Varsity Boys Basketball

Home to the Patriots' varsity basketball teams and girls' volleyball teams, the Big Gym is located on the far corner of the GA campus and has several entrance points. It can host a full-court basketball game or a full-court volleyball match with a total square footage of 8,915. When pulled out, bleachers can seat approximately 420. The standing room only capacity for the space is 1,626. When used as event space, the Big Gym can hold tables and chairs for a sit-down meal for 524 people. Concession stand space is located right outside of the Big Gym entrance and the restrooms are located below the gym floor. There is no formal ticket booth, but there is an area outside of the main entrance to the Big Gym where a ticket table could be erected as well as a place to sell snacks and drinks.

Big Gym - 8,915 sq. ft.

• Basketball court - 94x50'
• Volleyball court - 60x30'
• Bleacher seating - 420
• Standing capacity - 1626

GA, having won 17 Philadelphia Inter-Academic League Championships in the last 28 years, enters each season ranked as one of the best high school programs in the nation.

The Patriots of GA compete annually in the finest of basketball showcases. Some of the highlights from recent seasons include:

* The Benedictine Classic of Richmond, Virginia --- GA became the first Philadelphia area Team to win this tourney in over 20 years in 1992.

* GA has participated in the Washington DC Classic hosted by Gonzaga Prep in 1995, 1997, 2001, and 2004.

* For 10 seasons, GA participated in the Slam Dunk to the Beach National Tournament in Lewes, DE. GA became one of the most successful teams in this prestigious tournament’s history winning: The National Power Series in 1996, The Tipoff Classic in 2000, The Mayor’s Cup in 2002, and reaching the Final Game of the Main Event in the 2001 Tournament. In the 2003 event, GA went undefeated with wins over National powers St. Edward's (Ohio), Life Center (NJ), and Laurel (MD).

* In the 1998 season, GA was crowned the champion of the Laker Classic hosted by the Boys Latin School of Towson, MD. * In the 2000 season, GA claimed victory over national power St. Patrick's of Elizabeth NJ in the Hoop Group Classic in Allentown, PA. and Pennsylvania power Hatboro-Horsham in the Prime Time Shootout in Trenton, NJ.

* The 2001-02 season featured a USA Today National Ranking of #5 in its Pre-Season Poll... the highest ranking of any GA Team in the school's history.

* The 2001-02 season saw GA participating in the DC Classic (Washington, DC); The Make A Wish Classic (Phila.,PA); The Slam Dunk to the Beach (Reheboth Beach, DE.); The Hometown Hoops Classic (Temple University); The National Basketball Hall of Fame Classic (Springfield, MA.); The Hoop Group Classic (Allentown, PA.); The Prime Time Shootout (Trenton, NJ.) ; as well as flying to the University of Akron to take on National Power, St. Vincent-St. Mary's High School of Akron, Ohio featuring NBA Star Lebron James.

In the 2003-04 season, GA excelled in the Lone Star Invitational in San Antonio, Texas finishing 2nd out of a field of 32 national powers. Victories over Highlands (TX), Cleveland (CA), Lake Highlands (TX), and Southwest (TX) landed GA in the finals of this prestigious tourney. In the 2004 version of the Prime Time Shootout in Trenton NJ, GA defeated highly regarded New England Prep School Tabor Academy.

The 2004-05 season saw GA capture the Philly HS Invitational with impressive wins over Wissahickon and Roman Catholic; excelling in the Gonzaga DC Classic capturing wins over National Powers Westbury Christian(TX) and St. Alban's (DC); defeating PA State Champion Chester and NJ State Champion Haddonfield in the Widener University Showcase; scoring an inspiring win over the 3rd ranked team in the nation, Montrose Christian, in the Hall of Fame Classic in Springfield, MA; and defeating PA power Cheltenham in the Scholastic Play by Play Classic,

The 2005-06 season saw GA record impressive wins over 2005-06 Pennsylvania State Champion Lower Merion, Gonzaga Prep (DC), McDonogh School (MD), St. Christopher's (VA), and Bishop Loughlin (NY). The Patriots finished 3rd in the highly regarded Benedictine Capitol City Classic. The 2006-07 season saw GA capture its 10th Inter-Academic League Championship in the last 18 years. The team also won its very first Coaches v Cancer season ending tournament. Victories over Philadelphia powers LaSalle, Archbishop Ryan, and Archbishop Carroll highlighted this Championship Season. Coach Fenerty became only the 12th Boys Basketball Coach in Philadelphia Scholastic history to win over 400 games in his career.

