Like a mid-range jumper, Yosef Yacob liked one of his college offers … so he took it.

The Archbishop Carroll senior Tuesday night gave Binghamton University a verbal commitment. Yacob, a 6-0 All-Delco guard, chose the Bearcats out of five programs that had offered scholarships.

“That’s a great fit for him,” Carroll coach Paul Romanczuk said. “Of course, I believe in Yosef as a player and there might have been one or two schools that intrigued him. But he felt so comfortable (at Binghamton) on his unofficial visit that he made it his official visit. “

Yacob averaged 12.9 points, 4.1 assists and 3.0 rebounds for Carroll, a Catholic League semifinalist which ended its season in the quarterfinal round of the PIAA Class AAA tournament.

He considered offers from Rider, St. Francis (Pa.), New Hampshire and Albany.

Yacob is the third player from Carroll in the last four years to commit to a Division I program, joining All-Delcos Juan’ya Green (Niagara University) and D.J. Irving (Boston University). The first season of Yacob’s college career with Binghamton, which competes in the America East Conference, will overlap with the final season of Irving’s at BU, in 2013-14.

Romanczuk said Yacob is the latest among that D-I trio to follow a successful formula at Carroll – get playing time as a freshman and develop gradually.

“I think Yosef came under ideal circumstances,” Romanczuk said. “No. 1, he got time as a freshman but didn’t get thrown to the wolves in having to do a lot because he had guys like D.J. and Juan’ya. He didn’t have a lot of pressure. He just had to knock down shots.

“No. 2, he learned from them and went against them in practice. He even got to play with Juan’ya another year and now he’s been the man. Last year, he carried us down the stretch. He broke out and became that player for us. I just see even better things for him next year.”

Haven't yet heard from Yacob, but awaiting his call. For more on the verbal, pick up Thursday's copy of the Daily Times.

He hoisted shot, after shot, after shot … but none went in.

That's how it goes some nights for Alec Stavetski, Archbishop Carroll's senior sharp-shooter. Stavetski went 0-for-11, including 0-for-7 from 3-point range, against Philadelphia Electrical Charter Feb. 29, when Carroll clinched District 12's No. 3 seed in the upcoming PIAA Class AAA tournament.

Carroll (18-7) faces Trinity Friday night at 6:30 p.m. at Milton Hershey School.

It's not as though Stavetski had hands in his face on every attempt. It just wasn't his night, which is why Carroll coach Paul Romanczuk isn't worried about his leading scorer – especially with a nine-day lag between districts and states.

“If it was someone that I didn't feel was a mentally strong player and couldn't rebound from this, yes, I'd be worried,” Romanczuk said. “But Alec has played for us and, now, started for us for two years. He's the kind of kid who would miss four shots and take the fifth shot as if he had made the previous four. His confidence is pretty stable.”

Romanczuk said he expected Stavetski in the gym in the days that followed the PEC win, but only because “that's the way he is. He'd be in there even if he went 11-for-11.” The Patriots (18-7) will need Stavetski if they plan on advancing past their first-round game Friday, March 9.

“He'll be fine. He's really confident,” Carroll senior Pat Finnegan said of Stavetski. “He knows we go to him and he knows we have to go to him if we're going to win in the state tournament.”

(Photo courtesy Philly.com)

Last Wednesday, Archbishop Carroll lost in the Catholic League semifinals. This Wednesday, Carroll has a District 12 seeding game. A week from Friday, Carroll opens the PIAA Class AAA tournament.

For those keeping score at home, that accounts for three games in 17 days for Yosef Yacob (pictured) & Co.. Since the opening week of their season, the Patriots (17-7) haven't gone more than four days between games. At one stretch, they played four games in six days.

"Maintaining our focus in a two-week span where we only have one game is asking a lot," Archbishop Carroll coach Paul Romanczuk said over the weekend. "We’re in this rhythm where it’s two practices, game, one practice, game. Keeping guys sharp has become the challenge, as well as keeping them healthy."

