City of Basketball Love

CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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(Ed. Note: This article is part of our 2022-23 season coverage, which will run for the six weeks preceding the first official games of the year on Nov. 9. To access all of our high school and college preview content for this season, click here.)

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As always, Philadelphia basketball is everywhere.

Year after year, more than 100 Philly-area ballplayers are spread around Division I rosters, from East Coast to West Coast, North to South, low-major to high-major and everywhere in between. Each fall, CoBL rounds up all of those local prospects to update you on how their careers are going and what’s expected of them in the year to come.

We’ve split the area’s D-I alumni into a five-part list, including four segments of returning players and one of the true freshmen who are going off into their first year of D-I hoops. Here’s Part 5 of our 2022-23 CoBL alumni roundup, featuring all the freshmen making their Division I roster debuts:

(If we’re missing someone, let us know: cityofbasketballlove@gmail.com)

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2022-23 Alumni Roundup: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

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Andrew Ball (Monmouth)
A lanky 6-8 wing guard, Ball heads up to Monmouth after a standout career at Shawnee (N.J.), where he was one of the more versatile players in South Jersey. He’s listed as a guard and has the frame of a shooting guard, but at his height he’s able to get a little done inside as well, and can finish at and above the rim with ease. Ball’s best asset is his 3-point shooting, but his defensive versatility and length will help him as well as Monmouth adjusts to its new league, the CAA. 

Neel Beniwal (San Diego)

Beniwal bet on himself as a Division I prospect, transferring from Garnet Valley to the Phelps School and reclassifying after his junior year, then waiting until after his prep season to see if he could get a D-I scholarship, and it paid off in the form of a spot on the San Diego roster. The 6-5 guard was one of the area’s best shooters over the last few years, and while he might be a little bit one-dimensional offensively, he’s got great positional size and the IQ as an off-ball shooter to get free in his spots, and those are traits that often play well at the next level.

Quin Berger (Saint Joseph’s)
One of a few new local faces at St. Joe’s, Berger is the son of Westtown head coach Seth Berger, and he comes to Hawk Hill after starring for his dad the last few seasons at the national-level prep powerhouse. Last year, Berger averaged 15 points, four rebounds and three assists per game as Westtown captured the FSL and PAISAA championships (and not for the first time), but at St. Joe’s he’ll be further back in the guard rotation — though the 6-1 guard’s outside shooting ability might come in handy on a team that’ll be looking for it. 

Jameel Brown (Penn State)
Brown made an early splash on the high school scene as a freshman at Haverford School, before missing most of his sophomore year with an injury and all of his junior season due to the pandemic. Then, he went on an outstanding run. He served as an offensive connector and defensive stopper for the 2021 Team Final squad that won Peach Jam. He followed that up by capping off his prep career at Westtown where they took home the Friends League and PAISSA crowns. Originally committed to Purdue, Brown reconsidered his pledge once Micah Strewsberry got the Nittany Lions’ head job.

Khalil Farmer (Hofstra)
After being first team all-Friends League as a freshman and sophomore at Shipley, Farmer joined the Broad St. boys at Roman for his final two seasons, making an immediate impact as a shot-maker and on-ball defender. He made first team all-league during both of those seasons too. As a senior, Farmer averaged 15.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg, and 43.1% from three. Speedy Claxton’s crew finished third in the CAA a season ago with several senior guards who are now gone. Depending how he performs in the preseason, the former Cahilite standout may have a chance to contribute as a true freshman.

Rasheer Fleming (St. Joe’s)
The Hawks’ coaches have high expectations for Fleming, who comes to Hawk Hill out of New Jersey powerhouse Camden, having played alongside a pair of likely McDonald's All-Americans in D.J. Wagner and Aaron Bradshaw. The lanky 6-9 forward brings a good amount of length and athleticism to the SJU frontcourt, and should immediately give them a burst on the glass, defensively, and in the energy category; if he can stretch the floor, he can see a lot of playing time right from the get-go, but should see significant minutes off the bench at minimum. 

