Chester Clippers cancelled remainder of December schedule

 By Terry Thomas

Due to a COVID-19 outbreak throughout the team, Chester has cancelled remainder of their December Schedule. Included in the cancellation are the following: Dec 23rd - Downingtown West - at the 76'ers Fieldhouse, Wilmington, DE; Dec 28th & 30th - Cardinal O'Hara & Coatesville - 16th Pete Nelson Classic at Widener University. 

The team will return to action at the Clip Joint on Saturday, January 8, 2022 hosting the Bartram Braves from the Philadelphia Public League.  Unfortunately, with today the School District put out the following announcement "For the safety of our student-athletes and coaching staff, boys and girls basketball games will be closed to the general public. Thank you for your support and cooperation. Home games will be live on cmpradio.net (via Facebook / YouTube)".

Clippers Opens 2021-22 Season With a "W"

 By Terry Thomas

The Chester Clippers win their season opener on the road 74-56 over host J.P. McCaskey. Coach Taylor is now 3-0 against the Red Tornadoes. The Clippers received treys from senior Qadir Lowrie and sophomore Kevin Rucker and was perfect from the charity stripe, 6 of 6, to stay within one of McCaskey 12-13 at the end of the first quarter. Sophomore Larenzo Jerkins was 4 of 4 and Rucker 2 of 2 from the foul line. Qadir Lowrie caught fire in the 2nd quarter scoring 12 of his 19 including 5 of 6 from the free throw line. Senior Olayinka "Yanks" Itabiyi contributed 5 of his 7 points, junior Breilynd White knocked down a trey and Rucker hit on his two free throws. Jerkins added two more to his total and senior Lenny Camacho connected on 1 of 2 free throw as the Clippers put up 25 second quarter points for a 37-25 advantage at the half. 

Sophomore Kevin Rucker led the way in the second half scoring 14 of his team and career high 21 points to secure the win. Seven Clippers combined for 24 fourth quarter points to sail away from the Red Tornadoes. Rucker and Jerkins each contributed 6 points and senior Isaiah Freeman chipped in 4 of his 6 points. They were joined by Lowrie with 4, Itabiyi's two with White and Camacho each adding one for Chester's final points.

Sophomore Larenzo Jerkins contributed his first double-double with career highs of 15 points and 10 rebounds. Isaiah Freeman matched his career high of 10 rebounds.

Chester returns to action on Tuesday, December 14th when the Chester Charter Scholars Academy visit the Clip Joint for the "City Championship". The JV game will tip-off at 5:00 pm with the Varsity to follow.

 JV GAME SUMMARY

Chester battled but fell short 51-57 to J.P. McCaskey. Trailing by two at the half, 26-28, the Clippers couldn't find their mark and fell behind 33-40 at the end of the third quarter. They closed the gap to 49-53 with just under a minute to play but couldn't secure an offensive rebound down the stretch.  

Hamza Clay-Goudelock led the way with 16 points followed by Dallas Thompson's 12 points. Tashon Gibson contributed 8 points, followed by Nazir Berry (6), Andre Brown (5) and Emmanuel Smith's 4 points.

Chester Clippers 2021-2022 Season Preview

 By Terry Thomas

Coach Taylor will embark on his 5^th season as Head Coach with a very young and inexperienced squad. The defending Del Val League and District-1 Champions enter the season with two returning starters in senior point guard Qadir Lowrie and power-forward Isaiah Freeman. The Clippers will also look to seniors Nasir Madison and Olayinka “Yanks” Itabiyi along with sophomore Larenzo Jerkins returners from last season to be the catalyst for their run to the States. You see at 9^th & Barclay or the “Clip Joint” regardless of who dons the “Orange & Black” on the Fred Pickett Gymnasium floor; the ultimate goal remains the same – State Championship. 

