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2023 Hoop Group Spring Jam Fest: Day Two Standouts (April 29)

04/29/2023, 11:30pm EDT
By Josh Verlin + Sean McBryan

CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)

MANHEIM — The Hoop Group hosts its second and final spring live period event this weekend with the Spring Jam Fest at Spooky Nook, where a number of local and out-of-town grassroots programs as well as Division I, II and III coaches descend Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 

Here’s who stood out to the CoBL staff on games we watched on Saturday:

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More Coverage
Day 1 Standouts / Day 2 Standouts / Day 3 Standouts (Pt. 1) / Day 3 Standouts (Pt. 2) / Recruiting Notebook (Pt. 1) / Recruiting Notebook (Pt. 2) / Recruiting Notebook (Pt. 3) / Recruiting Notebook (Pt. 4) / Recruiting Notebook (Pt. 5)

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Jay Alexander (11) goes up for a jumper. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

Jay Alexander (2026 | Expressions NY 15U)
Alexander was impossible to miss for Expressions’ New York group in a close loss to ShoreShots Rio’s 15s, as the bouncy 6-2 guard from Aquinas Institute (N.Y.) poured in a 20-pound, 11-rebound double-double. Alexander showed off a quick catch-and-shoot ability in knocking down a couple 3s, but also used his strength and athleticism to get to the rim and finish in all sorts of ways, whether that was crashing the glass for a put-back layup, a step-through where he seemed to cover 15 feet in one stride, or a mid-range pull-up. 

James Brenner (2026 | East Coast Power 15U)
Brenner barely hit the rim in leading ECP with 15 points in a 68-54 loss to Philly Revolution in an afternoon game Saturday. The 6-5 freshman from Unionville played aggressively earlier in the day with 12 points, eight rebounds (five offensive), three assists, and three steals in a 76-31 win over K-Low Elite ‘B’ Squad. Brenner tacked on six rebounds and a block against Philly Rev showing a nice inside-out game that he’ll continue to develop in the coming seasons.

Will Brooks (2023 | D1 Stars HGSL 17U)
Brooks was a bundle of energy Saturday afternoon in D1 Stars’ 71-60 comeback victory over PK Flash HGSL. The 6-3 wing from Northwestern High School in Rock Hill, S.C. catalyzed the comeback with his activity on both ends of the floor. D1 Stars fell behind 17-1 to begin the game before battling back to make it 31-25 at halftime. Brooks had nine points in the first half and finished with 26 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

Duke Cloran (2025 | PA Hoops Academy HGSL 17U)
Cloran, standing 6-2, was going up against a bigger NJ Shoreshots squad in a morning game Saturday, but was still efficient in getting to his spots and knocking down jumpers. The Haverford School sophomore scored 16 points, including two 3s, and had five rebounds, three assists and two steals for PA Hoops Academy as it pulled out a 56-55 overtime victory.

Zane Conlon (2025 | Team Final Red HGSL 16U)
Conlon could not be stopped in Team Final Red’s 61-57 victory over New World Saturday afternoon. The 6-4 wing did just about everything from banging down low and covering New World’s biggest player to splashing multiple 3s even with double teams being sent his way. New World’s coach at one point yelled to his team, “Don’t let him get the ball!” It was to no avail. Conlon racked up 22 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists while knocking down three 3s.

Damon Curry (2024 | PK Flash HGSL 17U)
It’s no surprise that someone with the last name Curry is able to shoot. Damon Curry, a 6-6 combo guard from Franklin, Pa., has a smooth lefty stroke and hit four 3s while scoring 22 points for PK Flash in its loss to D1 Stars in an afternoon game Saturday. The junior also displayed his athleticism and knack for securing loose balls. He grabbed five rebounds and can get up and take the ball off the rim. He was manning the middle of the zone as the last line of defense on the other side of the ball. Curry averaged 17.2 points per game during his high school season in leading Franklin to a District 10 title and the PIAA Class 4A quarterfinals.

Silas Graham (2027 | East Coast Power 15U)
The ECP 15s absolutely rolled the K-Low Elite ‘B’ squad 76-31 in a Saturday morning game, a big reason there’s quite a few names from that team sprinkled in this list. Graham, a recent addition to the Power’s 15s, fit right in, as the 6-4 Haverford School eighth grader put together a 22-point, six-rebound, three-assists, two-block outing, making it look easy. Graham was 10-of-11 from the floor and hit both of his foul shots, showing his natural feel from the floor by knocking in a floater from eight feet, getting to the rim and finishing with both hands with ease. 


