Chester High School Basketball Team Photo

Sitting (Left to Right):  Suni Blackwell (Asst Coach), Derick Spence (Associate Head Coach), Erikk Wright, Richard Granberry,      Kareem Robinson, Rondae Jefferson, Darius Robinson, Larry Yarbray Sr. (Head Coach), James Dennis (Asst Coach)

Standing (Left to Right): John Carter (Asst Coach), Thaddeus Pierce (Mgr), LaFenus Pickett (Mgr), Dennis Willis, Shanier Cottman, Mike Williams, Tymier Butler, Zimir Geiger, Tavaune Griffin, Khalil Williams, Diamonte Reason, Rashan DeJarnette, Darrell Nicholson, Keddy Harris (Asst Coach) Fred Pickett (Adviser) Randy Legette (Athletic Director), Terry Thomas (Asst Coach)

YEAR  SUMMARY

The 2011-2012 season was clearly defined as “Something Special” from the very first practice back on December 5, 2011. As Coach Yarbray gathered the team at center court with seven returning players from last season’s State Championship team, he announced that this team had an opportunity to do “Something Special” – that being winning Back-2-Back State Championships. He further stated it had to begin today and they’d have to work hard every day and take one day and one game at a time. 

1-2-3  -  Chester  -  4-5-6 - Family

Riding a twenty-six game win streak, the season began with impressive wins over Coatesville, Constitution (2012 Class A Champs) and J.P. McCaskey. On Saturday, December 17^th at the Coaches vs. Cancer event at Cheltenham H.S., the Clippers attained the 1^st of many 1^st this season by defeating defending Class A Champions Math, Civics Science and claiming the 1^st 30 game win streak in Chester High School history. The team closed out the calendar year undefeated with a victories over Imhotep (2012 Class AA Champs) and Hodgson Vo-Tech (DE State Finalist) at the 8^th Annual Pete Nelson Classic. The team opened the New Year with a victory over New York power Christ the King before heading south for a thrilling overtime win against Landstown, Virginia. After a couple Del Val league contest, the team was off to Erie for the Martin Luther King Jr. Basketball Showcase where they earned a hard fought 46-43 win over New York’s Aquinas Institute. Two overtime wins coupled with a close call against Aquinas re-enforced Coach Yarbray’s theme of “One Day and One Game at a time”. The team focused in on their next opponent and the results was a 26 point win over league rival Penn Wood which earned the Clippers another 1^st – a 40-game win streak. After three more league victories, the team had earned Coach Yarbray the 88^th win of his young career moving him into 7^th place on Chester Coaches Win List. After sailing through the remainder of the league schedule the team would give Coach Yarbray his 1^st Back-to-Back Del Val League Championship. The team was now off to the PrimeTime Shootout with a chance to finish the regular season undefeated. Senior Erikk Wright saved his best for last, guiding the team to the 78-62 win over Neptune (NJ) with a career high 26 points and becoming the 27^th member of Chester’s elite 1000 point club. With the win, this version of the Chester Clippers became just the 4^th team in school history to finish the regular season undefeated. It was now time for the District-1 Tournament. 

With a strong defensive presence Chester sailed through their first four District-1 opponents limiting them to 35.3 points per game and posting a winning margin of 32.7 points per game. Coach Yarbray moved into 6^th place with Win #95 in the 2^nd round against Methacton (59-31). Lower Merion tried to make a game of it in the Championship but behind junior Rondae Jefferson’s school record 21 rebounds, the Clippers were not to be denied. In the end the Clippers would earn their 21^st District crown and Coach Yarbray would walk away with his 1st set of Back-to-Back District Championships. 

Enroute to the State Championship, March 14^th proved to be a record setting day. With the victory over Norristown, the Clippers pushed their winning streak to a Delaware County Record of 55 games and awarded Coach Yarbray his 100^th victory at the helm. In the Quarter-finals, Chester easily disposed of Coatesville 87-46 after setting a School Record with 57 rebounds. The depth and defense that marked this year’s team was on display in the Championship game as they limited Lower Merion to a mere 33 points capturing the school’s 1^st Back-to-Back and Record Setting 8^th State Championship. The team ended the season with a fifty-eight (58) game winning streak and the 1^st Perfect Season (32-0) in the school’s storied history.