Patriots

Derrick Jones would no doubt like to see Archbishop Carroll play more of its boys' basketball games at Colonial Elementary School. Earlier this season, the sophomore racked up 22 points, 17 rebounds, and seven blocks in a nonleague triumph over host Plymouth Whitemarsh. Tuesday, back in Plymouth Meeting for a PIAA Class AAA second-round playoff against Pope John Paul II, Jones produced 19 boards, 16 points, eight rejections, and two assists as the Patriots advanced with a 57-40 victory.

Derrick Jones no doubt would like to see Archbishop Carroll play more of its boys' basketball games at Colonial Elementary School. Earlier this season, the sophomore racked up 22 points, 17 rebounds, and seven blocked shots in a nonleague triumph over host Plymouth Whitemarsh. Tuesday, back in Plymouth Meeting for a PIAA Class AAA second-round playoff against Pope John Paul II, Jones produced 19 boards, 16 points, eight rejections, and two assists as the Patriots advanced with a 57-40 victory.

The last time the Archbishop Carroll and Cardinal O'Hara girls' basketball teams faced off, it didn't go at all the way the Patriots had hoped. The games between the fierce Catholic League rivals, two of the premier programs in the area, always have an air of excitement. But on Jan. 9, the Lions rolled over the Patriots in resounding fashion, 60-34. On Thursday, the teams will meet again when the fourth-seeded Patriots challenge top-seeded O'Hara (17-5) in the Catholic League semifinals at Philadelphia University.

There weren't many similarities between the semifinal games in the girls' basketball Pennsylvania Independent Schools Tournament on Friday afternoon. One was between league rivals, who had already played each other twice this season. The other was between nonleague opponents that had faced off once, in a Sunday showcase. One was a decisive, double-digit win. The second game looked as if it might head to overtime, until some late free throws sealed the outcome. But if you spent a few hours in the gymnasium of Malvern Prep, one thing was glaringly apparent for Episcopal Academy and Germantown Academy: When each squad needed it most, its premier senior player stepped up in a big way. Both Megan Quinn, a forward for the Churchwomen, and Kiernan McCloskey, a guard/forward for the Patriots, had 12 fourth-quarter points in their respective contests, guiding their teams to berths in Saturday's title game.

SOME GUYS have all the luck. Sex.com is offering to match Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski's base salary of $3.75 million if he films a sex scene with porn star Bibi Jones. Why Jones? Well, the two have a fleeting relationship of sorts. In 2011, Jones posted photos of her and Gronk on her Twitter account. Apparently, Jones is planning a comeback in the adult film business - who knew she was gone? - and wants Gronk to help relaunch her career. A news release from the site reads: "In light of Bibi Jones' return to performing in adult films, Sex.com would like to offer Rob Gronkowski a chance to perform with her in a scene once his forearm has healed.

"Go get it. " It's a phrase Megan Quinn repeatedly uses to characterize what Episcopal Academy needs to do to win its first Inter-Ac title. On Saturday night the senior forward took her game to another level in the second half, making sure her team would have that opportunity, as the Churchwomen defeated rival Germantown Academy, 51-40. Quinn had a game-high 23 points, 15 of them in a second half in which she took it to the Patriots, finding her way to the basket and getting to the foul line.

While he is enjoying Great Valley's undefeated boys' basketball season, Brad Sherry is fully aware of the skepticism that follows the team. It exists because of what happened in 2006-07. That year, after achieving perfection during the regular season, the Patriots lost two of three games in the PIAA District 1 Class AAA playoffs and fell short of qualifying for the state tournament. After that, people wonder if Sherry and his teammates are destined for a similar postseason fate.

The news of Mike Kafka's signing a futures contract with the New England Patriots on Thursday makes this a good time to revisit the Eagles' 2010 draft class - and specifically the fourth round. That's when Kafka went. He was one of four fourth-round picks for the Eagles. A fourth-round pick in the NFL has value - but not significant value. There's rougly a 10 percent chance of finding a starter in that round. Of course, based on those odds, the Eagles had a realistic statistical chance of finding a starter in that round.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Tom Brady's pass deflected high into the air before floating gently downfield and into the arms of Baltimore linebacker Dannell Ellerbe. The ball - and the rematch - went to the Ravens. A year after the New England Patriots took advantage of a dropped touchdown pass and a missed Baltimore field goal to advance to their fifth Super Bowl in 11 seasons, the Ravens earned a 28-13 victory on Sunday in the AFC Championship Game. "It always comes to a screeching halt," Brady said.