Academy New Church boys earns first Friends Schools League title since 2009

The last four times Kevin Givens walked into Tom Gola Arena to coach a game he exited the building empty handed. Four seasons in a row, Givens’ Academy New Church boys’ basketball team reached the Friends Schools League Championship only to be denied the league crown.

He returned to the place of heartbreak Friday with something telling him this time was going to be different. He left the building shivering cold, his gray hoodie soaked after a locker room celebration from a dominant 64-50 victory over Friends’ Central that delivered ANC its first league title since 2009.

“I felt anxious. I felt like I got to get it done today,” said Givens, who is in his 30th season on the sidelines at ANC. “I said, ‘This is my time.’ It’s been a long time coming. The kids worked hard all season long. They worked hard in the preseason, they worked hard in the postseason. They deserve it just as well. They played good basketball, they worked their tails off and again our defense prevailed.”

Givens’ squad lost seven consecutive championship game appearances in the past 15 years after a run at three straight FSL titles from 2007-09.

ANC senior guard Ogonna Obayi is the only Lions player who was around for the last two title game losses. But the Lions returned three others in seniors Nolan Waldon and Bahsil Laster and sophomore Dior Carter, who entered the past offseason with a bitter taste in their mouths following last year’s 64-61 championship loss to George School.

“It gave us an energy that we didn’t have last year coming off that loss, especially because it was a close game,” Laster said of the title game loss against George School. “We came in hungry.”

Carter’s second-quarter triple sparked an 8-0 run that turned a four-point ANC lead into a 29-17 advantage at the half. Laster, who led the team with 14 points, took over in the third-quarter as the Lions scored 16 of their final 18 points in the period after enduring a run by FCS seniors Muhsin Muhammad (20 points) and Fazl Oshodi (12 points).

Obayi, a deep reserve in the last two FSL runner-up squads, scored all six of his points in the fourth. He opened the final frame with a triple that put the Lions ahead by 25 and put an end to any Phoenix comeback attempt.

The Lions added some new pieces this season in sophomore guard Tobe Nwobu, from Camden Catholic, and sophomore forwards Ryan Warren and Cameron Smith, both who transferred from La Salle College High School. Nwobu and Smith, who came off the bench, added 10 points apiece in Friday’s win.

After a strong offseason and preseason, Givens could sense something special about this group after early-season losses to McDonogh School (Md.) and Peddie School (N.J.). He was proven correct on Friday night.

“Everytime we lost a game we would bounce back,” Givens said. “If we lost another game two or three games later, we would bounce back. I saw some resiliency there. I saw in these guys that they really wanted it.”

» READ MORE: ANC forwards Ryan Warren, Cameron Smith thriving after transferring from La Salle

The Westtown girls’ basketball team reign atop the Friends Schools League five years ago with a nine-point win over Moorestown Friends in the league title game.

After the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020-21 FSL season, the Moose returned to their seat on the throne in 2022 and 2023. On Friday, Westtown extended it to four league titles with a 64-33 win over Friends’ Central at Tom Gola Arena.

“I feel like it’s just been very incredible to see the growth we’ve made each year,” said senior Michelle Olak, who has been the only Moose player in the rotation for the last three titles.

As it has been all season, Westtown was guided by its youthful stars on Friday.

Freshman Jessie Moses scored 26 points and freshman Jordyn Palmer compiled 21 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks, and four assists. Friends’ Central, which was led by junior Logyn Greer’s 11 points, hung on for the first 12 minutes before Westtown closed the first half on an 11-0 run to go up 36-18.

Moses and Palmer combined for 34 at the break and added more after the half as Westtown scored 14 of its first 16 points of the third quarter to seal the victory.

Olak didn’t find the scoring column on Friday night but still helped space the floor and aided in a dominant defensive effort that held Friends’ Central to a combined 11 points in the second and third quarter.

“She’s definitely a leader,” Moses said. “I feel like for last year especially, she really guided me — being younger, in eighth grade, experiencing varsity basketball, and playing under coach Fran [Burbidge] for the first time. She was a really good role model for me.”

» READ MORE: Westtown’s Jessie Moses settling into her second season on varsity — as a freshman — with D-I offers piling up

Olak plans on continuing her hoops and track career at the next level. She finished third in the 100-meter hurdles at the PAISAA championship last spring, and is eyeing another medal this year.

Before then, she and her teammates still have some goals left to accomplish, including a third straight PAISAA girls’ basketball championship.

“The love keeps building and building as the season’s going on,” Olak said. “We’re not done yet. This is just No. 1 this season.”

This story was produced as part of a partnership between The Inquirer and City of Basketball Love, a nonprofit news organization that covers high school and college basketball in the Philadelphia area while also helping mentor the next generation of sportswriters. This collaboration will help boost coverage of the city’s vibrant amateur basketball scene, from the high school ranks up through the Big 5 and beyond.