City of Basketball Love

Jared Leveson (@jared_leveson)
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Many of the local independent school teams made their way to the Hun School in Princeton, N.J. this past weekend during the first scholastic live period for the Mid-Atlantic Independent Shootout. The bleachers of the two courts were sprinkled with college coaches throughout all the action. 

CoBL had someone there for all three days. Here is a notebook from the players we talked to on Saturday and Sunday:

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More from the Mid-Atlantic Independent School Shootout: Day 1 Standouts | Day 1 Notebook | Day 2-3 Notebook
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Cam Wallace (2025 | Westtown School) 

Cam Wallace thought his breakout freshman campaign at Great Valley would carry over into the more intense Westtown School. But the then-sophomore learned quickly that he still had much more to learn. 

Westtown had a stacked roster with talented players like Matt Mayock (American) and Se’yphon Triplett (Stonehill), who have since graduated. But Wallace was also joined by Malik Rasul, Jayden Forsythe, and Jayden Kelsey as head coach Seth Berger reloaded his roster. 

“I didn’t play as much as I thought I would,” the 6-foot-4 guard said last Saturday. “But I learned. I took it as advice or learning experience. [To] learn from the older players and get to know the game a bit better, just by watching the game.” 

With one season of prep basketball under his belt, Wallace feels more mature and confident. The junior from Malvern has put in the work and is ready to turn more heads this year, starting the June Live Period with a 27-point performance against the Hun School (N.J.). 

“Yesterday my three’s weren’t falling so I’m like, ‘Let me go to the basket and try to get my points that way’,” he said. 

“I’m not trying to force anything and like, let the game come to me.” 

Wallace didn’t get deterred by Hun’s defense. He kept finding his spots on the floor offensively, hustling for offensive boards and finishing put-backs. His ability to get to the basket opened up shooting opportunities too. 

He’s put a lot of work in on his shooting ability and defense this offseason. Wallace hired a shooting coach, puts up 500 shots per workout, and is conditioning his body for long defensive possessions. 

“I just want to get better,” Wallace said. “Colleges are starting to notice me a little bit more, and that’s giving me motivation to get better. 

“If you see progress it just makes you want to go harder and harder and harder so that’s what drives me.” 

So far, the junior has offers from Cincinnati, Temple, Drexel, Mississippi State, Quinnipiac, and Siena, and interest from Princeton, Penn, and Harvard. 

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Su-Meer Alleyne (2025 | Friends’ Central School) 

Su-Meer Alleyne is excited and happy after trading in his Archbishop Carroll red and white for Friend Central’s navy and gray. 

He spent three years at Carroll before transferring and reclassifying at FCS. The 6-foot-4 guard/wing learned a lot as a Patriot and is grateful for the time spent, but he’s juiced to be a Phoenix and play with his new teammates. 

“Always play hard and play with a chip on your shoulder and outwork the next person,” Alleyne said on Saturday after a loss to the Kiski School. “I learned that at Carroll because I really had to fight for time at Carroll all three years. Even though I started my last year, I still had to fight. My old coaches at Carroll really helped me with that, so I’m glad. 

“I think (Friends’ Central) was just a perfect fit for me. I knew people here. I knew the coach, coach Devin Coleman. I actually had a big talk with him, and we made it work.” 

Alleyne’s commute to his new school is shorter than his drive to Carroll, and the campus is more extensive and livelier than his old one. His new teammates are also a plus, including Fazl Oshodi, his teammate on their grassroots East Coast Power squad. 

“I love it,” he added. “The new teammates, the young guys, the old guys, I think we like connecting like we got a bond, and we just started.

“The only thing we need is more heart. We need to play together more and I think we’re gonna be fine.” 

Alleyne scored 17 points against Kiski by shooting from three, pulling up from mid-range, or attacking the paint. He possesses good size but wants to get stronger for college coaches and the high school season. 

“I want to get bigger, stronger, faster, and stay more consistent, that’s a big thing that I’m trying to work on,” he said. 

