City of Basketball Love

CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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CONSHOHOCKEN — The 2023 Donofrio Classic’s second round began on Wednesday night with a pair of teams returning to the court and two more making their debut at the Fellowship House after first round byes. The winners moved on to the quarterfinals, which begin April 12.

Here’s a roundup and notebook from Wednesday night’s competition; CLICK HERE for all of CoBL’s 2023 Donofrio Classic coverage:

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Game One: Team Awesome 87, Old School Cavs 79
These two squads started off the night’s action with a really good one. Coming off a victory over Cool Hoops last week, the Old School Cavs jumped out ahead early and led 39-36 at halftime, but a talented Team Awesome proved too much, pulling away down the stretch. Albany commit Cornelius Robinson (2023 | Camden, N.J.) led the way with 19 points, including a thunderous dunk, along with Olin Chamberlain (2025 | St. Joe’s Prep), who added 18 (three 3s). Brant Byers (2024 | Perkiomen School) chipped in another 16 points, while Saint Louis commit Cian Medley (2023 | Camden, N.J.) scored 14 and Dasear Haskins (2023 | Camden, N.J.) finished with 12 points, including an oop from high school teammate Robinson and another powerful slam. Old School Cavs had a size disadvantage but hung tough with another strong outing from  Manny Joe-Samuel (2025 | Paul VI, N.J.), who had 15 points, 12 points apiece from Akhir and Zaiyin Keys (2023 | Chichester) and 10 points from Tobe Nwobu (2025 | Camden Catholic, N.J.).

Game Two: PA Hoops 87, Just Clean It 83
Immaculata commit Tyler Scarpulla (2023 | Devon Prep) hit the go-ahead free throws with one minute left and high school teammate Jacen Holloway (2024 | Devon Prep) added another pair with 16.5 ticks on the clock to seal the four-point win in PA Hoops’ tournament debut. Holloway, an Army commit, scored 27 points to match another member of the Tide, Lucas Orchard (2024 | Devon Prep) for the team lead. Scarpulla had 14 to round out the double-figure scorers for PA Hoops. Just Clean It was also led by a pair of high school teammates Dom Wyatt (2024 | Caravel Acad., Del.) and John Clemons (2023 | Caravel Acad., Del.), who both finished with 23 points to push PA Hoops to the brink. Wyatt’s three with 1:30 to play gave Just Clean It an 83-82 lead with a minute and a half to play before PA Hoops’ free throws in the final minute. Jake Sniras (2025 | Garnet Valley) chipped in 13 and James Ianelli (2023 | Bishop Eustace, N.J.) chipped in 11 for Just Clean It.

Camden’s Haskins eyeing college commitment

After dropping 11 points to go along with a couple eye popping dunks in an 87-79 victory for his Team Awesome squad over the Old School Cavs, Dasear Haskins’ attention has shifted to a big weekend coming up for his recruitment.

The 6-9 wing from Camden High School (N.J.) is going to be the last Division I bound senior in the program to pick his future home with D.J. Wagner and Aaron Bradshaw headed to Kentucky, Cian Medley off to St. Louis, and Cornelius Robinson committed to Albany already.

Haskins is a bouncy wing who can get to the rim and is showing an improving outside game, including four three-pointers in the clash for his Camden team against Imhotep back during the regular season. While he remains uncommitted at the moment, he has a long list of suitors still in the market for his services. He mentioned that Saint Peter’s, St. Joe’s, Wagner, Texas A&M Commerce, and San Diego have been in touch with him frequently, but his recruitment is still open. 

“I have an unofficial visit to St. Joe’s Friday and I might head out to San Diego for a visit on Friday night,” Haskins noted. “I also recently had a great visit to Texas A&M Commerce, so I would like to make my decision soon.”

In terms of the deciding factors for Haskins that are weighing into his decision he is searching for the “right opportunity that is going to get me better on and off the court to achieve my goals.” Haskins also noted picking a school that offers a strong communications program will be a key factor in his eventual decision, as he is passionate about the field and already has started a podcast. 