So why the lapse in the schedule? Unfortunately, that's the way it is. But why? Well, there's one reason: End date.

To make a five-round state tournament end with a championship weekend in State College, the tournament has to open on a weekend -- thus following a Friday/Wednesday format for Class AAA and Saturday/Tuesday for Class AAAA. So even though most districts will have closed out their tournaments by this weekend or, at the latest, March 6, the PIAA waits to open its state tournaments March 9.

Maybe it's a blessing in disguise for some teams, like those with players nursing injuries or others -- like the eighth seed from District One Class AAAA, which will open its state-tournament run on a three-game losing streak -- which may just need a break from the games.

Archbishop Carroll has been a breeding ground for guards, with Division I backcourt players dotting Matsonford Road with regularity.

So for Carroll coach Paul Romanczuk to be leaning upon two sizeable options in the paint this season is quite a departure from the norm.

Senior Lou Dominique (6-4, 200) and freshman Derrick Jones (6-5, 165, pictured) are having similarly successful seasons. Dominique, who's considering East Stroudsburg for football, averages 8.4 points per game with eight double-figure scoring games and four double-doubles. Jones averages 7.4 points per game with seven double-figure scoring games and four double-doubles.

“It’s fun to see a senior get his shot, pay his dues, wait for his time and flourish once he’s there. That’s special," Romanczuk said of Dominique. "Lou has been tough for us. He’s been a great defender, a great inside presence. Having seniors step up and play like he did is great."

"(Jones) has got tremendous potential and he’s only going to get better," Romanczuk added. "He’s 14-years-old playing with 17- and 18-year-olds who have been through the battles of the Catholic League. Nothing he does surprises me. He’s going to continue to mature and get better."

Dominique had 14 points and seven rebounds and Jones had seven points and seven rebounds in Carroll's double-overtime victory Sunday over St. Joseph's Prep.

Added Dominique: “It’s a nice combination. Derrick and I, we crash the boards, we get blocks and we get some defensive rebounds. We’re good down there."

(Times staff photo / ROBERT J. GURECKI)

For all intents and purposes, Monday's win over Roman Catholic was nothing more than Archbishop Carroll's attempt to finish out the regular season on a strong note.

But we all know that's not the case.

Once again, as evidenced, by the 46-45 win over the Cahillites, Carroll coach Paul Romanczuk has his Patriots pointed in the right direction as the Catholic League Playoffs approach.

Carroll has won 10 of its last 12 games, dating back to Jan. 6, and the Patriots haven't lost consecutive games since December. Not a bad run to be having.

Against Roman, Carroll's leading scorer Alec Stavetski didn't score a single point. Freshman Derrick Jones continues to contribute in more ways than one, with scoring, rebounding and blocking shots. And junior Yosef Yacob, pictured, had a huge night, dropping 17 points and resembling the player who turned heads last season in the PCL tournament.

If the PCL playoffs began today, Carroll would clinch third place. Listed below are the standings, as well as the remaining schedules for Carroll and Roman:
PCL ... Team (Overall Record)
11-0... Neumann-Goretti (17-3)
11-0... St. Joe's Prep (18-2)
9-2 ... Arch. Carroll (14-6)
8-3 ... Roman Catholic (12-8)

Friday
Archbishop Carroll at West Catholic, 6:30
Roman Catholic at Father Judge, 7:30

Sunday
Archbishop Wood at Roman Catholic, 2:30
St. Joseph’s Prep at Archbishop Carroll, 3

(Times staff photo / ERIC HARTLINE)

Archbishop Carroll's Yosef Yacob isn't having the best season, but it's been good enough to garner a pair of offers from Division I programs.

Yacob, the Patriots' junior point guard, has received scholarship offers from Rider and Albany, according to Carroll coach Paul Romanczuk.

