City of Basketball Love

CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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The first weekend of Philly Live 2023 continued on Saturday at two venues, Jefferson University and St. Joe's Prep.

CoBL had writers at a good chunk of Saturday’s action; here’s who stood out to our staff during the games at SJP:

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More Philly Live Coverage: Day 1 Standouts | | Day 2 Standouts (Jefferson) | Day 2 Standouts (St. Joe's Prep) | Day 1 Local HS Notebook | Day 1 Recruiting Notebook |

Daniel Ajose (2024 | St. Vincent-St. Mary, Ohio)
Ajose holds offers for football from Bowling Green and Toledo but he showed he has some skill on the basketball court, too. He held his own against St. Rose (N.J.) big man Matt Hodge. He has terrific length at 6-6 and while football may be his future, he is making the most of his time on the hardwood. He blocked a few shots and contested a multitude of layups, particularly from the weak side. 

Deacon Baratta (2025 | Phoenixville)
Baratta and the Phantoms are primed to take a big step forward in his junior year with everyone back and the 6-5 wing gave a glimpse at what that might look like as he took over in the second half of a win over E&S. Baratta finished with 15 points, nine of which came after the break, and his long arms also led to a pair of blocks. He swished a pair of threes in the game and pulled up off the bounce for a pretty jumper over a defender. He’s capable of doing things like that more often and that should be the case in his second varsity season. 

Ty Bevins (2024 | Gwynn Park, Md.)
Bevins had the shot of the day as he corralled the ball with seconds remaining off a miss and heaved a one hander from the corner that swished the net to give Gwynn Park a 71-68 win over Parkland. The 6-5 rising senior with offers from Temple, George Mason, Georgetown, NJIT and College of Charleston scored 10 points with that trey being the biggest of those. He has smoothness to his game in the way he can get to the rim and hit stepback jumpers, as he did to close out the victory.

David Bumpass (2025 | Friendship Tech Prep, D.C.)
Bumpass is an exciting player to watch. The 6-4 guard is always moving and tries to help his team in any way. He can shoot really well, but he can also get to the rim with confidence. Against Parkland, he added 16 points and contributed with efficiency on both ends. The guard, who plays AAU with DC Premier, averaged 13.8 points a game this past season using his athleticism and explosiveness.  

Kobe Closeil (2025 | Gill St. Bernard’s, N.J.)
Closeil can score at all 3 levels, finishing with 14 points Jackson Reed, and the 6-1 guard is also able to create for his teammates. He is not afraid of making contact with the defender when he gets to the rim so that he can get fouled or score with both hands. The guard is quick and able to control the pace of the game.  Even if in the past season he was one of the youngest players in a highly talented team, he was able to make an impact when he got the chance and he seems prepared to take more responsibilities in the upcoming future, especially with the ball in his hands a lot more. 

Dywane Chess Jr (2025 | Liberty)
In an entertaining game where the lead went back and forth between the Liberty and West Philly, Chess Jr. brought up the energy. He has a winning mentality that helps him to be aggressive in every single possession no matter what the score is. He scored 21 points and every time he made the basket it was in a different way. His remarkable skill set allows him to make 3s, get on the FT line a lot and be hard to stop in transition. Some of his points came after offensive rebounds, as he crushes the glass every time. The 6-3 guard is all over the place, in a positive way, as he contributes on the defensive side with steals and rebounds. 

Robert Cottrell (2024 | Roman Catholic)
One of the few familiar faces on the floor for the reigning PCL champions with Shareef Jackson out for the weekend, Cottrell kept his team afloat with a 16-point, four assist effort. The veteran 5-10 guard dropped in three 3-point makes to spark Roman and wasn’t afraid of attacking Saint Ignatius’ size inside, earning three trips to the line (5-for-6). Cottrell will have to take a huge role forward both on and off the court for the Cahillites this season, which he showed he can do Saturday, making sure to put his young teammates in spots to succeed with four assists.

Nick Coval (2024 | Parkland)
It wasn’t surprising to see Coval announce another Division I offer shortly after dropping 30 points in a last-second loss to Gwynn Park. Coval can shoot the heck out of the rock and did that once again Saturday with five threes, but he does a whole lot more with the ball. Coval weaved his way into the lane with ease, frustrating the Gwynn Park defense with 21 first-half points. Even when the defense took a more physical approach, grabbing him off the ball, he worked hard to free himself and continue to produce.

Shamar Cox (2024 | Saint Joseph Academy, N.J.)
In a complicated game against St. Elizabeth, the 6-1 guard scored 22 points. As the leader of the team he never gave up and was aggressive from start to finish. His ball-handling and body structure help him to get past defenders and get fouled, even when the defender was doing a good job on him. Even when the defender thought he stopped him and he was going to give up the ball, the athletic point guard kept attacking because he knew he was going to find his way to the rim. His footwork, jumper and floaters are elite and he takes defense seriously. Cox  has quick hands and gets many steals. 

