City of Basketball Love

CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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The West Chester University “Big 64” event has long outgrown its name, with close to 150 high school programs from Pennsylvania, N.J., Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and more coming to WCU this weekend for a couple games each. 

CoBL had eyes on a number of games this weekend at multiple venues (Sturzebecker Health Sciences, WCU Rec Center and Hollinger Gymnasium); here’s who stood out to our scouts in those games: 

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Su-Meer Alleyne (2025 | Friends Central)
He may be new to the program, but Alleyne is fitting right in. He did any and everything to win on Sunday and, as a result, his teammates trusted him in critical moments. His unselfishness showed on every defensive possession. After fighting for rebounds or stealing the ball away, Alleyne immediately threw long outlet passes up the court so others could score. In overtime against Bonner, he hit a three to extend the game, then in double OT he made the game-winning lay up. The 15 points he scored in the contest were overshadowed by his 7 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals.

Luke Bevilacqua (2025 | George School)
The 6-10 center did just about everything one could've asked of him against Downingtown West. With physicality and flexibility, Bevilacqua created for himself down in the post. He displayed his improvements as a technician by getting to a hook shot over his left shoulder and by scoring with either hand. His jumper was on point too, knocking down two middies and pulling up from three in transition. Bevilacqua put up 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists in a dominant performance. 

Laquan Byrd (2024 | Father Judge)
Byrd put together a pair of impressive outings, pouring in 16 points and two assists in a win over Spring-Ford then adding 14 points, three assists and eight rebounds in a 2OT loss to FCS. The 6-foot-3 guard blends speed and power in getting to the rim as he’s able to get to the hoop and make strong finishes on both sides of the basket. He’s continuing to add more and more finesse too, showing off some really good body control inside and using a floater/push shot to put the ball through the hoop when he couldn’t get all the way to the bucket. As shown in the second game against FCS, Byrd can also use his strength to be an impact player on the glass.

Olin Chamberlin (2025 | St. Joe’s Prep)
Chamberlain is pretty darn good at setting up his talented teammates for easy looks, often piling up big assist totals from the point guard spot. On Saturday, he showed he can fill it up on his own as well, exploding for 31 points in a win over George School. The 6-foot-1 guard made six first-half threes and added a seventh make in the second half. Even with the hot hand, he was selective with his touches, making sure his team got the best look. He has an efficient shooting motion and caught the ball ready to fire if open. Chamberlain did damage on pull-up looks as well and added to his impressive shooting performance (maybe two or three total misses?) with a 6-for-6 performance on the line.

Jaden Colzie (2024 | Plymouth Whitemarsh)
Few players are more fun to watch than Colzie when he has things cooking, which he did on Saturday when he scored 19 points against Morris Catholic. The 6-foot guard zips around the court with a quickness few defenders can stay in front of. He has the threat to blow by but can also pull-up from anywhere in an instance, and was particularly deadly in the midrange game. A double-crossover into a push shot off the glass was a nasty move to score two. He used his driving ability to set up his teammates too, tallying three assists.

Yadiel Cruz (2024 | Reading)
A key returner for the Knights, Cruz was a monster on the boards and a nightmare on defense. His energy and strength around the hoop were noteworthy for a 6-3 guard. Cruz led everyone in scoring without dominating the ball because he turned offensive rebounds into second-chance points and made a living in transition. Beyond his 17 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 steals, the 5 assists he accumulated were a sign of his abilities as a ball-mover in the half court and his rapid development as an all-around basketball player. 

Donovan Fromhartz (2025 | Downingtown West)
Fromhartz led the way as the Whippets battled the George School on Saturday in a game that went down to the wire. The 6-4 junior wing poured in 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting (3-7 3PT), adding in five rebounds and four assists as he worked well with forward Zeke Staz in pick-and-roll situations. Fromhartz threw down a transition dunk, knocked down triples both off the catch and coming off screens with the ball in his hands, attacked the hoop when the defense was slow to rotate and posted up when he had an undersized defender on him. 

Shareef Jackson (2025 | Roman Catholic)
The 6-foot-7 forward finished with 15 points and a pair of blocks and assists in a win over Springfield Commonwealth (Mass.) and had a hand in quite a bit of what the Cahillites did on both ends. He turned around and hit a three from the top of the key and stepped into a transition triple early in the game. Jackson also asserted himself down low, as he’s definitely added onto his already impressive strength, able to carve out space and get to either hand for a finish. It was fun to see him put the ball on the deck, including an impressive sequence where he pumped from the corner, drove baseline and collapsed the defense before kicking to an open shooter. The strength stands out on defense as well where offensive players try to drive into his chest only to be treated by bouncing backwards and having their shot rejected.

Riley Jacobs (2025 | St. Stephen's & St. Agnes, Va.)
Jacobs, who has a handful of Division I offers, was impressive in both of the Virginia Saints’ games Saturday, finishing with 15 points against Archbishop Ryan and pouring in another 22 points against Phelps School. The 6-foot-7 forward is really long, which led to multiple steals and blocks on the defensive end. A lot of his points against Ryan came via the fastbreak — including a dunk or two — and easy looks inside. He got to show off more of his offensive game against Phelps, pulling-up for jumpers and knocking down a pair of threes. He used some touch as he turned and shot over his shoulder down low as well.