"I'm sure (his recruiting) will pick up on the AAU trail this spring and summer," Romanczuk said Wednesday, "but we've had a few teams pop in and out of the gym. I don't think it's anyone new exactly who is entering the picture.

"Last time I checked, Rider and Albany have offered full scholarships," he continued. "Delaware and Northeastern and Niagara have checked in on him, as well. I'm sure there's some I'm missing."

Counted on to be the go-to guy at Carroll -- after losing Juan'ya Green (Niagara) to graduation in 2011 and D.J. Irving (Boston U) in 2010 -- Yacob is averaging 10 points per game, though he's had to weather a few sluggish shooting nights. Yacob has hit for double-figures in scoring in only seven of 16 games for the Patriots (11-5, 6-1).

But Yacob has been known to shoot lights-out when it matters most. (See: 2010-11 PCL playoffs). I'm certain it'll pick up for Yacob soon ... and that goes for his recruitment, too.

On the first play of the game, D.J. Irving planted himself on Maalik Wayns' hip. On the second play of the game, Irving knocked down a 3-pointer. Not a bad start, huh? Irving's talents were on display at Wells Fargo Center, where BU lost to Villanova, 68-43, Tuesday.

A two-time All-Delco at Archbishop Carroll, Irving was in town for the second of three trips this season. (The Terriers lost at Saint Joseph's University last month and visit La Salle at the end of this month.) Still, his family and friends were in South Philly to see the Chester native play.

(Check out my column on Irving proving his critics wrong, in Wednesday's Daily Times)

Even Archbishop Carroll coach Paul Romanczuk brought eight players to the game, a ritual he has with his upperclassmen, to see Irving in action. Among the eight? Juniors Yosef Yacob and Isaiah Warren, who like Irving are Chester natives.

Irving finished with 11 points on 4-for-9 shooting, with three rebounds and three steals. He elicited some positive feedback from coaches on both sides:

Said Joe Jones, BU's coach: “D.J. has had a great year. With this team and these players, he's got to score. Got to. He's also got to defend and be our first line of defense. We need him to be an all-around player, not just a guy that sets it up. He's got to score it, he's got to defend it. He's got a lot of responsibility.”

Said Villanova's Jay Wright: “I think D.J. Irving is a great player. I think he's going to have a great career.”

Here's what Irving had to say, including who he'd pick if he was fielding a Delco all-star team:

Q: Were you surprised to see this game played at Wells Fargo Center?
A: “Pretty much, because Wells Fargo is usually for the big teams that come in and they need a lot of people to see the game. The atmosphere, I thought there would be a lot more people. But I thought it was a good game. I just wish we could have kept it a little closer, you know?”

Q: How much of a shock was it to go from a three-point halftime lead to a 25-point loss?
A: “I honestly don't even know what happened. It just went to them real fast. It's something we've got to work on.”

Q: Was it your idea to go out and cover Maalik at the start?
A: “I figured Coach Jones was going to put me on him anyway, so I was all for it. I've seen him a lot of times from summer leagues and all that.”

Q: How has your new role (from true point guard to scoring point guard) with Boston University made you a better player?
A: “It's made me more aggressive, and made me focus more on my shot.”

Q: With Juan'ya (Green, the 2011 Daily Times Player of the Year from Archbishop Carroll) playing so well at Niagara, have you reached out to him at all?
A: “When they played Missouri on ESPN3, that was the only game I got to watch. But I look at all of his box scores and I text him after most every game.”

Q: Was there an older player who taught you about that, keeping tabs on guys?
A: “Not really. I think I learned that from my mom (Jacqueline) and my dad (Desmond). Being in touch with people and staying humble was what they taught me.”

