City of Basketball Love

By CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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The first session of Philly Live 2024 saw dozens of teams from around the Northeast (and beyond) kick off the June Scholastic Live Period in front of equally as many college coaches.

Here’s who stood out to the CoBL staff in games we watched at Philly Youth Basketball’s 6th Man Center on Saturday: 

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2024 Philly Live Session I Standouts

Jefferson Day 1 | PYB Day 1 | Jefferson Day 2 | PYB Day 2 | Jefferson Day 3 | PBY Day 3 |

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Julius Avent (2026 | Bergen Catholic, N.J.)
Avent was one of many Bergen Catholic players putting on a show on Saturday. The 6-7 big fella had 19 points in their overtime loss to Archbishop Wood and in a win against Coatesville, Avent contributed 15 points. He was scoring the ball from all three levels, Avent was able to attack the rim like a wing, pull up in the mid range off the dribble or out of a post-up opportunity, and the big man showed his ability to knock down the three-ball at a good clip. Avent’s defense was also shown; most of the time it was him grabbing the rebound after a miss or he’d deny a player's scoring opportunity. 

Riley Buzby (2025 | Appoquinimink, Del.)
When the Jags took on Phil-Mont Christian, Buzby was too much for the Falcons to contain. He started on the glass, out-hustling everyone for the chance to get the ball back to his team. He also used those opportunities to score without plays being run for him. At 6-4, his ability to rebound over everyone helped him shoot over defenders too. Appo's guards titled the defense, then swung it to Buzby who was automatic from the mid-range. He tallied 17 points before his team pulled away and won by 30. 

Reece Craft (2025 | Devon Prep)
Devon Prep was clicking in a big win over King’s Fork (Va.), led by its talented forward combo of Craft and Conlan (see below). A 6-6 lefty, Craft was dominant on the glass, grabbing 13 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end; he was excellent at high-pointing boards off the rim and skying to grab them over defenders; his only deficit in this one was leaving a couple put-backs short, but he got a few of those back on third-chance opportunities.. He also scored 13 points, with two assists and two steals, but the rebounding and effort around the bucket defensively stood out.

Zane Conlan (2025 | Devon Prep)
Just like his frontcourt partner Craft, Conlan was terrific for Devon Prep in its win over King’s Fork, and for a good majority of the game he did it without scoring a point. A 6-4 wing whose game is built on versatility and stat-sheet-stuff, Conlan did that with nine points, 10 rebounds, four blocks, three assists and two steals; a couple of those blocks came against King’s Forks’ 6-7 forward, showing his athleticism and timing. Conlan makes so many smart basketball plays, whether that’s getting to two feet in the lane and finding shooters or looking off defenders before throwing a no-look pass the other direction. 

Alexander Costanza (2026 | Westminster Ac., Fl.)
Costanza came into the weekend with as big a reputation as anybody else, a top-10 and five-star prospect in the rising junior class, and it was apparent in watching him just why. The 6-7 wing handles it like a point guard, knocked down a deep pull-up 3-pointer and then attacked the rim with aggressive abandon, making a few tough finishes around a flying Imhotep defense, while also getting the line; he finished with 20 points on 6-14 FG (1-5 3PT, 7-8 FT) with 13 rebounds, two blocks and an assist.

Korey Francis (2027 | Bonner-Prendie)
The undersized Friars went toe-to-toe with two big teams and slayed them both, in part, thanks to Francis. But he really shined when they went up against Dover, from his home state of Delaware. Listed at 6-3, he scrapped defensively and on the boards. But, with just 4 points and down a couple points after the first, Francis sharpened his focus for a second half explosion. He created advantages for himself and sustained others with his quick decision-making off-the-catch. That allowed him to absorb contact as he got to the cup and knock down threes, all the while still making impact plays on defense. Francis totalled 23 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals, and a block in the win. 

