By James Williams, Editor

The Imhotep Charter varsity basketball team extended their dominance in the Philadelphia Public League, securing yet another championship with a hard-fought 71-66 victory over Samuel Fels. This marks Imhotep’s tenth consecutive league title, continuing an impressive winning streak where they have outscored their opponents by an average of 27.3 points per game.

The PPL Championship proved to be one of Imhotep’s toughest challenges of the season. Despite their dominant stretch, they came within five points of losing their streak but ultimately held off a determined Samuel Fels squad. The two teams had previously met in January, with Imhotep claiming a commanding 78-29 victory.

Samuel Fels’ journey to the finals was particularly noteworthy, as they persevered despite the tragic loss of their leading scorer, Noah Scurry, who was killed earlier this season. Scurry had been averaging 15.0 points per game, and his absence was deeply felt, but the team’s resilience and determination were evident throughout their playoff run.

City Councilman Isaiah Thomas, a highly respected basketball coach in Philadelphia, attended both the Public League and Catholic League Championship games. He shared his thoughts on the event via Facebook:

“I had a chance to attend the Public League and Catholic League Basketball Championship games. Both games went down to the wire and were fire.
While there was of course lots of healthy competition, it’s important to realize that these players, programs, and schools represent the best of our city. The games were safe, and the atmosphere was amazing.
Thank you to all the fans, coaches, student-athletes, parents, athletic directors, administrators, and everyone who made today a huge success. District 12 won today as this is just the beginning of a great week of basketball.”

Quarter Scores:

Q1: Imhotep 16, Samuel Fels 13

Q2: Imhotep 18, Samuel Fels 14

Q3: Imhotep 18, Samuel Fels 16

Q4: Imhotep 19, Samuel Fels 15


Imhotep Charter’s championship victory also extended their remarkable home winning streak to 24 games, dating back to last season. Their current record now stands at 22-5, having dominated opponents by an average margin of 30 points per game over this stretch. Meanwhile, Samuel Fels saw their three-game road winning streak come to an end, finishing their season with a 20-8 record.

Leading the way for Imhotep was RJ Smith, who was named MVP for the second consecutive year. Smith delivered a stellar performance, finishing with 26 points to secure his team’s championship victory.

As part of its program legacy, Imhotep recently retired former 76ers player Justin Edwards’ No. 3 jersey.

With this latest triumph, Imhotep Charter continues to solidify its reputation as one of the premier high school basketball programs, setting the stage for another exciting chapter in their storied history.