The Chester native has only heard from Penn so far, but he hopes to change that in the coming weeks and throughout the upcoming season.

 “I don’t care what team or what conference,” Alleyne said. “I just want to play D1 basketball.”

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Trey O’Neil (2024 | The Hill School) 

Trey O’Neil hopes to become a complete player for the Hill School this year.

He’s a pure shooter who hunts the perimeter for opportunities to put the ball through the hoop. Still, he knows his defense must improve if Hill is to overcome Mid-Atlantic Prep League powerhouse Blair Academy (N.J.) and contend for a PAISAA championship with Perkiomen, the George School, and Phelps. 

He’s taking it upon himself to upgrade his on-ball defense. 

“I’ve always been a shooter,” O’Neil said. “My defense is getting up there. I’m just trying to be a little pest, just getting in whoever I’m guardings head and (getting) steals.” 

O’Neil was a spot-up shooter last season, only letting it fly from specific spots on the floor. But under head coach Seth Eilberg’s guidance, the senior guard is also looking to open up his offensive game. 

“Coach is always on me about taking more shots so not just taking three’s but I’m trying to shoot off the dribble, hand offs, screens, just building more confidence from there, and letting it fly from deep,” O’Neil said.

He’s done enough in his past three years at the Hill School to grab the attention of Division I coaches. O’Neil had an offer from Bucknell when head coach Nathan Davis was there. Davis is now at the University of New Hampshire. 

His offer to play for Davis at UNH still stands, and he’s also garnered interest from Ivy League schools and the high-academic Division III NESCAC schools.  

“I’m just trying to find the right fit,” O’Neil added. “Find a good coaching staff that I can connect with. The right team and play style and stuff like that. Academics is a big part for me too so just trying to find a mix of both.” 

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Erik Oliver-Bush (2024 | Mercersburg Acad.) 

Erik Olver-Bush is enjoying his new digs at Mercersburg Academy, where he’s likely to take a post-graduate year after playing for Roman Catholic's 2023 PCL championship team. 

The 6-foot-4 guard played an integral role for the Cahillities last season by collecting rebounds, clamping down opposing opponents, and scoring when needed, particularly spot-up shooting and dunks. 

Oliver-Bush averaged 8.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg and knocked down 19-of-59 3-point attempts. He didn’t need to be the guy because of Xzayvier Brown and Anthony Finkley (Saint Joseph’s). 

He graduated from Roman two weeks ago and held offers from Division II Holy Family University and Bloomfield College. The Trenton, N.J. native wants more and aims to show college coaches he is a primary playmaker. 

“My biggest thing is proving that I can play on the ball and not necessarily be a cutter or a spot-up shooter,” he said after a 15-point performance against Abington Friends. “That’s what I’ve been working on this summer: playing off the dribble, pick & roll, and making plays for other people.” 

Oliver-Bush learned a lot at Roman and continues applying what he learned during his sole season in the Catholic League during the June live period. 

“(Roman Catholic) just teaches you like principles,” he added. “It be simple stuff, but it contributes a lot, it helps you a lot in games, so that was probably the biggest thing.

“[My] offensive game is more versatile than catch and shoot [and] lobs. I feel like I’ve been able to get more of a mid-range game [and] just being able to get past defenders by myself more.”

 He’s recently heard from East Stroudsburg and is looking forward to playing more basketball and developing his skills further. 

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Zamir Parker-Barnes (2025 | Abington Friends School) 

Zamir Parker-Barnes loves basketball and winning.

The 6-foot-4 guard glides on the court and is looking to make an impact at Abington Friends for the next two seasons. He transferred from Frankford and reclassified, joining a Kangaroos side that finished seventh in the FSL last season. 

He’s played with his new team for one weekend, and the difference between the Public League and prep school ball is already evident. 

“Better competition,” he said. “Every team, you can tell they’ve been with each other for years and play with each other, and you can tell they know their roles and stuff like that, and in the Pub, it wasn’t that.