Bryce Hargrove (above) went for 34 points in a win over Middlesex Magic in a 15U game. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

Blake Hargrove (2026 | Team Final Red 15U)
Hargrove was absolutely outstanding in TFR’s 71-55 win over the Middlesex Magic’s top 15U group. The 5-11 guard, a freshman starter at Liberty High School up in the Lehigh Valley, went for 34 points on 14-of-24 shooting (4-11 3PT), doing most of that via the jumper, whether it was a one-dribble pull-up, a mid-range shot coming off a screen, or triples with range from a variety of spots on the arc; more than just a scorer, he proved his defensive abilities with seven steals, proving to be a pest of an on-ball defender with quick hands, and he also grabbed four boards. 

Carnell Henderson (2025 | BW Elite HGSL 16U)
Henderson is listed at 6-2 although his ranginess allows him to play bigger offensively and defensively. Henderson covered the opposing team’s big man and even called his number in the post offensively a few times in BW Elite’s 64-46 win over Marston Elite Saturday. That doesn’t take away from the point guard’s tight handle and compact shooting form. The Imhotep Charter sophomore had several full-court passes and hit outside jumpers while also crashing the boards. His activity on the glass resulted in multiple putbacks and his length on defense caused multiple turnovers and tipped passes. 

Jayden Hodge (2026 | PSA Cardinals EYBL 15U)
The 6-5 guard had himself a nice game as the Cardinals’ 2026 group lost to East Coast Power’s 2025s, playing up a year for this weekend’s event. Hodge scored 12 points and grabbed five boards, and was playing aggressively all game long; he started the game off by driving into the block and scoring with a sweet right hook, then got the rest of his production by heading downhill in transition or cutting in the half-court, getting feed after feed and taking them to the rack to finish with ease, whether that was an off-handed bucket over a defender or a kiss off the glass, never once needing to take a jumper as he was 6-7 from the floor.


Larenzo Jerkins (above) and BW Elite's 17s are in the semifinals of their bracket. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

Larenzo Jerkins (2024 | BW Elite HGSL 17U)
BW Elite outlasted PA Hoops Academy in a 17U quarterfinal later on Saturday afternoon/evening, and Jerkins was at the middle of all of it, literally. The 6-6 forward and Neumann-Goretti junior was knocking down jumper after jumper from the middle of the PA Hoops Academy defense, and if a defender took a step up he’d attack the rim and finish, or grab offensive (and defensive) boards. It wasn’t a one-man show, but it was consistent the whole game through, every couple possessions ending in a Jerkins bucket, block or board.

Luke Kennevan (2025 | East Coast Power 16U)
It was a rough game for ECP’s 16s, who trailed PSA’s 15s by double figures with under 10 minutes left in their third-round game and couldn’t seem to buy an open shot, but the stout defense they’d been playing all game finally flipped the switch; Kennevan scored all 15 of his points in the second half, including the game-winning bucket at the buzzer. The 6-4 wing from Camden Catholic (N.J.), who’s found himself in these lists on quite a few occasions over the last few weeks, handled the ball well against an aggressive PSA defense and kept his cool when he got into the teeth of the defense.

Jaron McKie (2025 | NJ Soldiers EYBL 16U)
McKie’s as microwave-hot as they come, the 6-4 guard able to get it going in just a couple shots, and suddenly he’s off to the races. The House We Built’s 17s found that out the hard way, as McKie knocked down three shots in a little more than a minute to launch himself to a 26-point outing, going 11-of-17 from the floor (3-8 3PT). McKie’s jumper is always picture-perfect whether it’s on the catch or pulling up, and he’s got a super-smooth one-dribble pull-up practiced to perfection as defenders start closing out hard; even after it’s very clear he’s a shooter, though, he still finds himself free.

Oben Mokonchu (2026 | East Coast Power 15U)
Mokonchu was a two-way force in the Power’s big Saturday morning win, the 6-6 forward out of Spring-Ford going for 18 points and nine rebounds. A muscular post, Mokonchu fought for every board, grabbing three on the offensive end, showing good athleticism and mobility to go get loose balls or errant ricochets. Offensively, he started off scoring around the rim, showing good feet and hands, but then really opened eyes when he popped out to knock down a 17-foot jumper, then a wing 3-pointer, and then another 15 footer from closer to the baseline, the only three jumpers he took. He also showed some playmaking skills, making a spin move in the paint that was followed by a strong interior pass to a teammate for an open layup.

Max Moshinski (2026 | Philly Revolution HGSL 15U)
The 6-4 combo guard from Father Judge impressed in both of Philly Revolution 15U’s games CoBL staff had eyes on Saturday. Moshinski had 14 points, five rebounds and two assists in Philly Rev’s 55-52 victory over TNE in a morning game. He then had nine points, eight rebounds, two assists, and three blocks in Rev’s 68-54 victory over East Coast Power in an afternoon game. Moshinski’s size helps his effectiveness defensively and rebounding; he also puts himself in good positions to make plays and has sneaky good ball handling/shooting skills on the perimeter.


