City of Basketball Love

CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
—

The first week of the 2024 Donofrio Classic took place last week, the first four nights of the three-plus-week affair bringing eight games to the court at the Fellowship House in Conshohocken.

CLICK HERE to access all our Donofrio 2024 coverage; read ahead for who stood out in the first week of the event:

~~~

Larry Brown (2026 | Coatesville)
Brown, a 6-foot-7 forward, is one of the more interesting prospects in the local 2026 class. He showed why in a 23-point outing for Hoop Dreams 717 on Thursday to help his squad pick up a win over Flocco’s. Brown scored his first nine points on three 3-point shots. Then he went to work inside, a late offensive rebound and slam was a decisive play late. When he decides to assert himself on the game, Brown can be a handful for opponents. If he can continue to make shots from outside, the Ches-Mont League should be worried next year.

Jaen Chatman (2025 | Blair Academy, N.J.)
Chatman, a 6-2 combo guard from the Lehigh Valley, is heading to Blair for his junior year, a significant step up in competition. He looks the part, a physically mature athlete who can score from all three levels, which he showed with a 28-point outing as L&L Running Rebels picked up a win Wednesday night. Chatman has a strong handle and can get by a defender and into the lane, where he welcomes contact.

Robert Cottrell (2024 | Roman Catholic)
Cottrell went off for 30 points for Danny Rumph in a loss to Philly Hoop Group on Wednesday, the 5-8 Cahillites senior getting 25 of those in a spectacular second half. He hit five triples after halftime (six for the game), doing so on both catch-and-shoot knockdowns and pulling up in transition; he used the threat of that jumper to get past defenders with his quickness and handles, making some quality finishes around the rim. 

Jordan Dill (2027 | Germantown Friends)
Dill, a lefty, can score from pretty much anywhere, proving this Tuesday night with a 28-point performance to help PA Hoops Academy get the win. The 6-0 combo guard has been playing varsity basketball since the 8th grade, already having 1,000 points to his name, not including his great Donofrio performance. Scoring isn’t his only quality; Dill has shown the ability to make plays for his teammates and he’s a solid defender. 

Macon Emory (2024 | Perkiomen School)
Emory led NEPA Elite with 28 points in its opening-round win over K-Low Elite CTC, the 6-8 wing forward and Delaware commit getting his production from all over the court. He knocked down four 3-pointers, scored on post-ups and slips to the rim, a couple mid-range jumpers, and more. A new-school ‘4’ man who can play as a big wing or a stretch big, Emory should continue to get better as he adds physicality to his frame, but he’s got the length and athleticism to succeed.

Jackson Gaffney (2024 | Rocktop Academy)
Gaffney made had the most ‘wow’ plays of anybody this week, the 6-7 Radnor grad and Rocktop Academy post-grad showing off his length and athleticism with a few tough buckets in the lane, a couple flushes, and a few triples as well in Basketball Finders’ win over K-Low Elite. There were misses sprinkled in, for sure, but the makes are enough to keep you intrigued for more. He’s got the ability to create his own shot against quality defenders and has all sorts of tricks around the rim to get a clean look, including one-legged fadeaways and off-balance layups with both hands. 

Carnell Henderson (2025 | Imhotep Charter)
Henderson had one of the best scoring performances of the week with a 31-point outing, matching his jersey number as he led Hunting Park II in a losing effort. The 6-3 guard knocked down six 3-pointers, including five in the first half, with a quick trigger in transition and a clean, repeatable shot with a consistent launch point; he also got to the rim in transition, though it was his shooting that really stood out.

Shareef Jackson (2025 | Roman Catholic)
In a matchup against Archbishop Ryan’s Thomas Sorber, Jackson more than held his own, finishing with 15 points and a near double-double’s worth of rebounds against the future Georgetown post. Jackson made great decisions with the ball in his hands; when he drove and had the bucket sealed off, he made quality passes to shooters; when he was able to get a lane, he finished at the bucket, and also knocked down a catch-and-shoot 3. He might be undersized in the post, but he’s plenty productive.