“My teammates are always supporting. It’s like a family. Even when I miss a shot they’re like. ‘Keep your head up and get back on defense.’ Or [if] they miss a pass they say ‘my fault.’ We just play hard with each other.” 

He started his high school career at Cristo Rey but only played five games due to COVID restrictions. Then Parker-Barnes went to Frankford, where he played his sophomore and junior years and fell short of a Public League title twice in the tournament’s quarterfinals. 

The junior guard is lanky and naturally gifted. His footwork is solid, executing step-backs and turnarounds. He can beat his man off the dribble, finish at the rim, or pull up and sink a jumper. Parker-Barnes’ vision and distribution skills are another asset to his game. 

Between now and the high school season, he wants to improve his on-ball defense and off-ball anticipation to create easy scoring opportunities for his teammates and himself. 

Parker-Barnes has gotten interest from West Chester and Temple so far. But he didn’t seem concerned about where he’ll play at the next level. The lively guard is focused on playing basketball and winning championships. 

“D1, D2, D3 it don’t matter,” Parker-Barnes added. “As long as I’m playing the sport I love, I think I’m OK. 

“I want to win something before I get out of high school. I want to be able to come back to AFS and tell some kids that’s in the gym ‘I won that, my team won that,’ stuff like that.” 

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Ronald Brown (2024 | Springside Chestnut Hill) 

Ronald Brown has played football and basketball since he was four years old. But now entering his senior year of high school, Brown may have to leave football behind.

“We’re going to see how this summer goes recruitment wise,” he said. 

“If I had a lot of interest in basketball and the coaches would suggest that I only play basketball, that’s when I would stop playing football.” 

Basketball has been the 6-foot-1 guard’s number one sport since he was 11 years old, and he plans on playing basketball at the collegiate level. He doesn’t know where yet. 

Brown has received interest from Division I Fairleigh-Dickinson and Division III programs like Alvernia, Georgian Court, and Randolph-Macon. He’s visited Fairleigh-Dickinson and Alvernia but is still keeping his options open, looking for a program where he can play or compete for a starting spot. 

Brown still feels that he needs to improve his leadership skills and distribution abilities as one of the most experienced players on his Blue Devils squad this year. But he attributes his time on the gridiron to boosting his hardwood skills. 

“It makes me stronger, makes me more aggressive,” he added. “I was always a linebacker so I was really aggressive and I can kinda see it on the court sometimes, like if I’m going to go block someone’s shot or if I’m attacking the rim on two feet.” 

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Quick Hits

— Dunking the basketball on a fast break is a fun new skill for Duke Cloran (2025 | Haverford School). He had his fifth-ever dunk against Cristo Rey on Sunday. 

It’s been something Cloran has been working toward for a while. He was lifting and jumping every day after school to elevate himself above the rim. Cloran finally started doing it successfully two months ago during an AAU tournament. 

“It’s fun,” the 6-foot-2 guard said after his 16-point performance against Cristo Rey. 

Cloran is an exceptional athlete who also plays wide receiver for Haverford’s football team, which he plans on playing again this coming season. 

He had a series of setbacks involving labrum surgery and shoulder dislocations early in his Haverford tenure. Cloran’s been playing his grassroots ball with PA Hoops Academy but hasn’t received interest from any coaches coming into the Mid-Atlantic Independent School Showcase. 

The junior is healthy and set on playing basketball at the next level. 

“I kinda like basketball better,” he added. “And like my body will be healthier if I play basketball.”

“My main goal is Division I and a program that fits me well.” 

— Thaddeus Lee IV (2025 | Mercersburg Acad.) dominated Abington Friends during Saturday’s round of competition. He finished with 24 points and dominated the offensive and defensive glass. The 6-foot-7 forward transferred from Lancaster Catholic and is a reclassified junior. This past weekend, he enjoyed playing with his new teammates and head coach, Sean Crocker. 

“It’s been a great group of guys and I can’t wait to play with them more [and] build more chemistry with them,” he said.

He transferred to Mercersburg in preparation for the collegiate level and more exposure. Lee IV wants to improve his first step, allowing him to get around perimeter defenders and stay in front of smaller guards. 

