City of Basketball Love

By Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue) &
Gavin Riley (@hooplove215)
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The June scholastic live periods began on Friday as college coaches from all levels descended on events around the region to evaluate high school players with their high school teams. The Hun School was packed with coaches for the Mid-Atlantic Independent Shootout with two courts running from noon until 10 p.m., filled with several of the area’s top PAISAA programs. The event will continue Saturday and Sunday. 

CoBL was in attendance for almost the entire day, getting our eyes on all but a few teams. Here’s the list of standouts from the action that we saw: 

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More from the Mid-Atlantic Independent School Shootout: Day 1 Standouts | Day 2-3 Standouts | Day 1 Notebook | Day 2-3 Notebook

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Alrfedo Adessa (2024 | Perkiomen School)
Without Thomas Haugh and Preist Ryan (graduate) and with Macon Emory sidelined, Adessa was the one holding down the post for the Panthers on Friday. The 6-10 forward from Italy has a back to the basket game, featuring strong footwork and touch with both hands and also showed the ability to step out beyond the arc and knock down shots. He used both aspects of his game to explode for 16 first-half points against St. Benedict’s. 

Bryson Brown (2024 | Mercersburg Academy)
Brown, a 6-1 strongly built guard from New York, poured in 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a loss to Perkiomen School. He showed off some difficult shotmaking, knocking down a pair of threes and also pulling up for some off-balanced looks inside the arc he got to go. Brown played with a lot of energy for a Mercersburg squad that showcased quite a bit of talent despite a one-sided result.

KJ Cochran (2025 | Perkiomen School)
The former West Chester East standout put on quite a show in his Perkiomen School debut as he put up 20 points in a win over Mercersburg Acad. A smooth 6-3 guard, Cochran showed off his shooting stroke with three  3-point makes and some deep pulls from two. Most impressive was his finishing at the basket as he used his athleticism to hang and avoid or accept contact and often still get his shot to go. He and former Devon Prep standout Lucas Orchard fit seamlessly into the Panthers offense, keeping the ball moving despite the big scoring game.

Ian Herring (2024 | The Kiski School)
When Herring was on the floor, it was hard to watch anyone else. His burst, length and elite athleticism was a key contributor in Kiski’s comeback-win against The Hun School. Herring, 6-foot-5, was willingly driving the lane and using his length to beat out defenders close to the hoop. He worked hard position himself along the of defenders that sat underneath the baskboards in attempts to grab rebounds.

Ebrahim Kaba (2024 | The Peddie School)
Kaba — a new addition to Peddie’s basketball team — impressed in his only appearance against Springfield Commonwealth. At 6-foot-8, his ability to handle the ball effectively and confidently stood out, as well as his 3-point shooting ability. Kaba’s range has no end, as he was knocking down baseline jumpshots, mid-rangers and threes, contributing to his 15-point outing.

Malachy Kelly (2024 | The Hun School)
Kelly’s attacking mindset was on full-display as he was the engine of Hun’s offense on the first day of play. With a game-high 26 points in Hun’s loss to Kiski in their first game, Kelly seemingly couldn’t miss to start the game. His high-motor style of play, along with his impressive shot-making ability stood out. Kelly works hard to find a good shot on offense, then works even harder on defense to get the ball back. 

Isaiah Marshall (2025 | Friends Select)
Marshall had a solid all-around showing with nine points and seven boards in a loss to Malvern Prep to start his day then went off for 20 points to help the Falcon down Springfield Commonwealth in their second game. A bulky 6-1 guard, Marshall was effective outside both off the catch-and-shoot and bounce. He’s got a lot of strength to use on his way to the rim and can keep a defense on his heels with the way he attacks the basket, also using a pull-up in the midrange when he did catch them backpedaling. He challenges as an on-ball defender too and isn’t afraid to scrap inside for rebounds as well as highlighted by his big day on the boards.