When asked what his future school will be getting when he arrives on campus, the answer was pretty simple to Haskins.

“Just check my background,” he said. “Coming from Camden High, you know you are getting a winner. I think I can do it all, score, rebound, defend, and I bring the energy and mindset that you need to win.”

While his recruitment ranges from coast to coast, Haskins knows time is ticking on making his eventual decision and he wants to make his college commitment “either this weekend or next weekend.” — Ryan Coyle

Late-bloomer Mosby weighing college options

Nile Mosby (2023 | Engineering & Sciences) took a little bit longer than some for college hoops dreams to truly take hold.

“It’s something I always thought I wanted, like, ‘Oh, it’s gonna happen,’ but I think recently it’s something I really wanted and desired,” Mosby said.

Mosby was at Neumann-Goretti as a freshman and sophomore before coming to Engineering & Sciences as a junior. Things really didn’t start to click for the 6-5 wing/forward until last summer. 

He said he’s always been a high energy player, which paired with his size and strength allowed him to be productive. Last offseason, however, he could start to feel the rest of his game coming along.

Mosby put together a strong season for E&S, earning second team All-Public League ‘B’ Division honors. He continued to show the improvements in his game in two outings at the Donofrio Classic with the Old School Cavs, scoring nine points and knocking down a three on Wednesday day.

“I feel like I could have had a better season, but I think I got a taste of how my game was expanding,” Mosby said. “Before, I struggled with my confidence, so this season I had stretches where I felt like I was becoming better and I was coming into myself, just becoming more comfortable with myself and my game. Even today, I made a couple jump shots and stuff like that.”

College interest for Mosby began before the season. He said Penn-State Abingotn started talking with him last fall. Rosemont and Alvernia took interest in his abilities during the season. Mosby watched a game at Rosemont this winter and took a visit to Penn State-Abington as well.

There’s a lot to like about Mosby’s game. He said he feels like he can guard ‘1’ through ‘4’ and his energy is something college coaches — and coaches throughout his life — have told him they like about his game. He’s shown glimpses that he’s just scratching the surface, flashing a smooth jumper and some scoring ability that could be dangerous at his size at the small-college level if things continue to click.

Mosby will play in a showcase event at Imhotep on April 15. He is taking his time with his decision and hopes to eventually land at a program that will challenge him.

“I’m still trying to figure it out, still looking, still trying to see if I can get more (schools interested),” Mosby said. 

“I’m trying to play as much basketball as I can because I feel like I’m still getting better, like a late-bloomer. I’m still coming into my game.” — Owen McCue

Radnor’s Charlie Thornton Choses Randolph-Macon

After a successful season in which he helped lead Radnor to a 29-1 record and their first District-One championship since 1961, Charlie Thornton still had one thing left to do this spring: Figure out where he would continue his career.

The versatile 6-foot-5 wing officially made the decision just over a week ago that he will be playing his college ball at powerhouse Division III program Randolph-Macon College. He passed on scholarship opportunities with D-II programs like Chestnut Hill College and D'youville University in favor of the Yellow Jackets, who won the Division III national championship in 2022 and lost in the Sweet 16 this year.

“It’s a great program and I really like Coach (Josh) Merkel,” Thornton said. “They win and I’m gonna be forced to get better. I’m gonna be forced to compete everyday in practice, and that’s what I want to do. I want to keep growing as a player and person and I think I can do that at Randolph-Macon.”

Thornton was a part of the PA Hoops team which secured an 87-83 victory and was made up mostly of his old AAU teammates with Prim3 Tim3. He ended with seven points, all of which he scored in the second half, while adding a few flashy inside passes on cuts from his teammates. Thornton joined this AAU team when he was in 5th grade, but mentioned it had been constructed for many years before. 

“It’s a lot of fun getting another shot to play with my AAU teammates,” Thornton said. “Just guys I’ve been playing with since I was younger.”

He has his sights set on improving on the defensive side of the ball and adding muscle to his frame as he prepares for the collegiate leap. Thornton also intends on improving as a ball-handler, so he can step into whatever role the team may need from him. 

