City of Basketball Love

By CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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PITMAN, N.J. — The MADE Hoops circuit made its way to South Jersey this weekend for the Northeast Preview event, featuring teams from the tri-state area and beyond on five courts at Total Turf. 

Here’s who stood out to the CoBL staff this weekend:

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Stephon-Ashley Wright (2026 | Neumann-Goretti)
Neumann-Goretti had many standouts from the weekend, and Wright was another one. He started the game off slow, once the second half hit, Wright became really tough to stop. The 6 foot guard finished with 17 points and hit multiple three-pointers during a 2nd half eruption against Cardinal Hayes (NY). Wright was also phenomenal on defense, he forced multiple turnovers and it led to buckets the other way. Wright can shoot it, get to his spots with ease, but the most impressive aspect of his game was the leadership he took. Wright took control late, pulling the ball out, winding down the clock, simply no one could stop him and he showed that on Saturday.

Connor Cahill (2026 | Penncrest)
Cahill stood out in Penncrest’s overtime win over Cherry Hill East (N.J.) on Sunday morning, and not just because the 6-foot-tall guard hit the game-sealing foul shots in the first-to-four-point overtime. That was the cap on an 18-point, 11-rebound, two-assist, two-steal outing for Cahill, who seemed to be in multiple spots at once on the court — there were a couple occasions where he’d miss a shot from one side of the court and chase down a rebound on the other, grabbing five of his rebounds on the offensive end. Cahill hit a pair of 3-pointers and all four of his foul shots, and had a few strong takes to the rim. 

Jacob Canton (2027 | Rutgers Prep, N.J.)
Canton did it all Saturday for Rutgers Prep in their 87-71 win over International Sports Academy (N.Y.). His eight assists and four steals were a team high in both categories. He hit two step-back threes in the first half, hitting nothing but net on each of them. He also had a steal that led to a fastbreak dunk for Rutgers Prep. That dunk was the beginning of an 8-0 run that would give Rutgers all the momentum they need for the rest of the game. 

Jay Chiles (2025 | Friends’ Select)
Friends’ Select mounted an impressive second-half rally against Reading, turning a game they were trailing almost the entire way into a win within the last 30 seconds. Chiles, a 6-1 senior, led the way with 21 points, plus five steals, three rebounds and two assists. It wasn’t the most efficient day from the floor for the physical lead guard, but his ability to create his own shot helped open things up for his teammates, and he scored 10 points late, including a four-point play with two minutes to go that tied it up, and a clutch pair of foul shots that followed.

Beckett Currie (2025 | Phelps School)
Currie’s first half for the Phelps School’s national squad in a game against International Sports Academy (N.Y.) was something to behold. The 5-11 guard from Washington state was 5-of-7 from downtown, hitting tough pull-up 3s on the move with confidence, needing only a split second to fire off a high-arcing shot, and he was looking to take tough shots off inbounds plays — and hit a couple of them. Currie wasn’t able to get nearly as free in the second half, though he did have a tough and-one finish to cap off an 18-point game, but he also showed a strong handle, court vision and passing abilities even if he didn’t rack up assist numbers in this one. 

Matt Gilhool (2025 | Penn Charter)
The centerpiece — literally and figuratively — of the Quakers’ 62-56 win over Archbishop Carroll (D.C.) was their LSU-bound big man, who went for 24 points and 12 rebounds, with a block and a steal, in an impressive two-way performance. The 6-11 big man caught a couple lobs and knocked down a couple catch-and-shoot 3s, but what really had him standing out was his ability to attack the rim off the bounce from the perimeter, getting inside with ease on a few possessions to finish at the hoop; he also showed great post footwork on a spin and finish to his strong (left) hand. For the game, Gilhool was 9-of-16 from the floor (2-5 3PT), 4-4 FT.

Austin Graves (2027 | Archbishop Carroll, D.C.)
A 6-2 combo guard, Graves missed his first four shots against Penn Charter — and then didn’t miss much else. Continuously playing downhill, Graves tore through the Quaker defense, slashing to the rim time and time again, finishing equally well with both hands while showing he could throw in a floater or a counter as well to keep shot-blockers guessing. Graves finished with 25 points and five rebounds in the tight loss, going 11-of-20 from the floor.

Tyrease Hunter (2026 | Roselle Catholic, N.J.)
Hunter comes from a basketball family, with three older sisters who all play or played Division I hoops, and the 6-2 guard looks like he’ll be next up in line. Hunter’s got a mature, well-rounded floor game, which was on display during Roselle’s win over West Catholic on Saturday evening. Hunter went for 15 points with four rebounds, four assists, four steals and a block, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers and a floater while getting to the line a few times; he was also a good playmaker downhill and handled West Catholic’s full-court press well with the ball in his hands.

Osei Johnson (2025 | Cheltenham)
On a Cheltenham side that’s got a lot of interchangeable pieces, Johnson stood out on Saturday with a sweet-shooting performance in a loss to Triple Threat, a NJ grassroots program. Johnson missed his first three 3-pointers but then connected on his next six shots as he finished with at least 15 points, hitting from all over the court. Johnson hit 3-pointers on the catch and pulling up, hit a one-dribble pull-up and a baseline jumper, doing a great job of moving off the ball to find space — whether that was a subtle slide along the wing to make a defender think twice, or moving behind the defense on the baseline to get open in the corner. 