Isaac Munkandi (2024 | Bridgeport Prep, Conn.)
Part of a towering front court duo alongside Wesly Rosa (more on him below), the 6-10 forward from the Congo scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a win over Westtown. It was fun to see the near 7-footer sprinting the floor and being rewarded with buckets. He was off the mark on his long range attempts but showcased some potential for a jumper, stepping into a three at the top of the key and coming off a screen for a midrange look at the foul line, also knocking down a turnaround jumper in the post.

Onyx Nnani (2025 | Phelps School)
Nnani put together an 18-point, seven-rebound performance against Bridgeport Prep, the 6-10 wing/forward showcasing some of his versatility in the victory. His athleticism was on display as he put the ball on the deck for a baseline jam and had an unreal finish where he switched from his right to left while avoiding a defender. He a fadeaway pull-up gave a glimpse at his potential on the perimeter but Nnani put pressure on a towering Bridgeport front line inside, earning three trips to the free throw line (6-for-6). The lengthy forward was also fun to watch as he disrupted passing lanes with his long arms and contested shots inside on the defensive end.

Chidi Nwigwe (2026 | St. Benedict’s Prep, N.J.)
Nwigwe, who spent his freshman season at Bergen Catholic (N.J.), is a pretty special talent who continues to smooth out hsi game. He has raw athleticism and combines that with advanced ball skills and coordination for a young player his size. The 6-6 wing exploded for 13 first-half points against Perkiomen School creating his own shots off the bounce, whether that was pulling up from deep or driving inside, where he has some length to finish. 

Noah Payne (2024 | The Peddie School)
Payne, a 6-foot-1 point guard, wowed on day one as he showcased a blend of elite shot creation, quick and decisive handling, speed and craftiness. His ability to drive the lane, re-direct his initial take when blocked off and still produce a high-quality shot contributed to his 34 total points. Payne scored 18 in Peddie’s first game against Springfield Commonwealth and 16 against Malvern Prep in their second. Another effective move on full-display, contributing to his high point totals, was his hesitation mid-range shot, as he knocked down multiple of those at ease. 

Malik Rasul (2024 | Westtown School)
The 6-7 forward gave up quite a few inches to a Bridgeport International squad that featured a pair of 7-footers, but battled inside for 13 points and 13 rebounds. Rasul used his size and athleticism to cause havoc on the offensive glass. On the offensive end, he knocked down a trio of triples, including a turnaround corner three and added a transition dunk. Rasul showed off some playmaking skills too, chipping in three assists and making some nice reads after driving to the hoop.

Will Riley (2025 | Phelps School)
Riley is a 6-9 wing rising up the national rankings and it was easy to see why against Bridgeport Prep on Friday. How many other high school players at his size can beat their man with a between the legs before an acrobatic reverse finish? He was a standout on both ends during a 20-point performance in the victory over Bridgeport, in which he really played as 2-guard.Riley was able to break down defenders with the bounce and created for teammates, got to the line, pulled up or finished when he did beat his man. He hit an early three and did the rest of the damage inside the arc or at the stripe. He’s another long defender who can really slide adding a block and two steals to his line and pushing the pace quite a few times in transition.

Wesly Rosa (2025 | Bridgeport Prep, Conn.)
Though not quite as nimble as his frontcourt mate, the 7-2 Rosa, originally from Cape Verde, is certainly a presence on the court. He posted a pair of near double-doubles with 12 points and eight rebounds against Westtown followed by 10 points and nine boards in a loss to Perkiomen School. Rosa demands attention due to his size as he has pretty good hands to secure passes into the post and doesn’t need to jump high to slam the ball down with two hands. Defensively, he’s obviously imposing down low and near impossible to clear out on the glass unless its a full team commitment. 

