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 who stood out in the action we saw Saturday and Sunday:

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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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Reid Belcher (2024 | Friends Central)
Belcher is a true number one. He handles the ball well under pressure, and his eyes are always up, reading the defense and looking for open teammates. The 6-foot guard is constantly communicating, too, especially on the defensive end, where his intensity seems to increase. Belcher stays in front of his opponent but has a knack for anticipating passes, deflecting them to himself, and finishing on the other end. His shooting has improved, too, and looks more confident letting it fly from beyond the arc. 

Devin Booker (2025 | Cristo Rey)
Booker nearly had the gym in a frenzy on multiple occasions on Sunday. The junior was trying to dunk on every Haverford player he could. Unfortunately, Booker couldn't flush one home, but the athleticism and raw power were evident. Aside from the attempted aerial assault, Booker had his way offensively against the Fords. The 6-foot-5 guard finished with 13 points, a couple of rebounds, and a steal. He found his spots on the interior but also flexed his three-point range. Cristo Rey has someone exceptional once Booker starts connecting on his dunks consistently.

Travien Bryson Jr. (2025 | Penn Charter)
Bryson Jr. is a dynamic ball handler with multiple tools to be a successful scorer. He can make defenders miss badly in the middle of the court and create his shots in half-court sets. The 6-foot-2 guard showcased an acrobatic up-and-under layup and an ability to shoot off the dribble, whether from mid-range or three-point land. The most impressive part of his game was his composure and leadership qualities. Bryson Jr. never got sped up and talked his teammates through offensive and defensive sets. 

Camden Burns (2024 | Springside-Chestnut Hill)
Burns played like a man possessed against a tough St. Benedict's (N.J.) side. The senior guard wanted the ball in his hands all game. Burns was pulling up from mid-range, hitting deep threes, knocking down step-backs, and staying aggressive by taking the ball to the rack. His strong base helped him muscle for rebounds and finished through traffic. Burns wasn't messing around on the defensive end, either. He made his opponent work for every inch of space and stayed focused until his team secured the rebound.

Rico Byrd (2024 | The Kiski School)
Byrd brings energy and athleticism to the court that's fun to watch. He was always the loudest player on the floor, encouraging his teammates and barking orders. The 6-foot-3 guard handles the ball on a tight string and moves fluidly with the ball. His eyes always look for his teammates, but he's not hesitant to create shots for himself. Byrd can knock down the three ball, pull up from mid-range, and dart by his defender while driving. His effort doesn't stop on the defensive end, as his active hands helped him cause turnovers and create offense. 

Emmanuel Butts' (2026 | The Haverford School)
Butt’ size is impressive, but his footwork catches the eye. He stands at 6-foot-7, and the rising sophomore can maintain his ground with a strong lower body and battle with others in the paint. His post footwork enables him to get by or shoot over his defender. Butts' soft touch ensures he finishes the play when he can. He could knock down the three ball off a pick-and-pop action and looked comfortable handling the rock at the top of the key. Defensively, his length and quick hands make him a formidable opponent and a turnover generator. 

Robert Cain (2024 | The Kiski School)
Cain is a complete guard, creating shots for himself and his teammates. The 6-foot-4 guard can hit a catch-and-shoot or off the dribble three, nail the pull-up jumper, and drive aggressively to the cup. He's comfortable running the fast break, always making intelligent, unselfish plays. Cain looked comfortable running a half-court offense too. He was at his best in crunch time against Friends Central, scoring the game-tying and go-ahead shots while scoring 20 of his 24 points in the second half. 

KJ Carson (2025 | The Haverford School)
Carson is a proven three-point shooter, but his most impressive plays came when he got his teammates involved. The 6-foot guard started Haverford's dominant win over Cristo Rey with a couple of threes but racked up four assists. The defense respected Carson's jumper, which opened up the middle of the defense. The Folcroft kid got the defense to collapse and dished out the rock on target for easy finishes. Carson showed some tenacity on defense as well, recording a steal. 

Duke Cloran (2025 | The Haverford School)
Cloran is an exceptional athlete with a high basketball IQ. He had 18 points in a loss to the Hill School and picked apart the Rams' defense with or without the ball. The 6-foot-2 guard doesn't get phased with the rock by the aggressive defense. He exploits his defenders' aggression with a sweet turnaround pull-up jumper. Without the ball, Cloran gravitates to open space and threatening spots and constantly cuts or sets screens for teammates. The dual-sport athlete who spends his fall playing wide receiver for Haverford's football team can keep up with the most physical and dynamic athletes. He also flashed some bounce, flushing down a one-handed fast break slam.

Patrese Feamster (2027 | Friends Central) 
At times, Feamster looked like the Phoenix's most dynamic scorer and athlete. His athleticism is superb; the 6-foot-4 guard glides on the court once he blows by his defender with a lighting first step. Feamster's length also adds to his athletic prowess. But he's not only an athlete; Feamster finished with 17 points against Germantown Academy, scoring at all three levels. The Wyncote native can knock down the spot-up three, has a lethal step-back in his bag, and can slash through the heart of a defense, finishing at the rim. 

Jayden Forsythe (2025 | Westtown Friends)
One of the Moose's top returners, the 6-foot-4 guard looked more robust and confident against the Hun School (N.J.) The junior guard finished with 13 points, scoring from beyond the arc and attacking the middle of the defense. Forsythe didn't force his opportunities, letting the game come to him and opting to find his teammates around the basket. With his increased size, the Brooklyn (N.Y.) native fearlessly attacked the glass and hustled for loose balls. 