Cole Hargrove (Drexel)
Hargrove was a four-year contributor at Methacton, going from an underclassman and backup forward to Jeff Woodward (Colgate) and then taking over at the ‘5’ spot for the Warriors the last couple years. A 6-8 forward with a plus wingspan, Hargrove is a terrific rim protector and shot-blocker who had as many as nine rejections in a game last year, and he’s also got a much-improved face-up game with range out to the arc. It wouldn’t be shocking to see him redshirt this year, but he could also carve out a role in the DU frontcourt.

Chas Kelley (Boston College)
A native of Houston, Texas, Kelley spent his last few years of high school up in the Philadelphia area at the Phelps School, where he became one of the top prospects in the state. A 6-5 combo guard, Kelley averaged about 20 points, seven rebounds and nine assists per game as a senior at Phelps, playing against high-level competition on a regular basis and proving he belonged. Kelley can get his own buckets from range or attack the hoop, create for teammates and also defend all three perimeter positions. Could be an instant-impact player in the ACC.

Aaron Lemon-Warren (Delaware State)
Lemon-Warren didn’t take the short and easy route to Del. State, but he got there nonetheless. He graduated from Archbishop Ryan in 2022, making first team all-Catholic League and PIAA’s 5A Player of the Year. The then senior combo-forward averaged 18.8 ppg, 8.3 rpg, and 2.4 apg as he led the Raiders to the 5A state title game. After playing out the summer with K-Low Elite 3SSB, Lemon-Warren played at Mt. Zion Prep in Maryland as a post-grad. That’s where Stan Waterman locked in on ALW to add his winning pedigree to the Hornets in the MEAC.

Gestin Liberis (St. Francis Pa.)
Liberis started off his prep career at Bonner-Prendergast, then transferred to the George School to do a fifth year, during which he showed he was worthy of a Division I scholarship. The 6-9 forward, who dealt with injuries during his high school years, filled out his frame up past 200 pounds last year (215 now), averaging 13.0 ppg and 11.0 rpg last season while playing alongside current Xavier commit Kachi Nzeh.St. Francis doesn’t have a ton of size with experience outside 6-10 redshirt junior Josh Cohen, so Liberis could earn a role with rebounding and defense.

Demetrius Lilley (Penn State)

The second local member of the Penn State freshman class is Lilley, who during the course of three seasons at Lower Merion established himself as one of the top post prospects around. A 6-10, 260-pound forward, Lilley is a terrific playmaker out of the high post with his passing ability and basketball IQ: he’s also a solid 3-point shooter and a terrific post scorer, with elite hands and footwork. Capable of playing the ‘4’ and ‘5’, Lilley was one of the most consistently productive bigs around last year, and is hoping to carry that right into the Big Ten.

Dereck Lively II (Duke)
If you haven’t yet heard of Dereck Lively II…well, hopefully you’ve enjoyed living under that rock the last few years. The 7-1, 230-pound center and five-star prospect out of the Westtown School is a unicorn of a big man, elitely skilled around the basket but with range out to the 3-point arc, a tremendous rim defender and rebounder who can start the break, play both frontcourt positions, and seemingly has the NBA written all over him. His biggest focus will be adding strength and physicality to get ready for the next level, but that shouldn’t stop him from being a two-way force even at the high-major level.

Anthony McCall (Rider)
There was no doubt watching McCall play over his senior year that he was headed towards a D-I scholarship, as the Academy New Church product was just too productive. A 6-4 wing, McCall played everything from the ‘1’ to the ‘4’ for the Lions, was an excellent scorer, finisher, and rebounder, not to mention defender; McCall was a huge reason that ANC was able to hang with Westtown the last two Friends’ Schools League title games, and has the physical attributes to contribute right away in the MAAC.

Justin Moore (Drexel)
Moore had to overcome some adversity to become a Dragon. After two strong seasons in the Suburban One at Cheltenham, he took his talents to Bishop McDevitt in the PCL, where he earned 2nd team all-league. Unfortunately, McDevitt closed at the end of the school year. Moore played out the summer with K-Low Elite 3SSB then found his way to Archbishop Wood. There he took the leap many had been waiting on, averaging 15.2 ppg and 6.1 apg, earning first team all-league, and leading the Vikings to a PIAA 6A title appearance. Now he’ll get a shot to make an early impact for Zach Spiker and one of the top programs in the CAA.