Trey Lewis (2026 | Roselle Catholic, N.J.)
This one’s a little tricky, as Lewis only played half of Roselle’s game against West Catholic before going down with a hand/wrist injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the contest. But even in that limited time, Lewis really made an impact, scoring 13 points and hitting 3-pointers along with a tough and-one layup that he somehow powered up and through the rim. The 6-2 junior guard has a terrific rise and form on his jumper on the catch and pull-up, and he showed he could really burst to the hoop when he got a step on a defender.

Ethan Lin (2026 | Montgomery, N.J.)
Lin accounted for exactly half of Montgomery’s production against Wood, scoring 27 points in a highlight-reel type game for the 6-3 junior combo guard. Lin, a volume scorer who isn’t shy to pull from all over the court, knocked down three 3-pointers with range, and converted three free throws on another occasion. He used his shooting threat to get defenders antsy, then got into the lane and had some nifty finishes, splitting defenders a couple times to get to the hoop, and he’s got good body control around the bucket. 

Keon Long-Mtume (2025 | Neumann-Goretti)
Long-Mtume, a lefty, exhibited lots of toughness on Saturday. The 6-2 combo guard finished with 17 points in a comeback win against Immaculate Conception (N.J.). Not only was he able to put the ball in the hole, Long-Mtume grabbed a ton of offensive rebounds and it contributed to him getting easy buckets under the hoop and a couple and-one layups. On the defensive side of the ball, he was locking up his defenders and whenever they switched ball screens, Long-Mtume showed he could guard 1-4. Neumann-Goretti is always one of the best teams in Southeastern PA and look for Long-Mtume to play a big role for the Saints this winter. 

Brady MacAdams (2026 | Archbishop Wood)
Wood’s 63-54 win over Montgomery (N.J.) on Sunday afternoon was a balanced effort, with everybody in the Vikings’ top seven contributing a good deal, five scoring at least nine points. MacAdams wasn’t his team’s leading scorer, finishing with nine points on 4-of-8 shooting (1-2 3PT), but the 6-4 wing made a ton of winning plays, skying for rebounds (nine overall, three offensive), including a couple big ones in the closing minutes as Wood pulled off a comeback; he also collected five assists and two steals while playing physical defense against the Cougars. 

Luke Melniczak (2026 | George School)
The Cougars absolutely locked down on St. George’s (Del.) on Saturday morning, coming up with 15 steals in a game whose score at points was 22-3 and 35-8 before finishing up (approximately) 54-14. Melniczak chipped in eight points offensively (3-4 FG) plus a couple assists, but it was his lockdown defense that was what really stood out. Melniczak had four steals, all of which came via his impressive on-ball defense, forcing his man into coughing up his handle or at one point just slapping the ball out of an opponent’s hands, which the 6-3 guard turned into a dunk the other way; he also single-handedly forced a 10-second violation.

Ryan Melniczak (2028 | George School)
Like a chip off the old block, the younger Melniczak brother was equally as impressive defensively. The point guard came off the bench but immediately stood out with his energy and effort in George’s full-court trap, as well as his ability to guard his man in the half-court, using his quick feet and advanced physicality for his age to continually disrupt the point of attack. Melniczak’s court IQ was on display as he racked up five assists and three steals plus four rebounds, making his only shot — a layup in transition where he used his body well to shield off a defender — as he continually created open shots for the Cougars’ wings. 

Peyton Miller (2026 | George School)
Miller, a 6-2 point guard, did a great job facilitating on Saturday, as the rising junior put his playmaking skills on full-display. He seems to be a pass-first point guard, as every 2-on-1 break Miller seemed to add another assist to his tally; however, he did show his ability to put the ball in the hoop. Against Cardinal Hayes (N.Y.), Miller had 19 points and showcased his full repertoire, he was great in the pick and roll game, also, Miller hit multiple three-pointers including a step back off the dribble. He’ll be a huge problem for defenses going forward. 

Mikey Mita (2026 | Penncrest)
On Penncrest’s first possession against Cherry Hill East (N.J.) on Sunday morning, the Lions went right to Mita, the 6-7 wing forward powering his way through contact for an and-one layup. That set the tone for a game where Mita worked his way inside to a 15-points, 12-rebound double-double in an overtime win. Though the East defense quickly started paying a lot of attention to the tallest player on the court, Mita did a great job of working free so his guards could find him rolling or in space, and he certainly earned his five trips to the foul line, all of which came in the first half (8-9 FT). Later on, he showed off his jumper, hitting a mid-range and one 3-pointer.

Malik Moore (2028 | Union Catholic, N.J.)
Moore certainly looks like he’s going to be one to watch in the Garden State, the 6-3 left-handed freshman impressing for Union Catholic in a close loss to Int’l Sports Academy (N.Y.) on Saturday. Moore scored 17 points on 7-of-12 from the floor (1-2 3PT, 2-3 FT), with seven rebounds, four steals and two assists, and he produced in a variety of ways. Moore went coast-to-coast for a Euro-step layup, hit a contested catch-and-shoot 3-pointer, had a fast-break dunk, and served as an engaged on-ball defender who made things happen on that end of the court. 