Q: You like what you see in Delco basketball this year? If you had to put together a team, who would you take?
A: Of course the Chester guys – Rondae (Jefferson) and Darius Robinson. He's up and coming. I was telling people that all summer that he's going to be great. I'd take Malcolm Richardson, from Penn Wood. I know him real well and he's great. And, of course, I'll go with my Carroll guys – Yosef (Yacob) and Isaiah (Warren). That's a pretty good team, don't you think?”

(Photos courtesy Boston University athletics)

Could it have been easier for Juan'ya Green? Sure, but what's the fun in that?

"We didn't come out with any momentum," Green said Friday night, when he and his Archbishop Carroll teammates needed a comeback to force overtime and get a 62-58 win against Philadelphia Electric Charter. "So we needed to find some momentum after halftime."

Along the way, Green became the eighth player in Carroll's program history to score 1,000 points in his career. The 6-3 All-Delco did so on a second-quarter 3-pointer from the left wing. During a timeout, it was announced to the Patriots' home fans that Green had eclipsed the mark.

"I'm proud to be a part of it," said Green, who finished the night with 21 points. "A lot of guys have been a part of this program and I'm proud to get to this point."

"He's working hard and it's showing on the court," said Carroll coach Paul Romanczuk, a great player at Carroll in his own right, but one who didn't reach 1,000. "(Green) will go down as one of the best in the program's history."

Green, through three games (all wins), is averaging 25.7 points per game. The Niagara University commit said it was nice to hear from his future coaches.

"The assistant coach was there (Phil Martelli, Jr.), and I got a text after the game from Coach (Joe) Mihalich, which was nice," Green said.

Read more about Green's accomplishment, the Patriots' win and all of Friday's boys basketball action in Saturday's Daily Times.

Archbishop Carroll coach Paul Romanczuk, who has sent three players from his 2008-09 state-championship team to Division I programs, talked Thursday about the most recent to make the leap: Juan'ya Green.

Thursday, Green - an all-state and All-Delco 6-4 combo guard - gave Niagara University a verbal commitment. He joins D.J. Irving (Boston University) and Ben Mingledough (Delaware) as members of the Patriots' PIAA Class AAA championship team to accept D-I scholarships.

Here's what Romanczuk had to say about Green.

On choosing Niagara:
"Obviously he got recruited by a bunch of different levels. There was A-10 interest, Big East interest. ...When all is said and done, this is the best fit for him. I feel he's in great hands with (head coach and La Salle alum Joe) Mihalich and (assistant coach Phil) Martelli. They're good people and they'll take care of him."

On playing point guard at the college level:
"I feel like point guard is his best position. He sees the floor better than most I've seen while around our program. He sets up defenses, knows the pace of the game, gets guys involved, all of that. I think he's well suited for point guard. He's big enough to play off the ball, but I think you get the most out of him at point guard. At the high school level, you don't get a 6-3 point guard often. He's a luxury for me to have. I can post him up if they put a smaller guy on him. They could probably get away with that a little at the college level. Juan'ya is a tough matchup."

On moving from the city to the 'burbs:
"I think it'll be a little bit of a culture shock. It'll get a little colder and there will be a little more snow than he's used to seeing. I think it always is for a freshman. He's probably 6 or 7 hours away by car. He's very close with his mother. I just know having a little taste of Philly helped him out. ...They always have Philly area kids up there."

On his interest from Villanova, which went from hot to cold:
"Villanova has gotten to the point where they are not just a top-25 program; they're a top-10, top-15 program. Coach (Jay) Wright has done a wonderful job in making it a national program that they can get a little picky and the way coach Wright put it to me was that they want to get it right with a Philly-area kid. They don't want a Philly-area kid not to play as a freshman or as a sophomore. It's tough on a Philly-area kid to go to Villanova and to have the spotlight on him and be a success early. (Wright) was a little apprehensive. They went in a different direction, but I think Juan'ya could have figured it out there."

