Varsity Boys Basketball Team Dominates

With an impressive final overall record, a captain who reached the 1,000-point milestone, and a win against a Friends Schools League (FSL) powerhouse, the Friends Select varsity boys basketball team had a storybook 2022–23 season.

For the first time in several years, the varsity team landed in the FSL semifinals. Additionally, the Falcons earned the number eight seed in the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISAA) state tournament—the highest seed ever for the team in the state playoff bracket, which only features the top 16 teams.     

Percell Coles has been coaching Friends Select’s varsity team since 2018. As a former Division I NCAA and international basketball athlete, he has been integral to the growth of Friends Select’s program, as well as the individual development of each player. He sees the supportive relationships between teammates as a primary factor in the success of the team as a whole. “Each athlete is willing to put his buddies in a position to perform at a high level,” Percell explained. “I love how close they are with one another. Seeing them interact with each other is such a blessing to me. They know each other so well.” 

Percell added that the team has benefited from having Ben Holl ’22 as an assistant coach. As a Falcon on the varsity boys basketball team, Ben scored over 1,000 points in a single season. He was inducted into Friends Select’s Athletic Hall of Fame earlier this year. “Ben is very attentive and passionate about the game,” Percell said. “It’s good to have someone alongside me who loves the game the same way I do.”  
   
Percell also identified the dedication of each teammate to their peers in their willingness to commit to extra work and training in the off-season. For many, this typically includes playing in the highly competitive Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) league, supplemental workouts and training programs, and even participation in other Friends Select sports—like cross country—to build endurance. “We also played in live period events against some top competition in the summer. During that time, players got better and more prepared for the season,” Percell said.     

With all of the highlights the team celebrated together last season, one reigns supreme: the Falcons conference win last January against Westtown School, the recurring FSL and former state champions. In a nail-biting finish, the Falcons defeated their longtime rivals, 47 to 45. “It was such an awesome win on our home floor, and we showed how far we have come as a program,” recalled Christian Kirkland ’23, last season’s varsity captain.

Christian now attends Youngstown University, where he contributes his talents at the Division I level. As a Falcon, he averaged 15 points and 13 rebounds per game his senior year, reached the 1,000-point milestone, and earned first-team All-Friends Schools League honors last season. “What made our Friends Select team so special was the way we always competed with a chip on our shoulders regardless of whether we were winning or losing,” he said. “We changed the way other programs viewed us in the Friends League and also in the city of Philadelphia.”     

The excitement of the Falcons last season sparked a sense of school pride for the Friends Select community, and fans are looking forward to the upcoming season. Support for its athletes and athletic programming is certainly reflective of the school’s mission to prepare students for “the whole of life.” Athletic director Bill Klose P’21, ’25 said, “At Friends Select, we are committed to the development of each student’s intellect and character. It benefits not just our athletes but all of our students and families that the school is invested in our athletic program.”