Franklin proves to be
a talented Crusader

By Joe Mason
Times Sports Editor

When Frank Cahill took over as interim coach of the Father Judge High School basketball team, he knew he had plenty of good big men.
He also was aware that he was taking over for Bill Fox, the all-time winningest coach in Catholic League history, so he was fully confident that his squad would be fundamentally sound.
But there was one thing he didn’t know about.
James Franklin.
"James was a complete surprise, both offensively and defensively," said Cahill, who is filling in for Fox while the longtime head coach recovers from a neck injury. "The things he can do out there, he’s just so athletic.
"He can score off the dribble, he can penetrate and get the ball to the open man," Cahill continued. "And there were games where I just said to him, ‘Go out and get me the ball.’ And I think he had five steals in that game. He’s just a great player."
There’s a reason Franklin’s skills are a bit of a secret.
Last year, as a junior, he started the year as a reserve on the varsity squad. But in the third game of the Crusaders’ Catholic League Northern Division season, he went up for a rebound and came down on Ryan guard Joe Zeglinski’s foot.
The result was a badly twisted ankle, and it ruined what looked to be a promising season.
"No matter what I did, it didn’t get better for a long time," Franklin said. "I twisted it, so I did the ice, did the heat, did everything I could. It hurt, and I couldn’t play well. I couldn’t run or anything."
That was good news for Crusader opponents. The bad news for them is that he’s back, 100 percent healthy, and this year he’s a more complete ballplayer.
Last year, the lefthanded guard could drive defenders crazy by quickly turning up the court and going in for tough lay-ups.
This year, he still has that blazing speed to turn past defenders, but now he’s also a lights-out jump shooter.
"I worked on that a lot this summer," Franklin said. "Just took a lot of them. I wanted to get that in my game. It will free me up, and it will also help my teammates because people will have to come out and guard me."
So far, so good.
Franklin was the Crusaders’ leading scorer during the team’s brutal non-league schedule.
Judge won six of 11 contests against top-notch teams from around the area.
They also won the Trenton Catholic (formerly McCorristin) Christmas tournament and emerged with a victory in their Catholic League opener, defeating Archbishop Ryan, 51-41.
Currently, the Crusaders are atop the Catholic League Northern Division standings, having won all three of their games.
In those games, Franklin has averaged close to 18 points a game.
And considering that two of Judge’s three wins came by just three points in each game, every one of his points was important.
"He’s been everything we’ve needed," Cahill said. "His athleticism is a huge advantage. He does some things out there that are amazing."
Cahill is happy to have Franklin as his star guard.
And the feeling is mutual.
When Franklin was an eighth-grader, his mother was looking at a host of schools. The Logan resident also was accepted to Cardinal Dougherty, St. John Neumann (now Saints Neumann and Goretti) and Roman Catholic.
At the time, the Cardinals, the Pirates and the Cahillites were among the best teams in the city. Judge, always a good team, didn’t have quite the same caliber of players as Franklin’s other three schools.
But that suits Franklin just fine.
"I could have gone to one of those schools and maybe I wouldn’t have stood out," Franklin admitted. "But I’m glad I came to Judge, and not just for basketball. I like everything about this school. The teachers are great, we have great coaches."
In fact, Cahill’s style of coaching might fit Franklin’s game.
Under Fox, the Crusaders ran a much slower-paced offense. Obviously it worked out, since Fox is arguably the greatest coach in the history of the prestigious league.
But Cahill prefers an up-tempo style of play, and that’s where Franklin’s speed and finesse come into play.
But Franklin freely admits that his teammates are the main reason for his stellar play.
"I’m lucky because we have a lot of big guys," he said. "And those guys are good underneath, good rebounders.
"But they’re really good at setting screens, setting picks," he continued. "When I’m (going around a defender), I know that I’m going to get an open shot because those guys are going to set good picks. That makes it a lot easier for me. I just have to worry about getting a shot, not the defender."
Franklin is now giving more thought to finding the perfect college for him to continue his playing career.
"I’m starting to look a little bit," he said. "I want to major in history or business. Ever since I got to Judge, history has been my favorite subject, it’s something I’m really interested in. And business, well, I like money.
"That’s all I want to do now," he said. "I want to have a good senior year, hopefully win a lot of games and make it to the playoffs," he added. "That’s all I’m going for now." ••
Sports editor Joe Mason can be reached at 215-354-3035 or jmason@phillynews.com