Quinn Gibson (2025 | Cherry Hill West, N.J.)
Gibson got his game against Abington off to a bang, starting the game off with a dunk off a backdoor cut, then the next possession down pulled up into a 3-pointer from the right wing, kicking off a game that saw the 6-4 wing go for 22 points, plus four rebounds and three assists. Gibson is a playmaker with the ball in his hands, whether that was facing up and attacking off the bounce, or backing his man down into the post, where he could finish with a variety of post moves or a mid-range jumper, or kick out to shooters on the perimeter. 

Carnell Henderson (2025 | Imhotep Charter)
In a game filled with ‘wow’ moments, Henderson had perhaps the biggest one when the 6-2 Imhotep senior drove baseline, cocked back and unleashed a massive second-half throwdown, certainly his most notable move in a 15-point, nine-rebound, three-assist outing against Westminster Academy. Henderson knocked down only one 3-pointer (on four attempts) but attacked the rim and did a great job pulling up for mid-range jumpers, connecting from 15 feet on several occasions. 

Colton Hiller (2028 | Coatesville)
Summer league or not, starting as a freshman is no easy feat, especially when you play at a powerhouse like Coatesville but Hiller showed he belonged. The 6-4 sniper shot the ball at an impeccable clip, hitting 5 three’s against Bergen Catholic and finishing the game with 17 points. Outside of his catch and shoot triple, Hiller showed the ability to make some plays off of closeouts and he showed the ability to get to a pull up jumper from the midrange. After watching him play this weekend, Colton Hiller will be a stockriser before we know it. 

Osei Johnson (2025 | Cheltenham)
Johnson led the Cheltenham squad to a win over Conrad Science (Del.), chipping in 18 points, five assists, and two steals. Moving off the ball or creating for his own shot, he was dominant on and off the ball. Despite being an undersized guard, the 5-10 rising senior grabbed three rebounds on the offensive end. His defense made him stand out as a leader for the Panthers, whether it was being vocal or picking through the passing lanes. Johnson shot an efficient 6-12 from the field (2-5 from 3). Expect Johnson to keep leading the Panthers as they go on to play in a very competitive Suburban One League. 

Shane Lopez (2027 | Conrad, Del.)
Lopez showed as a two-way prospect against PJPII, accounting for 17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and a whopping 6 steals. His defensive activity changed the game. With his hand usage and his processing, Lopez refused to let the opposing offense run smoothly. He was impactful as a team defender and on-ball. Secondly, he got buckets. Lopez kept defenders on their toes with how he hit tough, contested jumpers and slashed into the paint for touch shots. 

Zaahir Muhammad-Gray (2026 | Imhotep Charter)
Playing against highly-ranked talent had no toll on Zaahir Muhammad-Gray against Westminster Academy (Fl.). The 6-7 Imhotep wing went for 18 points and seven rebounds, three of which were offensive rebounds. Zaahir shined on the defensive end for the Panthers, adding two blocks. Not only at the rim, Muhammad-Gray locked up on the perimeter by forcing the offense into help defense and turnovers. The rising junior shot 7-14 from the field, many of which were second chance shots. Muhammad-Gray excelled setting on ball screens, using his high IQ to read the defense. He’ll play a major role on the Imhotep squad, helping them continue their winning reputation. 

Ryan Mulroy (2025 | Upper Dublin)
Upper Dublin absolutely spanked Reading 70-29 during a Saturday morning game, with Mulroy leading the way. The Cardinals’ senior leader poured in 17 of his game-high 19 points during the first half as UD got out to a huge lead, playing a step faster than anybody else on the court — chasing down loose balls, soaring for rebounds, attacking the rim, hitting 3s. He finished with a double-double with 10 rebounds, adding three steals, two assists and a block for good measure, but his over dominance over the course of the game was clear. And he was still diving on the floor for loose balls with only a couple minutes left. 

Joshua Obiora (2026 | St. Georges, Del.)
One nugget shy of a double-double versus CB West, Obiora did the trench work that laid the foundation for his team’s win. He anchored their defense, in man and in zone, by rejecting 2 shots and influencing many more. The 6-7 forward rebounded with attitude, snatching the ball off of the glass to extend offensive possessions and  defensive ones. Although he only scored 9 points of his own, Obiora’s 11 boards initiated fastbreaks for the Hawks and allowed them to play their brand of basketball. 