The junior has garnered interest from Delaware, Mount St. Mary’s, and Penn and wants a school with a good team culture where he can make an immediate impact. 

— Bahsil Laster (2024 | Academy New Church) grew considerably during his first year at the Academy of the New Church. 

The senior transferred from Archbishop Wood and reclassified to the class of 2024. Laster had his bright spots playing alongside Deywilk Tavarez (Delaware State) and Jarell Keel (Neumann University) but struggled with the mental side of the game at times. 

“I just had a lot of mental blocks,” the 6-foot-6 wing said. “I just had to push through, like learning to have a short memory, like I was dwelling on last plays, last games, it was a lot, but it was a good year for me to grow.”

Now that he’s one of the top returning players from last year’s squad that lost in the FSL title game, Laster is bent on becoming a better leader and shooter.  

“If I really take on that leadership role, get everybody involved, put people into positions to play at their best, I feel like we’re going to be good,” he said.

“You just got to shoot it with confidence really. Like I said, it’s mental, not even physical. I just shoot it with confidence and believe that it’s going to go in.” 

His size, athleticism, and acrobatic finishing skills have already gotten him an offer from Drexel and interest from Rhode Island, Lafayette, and Buffalo. But Laster hopes expanding his offensive range will bolster his chances of playing scholarship basketball next year. 

— Reid Belcher's (2024 | Friends’ Central) focus and intensity are unmatched.

He’s a true point guard who can command an offense, handle pressure, and cause havoc on the defensive end, but he’s still unsatisfied with his play. 

“I’m just trying to work on everything [and] keep getting better,” the 6-foot point guard said on Sunday. 

One area that Belcher focused on improving is his shooting. The senior makes at least 400 shots a day outside of practice in his driveway, making 200 shots in the morning and another 200 in the afternoon. 

“Well, the good thing is I have a rebounder, so it goes by pretty quick,” he smirked. “I’m shooting a lot better and hitting a couple threes per game now.”

 Belcher doesn’t have any offers yet, but he’s heard from Patriot League, Ivy League, and high academic Division III programs.

— Ian Harring (2024 | Kiski School) has no offers but hopes to change that over the next few weeks. The 6-foot-5 guard from Pittsburgh has garnered interest from Robert Morris, Albany, Stonehill College, Saint Francis and Lafayette. The senior is a true competitor and team player who loves taking over games or getting others involved. 

“I think my teammates got me involved early,” he said after a win against Friends School Select on Saturday. “I had a couple outside shots and that opened up my inside just really like having the defense respect my jumpshot so that I can get down hill and create for my teammates and myself.” 

 Harring can score at all three levels but wants to add a floater to his game and further develop his mid-range pull-up. But more importantly, he’s focused on becoming a better leader for his teammates and someone his teammates can rely on in crunch time for a big bucket. 

He did just that, scoring the game-winner against Friends Select. 

“It’s my third year here so stepping up and being that guy,” Harring added. “I’ive learned from great players in the past so being that guy this year [is key].” 

— Jordan Rogers (2024 | Phelps School) is betting on himself and taking a post-graduate year after graduating from Ridgewood High School (N.J.). Some Division One and Division Three programs reached out but nothing stuck. Rogers hopes Phelps can develop his skills and open more recruitment opportunities.

The 6-foot-5 guard was looking at other schools like Kimball Union Academy (N.H.) and Cheshire Academy (Conn., but once he visited Phelps, it was a done deal. 

“They were outstanding in everything, the facilities and everyone on the team is super nice. That was one of the big things,” Rogers said. “I knew Coach Trey Morin could develop me a little more. And surrounded by good teammates I feel like I can take that to the next level.” 

His decision to enroll in Phelps is already paying off. Rogers has unofficially visited Manhattan College and Fairfield. He has also contacted NJIT and Rider during the June Live period. 

Rogers is focused on tightening his handle, becoming more confident with his jump shot, and improving his on and off-ball defense, which he prides himself on.