The 2007-08 season climaxed with the Patriots capturing their 11th Inter-Academic League Championship in the last 19 years. The team also made its first journey to the state of Florida participating in the Gulf Shore Classic in Naples, Florida. The team had a great showing notching victories over Naples HS, Golden Gate HS, and Gainesville-Buchholz of Florida. Victories over Pennsylvania powers State College Area HS, Hatboro-Horsham, as well as Philadelphia Catholic League Champion North Catholic and Playoff participant Archbishop Carroll highlighted the season.

The 2008-09 Patriots again took on some of the finest high school basketball teams on the East Coast notching victories over Maryland Private School powers Gilman School, Landon School; Pennsylvania Powers Lower Merion, Northeast Catholic, Math Civics, & Science, Girard College, Mercersburg Academy, Hatboro-Horsham, Academy of the New Church, and Fitzsimmons High School. Most importantly, GA captured its 3rd consecutive Philadelphia Inter-Academic League championship and its 12th overall under Coach Fenerty. The Patriots participated in its first ever Pennsylvania Independent School Post-Season Tourney and advanced to the Finals.

The 100th anniversary season of GA Boys’ Basketball in 2009-10 proved to be another impressive campaign. In addition to capturing the Championship of the 36th Annual Triangle Club Holiday Festival with victories over Pennsylvania powers Conestoga HS and LaSalle HS, the team proved once again to be recognized as an Eastern hoops power. Victories over Saint Raymond’s (NY), Cardinal Gibbons (MD), Landon School (MD), Hun School (NJ), Mercersburg (PA) added to the impressive history of GA Boys’ Hoops. For the second consecutive year, the Patriots reached the Finals of the Pennsylvania Independent School post-season tournament with victories over Abington Friends and Chestnut Hill Academy. This season also marked the 400th win as the GA Coach for Jim Fenerty. Including Coach’s tenure at Bishop Egan, his teams’ victory total has now reached 469.

From 2010 to the present, the Patriots have continued their outstanding success. They won the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISAA) Tournament at the end of the 2012-13 season after capturing the Inter-Ac League championship. In 2013, they defended their Inter-Academic League title and advanced to the semifinals of the PAISAA Tournament.

In November, 2014, Coach Fenerty was inducted into the Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame.

In the 2016-17 season the Patriots won at least a share of the Inter-Ac League title for the fifth straight season becoming just the fourth team in league history to do so.

To quote Coach Fenerty: "We are delighted to participate in several of the finest tournaments in the nation. How can one truly measure one's ability but by competing against the very best?"

Jordan Longino '21  --- 1,763  
Alvin Williams '93 --- 1,702
Evan-Eric Longino '17--- 1,658
Paul Hutter '70 --- 1,627
Matt Walsh '02 --- 1,601
Julius Williams '97 --- 1,564
Cameron Ayers '10 --- 1,486
Craig White '88 --- 1,432
Brian Burke '98 --- 1,429
Otis Ellis '85 --- 1,421
Kyle McCloskey '17--- 1,420
Lawrence Talley '91 --- 1,417
Ryan Ayers '05 --- 1,370
Rick Williams '85 --- 1,358
Eric Minkin '68 --- 1,358
Bryan Grimes '05 --- 1,352
Chris Krug '98 --- 1,330
Lee Melchionni '02 --- 1,261
Marvin Walters '86 --- 1,254
Nick Lindner '13 --- 1,234
Devon Goodman '16 --- 1,201
Larry Leith '94 --- 1,153
Kyle Griffin '07 --- 1,123
Rodney Duncan '76 --- 1,100
Andrew Ott '06 --- 1,074
Greg Dotson '13 --- 1,013

