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CoBL Underclassman Camp Standouts (Aug. 21)

08/24/2021, 9:45am EDT

By Josh Verlin

CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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The first CoBL Underclassman Exposure Camp since 2018 was the best one yet, with just shy of 120 rising high school freshmen and sophomores — those in classes of 2024 and 2025 — taking to the courts at Friends’ Central for a day of drills and games.

Dozens and dozens of future college basketball players at all levels comprised the 12 teams which made up the camp, all of whom played three games under the direction of a current NCAA college coach, with the CoBL staff keeping a close eye on all three courts all day long.

Here’s the CoBL staff’s standout picks from the camp, which was stocked with Division I prospects -- anybody mentioned below had themselves a strong day in a terrific field:

Archbishop Wood sophomore Jalil Bethea (above) showed strong shooting and passing skills all camp long. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

Jalil Bethea (2024 | Archbishop Wood)
Bethea bided his time for Wood last season behind a star-studded senior lineup, but the 6-foot-3 guard looks more than ready to step in and play huge minutes in the Catholic League. Arguably the top scoring guard at camp, Bethea had his usually-stellar outside shot working yet again, dropping more than six 3-pointers during one of multiple 20-point outings; more than just a pure shooter, he also showed the ability to get into the lane and find shooters, playing with a scorers’ mentality but not a selfish one.

Devin Booker (2024 | Imhotep Charter)
Booker had one of the dunks of camp, a posterizer in his first game of the afternoon, but that’s far from all he can do. The hyper-athletic 6-4 wing guard showed an impressive handle that could get him to the rim; he also can open up driving lanes for himself with an improving perimeter jump shot that has to be respected. His aggressiveness and athleticism extends to the other side of the ball as well, as he was consistently in opposing guards’ jerseys and because of his fluidity he seemed to stay in front of other players with ease.

Matt Gilhool (2024 | Elizabethtown)
Gilhool’s still something of a hidden talent in central Pennsylvania, but it’s not going to stay that way for much longer. The 6-10, 205-pound forward is continuing to progress into a high-level stretch-big, though today he was much more productive around the hoop. Gilhool is long and fluid in protecting the rim or finishing at it, and though his outside shot wasn’t falling a ton on this particular day (though he did hit a couple), the few attempts he took were in rhythm and showcased a smooth stroke; he also can put the ball on the floor in transition.

Deuce Ketner (2024 | Bonner-Prendergast)
The younger brother of former Archbishop Carroll standout Tairi Ketner, Deuce has a much different game than his burly 6-7 older brother, who’s going to be a freshman at Albany this fall. The younger Ketner brother is a 6-6, 200-pound wing forward who’s trending towards playing the ‘3’ at the next level, and if he can continue to round out his game, he could be the highest-level prospect to come out of this camp. Ketner is long and versatile, scoring from multiple levels and finishing with both hands; he’s a good shot blocker in transition and can guard multiple positions well.

Anthony Lilly (2024 | Father Judge)
Lilly’s consistency throughout the day might’ve been the most impressive thing about the rising sophomore during camp. The 6-6 forward’s ability to stay poised and patient in the paint really set him apart. He frequently had opposing shot blockers flying by on pump fakes and showed nice touch around the rim. He also showcased soft hands on difficult catches whenever he cut or rolled to the basket. It’s no accident that he topped 20 points in one game and double-figures in the others.

Hill School guard Trey O'Neil (above) was one of the best point guards at camp Saturday. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

Trey O’Neil (2024 | Hill School)
During most of camp O’Neil could be seen showing off his diverse inside-out game. O’Neil was equally dangerous from the perimeter and in the paint. But his ability to stay composed is what really set him apart in the final game of camp, O’Neil provided 14 second-half points in a comeback effort for his team. He was able to knock down threes off the catch and dribble, and he showed a knack for navigating pick-and-rolls to get his shot. Once his perimeter got going he aggressively drove to the rim where he absorbed contact well and was able to finish through traffic.

Fazi Oshodi (2024 | Friends Central)
When it came to getting to the rim, Oshodi was in the upper tier of campers. He has a variety of gathers in his bag that puts him in favorable positions around the rim, from there he’s athletic enough to finish in traffic. He combines physicality and finesse around the rim which made him a difficult cover for opposing players during camp. He also showed off a nice jumper in his final game at one point hitting four straight from distance. There’s still work to be done in the playmaking department, but if he continues to be a threat from the perimeter he’ll be a tough cover for Friends Central’s opposition this year.

Gioacchino Panzini (2024 | Red Bank Catholic, N.J.)
Smooth, mobile and athletic, the rising sophomore opened his day with a strong half that featured two dunks and an emphatic block. Panzini flashed a soft touch around the rim and moved around well in the halfcourt to keep his team’s offense moving. He showed some perimeter game as well, hitting a couple from outside the arc in his second game with a pretty smooth shooting stroke.

Ben Rill (2025 | Westtown School)
There was a lot to like about this young 6-7 forward from York, who’ll learn under Dereck Lively II at Westtown this year, though he looks ready to earn some varsity minutes in his own right on a loaded Moose squad. Rill scored at least 16 points in all three of his games, hitting mid-range jumpers and finishing with both hands, including a few hook shots and another couple nice footwork finishes. Rill’s game could evolve to see him be more of a ‘4’ or even a big ‘3’ thanks to his natural athleticism and coordination, but he looked comfortable in the combo ‘4’/’5’ role at camp.

Nasir Williams (2025 | Sankofa Freedom)
Williams’ confidence rose with each game he played and was chipping in on both ends of the floor by the final contest of the day. An instinctive defender with sharp anticipation and good hands, he was able to frustrate opposing players on the ball and caused quite a few turnovers by sliding over on help. Offensively, he ran the floor as an option in transition, got to the rim well and by the last game, was taking shots from outside with confidence.

Ryan Williams (2024 | Malvern Prep)
The Inter-Ac nets could be in for some hefty punishment this year at the hands of Williams, who looks ready to burn up the nets at Malvern Prep after spending his freshman year leading the junior varsity squad. The slender 6-2 guard is a natural scorer with range, but he’s shifty with the ball in his hands and knows how to get into the mid-range and hit pull-up jumpers or throw up a couple floaters. Williams had a strong camp scoring the ball, with his ‘quiet’ game of 11 points and a breakout 20+ outing later on in camp, flashing a quick smile after every made bucket. As he fills out physically, Williams could blossom into a high-level recruit.