City of Basketball Love

Chad Graham (@CGraham_Sports)
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Philly USA Basketbal hosted the All City: Philly vs. New York showcase at Benjamin Franklin HS on Saturday as local squads MCS, Neumann-Goretti and Imhotep squared off against New York's Thomas Jefferson, Eagle Academy and South Shore, respectively. Here are the standouts from the tripleheader:

Eric Acker (2023 | Eagle Academy, N.Y.)

Acker wasn’t named the team’s MVP, but he was one of the more impressive players on the court before the Saints called the dogs off. NG put their best defenders on him all game long and tried to trap/blitz him whenever he called for a ball-screen. And yet he still found ways to create advantages and thread the needle to teammates (5 assists). His decision-making under pressure was commendable. Acker put up 9 points and nabbed a steal as well.

Sultan Adewale (2023 | Neumann-Goretti)

The top unsigned big man in the state had himself a game. Standing 6-8 or so, Adewale bothered ball-handlers by switching and hard-hedging ball screens in pick-n-roll, then recovering. He wound up with three steals in the process. Offensively, he ran the floor in transition, taking one of his steals coast-to-coast, and made himself available for high-percentage looks at the basket, and cleaned the glass (7 rebounds) for put-backs for 22 points.

Tywan Evans (2023 | Thomas Jefferson, N.Y.)

Jefferson had five players reach double digits in the points column and Evans played a major role in that. The undersized yet crafty senior guard made a home inside the 3-point arc. He hit an assortment of touch shots while setting the table for his teammates. Then in the fourth quarter, he closed out the game at the free throw line, making 10-of-13. He tallied 18 points and 5 assists in the opening game of the event.

Khaafiq Myers (2024 | Neumann-Goretti)

Myers was electric. From the 3-quarter court, touchdown-pass assists, to rotating from the weak-side for a block, Myers was everywhere. When he wasn’t slinging the ball around to bend the defense, he was confidently pulling up in the mid-range and slashing to the cup. The 5-10 pride of South Philly put on a show with 13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals.

Yahmir Satterfield (2023 | Imhotep)

The team MVP for Tep, Satterfield did all the little things. Throughout the game, he shined defending at the nail and on the help-side, hustled for loose balls, made quick decisions with the ball, and spaced the floor by relocating - even when his shot wasn’t falling. Then, in the second half, he got hot. Satterfield drained back-to-back threes in the third and fourth quarters off the catch (four total) to finish with a team-high 16 points.

RJ Smith (2026 | Imhotep)

Due to early foul trouble in their starting backcourt, (head coach) Bro. Andre put the freshman in and it paid returns. Smith, only about 5’6, took two charges and had four steals while defending at the point of attack. He also contributed 12 points on offense, showing touch inside and hitting a three that erupted the bench and the crowd. In his first high school game, Smith more than earned his keep.

Nasseem Wright (2024 | Math, Civics, & Sciences)

As someone still growing into his body, Wright is refining his ability to create for himself. Besides knocking down a couple treys and catching lobs, he used pump fakes and crab dribbles to get quality looks around the rim. He was also active on defense. The 6’6 wing deflected passes, grabbed two steals and altered a few shots to add to his 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists.

Honorable Mention:

Kyrone Alexander (2023 | South Shore, N.Y.), Jarrett Dingle (2023 | South Shore, N.Y.), Justin Edwards (2023 | Imhotep), Anthony Isaac (2023 | Thomas Jefferson, N.Y.), Nayeem Johnson (2023 | Math, Civics, & Sciences), Trevor Lewis (2026 | Thomas Jefferson, N.Y.), Chauncey Presley (2023 | Math, Civics, & Sciences), Trey Sheppard (2023 | Eagle Academy, N.Y.), Bruce Smith (2023 | Neumann-Goretti), Connor Sprattely (2025 | Thomas Jefferson, N.Y.), Amir Williams (2024 | Neumann-Goretti), Rob Wright III (2024 | Neumann-Goretti)