Defending champion Abington Friends won the Friends Schools League boys' basketball championship for the fourth time in the past six years and for the 14th time overall with a 37-28 victory over Friends' Central in a rematch of last year's title contest. The Kangaroos needed patience and an aggressive defense to overcome the Phoenix slow-down tactics. Friends' Central held the ball for he first three minutes of the game and the first points weren't scored until 3:41 remained in the period. The Phoenix held a 4-1 advantage after the first period. Senior Dan Lepone's two three-pointers in the second quarter pulled the 'roos to within 9-7 at the half. Abington picked up the defensive pressure in the second half, forcing six Phoenix turnovers in the third quarter which led to a 14-9 advantage for the winners. Abington continued to pull away with a 16-10 final period advantage. Lepone led all scorers with 16. Junior Aron Cohen added 9 for the 'roos, while senior Channon Easley had 8 for the Phoenix who also had three players with 6 points each.

Abington reached the championship game with a 62-43 semifinal win over Moorestown at home on Tuesday, February 17th. Cohen, with 14 points, led the way for the winners who found themselves trailing by one at the half, 25-24, before storming to a 38-18 second-half advantage. Lepone added 11 points as did sophomore Andrew Jones. Juniors Matt Spuler with 18 and Ryan McWilliams with 12 led the Foxes.

In the other semifinal contest on the 17th Friends' Central stretched a 24-14 half-time advantage to a 54-39 win over George School. Freshman Max Huc led the way for the Phoenix with 13 points, while Easley and junior Kyree Brown each scored 12. Junior Mike Bernardini led the Cougars with 19 points.

Moorestown's season continues with a South Jersey Parochial 'B' playoff game against Cardinal McCarrick on Friday, March 5th.

Defending champion Abington Friends finished first with a perfect 7-0 regular season mark. They will host Moorestown Friends in one semifinal game on Tuesday, February 17th. George School will host Friends' Central in the other semifinal on the same day. The winners will play for the championship on Saturday, February 21st at Arcadia University. Results of games from the second half of the season are as follows.

The three games scheduled for Tuesday, January 27th were snowed out and made up at later dates. On Wednesday, January 28th George School hosted ANC and won 50-42. Senior Jamey Stevens and junior Mike Bernardini each had 11 for the Cougars. Senior Ben Mansbach netted 14 for the Lions, while freshman Khalif Foster added 12.

On Friday, January 30th host Friends' Central topped Moorestown 51-41. Seniors Channon Easley and Chris McCann each had 12 for the winners, while junior Matt Spuler led the Foxes with 11. Also on the 30th Abington traveled to Friends Select and took home a 68-44 win. The 'roos had four double-figure scorers, led by junior Alan Borovich with 17. Sophomore Jason Love had 15, senior Dan Lepone 14, and junior Matt Nunn 11 for the winners. Junior John Noonan had 12 and senior Muhammad Carr 11 for the Falcons.

On Tuesday, February, 3rd host George School topped Friends' Central 56-52. Bernardini and senior Dan Titus each had 14, while senior Dan Militello chipped in with 10 for the Cougars. Easley led the Phoenix with 16 while sophomore Justin Plummer added 10. On Wednesday, February 4th the Phoenix traveled to Westtown in the first make up game. The visitors were victorious 60-46. Easley topped all scorers with 23, while junior Kyree Brown added 17. Senior Jason Rosario (14) and sophomore Tate Warner (11) led the hosts. On Thursday, February 5th George visited Friends Select and came home with their first league defeat, a 41-30 decision. Carr and Noonan each had 11 points to lead the Falcons, while Bernardini paced the Cougars with 13.

On Friday, February 6th host ANC beat Westtown 81-62. Foster led the way for the Lions with 25 points (10-13 from the foul line). Mansbach and sophomore Ethan Daum each chipped in with 17. Rosario and Warner had 19 and 17 respectively for visitors. Also on the 6th, Abington visited Moorestown and returned home with a 64-52 win. Sophomores Love and Andrew Jones led the 'roos with 13 each, while Borovich added 12. Spuler paced the hosts with 15, while senior Jeff Murza added 11. The final game on the 6th saw host Friends' Central top Germantown 60-37. McCann and Plummer led a balanced attack for the hosts with 11 and 10 points respectively. Junior Dean Bumbacca paced the Tigers with 11. 

The second of the make up games was held at Moorestown on Saturday, February 7th. The hosts beat Friends Select 75-55. Junior Ryan McWilliams led a balanced attack for the Foxes with 22 points (4 threes). Classmate Travis Brinster added 18, Spuler 15 and senior Jordan Sauer had 10 for the winners. Noonan led the Falcons with 23 (4 threes), while Carr had 18. 

On Tuesday, February, 10th host Abington beat Westtown 75-43. Borovich led the way for the winners with 17. Nunn added 13 and junior Aron Cohen chipped in with 12. Warner had 13 and Rosario 11 for Westtown. Also on the 10th host Moorestown made it into the playoffs with a 65-62 overtime win against ANC. Spuler paced the winners with 27 and hit two clutch free throws with 4 seconds left in OT to clinch the win. Brinster added 17 and Murza 12. Foster had a league-high 34 points to lead the Lions, while Daum helped out with 15. The final game on the 10th saw visiting Friends Select hold off haard-charging Germantown 58-54. Carr (27) and Noonan (20) combined for 81% of the Falcons' points. Junior Jordan Tucker led the Tigers with 20 points.

