“We can be anyone we want”: Meet the team making a new name for Kensington high school basketball

The Kensington Tigers play “trench.” 

Scrappy, some trash talking, putting their all on the line. That’s how starting point guard Rob Smith describes their style.  

“We want to make sure we don't go out like some punks,” Smith said.

And this season, they didn’t. The Tigers went undefeated for six weeks from the jump — winning 13 games in a row. It’s the best the team has performed in a regular season since at least 2005, according to a database that tracks Philadelphia high school team stats, marked by wins against tough opponents like Olney Charter High School — which went on to win the division — Thomas A. Edison High School, and East High School of West Chester Area School District. They built a new reputation for Kensington basketball and, in the meantime, boosted school morale. 

The Tigers are made up of four Kensington public high schools — Kensington High School, Kensington Creative and Performing Arts High School, Kensington Health and Sciences Academy (or KHSA), and the U School. Most of the players live within walking distance from KHSA.  

Heading into the season, they might’ve been a recipe for low expectations. Some players had been overlooked by other high schools, about half of the starting lineup is considered undersized for the sport, and they represent Kensington, a neighborhood that comes with a reputation. But that served as motivation, and they turned low expectations into fuel. 

“We looked at ourselves as the underdogs,” said co-captain Alejandro Paulino. “Nobody ever heard of Kensington for basketball. We came in here to change that ... We came in with the mindset that we can be anyone we want. We just gotta put the work in.” 

They expect the best from each other. When one player is down, another is by their side helping them shake it off. At their best, they move well for each other. They spread the ball around. They strive to create a well-rounded system. 

“It’s not one person above the team,” said Ryan Smith, father of twins Rob and Reid Smith. “Everybody plays for each other, plays hard for each other.” 

A coach with high standards 

The team made a name this year with new coach Ethan Feuer at the helm. Feuer, who’s also a beloved ninth-grade English teacher at Kensington Health Sciences Academy, started coaching the Tigers’ JV team in 2023. Now he’s the varsity coach, and brought most of the starting players up with him. The core of the team (Paulino, Reid and Rob Smith, and Frankie Ramirez) have also been playing with each other on club teams since middle school, at least. There’s team synergy.

Feuer began his coaching career at Benjamin Franklin High School under mentor Ron Sizer. He credits the Tigers’ success to its culture — partly his tight relationships with the players. 

“There's a love that we share that is really important when it comes to winning games,” Feuer said. “When you're facing adversity, you rely on the relationships that you've built.” 

The team also has an unyielding work ethic. “I’ve never seen such strong commitment from a team to improve as individuals and as a unit,” Feuer said. Every varsity player shows up consistently on time for practice. In previous seasons, attendance would have dwindled.  

In addition to preparing plays, conditioning, and practicing skills, the team watches recordings of competitors’ games before they face them. “Know thy enemy,” Feuer said. 

Feuer maintains high standards on and off the court. Each player signs a contract agreeing to maintain grades of C or above in every class. If he spots a C, he’ll check in on them. If the explanation is just that they’ve been slacking, they sit out, he said. If there’s a challenge they need support with, he’s there. He’ll help them through whatever assignment they’re missing and connect with teachers, if needed. 

On a weekday in late January, towards the end of the season, the team had practice after their second unexpected loss — a one-possession game. In the Kensington Creative and Performing Arts High School (KCAPA) gymnasium, the team sat in folding chairs and focused on a screen. They were rewatching the second half of the game to learn from mistakes. 

Feuer stood at the front, gesturing enthusiastically or pointing to open players. He noted low energy, drooping heads, missed free throws. They were off their game. Players asked for rewinds.

“The only thing in life that’s free gentleman, that’s free throws. Nothing standing in our way,” he said. They had missed 23 free throws in the last two games, according to Feuer, and lost by a collective 20 points. Those games were in their grasp.  

They needed more confidence, to stay calm when the odds were stacked against them, Feuer said. “There can’t be any excuses." 

Players respect the agreement to prioritize school over basketball. It lends to a more serious team culture. But most of all, they appreciate how Feuer treats them. Exceeding competitors’ expectations is great, though for them, it’s more important to live up to Feuer’s and each other's. 

He’s “like my school father,” Reid Smith said. For Rob, Feuer keeps him intact. “That's one guy I can go and talk to when I'm mad," Rob said. "He'll tell me what's right and what's wrong, because I'm still learning. I just take heed of what he's saying.” 

Paulino considers Feuer handing him the captain title as a sign of trust. “When I let him down, I feel like I let myself down.” 

‘A strong brotherhood’

The players describe their teammates as brothers. Their friendships work in the game and in the hallways. They hang out after school and help each other with homework. They remind each other to show up on time to practice. Their camaraderie translates to the court. 

“We built a strong brotherhood slash team, and that’s what led us to win 13 games in a row,” Reid Smith said. 

Rob, Paulino, and Feuer gave a rundown of the team: Reid, starting shooting guard, is known as “the sniper” because he “can knock it down anytime,” Rob said. He’s like “agent zero,” a guy who handles business and gets out. He’s “going in there with his business bag.” 