Adiel Fred (2025 | Paul VI, N.J.)
Twenty points and dominance in the paint described Fred’s performance in a win over Phoenixville. The 6-7 forward is always in the right position around the rim so that he can complete an assist from the teammates. He can score with both hands around the rim and doesn’t miss many layups, even when they are contested.In fact, he had a nice up and under in the game, which is usually a challenging move for tall players since it requires much coordination. His post moves and footwork are developed as well. Defensively, most of the rebounds end up in his hands and he is a capable shot blocker as well. 

Wyatt Eglinton Manner (2024 | Ramapo, N.J.)
The high-academic 6-3 guard had the Jackson Reed defense dizzy after putting up a 14-point, five-assist performance that doesn’t do justice to the show he put on in a Ramapo win. Eglinton Manner manipulated the defenses with crossovers, hesitations and behind-the-back moves. He did a lot of driving and dishing to start the contest before starting to call his own number. He pulled up in the midrange, used a turnaround jumper and floated in shot around the paint area with both his left and right hand, often after getting the defense to jump with a pump fake.

Donovan Fromhartz (2025 | Downingtown West)
Coming off his first offer early this week, Fromhartz put together a terrific outing in front of a handful of D1 coaches in a dominant Whippets win over St. Joe’s-Metuchen. The 6-6 wing/forward went off for 10 points in the first three minutes of the contest before finishing with 20 in the game. His outside shot looked terrific as he drilled three triples in the game. He also had the ball in his hands quite a bit and looked to attack the rim, converting a pair of and-ones and adding another trip to the line. He looked to playmake once he got into the lane as will dishing to his teammates for four assists. Fromhartz left his imprint on the defensive end as well, adding in two steals and a block.

Reece Garvin (2024 | Exeter)
Exeter may not be primed to enter next season as one of the favorites to go back to the PIAA Class 5A title game, but Garvin showed the Eagles should still be pretty tough next year in Berks County and District 3. The 6-3 guard poured in 20 points and added eight assists and six rebounds, pairing with Aidan Dauble (19 points) to take down Overbrook. Garving knocked down a pair of free threes, drove to the hoop and also worked hard off the ball, cutting and relocating to get himself good looks. He and the rest of the Eagles kept the ball rotating to help him pile up the assists as well. He wasn’t afraid to step in to take a charge and added a block and steals as well.

Tristen Guillouette (2024 | St. Joe’s Prep)
The Hawks were able to play a pair of home games on Saturday and Guillouette looking right at home with his performance against St. Ignatius (Ohio). The 6-9 rising senior forward scored 13 points in front of plenty of coaches currently recruiting him in Shaheen Holloway (Seton Hall), Zach Spiker (Drexel), Dwayne Killings (Albany) and BIlly Lange (St. Joe’s). He showcased his wide array of post moves that included a smooth right hook across the lane and a drop-step into a powerful two-handed finish. Guillouette will be one of the Philadelphia Catholic League’s top bigs once again this season.

Christian Gurdak (2025 | Gonzaga, D.C.)
The 6-foot-8 forward didn’t do anything to wow during his team’s win over St. Joe’s Prep, but quietly put together a 14-point, nine-rebound outing against the Hawks’ Guillouette — another future D1 big man. The solidly built 6-8 forward, who recently picked up offers from Penn State, Iowa, Maryland and Notre Dame, has a great feel for positioning himself down low, while also keeping the lane clear for his teammates to drive. He’s got good hands and is an efficient finisher when gets his looks at the glass. After Guillouette looked ready to have his way early, Gurdak adjusted to make things more difficult throughout the rest of the contest.

Asim Hardy (2025 | Sankofa Freedom)
Teammates Nasir Williams and Jasir Henderson both had big scoring outings, but Hardy, a 5-10 point guard, got the Warriors’ offense humming in an overtime loss to Cherokee. Hardy dished 12 assists in the tight defeat, Hardy dished to the corner or looked off defenders before bouncing a floating pass inside, working really well with Henderson on the other side of the lane to get the young forwards easy looks at the rim. 

Judah Hidalgo (2025 | Paul VI)
Even if he is still relatively young, his body structure is defined for the next level and it helps him in many situations during the game. The 6-4 guard knows how to successfully use his body to get rebounds and move the opponents. However, he is also a capable scorer at multiple levels. The 3 point shot is one of his preferred options, but Hidalgo also showed that he can use spin moves and fade-aways in other circumstances, like in the game against Phoenixville, where he added 16 points.   