RJ Smith (2026 | Imhotep Charter)
In a game against Westminster Academy (Fl.) loaded with high-major prospects between the two teams, for most of the way the best player on the court was Smith. The Panthers’ 5-8 point guard was especially outstanding in the first half, knocking down all five of his 3-point attempts while playing turnover-free hoops against a swarming Westminster defense; he didn’t add to his 17 points after halftime as Westminster changed its defense up, but kept Imhotep out of trouble while his team’s wings carried the load late. An impressive athlete, Smith showed his leaping abilities in grabbing six rebounds, none of which just fell into his lap.

Vinny Starr (2026 | Conrad, Del.)
Locked into a thriller with Pope John Paul II during the 9 am set, Starr played an unbelievable game, offensively. He had the hot hand as a driver and as a shooter. So his teammates kept feeding him shots. Resulting in him cashing in four triples in regulation. Starr looked for them as well, driving and kicking out for three and throwing dimes to his fellow Wolves when they were cutting. His competitive spirit showed up in how he hustled for loose balls and overall played with an edge. Conrad gave up a slight lead late in the second half and had to finish things off in overtime. Rather than get down on his team or fold, Starr stepped up once more in the extra period. He caught the ball on a dribble handoff and drilled his fifth three to take back the momentum. The rising junior tallied 27 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Quinn Woidke (2025 | St. Ignatius, Ohio)
Going off for 26 points and 7 boards versus Archbishop Carroll, Woidke could not be denied. He's only listed at 6-1, but he was a menace on the glass because of how he used his body and strength to win those 50/50 balls. Then, after some hustle plays, he got going as a shot-maker. The defense taking its attention off of him for the slightest moment gave him the half step or split second he needed to get to the spots he wanted. And even when Carroll tried to surge back and take control of the game, Woidke responded by burying jumpers from deep. His timely playmaking made sure the odds were always in his team's favor. 

Declan Wucherpfennig (2025 | Bergen Catholic, N.J.)
Wucherpfennig was very dominant in both his games but mainly Coatesville. The 6-7 wing played both ends and was very efficient, he was 2 points away from a 20 burger against the Red Raiders and he ended with 11 points against Archbishop Wood. One of his finest plays was a low rip through right to the tin and then deciding to throw down a jam on top of a Coatesville defender. Wucherpfennig definitely showed his finishing ability but the big man had a nice touch from the mid range and from the charity stripe. If he can continue to stretch defenses out he could become a matchup nightmare. 

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Honorable Mention
Jaden Brown (2026 | Bergen Catholic, N.J.), Lorenzo Bunch (2028 | King’s Fork, Va.), Larry Brown (2026 | Coatesville), Jonas Chester (2026 | Coatesville), Noah Cohen (2026 | Upper Dublin), Shane Davis (2025 | St. Georges, Del.), JayVion Denis (2026 | Dover, Del.), Luca Foster (2026 | Archbishop Carroll), Amon Fowlkes (2025 | Coatesville), Zach Franco (2025 | Pope John Paul II), Damon Friery (2025 | St. Ignatius, Ohio), Faizon Garland (2026 | Abington), Jason Green (2026 | Pope John Paul II), Munir Greig (2027 | Archbishop Carroll), Daniel Harvey (2025 | Appoquinimink, Del.), Kameron Jackson-Dickson (2026 | Dover, Del.), Kalli Johnson (2025 | St. Ignatius, Ohio), Roman Kulesa (2025 | CB West), Alex Lloyd (2025 | Westminster Academy, Fl.), Christian Matos (2026 | Archbishop Carroll), Zaahir Muhammad-Gray (2026 | Imhotep Charter), Devon Nelson (2025 | Bonner-Prendie), Kaleb Ra'ifa (2025 | Appoquinimink, Del.), Idris Rines (2025 | Upper Dublin), Ian Smith (2028 | Imhotep Charter), Mason Thear (2025 | Devon Prep), Ayden Wise (2026 | Pope John Paul II), Tarrance Williams (2026 | Dover, Del.), Emory Womack (2025 | St. Georges, Del.)