Reid trusts Rob, also known as "RB3," with his life. Rob is the team’s top scorer and plays with ferocity and speed. While the twins aren’t exactly telepathic, they know what the other is going to do before they do it. If one is on a fast break, the other is trailing. 

Then there’s Paulino, a starting combo, swingman, forward, and a high-impact player who does everything on the court with hustle. He’s an influence. He wears responsibility for more than just himself.  Fellow co-captain and team role model is Nyree Ellis, a forward and well-rounded player. “He can’t be knocked down,” Rob said. 

Trenton Blackwell, though he suffered from a hip fracture in the 6th game, has a natural gift — he’s a high-flyer and can dunk off the dribble. Nasir Davis, an honor-roll Kensington High School student, was a “blacktop ball player,” Feuer said. The dream was to “convert him to hardwood ... Now he’s one of our better defenders. He can jump out of the gym.”

Freshman Qayaan Scott is a high-impact player who gets crucial rebounds. Scott was encouraged to attend KHSA and join the Tigers by friend Frankie Ramirez. Ramirez, a first-year at KHSA, was the team’s sixth man. But after Ellis’ injury, he joined the starting lineup. As the only starting freshman, he knocks out three-pointers like it’s his job. 

Daryne Ligon, 6’5,” brings height, works hard on defense, and collects key rebounds. He’s also a straight-A student, according to Feuer. Dereon Dews, or “Ddews,” plays hard every minute he gets in the game. “He’s the hardest worker on the team,” Feuer said. “He sets the standard.”

Jesse Wise, starting forward, is strong and agile. He plays with intensity, like the stakes are on his shoulders. Wise transferred to KHSA as a junior just for basketball. 

Wise was a walk-on as a freshman at Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti Catholic High School, a private school with a powerhouse basketball program in South Philadelphia. But by his third year, he was on the bench. When he was on the brink of quitting the sport, dampened by low confidence, he reached for Feuer. 

Feuer coached him on a summer team and recognized his raw talent. He couldn’t let Wise quit the game, mostly because of the impact it would have on his quality of life. “He’s a great student, a great kid, and someone who impressed me on the court right away,” Feuer said. “It would be a shame to lose him from the sport.” 

He and Ryan Smith, also a KHSA school safety officer, contacted Jesse’s grandmother and caretaker, Judith Williams-Wise, to pitch the idea of Jesse transferring.  

It wasn’t an easy decision for Williams-Wise, 77, of South Philly. Neumann and Goretti was like a family tradition. Her oldest son and other family members attended. But sitting on the bench was affecting her grandson’s sense of self. 

She saw this as a chance for Wise to be happy, to redeem himself. 

“I always tell him, ‘You're like the last of me. I'm just trying to make sure you're okay. I want to help you make your dreams.’” 

Wise joined for the second semester of his junior year and quickly became an integral part of the team. He’s the kind of player who does everything — rebounds, steals, assists.

“You need guys who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty. He's number one on that list,” said coach Dan McDowell. “You can’t win without players like that.”

Since the change, Wise is more confident. “I don’t feel like I have to prove myself all the time,” he said. He also has the top grades of the entire junior class. 

At a game in early January, grandmother Williams-Wise was sitting proudly in attendance, as she usually is for home games. Wise ran over for a hug. 

Off the court, Wise is soft-spoken, sensitive. He credits his grandmother for everything. “She's the reason why I'm still around ... she shaped me to be the man I am today,” he said. 

Of the team, “Nobody loses their cool when we play,” Wise said. “We're all just trying to help each other get better.”

After dealing with a few late-season injuries, the Tigers landed third in their division, with a 15-4 overall record including non-league games. 

As the season progressed, teachers and staff were buying team merchandise, Feuer said. More students and school community members attended games. Excitement grew. 

In February, they made it to the playoffs. They planned a “blackout” in school — students and staff wore all black in support on game day. About 200 people attended the home game at KCAPA, according to Feuer. 

“The whole community rallied around this team,” he said. 

They lost in a heartbreaker — by just three points in overtime. 

But the season was an overall success. They put Kensington basketball on the map. 

“We built a culture of winning that the community can be proud of, both on and off the court,” Feuer said. “I am so proud of this team and I know the best is yet to come.” 

They have high hopes for the future. With a younger team, they’ll have four of the same starters back next year — Paulino, the Smith twins, and Wise. 

“Now every team wants to beat us, but we're still the underdogs,” Paulino said. “We still didn't get what we wanted yet, we want to go far.” 

By the end of that practice in January, the team scrimmaged. One of the last plays signifies a slice of what makes the team special — the way they share the ball. 

“Let’s see some confidence,” Feuer yelled.  

They ran hand offs — Scott handed off to another player, Ramirez ran a back door cut and made a lay up. It looked easy, smooth. 

Watching from the sidelines, Smith narrated: “Everybody plays unselfishly. Everybody loves each other. So everybody carries the ball.”