(Updated March 3, 2021)

Every December, Germantown Academy hosts the annual Make A Wish Basketball Showcase. All proceeds from the tournament benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. The Make-A-Wish Foundation seeks to bring every eligible child's wish to life because a wish is an integral part of a child's treatment journey. Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight their illness. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the world’s leading children’s wish-granting organization, serving children in every community in the United States and in more than 50 countries worldwide. Together, generous donors, supporters, staff and more than 39,000 volunteers across the U.S., grant a wish every 34 minutes, on average, somewhere in the country. Since 1986, Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware and Susquehanna Valley has fulfilled more than 6,800 transformational wishes for local children with critical illnesses.

The Make A Wish Basketball Showcase is the brainchild of former Varsity Boys Basketball Head Coach Jim Fenerty 1760. Coach Fenerty wanted his players, blessed with both athletic gifts and academic opportunities, to have a sense that not everyone is lucky enough to share their good fortune. He selected the Make-A-Wish Foundation as an exemplary organization and his players embraced the concept of helping to make wishes come true for local kids who have been dealt a difficult hand. He then enlisted other high school teams to join the tournament and asked former the Upper School Community Service Organization to organize the logistics.

GA has developed many outstanding student-athletes who went on to play basketball at the college level. Some of the most notable performers in recent years are:

• Gabe Alter – Colgate University
• Cameron Ayers – Bucknell University
• Ryan Ayers – University of Notre Dame, Finland
• Josh Brownsteain – Tulane University
• Brian Burke – Lafayette College
• Austin Curry – Muhlenberg College
•  Jeff Curtin – Georgetown University (Soccer)
• Greg Dotson – Morehead State
• James Drury – Washington College
• Otis Ellis – Lafayette College
• Jimmy Fenerty – Dickinson College
• Joe Gill – University of Pennsylvania
• Devon Goodman – University of Pennsylvania 
• Kyle Griffin – LaSalle University
• Brian Grimes – Columbia University
• Tim Guers – Saint Anselm College
• Peter Haines – Ithaca College (Football)
• Jimmy Hammer – Johns Hopkins University
• Rob Heleniak – Johns Hopkins University
• Blair Hicks – Colgate University
• Joe Hill – American University
• Troy Holiday – Loyola University (MD)
• Jeff Holton – American University
• Jacob Hsu - University of Pennsylvania (Football)
• DJ Johnston – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Kirk Jones – Washington & Lee University
• Denis Kane – U.S. Naval Academy
• Matt Kauderer – University of New Hampshire
• Chris Krug – Princeton University
• Larry Leith – Fordham University
• Sam Lindgren – Colgate University
• Nick Lindner – Lafayette College
• Evan-Eric Longino – West Chester University
• Jordan Longino -- Villanova Univesity
• Tim McCarty – Johns Hopkins University
• Kyle McCloskey – Penn State University
• Dean Melchionni – University of Texas
• Lee Melchionni – Duke University
• Julian Moore – Penn State University
• Damon Myers – U.S. Naval Academy
• Mark Nori – Boston College (Football), Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL)
• Andrew Ott – Penn State University
• Jay Overcash – Drexel University
• Chris Rodgers – Bucknell University, Germany Professional League
• Larry Sharp – Allegheny College
• Shane Simon – Hobart College
• Ted Skuchas – Vanderbilt University
• Mike Slattery – University of Delaware
• Joe Stinson – New York University
• Cole Storm – Washington College
• Allen Tate – New York University
• Andrew Towne – Franklin & Marshall (Lacrosse)
• Joe Traynor – Yale University (Football)
• Matthew Turner – Swarthmore College
• Matt Walsh – University of Florida, Miami Heat (NBA), Greece
• Craig White – Lafayette College
• Bailey Whitman – Connecticut College
• Alvin Williams – Villanova University, Toronto Raptors (NBA)
• Julius Williams – Drexel University
• Rick Williams – Siena College

League championship seasons are bolded.