Franklin Regional coach Reed comes full circle with state title game vs. Imhotep Charter

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, March 19, 2024 | 6:01 PM

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Franklin Regional ripped off the band-aid from its WPIAL boys basketball championship loss to Moon and promptly avenged the defeat with a 60-43 win over the Tigers in Monday’s PIAA Class 5A semifinals.

Funny how those state playoffs work, serving as a platform to exorcise demons and reset.

Panthers third-year coach Jesse Reed can take it up a level, though.

Franklin Regional (27-3) will play in the state championship for the first time since 1997 on Friday night, its second finals trip ever. The Panthers will take on Philadelphia power and two-time defending state champion Imhotep Charter (28-3) at 8 p.m. at Giant Center in Hershey.

Reed hearkened back to his playing days when he found out the matchup was happening. The time machine was calling his name as he recalled a rough defeat that still bothers him.

“Crazy parallels with the path to get there, and who we play,” Reed said.

In 2011, Reed was a senior star at Greensburg Central Catholic, which reached the Class 2A state final. The Centurions’ opponent? It was Imhotep Charter.

GCC lost 67-34 at Penn State’s Bryce Jordan Center. Reed had 13 points and six rebounds in the loss.

“I took a look at the beginning of the bracket, and the thought briefly crossed my mind,” Reed said of meeting Imhotep again. “But I never thought it would actually happen.”

That the opponent is Imhotep, now up three classifications, added to the depth of the situation and the magnitude of the game’s result.

“The experience was incredible in 2011,” Reed said. “The excitement building up to the game was crazy within the community. The whole experience was great. Unfortunately, we were outmatched in the game, but those are memories we still talk about to this day.”

On Monday night, after Franklin Regional defeated Moon, Reed’s cell phone lit up.

“I got a bunch of texts with a group of guys from that ‘11 team. Insane,” Reed said.

Jake Swan, the son of Hempfield coach Bill Swan, and Ben Klimchock, the son of Greensburg Salem girls coach Rick Klimchock, also played for the ‘11 GCC team that was coached by Dr. Greg Bisignani. Bill Swan was an assistant.

Current GCC coach Christian Hyland was a freshman that season for the Centurions.

Imhotep Charter coach Andre Noble, who picked up his 500th win in Monday’s semifinal win over Archbishop Ryan, also was the coach then.

The question is, will Franklin Regional be able to keep up with Imhotep — also called the Panthers — and stay in their orbit for four quarters?

Run-and-gun Franklin Regional will do its best, even with an underdog label against the District 1 juggernaut. Reed is ready to try it again, just like his team did against Moon.

GCC was the last boys team from Westmoreland County to make the state basketball finals. Jeannette was the last local champion, in 2008.

Penn-Trafford football also had a run-in with Imhotep. The Warriors beat the Panthers to win the 2021 PIAA Class 5A title.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Franklin Regional