City of Basketball Love

By Chad Graham (@CGraham_Sports) +
Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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The 2024 Jr. All-City Classic took place Tuesday night at Imhotep Charter, with three games — one for the girls and two for the boys — full of some of the area’s top talent in the rising freshman class.

Here’s who stood out to the CoBL staff throughout the evening:

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Larry Brown Jr. (2028 | Penn Charter)
Setting the tone with his physicality in the paint, Brown was named defensive player of the second game. The small-ball ‘4’ man cleaned the glass with fervor, turning three of his rebounds into points for himself. His energy was even more pronounced on defense. Brown rejected two of his opponents shots and had three steals, the first of which came when he deflected a pass and took it coast-to-coast for the jam. 

Jayden Carr (2028 | Malvern Prep)
A 6-2 combo guard, Carr first showed his strong catch-and-shoot abilities, knocking down a couple of good-looking triples, but he was more than just a shooter. During a big win for the Black team in the second game of the evening, Carr showed a good handle in the open court with his head up to find teammates in odd man situations, moved well off the ball as he got a few layups off quality cuts, and grabbed his fair share of rebounds as well.

Hannah Evans (2028 | Perkiomen Valley)
With her calm sense of urgency, Evans didn't play like an incoming freshman. The soon-to-be Viking, a 5-7 guard, picked her spots in the first half, locking in on defense and letting the game come to her. Then she turned things up in the second. After a couple drive-and-kicks for three, as well as a great pocket pass to a teammate for a layup, Evans drilled two triples of her own and pulled up for another to lead her team in scoring and secure the win; she hit five triples overall as part of her team MVP performance.

Braden Glann (2028 | Conestoga)
A 6-5 wing/forward, Glann impressed in the first boys’ game with his versatility at the ‘4’ spot, as he looks like he could be the latest in a line of high-level stretch-bigs to come out of the ‘Stoga program. Glann showed off his shooting range with a pull-up 3-pointer, hit a couple mid-range buckets on offensive rebounds to show his natural touch and feel, and attacked a close-out by getting to the rim and finishing, while also competing hard on the glass and using his length well defensively. 

Carmelo Harper (2028 | Berks Catholic)
One of a few players who came down from District 3, Harper looks like he’ll be an impact player before long in a Saints uniform. The 5-9 point guard showed off some varsity-ready moves, including getting a defender off-balance with a head fake before driving for an easy layup, as well as a smooth catch-and-shoot 3-pointer from straightaway and a steal into a left-handed finish; he also had great court vision and was a table-setter with the ball in his hands. 

Luke Maransky (2028 | St. Augustine Prep, N.J.)
With his jump shot calibrated, Maransky paced the White team on the second game of the evening. After scoring his first two points on a drive for a lay-up, the rest of his field goal makes were from the mid-range and out. Maransky got to his spots and hit tough turnaround jumpers. He even cashed in a three and went 2-for-2 from the free throw line, earning the MVP for his team. 

Demere Salisbery (2028 | Conestoga Valley)
The son of former Temple standout Dustin Salisbery, Demere looks like he’ll be an impact player from the get-go at Conestoga Valley. The 6-2 guard was a true playmaker with the ball in his hands, for his teammates and for himself; he made several strong passes on the attack, finding open teammates with pinpoint passes, but also really stood out as a scorer. Salisbery knocked down deep triples, attacked with a burst to get to the rim, and was the no-doubt MVP for his winning Black squad in the final game of the night.

Carter Smith (2028 | Penn Charter)
Smith was at his best when he was putting his head down and forcing his way to the rim. He used his wiry frame to slice through the lane. Other than the steal he converted into a lay, Smith's defense wasn't loud; but did routinely cause problems for whoever he guarded at the point of attack. The Quaker combo guard arguably had the highlight of the event when he caught the ball in the corner, gave a quick up-fake, then drove baseline before throwing it down with one hand. 

Donovan Spross (2028 | St. Joe’s-Hammonton, N.J.)
Pound-for-pound, Spross had the best performance of the night. It started on the defensive end. He stripped the opposing ball-handlers three times, turning one of them into a pull-up three above the break. On top of his fastbreak points, Spross got to the second and third levels of the defense and shredded them. The touch on his shot was just as potent as the touch on his passes, as the standout point guard took the dub and the MVP honors back home to Jersey. 

Ernest Stanton Jr. (2028 | Neumann-Goretti)
The unsung hero of the game, Stanton was the catalyst that sparked the Black squad’s come-from-behind victory. At 5-8, he created shots for himself early on with a transition bucket off of a defensive rebound and a couple jumpers — one for two and another for three. With the clock ticking in the second half and his team at a deficit, Stanton went on a run where he tallied four points, two rebounds, an assist, and two steals to flip the momentum and take the lead before they eventually won. 

Casey Thompson (2028 | Archbishop Wood)
The MVP for the Pink squad in the girls’ contest, Thompson looks like she’s going to be a major piece for the Vikings before too long, even with a lot of talent on the Wood roster. The 5-11 wing forward had a productive 15 points, loving to use a shot fake when she faced up from the 3-point arc or mid-range, then taking her defenders off the bounce to get to the rim, where she can finish with both hands. A strong screen-setter and rebounder, Thompson has great footwork and executes her moves at game speed.

Faith Watson (2028 | Friends Central)
Although she only scored six points, Watson created each one by herself with what she did on the offensive glass. Listed at 5-11, she took advantage of her size by grabbing every missed shot in her area. Her tenacious rebounding created second-chance opportunities, which she herself was often the beneficiary of. Evans was also always in position defensively. In addition to her 10 boards, she contested shots at the rim and came away with multiple steals, anchoring the White team's defense. 

Jahki Williams (2028 | Imhotep)
In a split decision, Williams got the MVP award based on his efficient double-double and his two-way impact throughout the final game. The 6-5 power forward scrapped for rebounds. He didn't have anything spoon-fed to him. Williams scored eight of his 10 points by wrestling the ball away from defenders for putbacks. The hustle he showed while altering shots on defense and going after 50/50 balls was a big reason his squad was able to comeback and win. 

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Honorable Mention
Kai Abplanalp (2028 | Salesianum, Del.), Pryce Alston (2028 | LaSalle College HS), Damir Arp (2028 | Bishop McDevitt), Iyonna Ellison (2028 | Audenried Charter), Eric Green Jr. (2028 | Neumann-Goretti), Colton Hiller (2028 | Coatesville), Chloe Kham (2028 | Neumann-Goretti), Jack McMullin (2028 | Archbishop Ryan), Macie Osunde (2028 | Downingtown West), Rowan Phillips (2028 | TBD), Kyiien Strong (2028 | Archbishop Wood), Brad Wanamaker Jr. (2028 | Roman Catholic), Zoey Whalen (2028 | Archbishop Wood)