“College is a different level,” Thornton said. “When I was up there playing with the guys a little bit they were stronger, faster, so I just gotta work on almost everything.” — Sean Barnard

Quick Hits:

— Jacen Holloway (2024 | Devon Prep) will take a prep year at the United States Military Academy Prep School next season before playing at Army in 2024-25, a decision he made at the start of last school year. However, the Black Knights fired former head coach Jimmy Allen, who recruited Holloway, on March 9 so Holloway was unsure who he would eventually suit up for during most of March. Former Butler assistant Kevin Kuwik was announced as Allen’s replacement last week and Holloway got the chance to meet him via Zoom call on Tuesday with the others headed to USMAPS next season. 

“I got a chance to meet him and he seems like a really nice dude,” Holloway said. “It was great, his energy seems pretty high, so I’m excited.”

Holloway knows he will have to prepare physically for the prep school level next season as USMAPS plays a vigorous 40-game schedule. Holloway said the goal is to continue to improve as a point guard. At 6-4 he has some nice size for the position and some playmaking, but he noted added strength as well as tightening his handle at the offensive end and improving his lateral quickness for the defensive side.

— Trey O’Neil (2024 | Hill School) was the lone rising senior on PA Hoops team that consists of predominantly Radnor and Devon Prep’s 2023 senior class, but he fit right in with this group and showed why in Wednesday night’s 87-83 victory over Just Clean It why Division I programs are recruiting him. The 6’1 point guard finished the night with eight points, but was able to push the ball and make the right play in transition on a consistent basis, often setting up his teammates for buckets.  O’Neil will be running with Shoreshots Rio during the grassroots part of the calendar and is looking to expand on his game and find his eventual college home. O’Neil mentioned as of now Ivy/Patriot league teams have been checking in, noting Brown and Cornell specifically have been in talks with the high-level student.

“Academics is a huge part of what I am looking for,” O’Neil said. “But, honestly I am just looking for the best fit. Between academics, the school, campus, the coaches, I am weighing everything and trying to find the best fit for me and just keep all my options open.” O’Neil is looking to improve his on-ball defense and finding ways to generate more turnovers on the defensive end of the floor to catch the eyes of coaches this spring and summer.

— Manny Joe-Samuel (2025 | Paul VI, N.J.) is already one of the top scorers in South Jersey with 848 points in 51 career games with two high school seasons still to play. After averaging 14.5 ppg as a freshman for Paul VI, Joe-Samuel took another step forward as a sophomore, averaging 18.7 ppg. He continued to make a name for himself in Conshohocken on Wednesday night. Following a 27-point outing in the Old School Cavs’ win last week, the sophomore led his squad once again with 15 points, knocking down three triples and going up strong to the basket on a handful of occasions. 

“This year, I really wanted to show I could lead a team, not just in scoring but in other ways, talking, defensively, rebounding, all that other stuff, not just offense,” Joe-Samuel said. 

Joe-Samuel played with quite a few local standouts on Team Final’s 15U squad last spring and summer and will compete with the NJ Scholars 16U program this grassroots season. His focus will be on his defense, becoming a better on-ball defender. He also added that he’d also like to see his athleticism and finishing improve. Like the rest of the Class of 2025, Joe-Samuel will be able to hear directly from college for the first time come mid-June. Any nerves or excitement for the start of the recruiting process?

“Nah, I’ve been working for it, so I know it’s coming eventually,” Joe-Samuel said. 

— The rising junior St. Joe’s Prep duo of Jaron McKie and Olin Chamberlain Jr. should be a fun duo to track along the offseason and see how the rigors of playing in the Catholic League as underclassmen benefits them out on the circuit. McKie still has a slight frame, but has the frame that looks like he is going to continue to grow into both height and weight wise to go along with his already advanced offensive skill set as only a sophomore. Chamberlain showed the ability to knock down the outside shot on several occasions tonight and finish around the cup as well. With McKie, Chamberlain, Jalen Harper, and Tristin Guillote back next year for The Prep amongst others, with strong offseasons they should enter the Catholic League next year with Palestra expectations.