At Temple, where I graduated from, underclassmen are taught this one, very simple expression: "Temple Owls are everywhere." And it's the truth - no matter where my career has taken me, I always seem to run into a Temple alum.

Well, Delaware County products are everywhere too. Here's a quick rundown of how some of them are doing on the college hardwood:

***Kevin Egee (Ridley): At Penn, has three starts in nine games; shooting 45 percent; averaging 9.7 ppg.
***Steve Egee (Ridley): At Columbia, has four starts in 11 games; averaging 13.7 minutes per game as a freshman
***Nasir Robinson (Chester): At undefeated Pittsburgh, has appeared in 11 of the Panthers' 12 games; averaging 10.5 minutes, 1.9 points and 1.8 rebounds.
***Noel Wilmore (Chester): At George Washington, averaging 9.3 points off the bench as the team's third-leading scorer.
***Kenny Tribbett (Chester): At Drexel, has started eight of nine games; averaging 2.6 points.
***Charlie Swiggett (Chester): At Wisconsin-Milwaukee, averaging 1.6 points in limited time off the bench.

***Numbers weren't available for Dan Robinson (Ridley/East Stroudsburg) or Kevin Green-Germany (Chester/Delaware Tech).
***Sitting out: As for Chester grads Karon Burton (La Salle) and Russell Johnson (Robert Morris), they are red-shirting in order to straighten out their academics and will play next season.

I know I left a few out. Let me know who, and I'll post a follow-up in the near future.

Ridley senior Dan Robinson announced Wednesday that he will continue his basketball career at East Stroudsburg.

The 6-7 forward was considering University of Sciences, Wheeling, Kutztown, Bloomsburg, Philadelphia U and New Hampshire.

Robinson noticed that more coaches were after his services during his PIAA Class AAAA tournament performance. In leading Ridley to its second-deepest state-tourney run, Robinson averaged 20 points per game.

"After the season, I definitely had more coaches coming to me," Robinson said. "I had it narrowed down by then and made my mind up this week."

Robinson's 20.5 ppg. ranked fourth in Delaware County this season. He finished as Ridley's eighth 1,000-point scorer. For more on Robinson's commitment, check out Thursday's Daily Times.

Penn Wood's players anticipated the fourth time being a charm against Chester. The Clippers saw the Patriots as another obstacle standing in their way of a state title.

What came to be Saturday at Villanova's Pavilion was an entertaining showcase of two teams vying for something pretty special.

In the end, Chester called upon its postseason savvy to end Penn Wood's remarkable run with a 68-60 win in the PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinals.

Karon Burton iced down his knee then lit up the scoreboard, netting 25 points in the win. Sports editor Rob Parent shed some light on Burton's return to the court after bruising his left knee and lower thigh during the game.

And despite their quarterfinal loss, Deputy Sports editor John Lohn foresees Penn Wood being the team to beat next season. It's very likely, considering they graduate only two players and return a bevy of underclass talent.

Said Penn Wood coach Clyde Jones: "Chester has all kinds of banners hanging up. It's time for a banner to hang somewhere else."

IN THE OTHER QUARTERFINAL

Penn Wood wasn't alone Saturday, as another Delaware County team's season came to an end. Ridley, trying to avenge its loss to Pennsbury in the District One quarterfinals, fell to the Falcons 45-40.

The Green Raiders were able to contain Pennsbury standout Dalton Pepper but could not come through with a timely basket toward the end. The Raiders graduate six seniors, including 1,000-point scorers Dan Robinson and Steve Egee.

Said Egee of his athletic career at Ridley coming to an end: "But now I'll never put on a Ridley uniform again. I'm just thankful for the memories and the good times that I had with these guys."

Chester is headed back to the state semifinals.

The Clippers ended Penn Wood's season with a 68-60 win at Villanova's Pavilion Saturday. The second-best season in Penn Wood history ends at 23-9. In the process, the Clippers move on to Wednesday's semifinal at Penn's Palestra.

Chester got 25 points from Karon Burton, who played on despite a bad knee. Tyree Johnson netted 18 for the Patriots.

Who will join Chester at the Palestra? Pennsbury, which ended the season for Ridley with a 45-40 win, will take on the Clippers. Ridley's 1,000-point scoring duo of Steve Egee and Dan Robinson went out on high notes, scoring all but six of the Raiders' points. Egee notched 13 and Robinson netted 21.