DeMajh Salisberry (2024 | Phelps School)
Salisbury put on a dribble-drive clinic against Mercersburg Academy getting into the lane at will and finding teammates all over the floor as he tallied 12 points and six assists. Salisbury looked off defenders to drop off to his big inside or kicked to the corner for open looks, adding a few no-look dimes against St. Benedict’s that drew some admiration from the crowd. Salisbury knocked down three triples against Mercersburg despite looking for his teammates before getting himself a look. When he did decide he wanted to get to the rim on his own, however, he showed he can do that pretty much any time he wants as well.

Kai Shinholster (2025 | Penn Charter)
The 6-5 guard finished with 19 points and seven rebounds in a loss to Hun School, doing his best to try and lead a comeback late. Offensively, he’s a true weapon on or off the ball as someone who is able to score at three levels and create for teammates off the drive or spot up/ slip to space without the ball where he is lethal as well, knocking down four three. Shinholster’s hesitation move is a thing of beauty and one of the most fun things to watch Friday, pulling in defenders with the hesi then using his long strides to get by his defender. Defensively, he has a high IQ and has to play big for a small PC, sliding over to help on multiple occasions.

Ryan Williams (2024 | Malvern Prep)
Williams posted a pair of big scoring outings in the Friars’ 2-0 day on Friday, including a 25-point performance in a win over Friends Select. The 6-foot-3 guard drooped in four triples in the standout performance, knocking down shots from different spots around the arc. He also used the threat of the outside shot to pump and drive, pulling up and also continuing to the hoop. He earned four tips to the line, including an and-one. While playing with the ball in his hands a bit more this season, he’s also trying to add some playmaking to his game, chippin in three assists Friday. He’s also an anticipatory defender, often jumping into passing lanes, which resulted in three steals and a few fastbreak points for the Friars.

Imahri Wooten (2026 | Springfield Commonwealth)
The crowd was close to bedlam after an almost-poster dunk from the 6-foot-5 Wooten against The Peddie School. He later did just that, posterizing a defender on Friends Select in Springfield’s second game of the day. That’s what was evident in Wooten’s game — elite athleticism and the ability to out-jump almost anyone on the court. Though his game isn’t limited to that, as Wooten’s jumpshot was highly effective from everywhere he attempted it. The youngster typically plays his high school ball with Redemption Christian Academy in New York.

Sam Wright (2024 | Hun School)
Wright, a 6-3 guard from Lower Merion, is certainly a familiar name even if the class/ school next to it might seem a little off. The standout dual sport athlete is going to do a postgrad year at Hun to play baseball and hoops. A higher baseball level recruit at the moment, Wright showed off his basketball pedigree with a 16-point outing in a win over Penn Charter, also adding six points and a pair of assists. Wright knocked down a pair of threes and also pulled up for some twos and had quite a few impressive finished around the rim.

Giorgos Xoxakos (2024 | Hun School)
Xoxakos comes to the Hun School via Athens, Greece and the European influence in his game is apparent. The 6-6 forward, who finished with 16 points and six boards in a win over Penn Charter, looked polished inside, shaking defenders with his back to the basket and also putting the ball on the floor to get to the hoop — finishing on both sides of the rim when he got there. He also flashed ability as a playmaking forward, tossing passes both from the post and as a creator while initiating the Hun offense off the bounce from the top of the key.

Honorable Mention

Travien Bryson Jr. (2025 | Penn Charter), Jalen Chiles (2025 | Friends Select), PJ James (2024 | Bridgeport Prep, Conn.), Jamal Hicks Jr. (2025 | Penn Charter), Josua Kangudi (2025 | Bridgeport Prep, Conn.), Jayden Forsythe (2025 | Westtown School), Jayden Kelsey (2025 | Westtown), Thaddeus Lee IV (2025 | Mercersburg Acad.),  Junior McFadden (2025 | Malvern Prep), Tiko Morris (2024 | Friends Select), Lucas Orchard (2024 | Perkiomen School), Ryan Pegg (2024 | Malvern Prep), Maurice Vassel (2024 | St. Benedict’s, N.J.), Cam Wallace (2025 | Westtown), Josiah Wright (2025 | Mercersburg Acad.)