Those hoping to see who the new Allentown Central Catholic boys basketball coach was going to be in this weekend’s A-Town Throwdown are going to be left disappointed.
Despite reports that a decision was made this week, athletic director Colleen Nosovitch said Friday that the new coach wouldn’t be announced until next week.
“Allentown Central Catholic has not yet officially announced its new head boys basketball coach but hopes to do so within the next few days,” Nosovitch said in a prepared statement. Nick Filchner, a member of the school’s Class of 2020 and one of the program’s all-time standout players, will coach the Vikings this weekend at Awesome!Fest.”
Nosovitch is not involved in the hiring process because her husband, former Parkland standout and longtime Trojans assistant Austin Beidelman, is a candidate for the position.
Filchner coached on the staff headed by Dennis Csensits last year. He was assisted Saturday by Cael Hines, another former Vikings player who was also on the staff last season.
ACCHS lost its first of three games Saturday, falling to Panther Valley 44-40.
“These guys have had a tough summer and can’t really work out much as they try to get a new head coach,” the 21-year-old Hines said. “Our guys played really well and together against Panther Valley and lost a close one. It’s going to happen, but I like the way we played.”
Former ACCHS boys basketball standout Nick Filchner stands on the sideline at Allentown’s Cedar Beach Saturday morning as the Vikings played Bensalem in the A-Town Throwdown. Filchner and Cael Hines ran the team during three games on Saturday as the wait for the school’s new head coach continues. (Keith Groller)
Hines is a member of the Eddinger family, which has long been associated with ACCHS athletics, and Vikings tradition is in his DNA.
“I love being around these guys; these were my guys last year,” Hines said. “Being so young, I think I can relate to these kids the most and I just want to be a leader for them. We just want to play as much as possible and get the guys together.”
Csensits resigned last month after 14 seasons. He had a record of 284-102 and won nine District 11 championships, including the last four in a row, two league titles and the 2021 Class 4A state crown.
Csensits has reportedly taken a job on the coaching staff at the University of New Hampshire.
“Coach Csensits taught me a lot,” Hines said. “He taught me how to lead well as a player and a coach. When I was younger, I played AAU for Coach Csensits so I have known him a long while. I owe a lot to him and I can’t wait to see what he does next.”
The Vikings were scheduled to play Bensalem and Red Lion later in the day.
Notre Dame-Green Pond boys basketball coach Pat Boyle, this season’s coach of the year, poses on Monday, April 6, 2026, at Notre Dame-Green Pond in Bethlehem. (Jane Therese/Special to The Morning Call)
Battle of the Boyle brothers
One of the unique things about summer basketball tournaments like the A-Town Throwdown is that matchups occur that never happen in the winter.
One of those matchups was the much-anticipated “Battle of the Boyles” Friday night when Notre Dame-Green Pond coach Pat Boyle went against his older brother, Neale, who once again served as the interim coach for Malvern Prep during the Throwdown.
As expected, Malvern Prep won the game, 52-44, but the Crusaders kept it competitive the entire way.
Justin Manning, The Morning Call’s co-player of the year last winter, led all scorers with 21 points and showed why he is headed for a special senior season.
Logan Chwastyk, a 6-foot-11 five-star recruit who is considered one of the top national prospects in the Class of 2028, scored 14 points and Nick Harken added 16 for the defending tournament champions, who look like they could win their third Throwdown title in four years.
But Notre Dame made Pat Boyle proud.
“We played really well and we got a lot of good shots early that we didn’t make,” the Crusaders coach said. “You fall behind a really good team and it’s an uphill battle.”
Margins of victory and defeat matter in determining who advances from each pool to Sunday’s Sweet 16 and Notre Dame still has a chance to get out of its pool thanks to keeping it close.
“With the point differential, we’re only at a minus-8 in our pool and we play Easton and Phillipsburg, two good teams and two good matchups,” Boyle said. “We like playing P’burg because Justin Manning is from there and knows a lot of their kids. Drew Boyd is from Easton and that’s neat for him, too.”
While it’s brother against brother, the brotherly love goes out the window when the competition begins.
