Chester head coach Larry Yarbray is surrounded by top players (left to right): Richard Granberry, Conrad Chambers, Darius Robinson and Rondae Jefferson.
Photo by Ken Inness
With nearly 1,800 all-time wins, 17 state championship game appearances and eight state titles,
Chester (Pa.) is without question Pennsylvania's most storied high school basketball program.
Even with all that history and hardware, the Clippers may be in the midst of a golden era. Chester enters the 2012-13 campaign riding a 58-game win streak that includes back-to-back state titles.
"The kids are excited," Chester head coach Larry Yarbray Jr. said. "Honestly, the focus is always to win a state championship at Chester. We aren't worried about the streak, just trying to stay focused game-to-game, day-to-day on our next opponent."
Conrad Chambers
Photo by Ken Inness
The focal point for the Clippers will be versatile senior
Rondae Jefferson, a 6-foot-6 senior regarded as one the top 50 prospects in the country by MaxPreps and already committed to Arizona. Jefferson averaged 12.1 points, 9.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game a year ago in a point-forward role,
earning Junior All-American honors.
"Rondae is one of the most unselfish players I've ever seen in the program," Yarbray said. "He makes sacrifices that some of the better players wouldn't. His mindset is to win. He could be a 20-10-5 (points-rebounds-assists) guy easily, but it's not just about him."
Fellow seniors
Darius Robinson (6-1, G) and
Richard Granberry (6-5, F) are also back after playing key roles for the 2012 Clipper state championship team.
Transfer guard
Conrad Chambers, a 6-foot senior who played alongside Duke signee Amile Jefferson at Friends' Central last season, is a major addition to the roster.
Chester opens the season Dec. 11 at home against J.P. McCaskey (Lancaster).
Chester's last five years:2011-12 – 32-0 (Larry Yarbray Jr.), Class AAAA state champions
2010-11 – 31-1 (Larry Yarbray Jr.), Class AAAA state champions
2009-10 – 16-11 (Larry Yarbray Jr.)
2008-09 – 24-5 (Larry Yarbray Jr.)
2007-08 – 33-1 (Fred Pickett), Class AAAA state champions