Matt Hodge (2024 | St. Rose, N.J.)
Hodge is quickly becoming one of the most coveted prospects in the area and it’s not hard to see why. The 6-8 rising senior recently completed his first high school season in the U.S. and continued his rapid rise by going for 20 points, 8 rebounds, three blocks and three steals in a rout of St. Vincent-St. Mary (Ohio). He threw down two ferocious dunks in transition, hit a smooth trey from the wing off the dribble and controlled the glass. Temple head coach Adam Fisher offered Hodge shortly after watching this performance and that is one of many offers that have recently been received for him.

Jayden Mckie (2026 | West Philly)
Trying to steal the ball from his hands is a real challenge for the defenders. The 5-6 guard was efficient on both sides and his performance was crucial to give West Philly the lead in the last few minutes and get the win. He scored a couple clutch buckets at the end and ended up with 18 points. He is always in attack mode, but doesn’t force shots. He is always looking for open teammates and creates for them. His quick ball-handling and multiple options around the rim are outstanding and his touch is impressive. 

Dorsett Mulcahy (2026 | Gill St. Bernard’s)
The 6-4 guard looked really comfortable out there against a great time like Jackson-Reed. He scored 15 points and three 3 pointers with a smooth release. As a matter of fact, the 3-point shot is one of the most developed parts of his games. The young guard is showing some aspects of his game that are similar to his brother’s Paul Mulcahy, who will be transferring from Rutgers as of last week. Mulcahy has already played some big minutes as a freshman with Gill St.Bernard’s against great programs like Rutgers Prep and the Patrick School. 

Emmanuel Okiondo (2024 | Jackson-Reed, D.C.)
The 6-8 small forward finished with 11 points and three blocks against Ramapo in Jackson-Reed’s second game of the day. He knocked down a corner three to start the game then attacked the basket to get his other eight points, including an impressive pump fake from that same corner spot into a baseline drive. Okiondo is a physical athlete with a strong handle he used to get to the hoop and the line (3-for-4). He did a good job protecting the rim and has some versatility to switch onto smaller players on that end of the floor.

Billy Richmond (2024 | Camden, N.J.)
Richmond had the back court at St. Joe’s Prep teeming with high-major coaches early on Saturday and gave those who came to see him a show with a 21-point outing, 15 of that coming in the first half as Camden cruised past St. Vincent-St. Mary. The 6-7 combo guard has the ability to do a whole lot with the ball in his hands, pulling up from multiple levels, attacking the basket with his length and athleticism or whizzing a pass outside to a teammate. He also added an alley oop tossed to him off the backboard and cocked back for another slam to spice things up. Richmond’s skillset on the defensive end were just as fun to watch, whether that was poking the ball away from a smaller player out on the perimeter or swatting shots inside.

Robbie Ruisch (2024 | Parkland)
While Nick Coval draws the attention of most defenses, Ruisch has turned himself into a dependable second option in Parkland’s offense and displayed that on Saturday by sinking five three-pointers on his way to 17 points against Gwynn Park (Md.). Coval drew a few double teams and was cut off driving the baseline but found the 6-3 rising senior in the corner for open jumpers. The entire corps of Parkland’s roster is senior laden and Ruisch’s play will go a long way in determining the team’s success this season.

Peyton Seals (2024 | Ramapo, N.J.)
Seals announced his commitment to Princeton on Friday and on Saturday showcased that the Tigers are getting a good one as he helped his squad to a 2-0 afternoon with wins over Gwynn Park and Jackson Reed, sinking clutch free throws late in both contests to put the games away. The 6-4 point guard scored 16 points in the win over Jackson Reed despite having quite a few good lucks rattle around the rim. He maneuvers his way through traffic with ease and has some creative finishing ability once he gets into the lane and has a jumper that extends to the 3-point arc (two threes) but hit from multiple parts of the court.

Malik Shackleford (2026 | Friendship Tech Prep, D.C.)
The 6-2 guard stood out as one of the most promising rising sophomores seen today. He already has a lot of responsibilities and even though the ball is in his hands a lot, he plays with control and doesn’t force shots. In front of a few D1 coaches, he scored 22 points with three 3 pointers in a win over Parkland. The guard, who plays for Team Durant, can finish in many ways and uses the contact to his advantage as he is very strong. He also used a shot fake in the paint to make the taller defender jump and find it easier to score. He scored 13 points a game this past season and he is only getting started.  

Sam Springer (2024 | Saint Ignatius, Ohio)
The 6-7 wing/forward played mostly as a forward in his team’s win over Roman Catholic, operating well around the free throw line and in the paint. Springer slipped to space for a few easy looks and knocked down a turnaround jumper in the lane on his way to finishing with 11 points to go along with nine rebounds in a well-rounded effort from his team. He sprinkled in a pair of assists, making sure to get the ball out to Saint Ignatius’ lethal shooters and looked confident and comfortable every time the ball made its way into his hands.

