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Never Forget Classic Day 1 Standouts (Sept. 9, 2023)

09/10/2023, 9:45am EDT

By CoBL Staff

By CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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KING OF PRUSSIA — The first (unofficial) high school hoops action got underway with the Never Forget Classic taking place at Archbishop Carroll and Competitive Edge. CoBL had staff covering quite a bit of the local girls and boys squads in action at Competitive Edge. Here’s who stood out during the action:

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Anna Azzara (2024 | Spring-Ford)
Azzara showed her all-around ability in Spring-Ford’s win over Archbishop Carroll. The Wright State commit finished with 17 points and two assists. Defensively, Azzara battled with Brooke Wilson (Army), matching her physicality and using her quick hands and feet to poke balls loose. Azzara is a true point guard who possesses a tight handle and plays with her head up. She creates for her teammates by attacking the basket and dishing out when the defense collapses. The senior guard’s best shot was a mid-range stepback that beat the halftime buzzer.

Deacon Baratta, 2025 Phoenixville

Deacon Baratta (2025 | Phoenixville)
Defensive scheme and personnel didn't matter; Baratta was going to get his buckets regardless. His smooth jumper was his tool of choice. When he was given space or his defender's hand was down, the 6-5 wing shot the 3-ball without hesitation. When defenders tried to run him off the line, he went to his 1-2 dribble pullup. Baratta's size made it possible for him to get clean looks standing still and/or coming off movement. He did damage in the mid-range too, curling into elbow jumpers. Baratta was calm despite all of the attention he was getting. Yet, he displayed the willingness to get his hands dirty on the opposite end too. He mixed it up inside grabbing boards and contesting shots.

Quinn Boettinger (2025 | Perkiomen Valley)
The Vikings’ center is a regular on standout lists for good reason. She hit a shot from beyond the arc against Archbishop Carroll and Conestoga, adding range to an already strong inside game. The whistle isn’t always kind to Boettinger, but she just kept playing through it Saturday and that either paid off with a putback score or a set of free throws on the second effort. Boettinger did a solid job on defense too, even closing out and getting a few fingertips on a pull-up jumper against Conestoga to force a miss.

Dom Demito (2024 | Pope John Paul II)
Demito impressed in Pope John Paul II’s matchup with Upper Dublin, finishing with 21 points. The senior guard stayed aggressive throughout the contest and rarely got sped up, patiently working for his shots. Demito flashed an ability to break down his defender one-on-one and kept his head up. He did damage by slashing through the interior and drained his only three-point attempt a couple of feet beyond the arc. Demito didn’t take one play off and consistently hustled for boards.

Matt DiGiacomo (2025 | Daniel Boone)
DiGiacomo has an endless motor. The 6-foot-2 guard tallied 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting and recorded three steals, three rebounds, and an assist. DiGiacomo can grab a defensive board and quickly push the ball up the floor. He dribbles with his head up, allowing him to find an open teammate or a driving lane to exploit. Once DiGiacomo gets downhill toward the basket, he’ll utilize a quick-release mid-range jumper. His quick feet and active hands make him a tough defender to beat one-on-one.

Luke Fryer, 2024 Owen J. Roberts)

Luke Fryer (2024 | Owen J. Roberts)
Fryer has the complete confidence of his teammates to take over when he’s feeling it, and the 5-foot-10 point guard rewarded their confidence with two 20-point outings, flirting with 30 in his first game of the day. He’s got a tight crossover he uses to break down his man and pull-up (from anywhere) or get to the basket where he’s a talented finisher with both hands. The penetration also opened up playmaking opportunities for Fryer, who will be in his fourth season as a varsity starter.

Grace Galbavy (2025 | Perkiomen Valley)
Hanging in the air, a defender having done enough to send her to the line, Galbavy extended her arm and deposited an and-one basket early in PV’s game with Archbishop Carroll. It was the start of two really solid games for the forward, who showed a little bit of everything that has major colleges pursuing her. She scored, hitting threes, step-backs and fallaways. She passed, making entry passes and drive-and-kicks. She defended, grabbing boards and registering a block against Conestoga that had teammates quite impressed.

Caleb Jameson (2025 | Delco Christian)
Jameson was red hot against Daniel Boone. The junior finished with 17 points and went 5-for-9 from three. His off-ball movement put him in easy catch-and-shoot situations while his jump shot looked consistent. Jameson’s performance on the defensive end stood out, too. The 6-foot-1 guard grabbed three rebounds and registered a steal and block. Jameson’s focused and hard-nosed demeanor on the floor complemented his skill set.

