City of Basketball Love

Stephen Pianovich (@SPianovich) &
Allen Yates
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Round 2 of the 2016 Donofrio Classic got underway last night in Conshohocken. Here’s a report from Tuesday night’s games:

WeR1 102, James Fox All-Stars 78

Isaiah Wong (2019/Notre Dame, Lawrenceville, N.J.) scored a game-best 25 points and consistently hit jumpers as WeR1 was victorious in its first game of the tournament. Kevin Anderson (2017/St. John Neumann) and Eric Ayala (2018/Putnam Science) poured in 20 and 19, respectively, for the winning team. James Fox kept it close in the second half, narrowing a 12-point halftime deficit to three points about midway through, and the team was led by Elijah Mitchell’s 17 points. WeR1 will face the winner of Team Final-Competitive Edge in the next round.

Old School Cavaliers 101, Chester County All-Stars 90

Lamar Stevens (Roman Catholic) had a dominant night for the Cavs, scoring 24 points and wrecking the rim on a few emphatic dunks. A loaded Cavs roster also got 20 points from Cameron Reddish (2018/Westtown) and another 17 from Ryan Daly (2016/Archbishop Carroll). Rome Boyer (2016/Coatesville) had a game-high 27 points to led Chester County, and big man Fred Odhiambo (2018/Church Farm) added 20. The Old School Cavs will face either the LVBR Beasts or Filly Sol in the next round.

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Daly discusses re-opening recruitment

About three weeks ago, just after Archbishop Carroll’s season came to a close, Ryan Daly decided to re-open his recruitment after being committed to Hartford.

The senior and Catholic League’s leading scorer this past season (21.7 ppg) is now back in the process of hearing from schools, thinking about offers and potentially planning visits.

“It’s been interesting for sure,” Daly said after scoring 17 points with the Old School Cavs. “At times, it can take a lot of patience, but I’ve learned that.”

There’s a lot of shuffling going on right now on the college landscape with dozens of players announcing to transfer and coaching changes happening each day, rosters are very fluid this time of the year. So Daly is not in a rush to make an immediate decision.

He said he wants to continue to play and play well through a few weeks in April and hopes to garner some more attention. Daly did that on Tuesday night, turning heads by scoring six straight points for his team in barely more than a minute.

Daly noted he may visit Holy Cross sometime soon, but he does not think he will have a decision made before the middle of April.

- Stephen Pianovich

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Standout players

Game 1: Game 1 of the Donofrio classic featured some young talented players. One player that showcased his talents was freshman Guard Isaiah Wong. Wong, a 6-foot-2 165-pound player by way of New Jersey’s Notre Dame High school, displayed why he will be talked about throughout his high school career. Wong finished the game with 25 points, scoring in all different facets of the game. Wong showcased his silky jumper, knocking in three 3-point attempts. The young freshman will be a force for years to come; as he has that mentality that no one can stop him. He has a confidence about him that not many freshmen possess. Wong has wiry strength, and has the ability to finish around the rim and on the break at a young age.

Game 2: While game two displayed heavy hitters like Lamar Stevens and Cameron Reddish, a young talent proved he belonged on the court. A baby-faced 8th grader hailing from Coatesville scored 11 points in the second game. A.J. Hoggard is a name many may not be familiar with yet, but in time they will be. Hoggard has an advanced game for his age, never hurried on the break and an excellent passer in traffic. He has a great feel for the game, often looking older than his grade level displays. His form is picture perfect, straight up and down with a picturesque follow through.

Hoggard said he will be, “Working out all summer, as well as playing for Team Final.” This will be the first of many big summers for the young standout, as he can only get better while making his name one scouts will be looking up.

- Allen Yates