Delaware County has three boys basketball teams still playing. And all three advanced with wins Saturday in the opening round of the PIAA Class AAAA playoffs.

Ridley 76, Frankford 37: Led by Dan Robinson (pictured) and his 25-point effort, Ridley dispatched Frankford.
Penn Wood 55, Elizabethtown 46: Duane Johnson's 23-point, 12-rebound outing paced Penn Wood.
Chester 67, Williamsport 59: Karon Burton scored 10 of his game-best 26 points in the fourth quarter of Chester's win.

That means all three play in Round 2. Times and sites have yet to be determined, but we do know who each of them will play. Here's what we're looking at for Wednesday night:
---Chester vs. Harrisburg
---Penn Wood vs. Pocono Mountain West
---Ridley vs. Central Dauphin East

Sunday's Daily Times has full coverage of every game with a complete schedule of the entire Class AAAA bracket.

The Central and Del Val leagues announced their all-league honors Wednesday. Here's the rundown of the first-team nominees for each league:

IN THE CENTRAL LEAGUE...
Co-champions Lower Merion and Ridley were rewarded with two representatives each on the first team. For the Aces, Greg Robbins and Carl Johnson were honored, as were Steve Egee and Dan Robinson (named the league's most valuable player) for the Green Raiders.

Rounding out the Central League's First Team are Soutiri Sapnas of Marple Newtown and Jake Cohen of Conestoga.

IN THE DEL VAL LEAGUE...
PIAA Class AAAA tournament qualifiers Chester and Penn Wood each garnered two first-team nominations. The Clippers' Nasir Robinson and Karon Burton (pictured) got the nod, as did Duane Johnson and Tyree Johnson for the Patriots.

Also earning top honors in the league were Glen Mills' Aaric Murray and Academy Park's Anthony King.

Ushering in the playoffs is like celebrating two birthdays in the same year. It's that much fun. I'm sure there are plenty of over-prepared coaches, nervous parents and anxious players who'd contest that statement.

The District One Class AAAA playoffs begin tonight, with nine Delaware County teams trying to keep their seasons alive. For a full schedule of the games, check out the print edition of the Daily Times. I'll be at the Lower Merion/Academy Park game, so pick up Saturday's paper for more on that.

In terms of playoff previews, I wrote one for each of tonight's games in addition to a feature on Ridley senior Dan Robinson, who carries the offensive load for the Green Raiders. There's also a story recapping readers on the District One Class AAA playoff field, which was announced Thursday.

Enjoy tonight's games. It's the time of year for good basketball.

Ridley's Dan Robinson scored the 1,000th point of his career this season, but the record slipped past Ridley team officials and this reporter. (I'm in my first year on the beat, so I'm sure it's just one of those things that got away from me.)

Robinson needed 372 points this year to notch 1,000 for his career. He scored 14 in a 53-43 win over Conestoga on Jan. 18, which put him over the top. For his career, Robinson has 1,112 ... and counting. Robinson's Green Raiders picked up the No. 6 seed in the District One Class AAAA tournament, which begins next weekend.

IN OTHER NEWS: The Daily Times has learned that Chester's Russell Johnson has missed the Clippers' last four games with an ankle sprain suffered in a pick-up basketball game. The status of the senior had not been previously known. He could be ready for the top-ranked Clippers' meeting with 32nd-seeded Methacton Friday in the Class AAAA district tournament.

Delaware County's third-leading scorer took a breather Wednesday night. Ridley's Dan Robinson missed the Green Raiders' 62-42 Central League win over Springfield.

The cause? Robinson is suffering from broken skin under his right arm, something his coach says will not keep the 6-foot-7 senior forward out of the lineup for long. In fact, Ridley coach Keith Heinerichs said he expects Robinson to play in Friday's game at Strath Haven.

"It's a day-by-day thing is what I'm told," Heinerichs said by phone Wednesday. "I'm going to pull a Bill Belichick thing here and just say 'I don't know' because I don't. We hope it's nothing serious and we don't think it is."

Robinson averages nearly 20 points per game for the Green Raiders (17-3, 12-2). Shamar Harris and Steve Egee picked up the scoring load in Robinson's absence Wednesday, scoring 25 and 15 points respectively.