Sadeeq Jackson (2024 | Pottstown)
Bringing a different level of twitch to the floor, Jackson was an athlete amongst athletes. He leveraged that dynamism to turn defense into offense, picking the pockets of opposing guards and getting transition buckets out of it. On the break, he was difficult to stop because he could finish over and around defenders. Jackson was both a willing and able playmaker too. He rewarded his teammates for matching his effort on defense with quick hit-aheads, wrap-arounds, and dump-off passes. That ability to get downhill and make decisions was evident in full court and half court situations.

Myron Kirlew, 2024 Norristown

Myron Kirlew (2024 | Norristown)
Showing heart and leadership, Kirlew made a point to go at the best opposing players every chance he got. He wanted all the smoke. Built like an elite cornerback prospect, Kirlew broke up some passes, and intercepted others, taking them the other way for two. He also swatted a few shots at the rim. The 6-2 guard cranked up his intensity late in the game when his team needed him most. With the touch around the basket to match his burst, Kirlew slashed to the cup for tough layups and/or trips to the charity stripe his two-way ability helped Norristown pullout a close win versus Warwick.

Ryan Mulroy (2025 | Upper Dublin)
Mulroy continued to build off his impressive summer on Saturday against Pope John Paul II. The 6-foot-3 guard binds Upper Dublin’s young roster and is their go-to guy, totaling 16 points. He’s confident and smooth on the offensive end but remains selective with his shots, taking what the defense gives him. Mulroy naturally understands floor spacing and directs his teammates, putting them in the best positions to succeed. Pope John Paul II didn’t test Mulroy on the defensive end, partly due to his built frame and firm foundation.

Khamai Orange (2025 | Delco Christian)
Orange spent a great deal of the contest at the rim utilizing his handle and quick first step to blow past the Jim Thorpe defenders. He also knocked down 3 triples (3-for-7) against the perimeter defenders of Jim Thorpe. He led the swarming Delco Christian defense with five steals, and created opportunities for his teammates in transition as a result of them. Orange ended the game with 27 points to go along with those steals and three assists. He heads a Delco Christian guard attack that is poised to make a lot of noise this season.

Janie Preston (2025 | Conestoga)
The Pioneers’ post could be a top breakout candidate this winter if her game holds up the way it did on Saturday. Playing against a Perk Valley team with size to challenge her, the 6-foot-1 Preston hit shots from the outside, showed some nice footwork in the post and even flashed a nice fadeaway jumper inside. She kept it going against CR South, showing some good vision as well and she more than held her ground defensively.

Kareena Preuss, 2025 Spring-Ford

Kareena Preuss (2025 | Spring-Ford)
Preuss shot the lights out against Archbishop Carroll. She finished the game with 15 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field and 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. The junior is tall and can shoot over her defender. Her high basketball IQ helped her frequently place herself within the defense’s soft spots, creating open looks. Preuss also used her size advantage on the defensive glass, securing possessions for her team.

Cole Pruessner (2024 | Delco Christian)
The defensive intensity stood out from the jump. The point guard’s hands and feet are always active. He recorded three steals against Daniel Boone and consistently shut down his opponents one-on-one. One of his steals turned into a transition layup. Pruessner is also floor general on the offensive end, directing traffic with hand gestures and his voice. He distributes the ball to his playmakers but can knock down a shot when called upon.

Aiden Tobiason (2024 | St. Elizabeth's, Del.)
This young man did it all. Tobiason made the unselfish plays, rebounding and walling up at the rim, defensively. But he made the highlight plays too. The 6-5 wing shifted the momentum with several steals that turned into dunks. On one fast break, he made what felt like a touchdown catch over a defender at his free throw line, then took one step and threw it down with authority. When the Vikings needed high-percentage offense, he went to work in the post with drop-steps and jump-stops for two. Lastly, with seconds left, after he had already made what should've been the game-winning basket (but Methacton responded with a bucket of its own), Tobiason pulled up from 40 feet to cash in a three, securing the victory.

Brooke Wilson (2024 | Archbishop Carroll)
It was peak Brooke Wilson that the senior managed 10 free throw attempts in a fall warm-up game. But that’s just Wilson, the Army commit and workhorse for the Patriots who will anchor the defending PIAA 6A champions this coming season. She’s relentless with her energy, scrapping for every rebound possible, looking to push the ball and find teammates and of course, make the refs work too as she attacks the lane over and over. Wilson also knocked down a couple threes between the Patriots’ two games, something she’s worked to add to her arsenal.

Jack Woodard (2024 | Great Valley)
The 6-5 wing was an All-Ches-Mont honorable selection last season and played a terrific game for his team in a win over Boyertown on Saturday. Woodard has a smooth looking stroke and floated around the 3-point line to knock down a pair of threes in the 12-point effort, also pulling up for a midrange jumper inside the arc. He has nice touch inside and good feel as a passer, picking up a pair of assists and making the right read a handful of other times.