“It was cool to coach against him, but a little stressful at the same time,” Boyle said. “He’s complaining about the refs and I’m complaining about the same calls. I said to Neale, ‘When you come to our Notre Dame games in the winter, you’re going to yell, saying that’s a foul. Now, you’re coaching against us and it’s not a foul.’ But it’s still a lot of fun to do this. We played them once before in the winter when Neale was the assistant, but this was the first time we were head coaches against each other. This was the right time to do it.”
Manning was impressive, either getting to the basket against the taller Malvern Prep players or popping outside for 3s.
“He played really well and really adjusted well because the kid guarding him is a four-year starter,” Boyle said.
“Their big guy is leaving for the rest of the weekend, and I told our guys to see if we can advance to Sunday,” Boyle said. “If we do, we feel we can play with just about anybody. So, let’s get there and take our chances.”
Allen’s coach Darnell Braswell talks to his team during a timeout during Saturday’s Canaries game at Dieruff on Saturday. Braswell will be facing an old friend in the team’s upcoming hoilday tournament at Sewards Gym. (Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call)
Allen’s town
If there were a host team among the 60 in the varsity boys bracket this weekend, it would undoubtedly be Allen.
The Canaries always attract a crowd at their games, which are being played just a stone’s throw from Sewards Gym, and when they are playing well, the buzz builds.
Allen has played well this weekend, winning three games in a row. The Canaries beat Cedar Crest 52-49 Friday night, getting 21 from 6-foot-2 wing Jaylen Walker, the only returning player among the top six scorers from last year’s 16-8 team.
“The boys are playing hard and they’re buying into what we’re trying to preach,” coach Darnell Braswell said. “We’re inexperienced after graduating seven seniors and some top talent. But these guys are working and doing everything we’re asking of them.”
Allen was scheduled to play Sankofa on Saturday night, and a win would clinch a spot in Sunday’s Sweet 16.
“The goal is to get to Sunday, which would be our summer finale,” Braswell said. “This is a good group and they’re excited. They’re trying to create a name for themselves and get an opportunity and take advantage of it.”
Braswell said he always looks forward to the Throwdown.
“I love it,” he said. “I love Randy and Toomey and love being a part of it. Everybody comes here to band as one to put on a great summer finale for high school basketball. Coaches look forward to it. Players look forward to it. Families look forward to it. And they run it right. It’s great to see so many friends. One of my players said ‘Coach, you know everybody.’ I’m trying to be a living example for these guys and show them all different types of walks of life, all kinds of people, and that’s what this event does. It brings everybody together.”
While this weekend marks the end of Allen’s basketball summer, it is not the final event for the program.
Friends of Allen basketball are trying to get more people out for the John Donmoyer Memorial Golf Scramble on Aug. 8 at the Shepherd Hills Golf Club. The tournament is held in honor of the legendary Allen and Moravian Academy coach who compiled the most wins in District 11 boys basketball history — 624.
The outing costs $110 for greens fees, cart and post-golf meal. Friends of Allen basketball is also accepting prize donations and sponsorships. For more information, contact Mike Kaminski at mrkaminski24@gmail.com or 610-762-0064.
Camden out
It was 2022 when a star-studded and nationally-ranked Camden team played Parkland and Nick Coval in the A-Town Throwdown, drawing one of the largest crowds Cedar Beach has ever seen for a summer tournament game.
Camden was supposed to be in this year’s A-Town Throwdown, but the New Jersey powerhouse pulled out.
Tournament co-director Randy Atiyeh understood the decision.
A-Town Throwdown co-directors Toomey Anderson and Randy Atiyeh pose by a giant video board alongside Court 1 at Cedar Beach as the boys basketball tournament attracted a large crowd on Thursday night. The tourney continues through Sunday. (Keith Groller)
“We talked to Camden [Thursday] night and this morning,” Atiyeh said. “They were banged up and also didn’t think they could play out the whole weekend so we all agreed together it was best for them to just stay home. They were in the same pool with Parkland and Executive and we had enough teams to be able to fill any open spots. In fact, the teams Parkland and Executive are playing are probably even stronger than whoever Camden would bring.”