Zeke Staz (2025 | Downingtown West)
Staz has certainly been solid in front of the CoBL staff this spring, but Saturday’s 21-point, six-rebound outing against St. Joe’s-Metuchen was certainly eye-catching. The 6-8 forward moved really well on the floor, looking a lot more fluid than he did a month or two ago coming off an injury that kept them out this past season. He sprinted the floor in transition and was even rewarded with a thunderous slam, one of two jams in the game. Staz slidito open spots beyond the arc and rolled toward the hop in the halfcourt. He buried an early corner and continued to show off his shooting stroke by getting to the free throw line (8-for-9).

Isaiah Thomas ( 2025 | Paul VI, N.J.)
Thomas is ready to take on a bigger role at PVI as he is becoming one of the leaders of the team. This past season, he showed up ready when he got the chance and the spring season is helping him to get used to having the ball in his hands even more. In a win over Phoenixville, the 6-4 guard led the eagles with 23 points and a few dunks that showed his athleticism. He is an elite scorer in the mid-range, even if it’s contested, and from the paint with different types of finishes. He is also a solid defender and gets steals and blocks. 

Aiden Tobiason (2024 | St. Elizabeth, Del.)
Despite his successful spring season so far, Tobiason never stops to impress. His confidence and control are remarkable, he always makes the right decision. Tobiason contributed with a double-double of 19 points and 14 rebounds, with 3 assists and 1 block against St. Joseph’s Academy. His offense starts from the defensive side, as he gets steals or rebounds and he is immediately ready to run in transition, with or without the ball. His shot is consistent and the shooting form is clean. The 6-5 combo guard is always moving and his teammates easily find him when he cuts. He relentlessly crushes the glass in a successful way and gets fouled.

Nasir Kelly (2024 | Overbrook)
Kelly spent last season at League Bound Academy but the 6-2 guard with a forward’s build looks primed to bully some teams in the Public League this season with his physical style of play. Kelly drove into the lane without much thought for what stood in his path, powering his way to 22 points and a busy day at the free throw line (9-for-10). He blended some finesse with his physical style of play as he knocked down a stepback three and added in a pull-up jumper. The game really opened up for Overbrook as he started to look for his teammates more often on the drive later in the game.

Brandon Williams ( 2025 | West Philly)
The 6-4 wing makes everybody wonder if shooting the 3 ball is that easy. He doesn’t think twice, if he has a little bit of space, he lets it fly. His height and pretty high release makes it hard for the defense to contest the shot and his release after the catch is really quick. He scored 20 points in a 54-49 win against Liberty with five 3 pointers. He is also a good defender and uses his length as his advantage. 

Quinn Woidke (2025 | St. Ignatius, Ohio)
St. Joe’s Prep began pulling away before Woidke started getting in on the scoring. The 6-1 rising junior, who was the backup quarterback of the football team this season, had 15 points to lead his side that included a few perimeter jumpers. He even showed off a floater across the lane to limit Hawks big man Tristen Guillouette’s rim-protecting ability. He was able to handle the Hawks’s press and got St. Ignatius set up into its offense continually in the second half. He did not back down from the challenge and rose to the occasion against the home team.

Julius Wright (2024 | St. Elizabeth, Del.)
Most of his shots found the end of the net in a win over St. Joseph’s Academy. The 6-2 guard can successfully create for himself and his teammates. In the game, he contributed with 25 points and a bunch of offensive rebounds. He showed that he can score with efficiency from behind the arc or in the paint with floaters or and-ones. He is not afraid of the contact when he attacks the hoop. In transition he is always the first to get from one side to the other and get easy buckets. On the defensive end, he doesn’t let whoever is guarding get by him as he is always in good positioning. 

Honorable Mentions

Will Carr (2024 | Cherokee, N.J.),  Jordan Ellerbe (2025 | St. Joe’s Prep), Jayden Fort (2025 | Jackson-Reed, D.C.), Ari Gooch (2024 | Camden, N.J.), SirCharles Gordon (2024 | St. Vincent-St. Mary, Ohio), Jalen Harper (2024 | St. Joe’s Prep), Braydon Hawthorne (2025 | Jackson Reed, D.C.), Jasir Henderson (2027 | Sankofa Freedom), Judd Holt (2025 | Cherokee, N.J.), Sammy Jackson (2026 | Roman Catholic), Manny Joe-Samuel (2025 | Camden, N.J.), Max Lebisky (2024 | Phoenixville), Nykolas Lewis (2025 | Gonzaga, D.C.), Jaron McKie (2025 | St. Joe’s Prep),Terron Murray (2024 | Camden, N.J.), Tony Pope III (2024 | Gwynn Park, Md.), Reece Robinson (2024 | Saint Ignatius, Ohio), Tali Simpkins (2024 | Engineering & Sciences),  Jayden Thomas (2024 | Parkland), Nasir Williams (2025 | Sankofa Freedom), Jack Zapolnik (2024 | Saint Ignatius, Ohio)