On sending Carroll players to Division I programs:
"Back when I first started coaching, I had a Division III college coach who I knew very well and respected, and he said to me, 'What do all great coaches have in common?' I'm 23, 24 at the time and I feel like I know nothing. I also feel like I'm going to learn the lesson. And he says to me, 'All great coaches have great players,' and that pretty much sums it up. I've had some very good players in recent years. I think it's just a great thing for Carroll. It makes a coach's job that much easier to have that kind of talent to continue to come through our school and represent our program."

####

For more on Green's decision, check out Friday's edition of the Daily Times.

Before Thursday, only three people had known where Juan'ya Green planned on continuing his basketball career: his mother, Octavia Green; his AAU coach, Lonnie Lowry of Team Philly; and his coach at Archbishop Carroll, Paul Romanczuk.

Now, Green wants everyone to know - he's heading to Niagara University.

"As soon as I get off the phone with you," Green told the Daily Times Thursday afternoon, "I'm calling the coaches to let them know I'm committing."

An all-state, all-Catholic and All-Delco, Green chose Niagara ahead of higher-tiered programs that had extended offers. Boston University, Temple and George Mason were top candidates, and Saint Joseph's and Maryland were in the conversation, too.

Villanova, for a time during Green's freshman and sophomore years, had plenty of interest in Green. Wildcats coach Jay Wright was a staple at Carroll's games.

Playing time - and immediate playing time - carried plenty of weight for Green, a 6-4 combo who has been assured that he could be the Purple Eagles' starting point guard for the 2011-12 season.

Green averaged 16.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists for Carroll, which advanced to the PIAA Class AAA playoffs in the Catholic League's first seasons of PIAA eligibility. The Patriots won the state title in 2008-09 and made state quarterfinals last winter. Green improved his scoring averages during both state-playoff pushes.

A big-game player, Green said he doesn't expect any hitch playing under the not-so-bright lights of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. He said he likes how a city boy like himself will fit into Niagara's rural setting.

"I think I'll adjust real well," he said Thursday by telephone. "The players like me and I like the campus and the school. It'll be a great fit."

For more on Green's decision, check out Friday's edition of the Daily Times.

Basketball season is still three months away - at least. So I usually don't track down any of the coaches until late October/November for this reason: bothering them on vacation.

Archbishop Carroll's Paul Romanczuk is a good sport, though. He was out on the West Coast last week when I reached out to him. Nonetheless, Romanczuk gave me an update on his two recently graduated seniors:

D.J. Irving, a Boston University commit, was in Beantown for most of the summer taking classes during the summer session. He recently came back to the area to participate in an open-gym exercises with the 2010-11 Carroll Patriots.

"He looks good and, from what I hear, he's going to get a real shot to play a lot at Boston University," Romanczuk. "I've heard that from Brian (Daly, BU assistant coach and former Monsignor Bonner head coach) and I've heard it from Pat (Chambers, BU head coach and former Villanova assistant). D.J.'s got a really good shot. I think Matt Griffin, the St. Joe's Prep grad, is the only guy he's got to beat."

Ben Mingledough, who had a fantastic senior season that bolstered his recruiting stock, is going the prep-school route this fall. He still has his scholarship to the University of Delaware. But, according to Romanczuk, the Blue Hens were caught in a numbers game and they'd rather not burn up Mingledough's red-shirt option.

"He's going to the Phelps School and I think that's best for him," Romanczuk said. "He's going to get bigger and stronger and, rather than have a wasted year, he'll make the most of it."

It's getting tougher to argue with the sheer numbers … and Juan'ya Green is putting up big ones.

The junior guard/forward scored 21 points, had five rebounds and handed out four assists in Archbishop Carroll's 64-51 PIAA Class AAA second-round victory Tuesday over Danville.

Temple assistant coach Matt Langel was spotted outside Carroll's locker room after the game.

When asked what that meant to him, Green had this to say:
“It's exciting, but I can't give it too much thought right now. I guess it's the way I play that people like. And I think I'm getting better every day, in practice and in games. I'm just playing hard.”