Kevair Kennedy (2025 | Father Judge)
Leading up to his junior campaign, Kennedy understands how to blend his offensive production with his staggering defense. He was the engine for the Crusaders on Sunday, going for 13 points & 4 steals in the FCS game. Every steal he nabbed energized his team and generated fast break opportunities. Offensively, he's demonstrated the right degree of assertiveness on drives. Kennedy isn't new to getting into the paint; but on this day, he called his own number and finished. Many of his at-rim attempts came from the turnovers he created. 

Caleb Lyzinski (2025 | Central Bucks East)
Lyzinski had a strong game in a close loss to Abington Friends on Saturday morning, finishing with 14 points, five rebounds and two assists. A 6-6 forward, Lyzinski got a few layups in pick-and-roll action, showing good hands and footwork as he gathered in some post feeds; he also attacked the rim out of the high post and in transition, and wasn’t afraid of absorbing contact on either end, using his strong lower frame to his advantage and hold his own in the post. He also showed his shooting touch with a face-up jumper and knocked down four of his five foul shots.

Mikey Mita (2026 | Penncrest)
Getting busy below the arc, Mita had a refreshing performance against Pennridge. The high post was his home, opting to curl into jumpers from there or rip-and-go to the cup for lays. Mixing it up on the low block too, the 6-6 sophomore scored with his back to the basket as well. Because the Lions went to him early and often, Pennridge tried to take him away in the second half. But they couldn't stop Mita from impacting the game because he set screens to free up shooters. He contributed 15 of his team's 39 points to go along with 5 rebounds. 

Derrick Morton-Rivera (2026 | Father Judge)
Morton-Rivera is starting to put himself up there in the conversation amongst some of the best shooters in the area as he seems to make shots every time out. He poured in five triples in a win over Spring-Ford to start his day as part of a 20-point performance. The 6-foot-4 guard was lethal from the corner as a catch-and-shoot threat and also pulled up from the top of the arc/wing. He let Kennedy and Byrd do most of the driving but highlighted some of his finishing and athleticism with putback buckets inside.

Jacob Nguyen (2024 | Spring-Ford)
Nguyen continues to establish himself as one of the best players and prospects in all of District 1, going for 19 and 24 points in two games Sunday morning. The 6-4 guard showed off his smooth outside shot by knocking down four triples in the 24-point outing, a win over St. Elizabeth (Del.), converting one of them into a four-point play, one of four different trips he took to the foul line (6-6 FT). Nguyen also hit a floater with his right (dominant) hand while moving to his left, and had a couple other nifty finishes at the rim. 

Ahmad Nowell (2024 | Imhotep)
Here, Nowell stands in as the representative for a Panthers squad that scrapped its way to a win versus the Patrick School on Saturday afternoon. Despite falling behind at times and a height disadvantage, Tep didn't fold. Nowell exemplified their resiliency with his tenacious defense in the second half. He also led with 13 points & 4 assists, including a big 3-pointer and free throws to bring home the victory. As Panthers assistant coach Kevin Stewart said after the game, "Tep still up."

Michelangelo Oberti (2024 | Morris Catholic, N.J.)
The 6-foot-10 made things look easy in a 19-point effort against PW. Oberti, who recently committed to Penn, added eight rebounds and three blocks. He got an early bucket off a backdoor cut and similarly put himself in position for high-percentage looks throughout, tossing down multiple slams with ease. Oberti has deft touch with both hands and really controls his lanky frame with impressive footwork. On defense, he made shots in the paint difficult for PW when it got into the lane.

Fazl Oshodi (2024 | Friends Central)
The senior leader is beginning to figure it out offensively. Oshodi played through/off his jumper on Sunday and it carried the Phoenix to two wins. Catch-and-shoot, movement threes, pull ups, you name it; the 6-3 guard routinely found the bottom of the net when he fired. Those makes opened up driving lanes for him and others. And he did all that without sacrificing his effort on defense. Oshodi scored 18 points with 2 triples versus St. Elizabeth's, then followed that up with 21 points on 5 three-balls over Father Judge. 

Zamir Parker-Barnes (2025 | Abington Friends)
Parker-Barnes was in attack mode all game long against Central Bucks East in a win on Saturday morning, the lanky 6-4 wing guard getting to the hoop with ease, showing some real craftiness in the lane to find space and finish with either hand. His 19-point, four-rebound outing included a couple jumpers as well, including a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer and a pull-up in the lane; he’s got a great high arc on his shot, with soft touch around the rim. Parker-Barnes also showed off his bounce with an emphatic block off the backboard on a layup attempt. 

Cameron Smith (2026 | Academy New Church)
The 6-foot-6 big man led his team with 13 points and seven rebounds in a loss to Neumann-Goretti late in the day Saturday. He worked hard throughout the game to establish position down low and clean up the glass on both ends. He has a soft touch with both hands when he gets the ball down low and uses his body well to create space to get off the shot. He has a back to the basket offensive game, but a spin move and drive to the basket displayed some nimbleness and while he didn’t hit his lone shot from deep, he has a good looking stroke and let it fly with confidence.

