Top five storylines to follow this high school basketball season

It’s time for some high school hoops. The 2023-24 prep season gets underway Friday night with the opening of PIAA play, while some of the area’s private schools have already tipped off over the last couple of weeks.

Here’s the top five storylines to watch for this season.

There’s no shortage of star power in the boys’ senior class, with three of the nation’s best set to lead three programs with a lot of promise in the year ahead.

Imhotep Charter might not have Justin Edwards (Kentucky) and Rahmir Barno (Florida Gulf Coast) leading the way anymore, but the Panthers do have a tremendous talent in UConn-bound senior Ahmad Nowell. The 6-2 guard, a consensus four-star prospect ranked 247Sports’ No. 39 in his class, is an elite ball-handler, shot-creator, and defender whose game is best described as “powerful.” Head coach Andre Noble has plenty of talent behind Nowell, but he’s the engine that makes them go.

» READ MORE: Imhotep Charter’s Ahmad Nowell: A hot recruit in the new NIL era

Perhaps the best big man in the area is Archbishop Ryan senior Thomas Sorber. The 6-9, 240-pound Georgetown-bound forward/center (No. 50 on 247Sports) has gotten himself into the best shape of his career, and it’s paying dividends on both ends of the court. He’s a matchup nightmare on the defensive end due to his ability to guard inside and out and cover a ton of ground. He’s also a talented post scorer, who will lead the Raiders that’s one of the preseason favorites for the Catholic League championship.

Speaking of PCL powerhouses, Jalil Bethea leads an Archbishop Wood squad that’s hoping to deliver coach John Mosco his third title in Warminster. The 6-4 Miami-bound shooting guard rocketed up the recruiting rankings this summer, now a five-star prospect and No. 7 in the country, according to 247Sports. The best area shooter, Bethea makes difficult jumpers look easy, and he’s greatly improved his abilities off the ball as well.

While it’s the senior boys who have some of the biggest names around, the girls’ talent is a little differently distributed. That’s not to say there aren’t good seniors, juniors, and sophomores — because there are plenty — but the area’s freshman class looks special.

It starts with a pair of Westtown School freshmen who already have a whole year of varsity experience under their belts: Jessie Moses and Jordyn Palmer. The two were integral pieces of a Moose squad that dominated everybody in the state and earned an invite to the GEICO National semifinals, and are now on the radars of schools across the country.

Palmer, a 6-2 forward, is a special talent who can play just about any position on the court on both ends. She’s a lock to be top-five in her class when those rankings become available. Moses isn’t far behind; the 5-10 sharpshooter can play either guard spot. Both are local products — Palmer from Chester County, and Moses from Montgomery County.

Penn Charter has a special freshman of its own, who also played varsity as an eighth grader. Ryan Carter is a 5-11 combo guard with length, athleticism, and talent. She’ll be one of the Quakers’ featured players this year. High-major and high-academic programs are already all over Carter, who has well into double-figure offers, as do Palmer and Moses.

One more 2027 recruit to keep an eye on, who hasn’t yet made her varsity debut: Riley Davis. The Notre Dame Academy freshman left a lasting impression all summer with her Comets basketball squad and has carried that right into the preseason. The 5-10 guard is a three-level scorer. She’s a two-sport standout, excelling in lacrosse as well. Others will certainly emerge over the course of the next few seasons, but she’s ready to be a star right away.

» READ MORE: These Philly-area girls are Division I basketball recruits — and they’re only in eighth grade

There’s no doubt that the Catholic League is the top draw in local hoops, and this year’s PCL is as deep as ever. Wood and Ryan enter as the top squads on the boys’ side, with all its returning talent, but that doesn’t mean it’s a sure thing that one of those two programs emerge as victorious. There are no fewer than 10 teams with a legitimate chance to make the semifinals at the Palestra, but they all have question marks.

Neumann Goretti and Roman Catholic are used to being there, but both have a lot to replace — and they and did so with a healthy dose of transfers. Roman notably added senior guard Hunter Johnson, senior guard Kabe Goss, and sophomore wing Malik Hughes to a core that includes senior guard Rob Cottrell and junior forward Shareef Jackson. Neumann added junior Keon Long and sophomore Torrey Brooks to complement seniors Amir Williams (heading to Hofstra) and Khaafiq Myers (St. Joe’s), with senior forward Larenzo Jerkins now eligible after sitting out last year.

Then there’s a few programs who are full of young talent that might be a year away. Archbishop Carroll has an incredible group of underclassmen, including sophomores Ian Williams and Luca Foster and freshmen Munir Greig and Darrell Davis. Bonner-Prendergast also has a strong freshman group led by Korey Francis and Kenjai Gaitling.

There’s also St. Joe’s Prep and West Catholic, who don’t fit into any of the above categories, but are thoroughly in the mix as well.

While the private schools in the area certainly have a good helping of the region’s talent, there’s still plenty to see in District 1 — Chester, Bucks, Montgomery, and Delaware Counties.

On the girls’ side, defending Pioneer Athletic Conference and District 1 6A champs Perkiomen Valley return its starting lineup, including a fantastic junior class led by forward Quinn Boettinger, wing Grace Galbavy, and point guard Bella Bacani.

They’ll battle it out with Spring-Ford, led by a pair of committed Division I seniors in Anna Azzara (Wright State) and Mackenzie Pettinelli (St. Bonaventure). The Central League has Garnet Valley (junior Haylie Adamski), Conestoga (sophomore Ryann Jennings), and Harriton (sophomore Addison Levensten) all led by Division I prospects.

» READ MORE: The story behind this Perkiomen Valley senior’s ‘miracle’ scholarship to Kutztown

Another city school? Don’t miss Audenried Charter and star junior Shayla Smith.

On the boys’ side, the 6A field is loaded. Defending District 1 champs Plymouth-Whitemarsh are back, led by senior guard Jaden Colzie and sophomore Mani Sajid. West Chester Henderson, coming out of the Ches-Mont, is an up-and-comer, but they’ll have to contend with state quarterfinalist Coatesville, plus a strong Downingtown West and District 1 5A favorite Unionville in their own league.

Part of the magic of high school sports coverage are the surprises that happen each year.

There are teams that will come out of nowhere, players who break through, upsets that nobody saw coming. Last year, it was the emergence of the Friends’ Select boys and the Falcons’ win over Westtown that shocked the city. Who will do it this year?

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.