By Terry Thomas
The Clippers are moving up to Class 6A for the 2022-2023 season. Coach Taylor will embark on his 6th season as Head Coach with a very young and inexperienced squad, however his goals remain the same. The Triple Crown – Del Val, District and State Championship. The task will not come easy as the Clippers were hit hard with graduation coupled with the recruitment of players from the Philadelphia Catholic League. Coach Taylor returns just one starter, Breilynd White, from last year’s squad. Isaiah Freeman and Qadir Lowrie are off to college while promising juniors Larenzo Jerkins and Kevin Rucker were recruited to Neumann-Goretti and Bonner-Prendegrast respectively. Regardless of the players' loss, the defending Del Val League Champions, District-1 5A Champions and State Tournament Semi-Finalist (2nd consecutive year) will keep their eyes on the prize and look to complete their unfinished business.
Coach Taylor will look for returning veterans senior Terrence Cobb, juniors Kyree Womack and Jerry Young as the catalyst for their run to the States. Also expected to be a major part of the team’s success is the return of 6’5” junior power forward Dominic Toy. After dressing Varsity as a freshman, Dominic took a year off to work on his football career where he has received offers from both Rutgers and Boston College to play tight end. Junior reserves Dante Atkinson and Vincent Coleman are expected to see major minutes this season and are ready to take on that responsibility.
You see at 9th & Barclay or the “Clip Joint” regardless of who dons the “Orange & Black” on the Fred Pickett Gymnasium floor; Family – Togetherness – Winning are the ultimate goals.
The Clipper’s fifteen-man roster will consist of only seven players with Chester varsity experience. Coach Taylor knows there will be growing pains; however, he expects them to mature quickly via on-the-job training. The players have worked hard over the last two weeks preparing for the season knowing they can garner minutes. Sophomores Kristian Chambers, Ra’Shaad Dorsey, Dallas Thompson and Jaseir Thompson are expected to contribute at both ends with emphasis on the defensive side of the ball. Senior Nijah Carpenter and junior Calvin Williams are looking to make their presence felt inside the paint. Senior Jabree Davis is trying to find his basketball legs after a successful stint on the gridiron and Nyrell Pray a 6’1” freshman is currently nursing an injury and expected to return to action in January 2023
The Clippers will open at the Clip Joint on Friday, December 2nd hosting the West Philadelphia Speedboys. The schedule includes games with Philadelphia Public League’s Overbrook and John Bartram, Delaware’s Newark, Delcastle and Thomas McKean. Their opponents for the Pete Nelson Holiday Classic at Widener University will be Coatesville and Lower Merion. In addition to their Del Val opponents will be games with Downingtown West, York, Bartram and Reading. The team will return to Chambersburg to participate in the 4th Annual Hoops for Harmony event and Atlantic City to face Eastside at the 28th Annual Battle By The Bay.
At the Clip Joint on opening day December 2nd, Chester will show love to former Coach Larry Yarbray Sr who we lost tragically in September 2022. And, we will finally retire the jersey of the school’s leading scorer, Wilbur “Zain” Shaw.
Let the Season begin.
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