Silas Graham (2027 | The Haverford School)
Graham has an excellent feel for the game that pairs tremendously well with his superb skill set and toughness. The 6-foot-4 guard plays with his head up and never gets sped up when handling the ball under pressure. He can beat his defender off the dribble or shoot over them with his length and height. Graham is a high-IQ player that puts himself in threatening positions on offense and takes calculated risks on the defensive end. A son of Penn associate head coach Nat Graham, Silas is as tough as they come, battling on the glass constantly. 

Jason Green (2025 | Abington Friends)
Green has eye-opening strength and energy on the floor. The 6-foot-4 195-pound forward imposed his will on a talented Mercersburg side. He bullied defenders in the paint and muscled off opponents for defensive and offensive boards. Green is an intelligent player, too, timing his cuts well and always putting himself in a position to make a play for his team. Defensively, it's hard for his opponents to move around him, not only because of his size but because of his quick feet. When clamping up a driver, Green didn't hesitate to puff out his chest, yell, and clap in his opponent's face. 

Malachy Kelly (2024 | The Hun School, N.J.)
Kelly smothers his opponent defensively and has an endless motor. The 6-foot-1 guard's feet are constantly moving on defense, and his hands are active, constantly poking and prodding for a steal and an easy transition bucket. He's a true point guard that easily commands the offense and deals with on-ball pressure. But Kelly can shoot the ball, too, and create his shots. He can knock down the transition three and score off the dribble with a finish around the rim or a pull-up jumper.

Jacob Meachem (2025 | The Hill School)
Meachem makes up for his lack of size with his intelligence and confidence. The 5-foot-9 floor general handles the rock with his chest out and head up. The ball is on a tight string, enabling him to get by his defender or create enough space for a jump shot. His quick feet made space for him, too, and he flashed a sweet mid-range step back in a 10-point effort against the Haverford school. Meachem's strong play earned him a scholarship offer from Bucknell University. 

Reggie Moore (2027 | Friends Select)
Moore entered Friend Select's contest against Kiski earlier than expected after one of his teammates rolled an ankle. Moore immediately started hustling for loose balls, pulling down rebounds, and playing physical defense. Once the ball was in his hands, Moore was fearless in attacking the paint despite being undersized at 5-foot-10. He flashed a pull-up jumper and excellent decision-making on his passes. Moore's gutsy play helped Friends Select stick with a talented Kiski team until a last-second buzzer-beater.

Onyx Nnani (2025 | Phelps School)
Nnani makes basketball look like bully ball. There wasn't much St. Benedict's or Penn Charter could have done to stop the 6-foot-10 forward. Nnani would plow his way through the defense with brute strength and size or smooth dribble moves and slick feet to find his way to the basket. He even flexed an ability to shoot from outside and a developing mid-range game. The Edmonton, Alberta native is an explosive rim protector who appears to shoot off the ground when an opposing player tries attacking the rim. His hustle is outmatched, recording a couple of chase-down blocks. 

Bryce Rollerson (2025 | Germantown Academy)
Rollerson is a dynamic guard who can do a little bit of everything well. Standing at 5-foot-11, Rollerson has a quick first step and excellent footwork that helps him get around larger defenders. When he gets by his man, the Doylestown native can finish with various release angles and has a soft touch that makes his floater and mid-range pull-up hard to guard. Rollerson's playmaking ability and court vision allow him to find teammates in good scoring opportunities. He's solid defensively and can stay in front of most guards. 

Dominic Schmidt (2024 | Mercersburg Acad.)
Schmidt creates for his teammates and himself. The Milton (W.Va) native is a pass-first point guard with excellent vision. The second he secures a rebound, his eyes dart up the floor, looking for a transition opportunity. His full-court outlet pass is crisp and on the money. When he decides to do some damage himself, Schmidt has a quick first step to get by his defender and is strong enough to finish through contact. The 6-foot-1 guard is aggressive on both sides but stays poised regardless of his opponent's actions. 

Keni Williams (2025 | Springside-Chestnut Hill)
He is a natural athlete with fluid, effortless, dynamic, and intentional movements. Williams ' well-roundedness shines through once he gets by his defender with his quick first step. His vision is superb, and he always makes the clever pass, usually to a teammate in the corner for a catch-and-shoot three or cutting toward the basket. He could hit the trey ball and slash through a defense. Williams' athletics helps his defense, but his ball-hawking mindset makes him fun to watch. 

Honorable Mentions

Quadri Bashiru (2025 | The Hill School), Ethan Bell (2025 | Abington Friends), Owen Coughlin (2025 | Friends Select), Daveyon Cydner (2025 | Westtown Friends), Jamal Hicks Jr. (2025 | Penn Charter), Jacob Hudson (2024 | Phelps School), Josiah Hutchinson (2026 | Cristo Rey), Owen Kelly (2026 | Springside-Chestnut Hill), Jayden Kelsey (2025 | Westtown Friends), Ryan Kull (2024 | Springside-Chestnut Hill), Matt Lange (2024 | Shipley), Isaiah Marshall (2025 | Friends Select), Muhsin Muhammad (2024 | Friends Central), Alasan Nije-Morgan (2024 | Phelps School), Nigel Pierman (2025 | Friends Central School), Malik Rasul (2024 | Westtown Friends), Billy Rayer (2024 | The Haverford School), Jared Shenken (2024 | Abington Friends), Laron Smith (2026 | Friends Select), Liam Vitters (2024 | The Kiski School), Sam Wright (2024 | The Hun School), Giorgos Xoxakos (2024 | The Hun School)