Dior Kennedy (2024 | Coatesville)
The 6-foot-3 guard paired a 22-point outing with some terrific passing in 717 Hoop Dreams’ win over Flocco’s on Thursday. Kennedy got into the lane and to the hoop, proving an effective operator in the midrange and at the hoop and adding a shot from deep. He took turns this season at Coatesville running point with classmate Zuri Harris, so it was fun to see him in full control of the offense using his vision to set up teammates for easy looks.

Deuce Maxey (2025 | Archbishop Wood)
Maxey had his shot working for him on Wednesday in a win over Danny Rumph. The Archbishop Wood junior knocked down six triples, three in each half, to help him to a 26-point outing for Philly Hoop Group. Maxey’s got a smooth jumper when he’s pulling up from deep, and he’s a quality ball handler and athlete who can attack the bucket at a high level and finish with both hands when he does so. 

Nyle Ralph-Beyer (2024 | West Chester Henderson)
The Sacred Heart commit spearheaded Rome Runs’ comeback win over Great American Pub on Thursday, scoring 16 of his 25 points in the second half. A 6-4 combo guard, Ralph-Beyer hit a trio of triples and also got into the lane where he used his vertical ability to elevate and attack the basket.

Julian Sadler (2024 | Perkiomen Valley)
In the unofficial end to his high school career, Sadler put together one last masterpiece with 33 points in Flocco’s loss to 717 Hoop Dreams. The lefty was on fire from deep with nearly half his points coming from five 3-point makes — the last from way, way down down. He’s also quick and shifty and a tough finisher who typically makes more shots than he misses.

Mani Sajid (2026 | Plymouth Whitemarsh)
Sharing the court with the top seniors in the league, Sajid showed the Suburban One League is in good hands in a monster outing Thursday night. He poured in 31 points in Great American Pub’s loss. Sajid is a 6-foot-3 guard whose range was on display with four 3-point makes. His smooth ability to get to the hoop and use his length to finish helped him keep GAP tight in a fun one.

Tommy Vaughn Jr. (2025 | Phelps School)
The 6-0 lefty led WeR1 with 28 points in a loss on Tuesday night to PA Hoops. Vaughn, a combo guard from Delaware can jump out of the gym and he certainly showed it during warm-ups. Including his athleticism, Vaughn has a pretty stroke from the outside and he has a sweet pull-up jumper that’s hard to guard because of how high he gets on the release. Also, his speed and athletic abilities make him a pesky defender at the other end of the floor, getting steals leading to run outs and points for his team. 

Cam Wallace (2025 | Westtown School)
The 6-5 wing poured it on Tuesday night, scoring a game high 29 to help PA Hoops Academy advance over a good WeR1 squad. Wallace is a capable 3-point shooter but that’s not his main game; he likes to attack the basket and seek contact around the rim. He’s able to create for himself but the Division I product can make a lot of plays on the offensive glass, getting timely putbacks or tip-ins. 

Jace Yedsena (2025 | Mahanoy Area)
The red-headed lefthander took over in the second half of NEPA Elite’s opening-round win over K-Low Elite CTC. A 6-2 combo guard, Yedsena showed he could score in a multiple of ways: pulling up from 3, attacking the rim, confidently knocking down a mid-range floater. He was able to look for and create his own shot against quality defenders and showed good athleticism and size, flushing down an easy left-handed dunk. 

~~~

Honorable Mention

Tammar Brown (2025 | Rocktop Academy), Jake Cummiskey (2024 | CB East), Patrese Feamster (2026 | Friends' Central), Josiah Hutson (2025 | Cheltenham), Jerry Johnson (2025 | La Academia), Deuce Ketner (2024 | Bonner-Prendergast), Kevair Kennedy (2025 | Father Judge), Jeremiah Lee (2024 | Abington), Kirby Mooney (2024 | William Tennent), Zaahir Muhammad-Gray (2026 | Imhotep Charter), Christian Matos (2026 | Methacton), Travis Reed (2024 | Roman Catholic), Thomas Sorber (2024 | Archbishop Ryan), Jayden Thomas (2024 | Parkland), Darren Williams (2024 | Archbishop Ryan)