Boys’ Basketball January Season Update

by: Liam Duke '27

Before the winter season began, star shooting guard Kahlil Riley said in a conversation that he would “cry tears of joy” if Tower Hill made the DIAA playoffs. It seems, however, that there won't be tears until the tail end of February. 

Boys’ Basketball shocked Delaware in 2022 when they won the State Championship against a star-studded Salesianum team. In front of a packed Bob Carpenter Center, the Hillers put 79 points past Sallies, recovering from a 36-point deficit that hasn’t been replicated since. Regardless of past success, the Hillers have not had a winning record for the past two years heading into the 2025/2026 season.  

The winter season opened with a home game against a physical and technically skilled Archmere Academy. Despite a hard-fought fourth quarter, the Hillers fell 45-48; a respectable loss to a team expected to go far this year. Hope was certainly in the air as the Hillers traveled to Sanford. 

The Sanford Warriors have produced 11 state championship-winning boys' basketball teams, including in the 2025 season. While Tower Hill again put up a strong effort, the Warriors were too much for them, winning 65-60 against the Hillers. 

The rest of the year has brought the same unfortunate results. A loss to Wilmington Friends in front of a packed Weaver gym could summarize the season. While Kahlil Riley and Will Ingelsby helped the Hillers dig themselves out of a 20-point hole, an error in the inbounds play during a possession game led to Friends taking control of the last 10 seconds. 

With eight regular-season games left on their schedule, Tower Hill varsity boys’ basketball has dug itself into a hole. Despite Kahlil Riley’s 205 points across 10 games, the team sits 3-7, with a three-game losing streak. Riley’s hopes of a playoff berth will rely on wins against strong opponents such as Wilmington Friends, Tatnall, and Delaware Military Academy (DMA). They cannot afford to lose more than 2 games in this final stretch. 

To provide hope - The Hillers’ next two games are winnable. John Dickinson sits in the same spot Tower does, and Hodson Tech also provides varsity with a winnable environment, a team the Hillers traditionally have beaten. 

You can check out the team's schedule here, and go support at their next game on Tuesday, February 3rd! Good luck, Hillers!

Congratulations to seniors Gasper Loos, Alex Hudson, and Michael Waesco.