Ben Rill (above) scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a Saturday morning win. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

Ben Rill (2025 | York Ballers 16U)
It was a defensive battle between the York Ballers’ 16s and those from Team Thrill’s HGSL group, York winning 41-32. Rill was the only player on either team in double figures, the 6-8 forward out of Central York finishing with 18 points, including the first eight points of the game. Rill’s working on developing his game out to the perimeter but still has his best impact on the block, where he did a great job of establishing positioning, sealing off defenders on the catch for an easy finish, or a not-so-easy one, as he had a couple reverse layups as well; he also had eight rebounds and a couple blocks. 

Evan Romano (2025 | ShoreShots Rio UAA 15U)
Romano had a nice game as the ShoreShots’ top 15U squad held on to beat Expressions’ New York group, which hung close all game long. Romano, a 6-4 guard and a young rising junior playing with his age group, finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal, showing a smooth jumper but also some solid athleticism with plenty of effort and energy on the court. 

Kareem Thomas (2024 | WeR1 Delaware 17U)
Thomas showed an incredibly patient game while sharing ball handling duties with Salesanium teammate Isaiah Hynson in WeR1’s 66-50 victory over Connecticut Elite Saturday morning. Thomas and Hynson were the top scorers for the Sallies last season and were again for WeR1 Saturday, but know how to move the ball and keep the offense flowing. Thomas, a 6-6 combo guard, had multiple nice blocks and steals leading to drives that he finished strongly at the rim or softly with floaters in the lane. He also hit tough 3s, including one off a crossover stepback that put his defender on the ground.

Ben Troyer (2024 | LA ELIT3 17U)
Troyer, fresh off a Lancaster-Lebanon League championship and narrow loss to Spring-Ford in the PIAA 6A second round with Hempfield, showed his all-around skills in LA ELIT3’s 65-63 victory over Global Squad Showcase Saturday afternoon. The long 6-4 wing gets to the rim effortlessly and can finish softly with touch over defenders, but also possesses the athleticism to go up strong to finish with a dunk or a tough layup. Troyer has a nice jumper but doesn’t force anything; he gets his points within the flow of the offense and can make crisp passes to open teammates. He’s active defensively with his length causing issues for opponents and helping him get steals by jumping passing lanes.

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Honorable Mention
Blake Adams (2026 | Team Final Red 15U), Deacon Baratta (2025 | East Coast Power HGSL 16U), Ethan Benne (2024 | LA ELIT3 17U), Tarik Bicic (2023 | NJ Shoreshots HGSL 17U), Gary Bonner (2026 | K-Low Elite Blue 15U), Karon Booth (2026 | East Coast Power 15U), Jekhi Burnam (2026 | BW Elite HGSL 16U), LaQuan Byrd (2024 | BW Elite HGSL 17U), Ben Costello (2024 | PA Hoops Academy HGSL 17U), Jayden Davis (2025 | PK Flash HGSL 17U), Sebastian Edwards (2025 | East Coast Power HGSL 16U), Sincere Folk (2026 | PSA Cardinals 15U), Asekia Gilyard (2026 | BW Elite HGSL 16U), Zyan Hager (2024 | D1 Stars HGSL 17U), Jacob Henderson (2024 | Connecticut Elite 17U), Isaiah Hynson (2024 | WeR1 Delaware 17U), Shareef Jackson (2025 | NJ Scholars EYBL 16U), Hassan Jenkins (2024 | House We Built HGSL 17U), Trey Keating (2026 | Team Final Red 15U), Owen Kelly (2026 | Philly Revolution HGSL 15U), Anthony Li (2025 | Team Thrill HGSL 16U), Jack Loundas (2026 | Expressions NY 15U), Avery Lynch (2027 | ShoreShots Rio UAA 15U), Cyrus Matia (2026 | Expressions NY 15U), Christian Matos (2026 | East Coast Power 15U), Ryan McLaughlin (2026 | Middlesex Magic UAA 15U), Dylan Mingo (2026 | PSA Cardinals EYBL 15U), Jayden Myers (2025 | NJ Scholars EYBL 16U), Tobe Nwobu (2026 | ShoreShots Rio UAA 15U), Elijah Perez (2026 | Team Final Red 15U), Derrick Morton-Rivera (2026 | ShoreShots Rio UAA 15U), Mason Santiago (2026 | PSA Cardinals 15U), Isaiah Skinn (2025 | New World HGSL 16U), Daniel Smalls (2027 | Expressions NY 15U), Chase Smucker (2025 | York Ballers 16U), Rocco Westfield (2026 | Philly Revolution HGSL 15U)


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