Jaydon Smith (2024 | Carlisle)
Smith was a fun player to watch from a Carlisle squad the CoBL staff hadn’t previously gotten eyes on. The 6-5 wing/ guard scored 19 of his team’s 36 in a loss to Constitution then poured in 23 in a win over Ewing. He has a smooth shooting stroke and was effective from deep, hitting twice from long range and a few pull-ups inside the arc against Constitution. He has length that helps him finish inside and a feel for maneuvering around defenders, including an impressive spin move.

Thomas Sorber (2024 | Archbishop Ryan)
The 6-foot-9 forward put on a dominant display with 24 points, five rebounds and four blocks in a win over the Virginia Saints. Sorber, a Georgetown commit, used both power and agility on both ends. He has great feel for how to use his body, even when facing off against other sizeable athletes like Jacobs, but can also muscle his way to the hoop. He had multiple and-ones, a few highlight dunks and even stepped out and hit a three. He slides on the defensive end to help on defense and does as good a job as anyone of going straight up to block shots — though he did powerfully swat a few away. 

Will Sydnor (2024 | Patrick School, N.J.)
Other than his 5 points and 7 rebounds, Sydnor had a quiet game against Imhotep. Then he bounced back with 24 points in a win over Archbishop Wood. He showed out on defense as well with a steal, 2 blocks, and multiple deflections. His finishing at the rim was hard to defend, but it was his jump shot that carried the Celtics in crunchtime. The 6-9 forward drained 2 of his 4 catch-and-shoot threes late in the game, plus a couple shots at the charity stripe to seal the deal. 

Aiden Tobiason (2024 | St. Elizabeth, Del.)
The Vikings’ star senior wing went off in both his team’s games, including a 15-point outing in a loss to Spring-Ford. Tobiason has a terrific frame, 6-5 and lanky with some strength, though plenty of room for upside in a collegiate weight room. He’s got a high catch-and-release on his 3-point shots, and he did a good job of crashing the glass and finishing second-chance points. Tobiason’s size and length makes him an effective defender against guards, wings and bigs, as he held his ground in the post against a couple players with quite a few pounds on him.

Honorable Mention

James Anderson (2024 | Unionville), Everett Barnes (2025 | Father Judge), Jalil Bethea (2024 | Archbishop Wood), Torrey Brooks (2026 | Neumann-Goretti), Ryan Brown (2024 | Unionville), E.J. Campbell (2024 | Spring-Ford), Sebastian Edwards (2025 | Roman Catholic), Jordan Ellerbe (2025 | St. Joe’s Prep), Patrese Feamster (2026 | Friends’ Central), Kasey Fleming (2026 | George School), Kaydin Ford (2024 | Abington Friends), Korey Francis (2027 | Bonner-Prendergast), Clyde Frasier (2024 | Middletown, Del.), Blake Hargrove (2026 | Liberty), Kamani Healey (2025 | Abington Friends), Jalen Harper (2024 | St. Joe’s Prep), Carnell Henderson (2025 | Imhotep), Justin Hinds (2024 | Salesianum, Del.), Jacob Hudson (2024 | Phelps School), Isaiah Hynson (2024 | Salesianum, Del.), Malik Hughes (2026 | Roman Catholic), Christian Jeffrey (2025 | Mt. Zion Prep, M.D.), Larenzo Jerkins (2024 | Neumann-Goretti), Hunter Johnson (2024 | Roman Catholic), Damien Jones (2024 Mt. Zion Prep, M.D.), Deuce Ketner (2024 | Bonner-Prendergast), Kyree Latimer (2024 | Constitution), James Laur (2024 | Salesianum, Del.), Brandon Lee (2025 | Patrick School, N.J.), Anthony Lilly (2024 | Father Judge, Deuce Maxey (2025 | Archbishop Wood), Luke Melniczak (2025 | George School), Eric Methenge (2024 Middletown, Del.), Brady Moore (2026 | Downingtown West), Zaahir Muhammad-Gray (2026 | Imhotep ), Khaafiq Myers (2024 | Neumann-Goretti), Montique Nedd (2024 | Phelps School), Muhsin Muhammad (2024 | Friends Central), Tobe Nwobu (2026 | Academy New Church), Malik Osumanu (2024 | Reading), Malachi Palmer (2024 | Mt. Zion, M.D.), Xavier Peters (2025 | Pennridge), Josh Reed (2024 | Archbishop Wood), Wesley Rosario (2026 | Reading), Mani Sajid (2026 | Plymouth Whitemarsh), Amir Speights (2024 | Constitution), Connor Sprattley (2025 | Patrick School, N.J.), Zeke Staz (2025 | Downingtown West), Tyler Sutton (2027 | George School), Ma'kye Taylor (2024 | Imhotep), Kareem Thomas (2024 | Salesianum, Del.), Trevor Webster (2026 | Caravel, Del.), Jeremiah White (2024 | Imhotep), Austin Workman (2026 | Morris Catholic, N.J.), Julius Wright (2024 | St. Elizabeth, Del.)