Atiyeh and co-director Toomey Anderson have said that if anyone thinks a team dropping out is going to define the quality of the A-Town Throwdown, they have no clue.
“Camden has always been great to us and their coach Jason Harrigan is a great friend,” Atiyeh said. “We’re always grateful for them.”
Friday’s scores
Boys Varsity
Exeter 50, William Tennent 29 … Martinez 14
Hamburg 46, Innovative 28 … Arroyo 23
Parkland 52, East Stroudsburg 37 … Marcus Temchatin leading scorer
West York 42, Liberty 28 … Cristofoletti 19
Abington 45, Stroudsburg 31 … Xander Grasty 17
Catasauqua 38, Hamburg 29 … Aalani Nix 17
Dobbins 49, East Stroudsburg North 47 (OT) … Ross 17
Muhlenberg Twp 69, Timber Creek 22 … Hemings 13
Cedar Crest 52, Southern Lehigh 50
Lower Merion 52, Nazareth 40 … Parrish 20
Emmaus 45, Bartram 25 … Noeah Newsome 12
Wilson West Lawn 35, Becahi 22 … Whitehurst 10
Whitehall 44, William Tennent 28 … Rozycki 11
Abington 54, Executive 52 (OT) … Xander Grasty 18
Dobbins 47, Lehigh Valley Academy 37 … Camps 17
Odessa (Del.) 38, Gov. Mifflin 35 … Watson 17
Samuel Fels 57, West York 53 … B. Guy 14
Malvern Prep 50, Easton 29 … Harken 13
Catasauqua 46, Innovative Arts 43 … Aalani Nix 19
Allen 52, Cedar Crest 49 … Walker 21
Muhlenberg Twp 50, Lower Merion 35 … Hemmings 15
Chambersburg 45, Whitehall 31 … Nitterhouse 13
Harrisburg 37, Liberty 35 (2OT) … Smith 20
Timber Creek (NJ) 52. Nazareth 50 … Roome 20
Southern Lehigh 48, Sankofa 42 … Capuano 14
Malvern Prep 52, Notre Dame-Green Pond 44 … Nick Harken 16
Parkland 43, Samuel Fels 35 … Blake Nassry 14
Wilson West Lawn 38, Northwestern Lehigh 32
Boys JV/Riser
Parkland 22, Reading 20 … Charlie 7
Allen 40, Emmaus 37
Allentown CCHS 32, Northampton 20
Liberty 31, Dieruff 27 … Farrell 12
Executive 29, Parkland 22 … Anthony 9
Girls Varsity
Allen 26, Lincoln 25 … Rosario 10
Catasauqua 23, Hamburg 19 … Bella Justo 8
Reading 36, Allentown CCHS 35 (2OT) …Velez 15
Tamaqua 42, Northampton 39 … Black/Vidzicki 13
Saucon Valley 23, Dieruff 18
Whitehall 23, Notre Dame 20
Allen 49, Hamburg 25 … Rosario 15
Early Saturday scores
Boys Varsity
Panther Valley 44, ACCHS 40 … Hall 13
Catasauqua 52, Lincoln 46 … Nix 23
Northampton 56, Geneva 40 … Raysely 16
Dobbins 42, Northwestern Lehigh 41 (OT) … Roberts-Moore 15
North Hunterdon (NJ) 52, Octorara 50 … Luciano 21
Harrisburg 49, West York 46 … Lewis 19
Boys JV
Reading 30, Liberty 27 … Fleming 9
Freedom 37, Dieruff 16 … Lewis 12
Girls Varsity
Tamaqua 26, Dieruff 13 … Helfrich 11
Bensalem 30, Notre Dame-Green Pond 15 … Susan 15
Sunday’s schedule
Boys Varsity
Sweet 16 games (8) at 10:30, 11:30 a.m.
Quarterfinal games (4) at 1:30 p.m.
Semifinal games (2) at 3:30 p.m.
Championship game at 6:30 p.m
Girls Varsity
Championship game at 5:30 p.m.
Boys JV
Championship game at 4:30 p.m.