Myles Parker (2025 | Rutgers Prep, N.J.)
The 6-7 left-handed wing was arguably the best shooter in the gym on Saturday. His 22 points against ISA were a game high and what was most impressive was how he did it. Parker made six 3-pointers, two of them from five or more feet behind the line. He missed his first two attempts, but that didn’t affect his confidence. After missing the first two, he made his next four shots. The Marist commit also impressed on the defensive end. He finished the game with two steals and caused a five-second violation. 

Weshly Rosario (2026 | Reading)
Rosario stood out in Reading’s loss to Friends’ Select on Saturday with a steady, all-around game. The 6-2 lead guard flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 13 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, showing a mature floor game where he always was making the right play or extra pass. Rosario made several great passes on the move, including a few where he looked like he was for sure attacking the rim before making a no-look pass at the last second to a plunging teammate for an open layup, or making a feed-ahead play in transition. 

Brandon Russell (2025 | Archbishop Ryan)
Ryan absolutely shut down Ewing (N.J.) in a runaway victory, opening up an 18-0 advantage out of the gate and then cruising to a 77-51 win. It was a balanced victory, with six players scoring eight-or-more points, as Joe Zeglinski cycled throughout his top 10 before going to his deeper bench the latter parts of the second half. Russell packed the stat sheet with 11 points, four rebounds, five assists and two steals, throwing down an emphatic dunk on the break 

Mani Sajid (2026 | Plymouth-Whitemarsh)
A pure scorer who has never seen a shot he doesn’t like, Sajid impressed many with his performance. It took him a little bit to get going but once he found his stroke Sajid became unguardable. Step-back threes, and- one layups, spin jumpers, you name it Sajid did it. St. Rose sent doubles, face guarded him 94 feet, but it wasn’t enough to slow him down. Sajid had a game-high 35 points, with 15 coming in the final six minutes of the game. His seven threes were also a game-high. Although Plymouth-Whitemarsh lost, there were a lot of positives to take away.

Reeve Sysko (2025 | George School)
Sniper. Sysko was hot from behind the arc, the rising senior hit four threes in a 73-38 win against Cardinal Hayes (NY). Sysko’s off ball movement is great, he knows where to go and his spot-up shot is excellent. He also fights hard in the paint, he did a nice job on the boards, his defense is also a nice aspect of his game. While George School’s offense was mostly a committee, Sysko was able to stick out and have a good day. 

Aleksa Vlajic (2025 | Int’l Sports Academy, N.Y.)
Vlajic led ISA to a 54-51 win over Union Catholic (N.J.) on Saturday afternoon, the 6-10 post flashing his inside-out game to lead him to a 15-point, four-rebound, two-assist, two-steal performance. Vlajic started his game off with a couple nifty left-handed hook shots off spin moves, showing his footwork, then expanded his range to show his face-up touch with both mid-range and 3-point jumpers, as well as a couple foul shots. 

Kingston Wheatley (2026 | West Catholic)
West Catholic battled hard against Roselle Catholic (N.J.) on Saturday, but the outside shots weren’t falling quite enough to pull off a win. Wheatley played well inside, the 6-6 forward going for 14 points and six rebounds. Wheatley attacked the offensive glass hard, grabbing four of his rebounds on that end of the floor, and did a good job of going right back up with it to either get a layup or to the foul line, where he made five trips. 

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Honorable Mention
Bohdan Biekietov (2025 | Montgomery, N.J.), Myles Blackley (2025 | Immaculate Conception, N.J.), Bam Bolding (2027 | Archbishop Carroll, D.C.), Jeremiah Camara (2027 | Reading), Joel Cineus (2025 | Ewing, N.J.), Chris Delgado (2026 | Cherry Hill East, N.J.), Carnell Henderson (2025 | Imhotep Charter), Unai Fernandez (2025 | Int’l Sports Academy, N.Y.), Sarp Gokberk (2025 | International Sports Academy, N.Y.), Jalen Grant (2026 | Roselle Catholic, N.J.), Jayden Hodge (2026 | St. Rose, N.J.), Justin Houser (2025 | Phelps School), Malik Hughes (2026 | Archbishop Ryan), Jacob Jones (2025 | Cherry Hill East, N.J.), Andrew Kretkowski (2027 | Rutgers Prep, N.J.), Ahmeil McLaurin (2026 | Friends’ Select), Kamal Mason (2027 | Cheltenham), Reggie Moore (2027 | Friends’ Select), FK Muntari (2025 | Union Catholic, N.J.), Onyx Nnani (2025 | Phelps School), Kahlil Samuel (2025 | Reading), Kai Shinholster (2025 | Penn Charter), Rahmir Speaks (2027 | West Catholic), Semaj Stone (2027 | Archbishop Ryan), Terrence Traylor (2026 | Ewing, N.J.), Jake West (2025 | Penn Charter)