High school gyms across the region are heating up as teams push toward championship glory.
The Suburban One League (SOL), Philadelphia Catholic League (PCL), Friends School League (FSL), and Bicentennial Athletic League (BAL) are deep into their postseason tournaments.
In the SOL semifinals, Upper Moreland edged out Central Bucks South in a nail-biting 40-39 victory, fueled by 12 points from senior Jadon Cybok and a strong third quarter where the Golden Bears outscored their opponents 22-7.
Meanwhile, top-seeded Upper Dublin continued its dominant run, dispatching Plymouth Whitemarsh 57-43.
The Cardinals, now 23-1, have won 23 straight games since their season-opening loss and will face Upper Moreland in the championship game at Bensalem on Monday night.
Quarterfinal action was equally intense.
Upper Moreland powered past Central Bucks East High School 80-73 behind a 29-point explosion from senior Colson Campbell, while Central Bucks South upended Souderton 50-40 thanks to a balanced scoring effort led by Ben Harrison’s 14 points.
Plymouth Whitemarsh, looking strong in their playoff push, overwhelmed Bensalem 74-42, pulling away with a dominant 19-5 third quarter.
Souderton, however, didn’t let that quarterfinal loss overshadow its season.
The Indians secured the SOL Colonial Division title with a gutsy 55-50 win over CB South, leaning on Nate Rusike’s 15 points and some key defensive rebounds in the final minute to hold off the Titans’ rally.
Despite CB South’s impressive 15-game win streak earlier in the season, Souderton’s ability to control the tempo and execute in clutch moments secured their first outright league title in over a decade.
But, in the PCL, the playoff bracket is set with high-stakes matchups looming.
Early-round action features Archbishop Wood visiting Bonner-Prendergast while Archbishop Ryan takes on La Salle.
The winners will advance to the quarterfinals, where powerhouse St. Joseph’s Prep and Roman Catholic await their challengers.
Traditional contenders Neumann-Goretti and Father Judge will clash as the league’s best teams battle for a ticket to the Palestra, where the semifinals and championship will unfold.
Academy of the New Church (ANC) won the Friends School League title with a 70-54 win over top-seeded George School.
Despite a strong effort from George School, ANC’s balanced attack and fourth-quarter surge proved too much.
George School, which went undefeated in the regular season, still has postseason life in the PAISAA tournament.
Over in the BAL, the bracket is packed with intriguing matchups. The first round kicks off Monday, with lower seeds fighting for a shot at the quarterfinals.
Delco Christian, MaST Charter, Dock Mennonite, and Chester Charter hold the top seeds, waiting to see who emerges from early-round contests.
The semifinals are set for Thursday, and the championship is on Saturday, so the race for the BAL crown is just beginning.
As teams battle for championships, legacies are being written.
Players like Colson Campbell, Nate Rusike, and Ben Harrison have made their mark, while squads like Upper Dublin and Souderton continue to prove their dominance.
With title games and deep playoff runs ahead, the best of high school boys basketball is still to come.
