City of Basketball Love

By Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue) &
Chad Graham (@CGraham_Sports)
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NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA — The first (unofficial) high school hoops action got underway this weekend with the Rome Runs Never Forget Classic. Games moved to Archbishop Ryan on Sunday for the second day of action and CoBL was there throughout the day. Here’s who stood out during the games we saw:

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Aasim Burton (2024 | Cardinal O'Hara)
The recent Rider-pledge got the game versus St. George's started in a grand way. Leveraging his scoring ability off the ball, Burton shot well from deep. He canned one trey from the corner before using an elevator screen to shake free for another. Then, he topped that with a putback dunk in traffic. His intensity on offense paralleled his effort on defense. Burton suffocated whoever he guarded, forcing one turnover after another and taking the ball the other way for two.

Darrell Davis (2027 | Archbishop Carroll)
Davis left quite the impression in his debut in front of the CoBL staff. His offensive production was modest (eight points, two assists) but his defense was game changing. The 5-10 guard showed no fear in going at an experienced West Chester Henderson backcourt, pestering ball handlers into misuses throughout the game. He used his quickness to stay in front rather than gamble for steals on the defensive end (though he did come away with two swipes) — a mature approach for a young defender. As he gets more comfortable with his new teammates, he’ll certainly be able to pick his spots on the offensive end as well.

Connor Fleet (2024 | West Chester Henderson)
The Warriors were in two great matchups with Archbishop Carroll and Archbishop Ryan; and Fleet kept throwing jabs to keep them in the fight. The 6-1 combo guard did his damage in the paint and from behind the arc. Whether he was pushing the pace in transition or attacking a set defense off-the-dribble, Fleet got into the lane with a sense of urgency. And when he didn't have an angle to finish around the basket, he made drop-off passes to the open man. The only thing quicker than his decision making was the release of his jumper. He didn't need much time or space to get it off, draining multiple on the day. 

Luca Foster (2026 | Archbishop Carroll)
Foster’s classmates hyped him as one of the area’s best following Sunday’s win over West Chester Henderson. His teammates are expecting the 6-foot-5 wing to make the jump from a varsity swing player to one of the PCL’s top threats and Foster continues to show signs this offseason that that leap is coming. He poured in 16 points, including a trio of triples and a pretty pull-up inside the arc. He looks confident and ready to shoot every time he touches the ball. He’s a terrific athlete as well and can use those gifts and size as a scorer inside.

Jaden Murray (2024 | Archbishop Ryan)
Murray is used to playing a complimentary role next to primary options like fellow seniors Thomas Sorber and Darren Williams. But on Sunday, he showed defenses that he can't be slept on. The 6-6 forward did yeoman's work — walling up rebounding on both ends, making the extra pass, and running the floor in transition. And he made some splash plays of his own. Murray downed three triples against Henderson, then another two against St. George's. His high release point made each shot seemingly uncontestable as he shot each one with authority. He led all scorers in his first game with 19 points. 

Nyle Ralph-Beyer (2024 | West Chester Henderson)
A crafty and efficient scorer, Ralph-Beyer showed off his incredible athleticism too. His agility and bounce made him hard to contain. He was constantly in motion and a threat even when he didn't have the ball. On one play, caught a rebound mid-air and (before he landed) tipped it in for a putback. Ralph-Beyer went off for 28 points against Archbishop Carroll on a shot-diet of turnaround jumpers pullups. Going in either direction, he got to his spots like it was cone work. The mid-major prospect never needed more than 2 dribbles to get a shot he liked. 

Nasir Ralls (2026 | Archbishop Carroll)
Only a sophomore, Ralls is technically one of the veterans for the Patriots this season after returning from a sixth man role last season. He provided a steadying presence against West Chester Henderson to start Sunday’s action, finishing with 12 points and five assists in the win. Ralls has a good feel for when it’s his time to take the reins or let one of Carroll’s other talented youngsters cook. The shot was terrific, the playmaking and vision were there and he also showed off his defensive chops with a pair of steals as well.

Thomas Sorber (2024 | Archbishop Ryan)
The 6-foot-9 forward and Georgetown commit is going to stand out every time he steps onto a high school floor given his stature. He’s obviously a talented scorer and rebounder but it's some of the other things he does that make him a really fun basketball player to watch. Against St. George’s (Del.) that included his shot blocking and passing. Sorber paired his lateral quickness with his size to recover and block shots that looked like easy looks before he got his hands on them. He sees the court really well on the offensive end and is able to find cutters or kick to shooters whether he has the ball in the post or out on the perimeter.

Darren Williams (2024 | Archbishop Ryan)
Williams can get hot in a hurry and did so against St. George’s (Del.) as his offensive explosion helped ignite the Raiders after a low start. The lefty did a good job spotting up in open space beyond the arc. He can also slash or create his own shots. The 6-foot-4 guard and Florida Gulf Coast commit had one of the highlight plays of the day when he juked through a swarm of defenders before an easy finish at the rim he made look too easy. 

Ian Williams (2026 | Archbishop Carroll)
After letting his teammates take the lead offensively early on, Williams made some big buckets in the second half of a back-and-forth game against West Chester Henderson. He finished with a team-high 19 points in the win, including a game winning three from way, way, way beyond the arc. Williams’ shooting ability was really impressive, showing off a quick clean stroke as a catch-and-shoot shooter and off the bounced as he canned four triples. The 5-10 guard is really good at finding space and accelerating through the defense as a driver and did that to, able to get to the hoop and make some impressive finishes.

Honorable Mention

Ryan Everett (2024 | Archbishop Ryan), Munir Greig (2027 | Archbishop Carroll), Nelson Lamizana (2024 | West Chester Henderson), Pearse McGuinn (2024 | Cardinal O'Hara), Noah McIntosh (2024 | Cardinal O'Hara), Rocco Morabito (2024 | Archbishop Ryan), Josh Obiora (2026 | St. George's, Del.), Brandon Russell (2025 | Archbishop Ryan), Blair Thomas (2024 | St. George's, Del.)