Kennett vs. Chester
South 2: Radnor vs. Upper Moreland
South 3: Delaware Military (Del.) vs. MaST Charter
South 4: West Chester Henderson vs. Strath Haven

1:00 PM
Rec 1: Roman Catholic vs. Mt. Zion Prep (Md.)
Rec 2: Mt. Zion National (Md.) vs. Phelps National
Hollinger 1: St. Rose (N.J.) vs. Bonner-Prendergast
Hollinger 2: Chambersburg vs. Springfield Commonwealth (Mass.)
South 1: Delaware Military JV vs. Downingtown East JV
South 2: Downingtown West JV vs. Garnet Valley JV

2:00 PM
Rec 1: Mt. Zion Prep (Md.) vs. Phelps National
Rec 2: Mt. Zion National (Md.) vs. Roman Catholic
Hollinger 1: St. Rose (N.J.) vs. Chambersburg
Hollinger 2: Bonner-Prendergast vs. Springfield Commonwealth (Mass.)
South 1: Garnet Valley JV vs. Downingtown East JV
South 2: Downingtown West JV vs. Delaware Military JV