Chester’s roster will consist of 1 freshman, 5 sophomores, 3 juniors and 5 seniors. The goal of Coach Taylor is to mold this new mixture into a fine-tuned machine as only five of the latter actually played Varsity basketball as a Clipper in the previous season. He understands his opponents will be linking their chops at the opportunity to face such an inexperienced group of Clippers and he expects his young troops to mature quickly. With that being said, the Clippers will open on the road at Lancaster’s J.P. McCaskey on Saturday, December 11^th, before returning to the Clip Joint for the “City Championship” on Tuesday, December 14^th against Chester Charter Scholars Academy. The schedule includes games against Philadelphia Catholic League’s Archbishop Carroll and Cardinal O’Hara, Delaware’s Newark and Christiana and New Jersey’s Paterson-Kennedy. Mixed within their Del Val opponents will be Coatesville, Downingtown West, York, Bartram and a home date with defending 6A State Champion Reading Red Knights.  

The players have worked hard over the last three weeks preparing for the season knowing they can garner minutes. Sophomores Dante Atkinson and Kevin Rucker who saw significant minutes on the JV squad are expected to be impact players. Juniors Terrence Cobb and Breilyn White are high energy explosive teammates. Sophomore big men Vincent Coleman and Jerry Young look to make their presence felt inside the paint. Senior Lenny Camacho returns bringing his defensive intensity looking to spark the second unit. Rounding out the squad are junior Nazir Berry and freshman Dallas Thompson with contributions expected at both ends of the court. 

Unlike last season where the season opened without fans, this year will be different. The season will open with fans. If you are in the neighborhood, come on out to 9th & Barclay and show your support for C-Pride. Let the Season begin.

DATE           DAY          TIME        PLACE              OPPONENT                                       RESULTS 

11 DEC              SAT                5:30                Away                         J.P. McCaskey   @

 8^th ANNUAL FRED PICKETT CLASSIC, Chester High School – City Championship

14 DEC              TUE                5:00                Home                         Chester Charters Scholars Academy @

16 DEC              THUR            3:30                Away                         Newark (DE) @

WILMINGTON PLAY BY PLAY CLASSIC – 76’ers Fieldhouse, Wilmington, DE

19 DEC              SUN                6:15                Away                         Archbishop Carroll (PA)

 WILMINGTON PLAY BY PLAY CLASSIC II, 76’ers Fieldhouse, Wilmington, DE

23 DEC              THUR            1:45                Away                         Downingtown West                                                           

16th ANNUAL PETE NELSON HOLIDAY CLASSIC, Widener University, Chester, PA

28 DEC              TUE                8:00                Away                         Cardinal O’Hara (PA)                        

30 DEC              THUR            8:30                Away                         Coatesville                                                 

08 JAN               SAT                2:00                Home                         Bartram @                                                             

11 JAN               TUE                5:30                Home                         Penn Wood *@

12 JAN               WED              5:30                Home                         Reading @                                                           

13 JAN               THUR            5:30                Home                         Chichester *@     

3^rd  ANNUAL STAND AGAINST VIOLENCE SHOWCASE, Chambersburg, PA

15 JAN               SAT                TBA               Away                         TBA                                                      

16 JAN               SUN                4:30                Away                        Cumberland Valley                           

20 JAN               THUR            5:30                Away                         Interboro *@

22 JAN               SAT                1:00                Home                         York #  

25 JAN               TUE                5:30                Away                         Academy Park *@                                                             

27 JAN               THUR            5:30                Away                         Penn Wood *@

29 JAN               SAT                1:00                Home                         Christiana #                                         

01 FEB              TUE                5:30                Away                         Chichester *@     

27^th  ANNUAL BATTLE BY THE BAY, Atlantic City High School, Atlantic City, NJ

05 FEB              SAT                5:00                Away                         Paterson-Kennedy  (NJ)

08 FEB              TUE                5:30                Home                         Interboro *@

10 FEB              THUR            5:30                Home                         Academy Park *@             

DEL VAL LEAGUE:   

OVERALL RECORD: 

NOTE: District-1 5A Tournament – Seeding Meeting: Sunday, February 13, 2022.

              20 D1 Teams / 12 D1 Playoff Qualifiers / 6 PIAA Qualifiers.

              Tournament Game Dates: February 22, 25, March 1 with Championship on Friday, March 4

               State 5A Tournament – March 11, 15, 18, 21 with Championship on Friday, March 25, 2022