It's worth noting two additional things, for those Temple fans out there: Green, who lives in Conshohocken, grew up in North Philly. The other is that Carroll coach Paul Romanczuk played for Temple coach Fran Dunphy while both were at Penn.

Green said he has offers from Temple, Saint Joseph's, Maryland, George Mason and Boston University. He has gotten interest, as well, from Georgetown, Marquette and Providence.

As for Ben Mingledough, the Patriots' 6-4 senior forward ... If I had to take a guess, I'd say he's headed to St. Peter's (N.J.) The Peacocks' assistant coach, John Morton, made the trek to CD East from their New Jersey campus to see Mingledough. Does that mean a commitment is imminent?

“I haven't made a decision," said Mingledough, who also has an offer from St. Francis (Pa.) "You could say I'm close.” How close? “I don't know," he added. "I can't tell you yet.”

Oh, the intrigue of college recruiting...

For those counting at home, that would bring Carroll's Division I count to three. Senior guard D.J. Irving is headed to Boston University. And, if we're talking total D-I kids from last year's state-title team, the Patriots have four: Kasheef Festus is a freshman at Coppin State.

NOTE: The fifth and final starter from that 08-09 title team - the only one yet to be mentioned in this long, long blog post - was in attendance at Tuesday night's game. Andre Wilburn, who plays at Delaware State, joined the team in the locker room during postgame.

So Archbishop Carroll, minus two of its best players, hung on for a 48-43 victory Wednesday over Simon Gratz. The win does a number of things for the Patriots:

*** It assured them of District 12's third and final slot in the upcoming Class AAA tournament.
*** It guarantees that they'll have a chance to defend their state title.
*** It grants extensions to the careers of seniors D.J. Irving and Ben Mingledough, who missed the play-in game for varying reasons. (See previous posts)

Without Irving and Mingledough, the Patriots had to go young. Just how raw was Carroll coach Paul Romanczuk's lineup?

A first-time starter, freshman Yosef Yacob needed to be coached on how to bump fists with the game's officials following introductions. At first, he broke the huddle and went back toward the Carroll bench.

"He went to shake my hand," Romanczuk said. "It was obvious he had never started before."

And junior guard/forward Juan'ya Green, a first-time captain, knew little of the goings-on in the pregame meeting at midcourt.

"There was a funny exchange at center court, with the captains and coaches there," Romanczuk continued. "(The officials) asked who the speaking captain was for us and Juan'ya was the only one out there who was going to play and D.J was the other one, so Juan'ya raised his hand and said, 'I'm No. 10.'

"The officials said, 'We still need to see your jersey.' So usually the captains pull up their (warmups) and show their jerseys. But Juan'ya didn't grasp that concept because that's the first time he's ever been out there for a captains' meeting."

Either way, the Patriots move on. And, according to their coach, "they matured" Wednesday.

Hey Delco hoops fans: Check out this game story I found while perusing the Web, about a high school boys basketball game in Romeo, Mich.

So get this: Romeo High beats Macomb Area High, 77-71, in overtime over the weekend. But the overtime finish, the game's high scorer, either team's record ... they all are of little consequence.

The game went to overtime when a Macomb Area player knocked down a 3-pointer before the buzzer sounded. He then promptly ran over to the Romeo bench and taunted players and coaches. The ref working the game whistled a technical foul, Romeo hit the free throws to go to the extra session and, there, Romeo won the game.

Stunning, right?

My apologies for not being as frequent a blog posted as I'd like to be ... but you have to admit that my first post in a couple days is a gem.

ON THE LOCAL FRONT
Tuesday is boys basketball notebook day in the Daily Times. Be sure to check it out for a feature story on Archbishop Carroll's Ben Mingledough, who has emerged as a scoring option for coach Paul Romanczuk and the Patriots. And there will be notebook items on teams from the Del Val and Central leagues. So pick up a copy!