Gabe Moss (Delaware)
A Pottstown native, Moss spent the last three years at the Hill School, where he developed into a mid-major ‘4’ man. The 6-8, 220-pound forward missed most of his senior year due to a knee injury that could impact his availability for the 2022-23 season; it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see him redshirt and return to the court healthy in 2023-24. 

Derek Simpson (Rutgers)
Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell had success with an under-the-radar guard named Geo Baker, who became a five-year starter and scored 1,654 points in a Rutgers uniform before graduating this spring. Simpson asked Baker for permission to wear his number ‘0’ and got it, a sign that the Lenape (N.J.) product could also be an under-the-radar gem for the Scarlet Knights. A 6-3 guard, Simpson averaged more than 20 ppg during his senior year, establishing himself as one of the top players in NJ without needing to leave his hometown public school thanks to his combination of shot-making, athleticism, defensive abilities and overall leadership; his dad, Ron Simpson, averaged 20.9 ppg during three seasons at Rider in the late 1980s.

Daniel Skillings (Cincinnati)

Skillings came over to Philly’s Roman Catholic from South Jersey before his junior year of high school, and over the course of two seasons turned from a high-level prospect into a high-level player. The 6-6, 205-pound wing had a terrific senior year, averaging 19.2 ppg and 8.1 rpg while shooting 55% overall and 34.6% from 3-point range (36-of-104); he’s turning into a 3-and-D type who can attack the rim, defend the ‘1’ through ‘4’ and rebound at a high level from the wing. 

Masud Stewart (Binghamton)
Stewart contributed in spurts on Neumann-Goretti’s 2020 PCL title team and played a slightly bigger role while starting as a junior, but he put it all together for his final year. He averaged 11.4 ppg and shot 35.4% from three (45-of-128) as a floor spacer and connector, but his calling was on defense. The 6-1 Delaware-native is a lock-down on-ball defender who earned 2nd team all-league honors. Moore importantly, Second-year head coach Levell Sanders is getting a winner. Stewart helped the Saints to league, district and state championships. 

Nix Varano (Rider)
Varano was a late addition for Rider coach Kevin Bagget, flipping from his commitment to Army in May. A 6-2 guard from La Salle College High School, Varano averaged 14 ppg and 3.7 apg. He shot the ball well all-around - 84.3% FT (43-of-51) and 34.2% 3P (52-of-152). His hard-nose defense swung games for the Explorers and helped them upset a few teams a season ago. Varano’s ability to elevate his team earned him second team all-Catholic League.

Blaise Vespe (Florida Gulf Coast)
Vespe was a significant contributor on the ‘19-20 Neumann-Goretti squad that won the PCL title. He followed that up with a shortened senior season where he put up 7.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, and 34% 3P (28-of-83). His ability to play either forward spot gained him some attention but not enough for a scholarship, so he took a post-grad year at IMG (Fl.). No stranger to Philly-area talent and entering his first season at the helm for FGCU, coach Pat Chambers brought Vespe in to be the swiss army knife for his new-look Eagles team.

Michael Walz (Richmond)
Walz was an underrated signing for head coach Chris Mooney and the Spiders. With 14 ppg and 10.6 rpg as a senior at Conestoga, he was a walking double-double. The 6-11 center earned first-team all-Central League and first-team all-Main Line in eleventh and twelfth grades. With only two other big men on the roster, Walz should have the opportunity to contribute as a true freshman in the CAA.

Kareem Watson (Cal St-Bakersfield)
Watson was part of a historic class at West Catholic that led the Burrs to a 21-6 record and their first trip to the PCL final four in decades. He scored 7.5 ppg as a senior. His team counted on him most as a 6-7 versatile impact defender on the wing. As he adds weight and gets stronger, he’ll do the same for head coach Rod Barnes and the Roadrunners.

Kaseem Watson (Cal St-Bakersfield)
Watson is one of the more decorated West Catholic players in recent memory. He earned all-Catholic League honors as a junior and senior (2nd-team in 2022) and averaged 10.9 ppg, 6 rpg, and 41.5% 3P (22-of-53) in his final season. The scorer of the twins used his 6-7 frame to create shots for himself in the mid-range and spot-up from deep. He’s headed out to the Big West conference to play alongside his brother.