MaxPreps 2014-15 Pennsylvania preseason boys basketball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

1. Archbishop Carroll (Radnor)
Head coach: Paul Romanczuk
2013-14 Finish: 23-5, lost 52-51 to Electrical and Technology Charter in the PIAA Class AAA state quarterfinals.

The Patriots know they could have done more and gone farther last year. They know what's expected this year. It's a senior-laden team that would like to go out winners. With two of the best players in the state in UNLV-bound Derrick Jones (6-7, Sr., F) and Temple-bound Ernest Aflakpui (6-9, Sr., C), Carroll has a chance to break the stranglehold state and Philadelphia Catholic League powerhouse Neumann-Goretti has had on the area.

Add in the supporting cast of Samir Taylor (5-11, Sr., G), Josh Sharkey (5-10, Jr., G), Ryan Daly (6-4, Jr, G), the son of Penn State assistant coach Brian Daly, and Dave Beatty (6-3, So., G) and it's a good, deep group that will play into March.

"We feel like there is some unfinished business as far as last year ended up," Pats' coach Paul Romanczuk said. "We started off and played really well. We felt really good about ourselves heading into the league. We couldn't get past Neumann-Goretti. They're champions. Everything about them makes them winners. They weren't giving up that crown last year and I'm sure they won't give it away that easily this year."



View last season's Pennsylvania boys basketball rankings, presented by the Army National Guard

2. Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia)
Head coach: Carl Arrigale
2013-14 Finish: 27-4 and won its fourth PIAA Class AAA state title in the last five years with a 64-57 overtime victory over Susquehanna Township.

Neumann-Goretti coach Carl Arrigale keeps racking them up. The Saints are winners of four of the last five Class AAA state titles. They've won six straight Philadelphia Catholic League titles and are a remarkable 100-2 in their last 102 Catholic League games.

This year could mark a dip in that success. Not much of a drop, but one nonetheless.

"We're going to be hard to play against, if we play the way I envision us playing; hopefully we can handle ourselves on the backboard," Arrigale said. "We'll be able to score and pressure the ball. As the season goes on we'll get better. It will take a little bit for us to get things together and I know a lot of people underestimate us. But I have a good group."

The group is led by St. Joe's signee Lamarr Kimble (6-0, Sr., G), who averaged 13 points per game last year, Vaughn Covington (5-11, Jr., G), Quade Green (5-11, So., G), Zane Martin (6-2, Jr., G), Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree (6-8, So., F) and Rasheed Browne (6-2, Jr., G).



Who makes up for the scoring and leadership of guard Ja'Quan Newton, now at Miami? That's the question.

View last season's Pennsylvania boys basketball playoff brackets

3. Chester
Head coach: Larry Yarbray
2013-14 Finish: 25-6 and lost to eventual state runner-up La Salle, 61-55, in the PIAA Class AAAA state semifinals.

The Clippers should be stamped and locked on this list every year. Chester has won two of the last four state titles and holds the all-time Pennsylvania record with eight state championships (1983, 1989, 1994, 2000 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2012).

Here's the thing with Chester: Even in what was supposed to be a down year, the Clippers still reached last year's state semifinals.

"I like the versatility and athleticism we have; I can put 10 different guys out there mixing bigs and smalls," Chester coach Larry Yarbray said. "We're going to have some size and we have some size at guard, too. I have 10 out of 12 guys on this team that can dunk the ball. We can use guys in multiple ways and can have five or six guys that can average double figures."



Chester's nucleus will consist of Khaleeq Campbell (5-7, Jr., G), Keyonte Watkins (5-9, Sr., G), Jamar Sudan (6-4, So., F), Marquis Collins (6-7, Jr., F), Maurice Henry (6-9, Jr., C) and Jahmi Bailey (6-3, Jr., G).

The Clippers will face local power Neumann-Goretti on Dec. 30 and will travel to Jersey City to take on St. Anthony's on Feb. 3.

View last season's Pennsylvania boys basketball stat leaders

4. Roman Catholic (Philadelphia)
Head coach: Chris McNesby
2013-14 Finish: 23-5, lost to Lower Merion, 64-52, in second round of PIAA Class AAAA state playoffs.

Just getting out of the Philadelphia Catholic League, with Archbishop Carroll, Neumann-Goretti and La Salle, is going to be a struggle for the Cahillites. But coach Chris McNesby has a nice core back in Tony Carr (6-4, Jr., G), who averaged 10 ppg, Rider commit Gemil Holbrook (6-4, Sr., F), Hartford commit Trevaughn Wilkerson (6-6, Sr., F), Nazeer Bostick (6-4, Jr., F), D'andre Vilmar (6-3, Sr., F) and Rutgers football commit Manny Taylor (6-5, Sr., F).

"It's a good, balanced group; I think we'll have one of the more aggressive teams we've ever had," McNesby said. "I think we can score and can guard. We'll get up and down."



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5. Haverford School
Head coach: Henry D. Fairfax
2013-14 Finish: 16-8, lost 48-45 to Hill School in the second round of the playoffs

The Fords have Lamar Stevens (6-foot-7 junior forward) and Jack Marshall (6-5 junior forward) coming back, in addition to seniors Shawn Alston, Eric Follman, Logan Atkins, Noah Lejman and Derek Mountain.