The final make up game took place on Friday, February 13th, with host Abington topping George School 63-48 to clinch first place in the regular season. The 'roos used a 35-22 second half advantage to pull away from the Cougars. Lepone led all scorers with 19, while Jones helped out with 13 for the winners. Senior Gene McDermott led the visitors with 13, while Bernardini added 10.

         Defending champion Abington Friends and last year's regular season second place finisher, George School have each opened the 2003-04 league season at 3-0 with a showdown scheduled for Tuesday, January 27th.  Trailing the leaders by one game at 2-1 are Friends' Central and Moorestown Friends.  A rundown of season results to date follows.

         On Friday, January 9th all eight teams opened their league seasons in the first-ever tipoff classic at Haverford College.  Abington opened the quadruple header with a 77-36 win over Academy of the New Church.  Sophomore Jason Love led four Kangaroo scorers in double figures with 15 points.  Freshman Doug Davis added 14, sophomore Andrew Jones 13 and junior Alan Borovich 12 for the winners.  Freshman Khalief Foster matched Love for game-high honors with 15 for the Lions.  In the second game George School pulled from a two-point halftime lead to top Germantown Friends 54-37.  Junior Mike Bernardini led all scorers for the night with 28 points for the Cougars while junior Jordan Tucker paced the Tigers with 17 points.  The third game saw Friends' Central top Friends Select 59-50.  The Phoenix were paced by senior Channon Easley with 20 points.  Freshman Evan Tozer added 14, while sophomore Justin Plummer chipped in with 12.  In the nightcap Moorestown topped Westtown 58-41.  The Foxes were led by junior Matt Spuler with 24 points, while classmate Ryan McWilliams added 12 and freshman Santos Gonzalez had 10. Sophomore Tate Warner paced Westtown with 10.

         On Tuesday, January 13th Germantown visited ANC and came home with their first win of the season, a 52-48 overtime thriller.  Senior Andy Soprano converted three of four free throws in the extra period to clinch the victory for the Tigers.  Tucker again led the Tigers with 17, while Foster and sophomore Ethan Daum (5-threes) each had 16 for the Lions. 

         On Friday, January 16th all eight teams were in action again.  Abington hosted Friends' Central in a rematch of last year's championship game.  This time the 'roos used a 41-19 advantage in the middle two periods to easily top the Phoenix 73-42.  Junior Aron Cohen led the winners with 23 points, while classmate Matt Nunn added 13 and Jones contributed 11.  The Phoenix were paced by senior Chris McCann with 15.  Also on the 16th host Moorestown topped Germantown 57-35.  McWilliams and junior Travis Brinster each had 15 for the winners, while Spuler added 14.  Junior Matt Stitt led the Tigers with 13 points.  The third game on the 16th saw host ANC take a double OT 66-65 win over Friends Select.  The Lions came back from an eight point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter to force the extra periods.  Foster with 32 points, including 11 for 14 from the foul line led the winners.  Junior David Gladish added 14 to the cause.  Junior John Noonan led the Falcons with 27 points, while senior Nick Evancich had 19.  The final contest on the 16th saw George School edge host Westtown 43-41 after trailing by 3 at the end of three quarters.  Senior Dan Titus led the Cougars with 19 points while Warner paced 'town with 15.

         Tuesday, January 20th saw Westtown pull out a 52-46 win at Germantown in a game which was close throughout.  6'9" senior Michael Shema led the winners with 18 points, while classmate Brina Scott added 10.  Juniors Bashir Phillip and Brandon Wilson led the Tigers with 16 and 10 points respectively.

         On Friday, January 23rd the third full round of play was completed.  Host Friends Select came back from a 44-26 halftime deficit to squeeze past Westtown 67-64.  A balanced attack for the Falcons had Noonan, Evancich, and senior Brandon Lunsford each with 15 points, while senior Muhammad Carr contributed 14.  Warner led Westtown with 19, while senior Jason Rosario had 14 and Shema 12.  Host George School also overcame a halftime deficit (20-17) to beat Moorestown 57-50.  Bernardini led the scoring for the hosts with 19 points, senior Jamey Stevens added 17 and Titus had 12.  Spuler led the Foxes with 18, while McWilliams had 12.  Friends' Central pulled away from a nine-point halftime lead over visiting ANC to win going away 70-45.  The winners' balanced attack was led by Plummer with 14, while McCann and Easley each had 12 and Tozer added 10.  Junior Johan Steiner led the way for the Lions with 14 and Foster added 10.  The final contest on the 23rd saw Abington jump out to a 20-2 first quarter advantage on the way to an easy 82-42 win at Germantown.  Nunn had 20, Love had 15 and senior Dan Lepone had 14 for the 'roos.  Tucker led the Tigers with 19 and Phillip chipped in 13.

            On January 17th Westtown won the JV tournament for the first time ever with a 32-27 overtime win over Abington.