City of Basketball Love

Andrew Robinson (@ADRobinson3)
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The 2025 edition of the Donofrio Classic, the 63rd annual spring boys’ basketball all-star tournament in Conshohocken, continued on Thursday night with the last two second-round playoff games at the Fellowship House. 

Here’s a report from the evening:

Game One: Love Basketball 117, Positive Image White 103

CoBL Note: Despite Love Basketball winning the game, Positive Image White is advancing to the quarterfinal round. Love Basketball did not have enough eligible rostered players but was able to supplement its roster to at least contest a game.

An efficient first half from Logan Chwastyk, strong second half efforts from Zay Marshall and Mikey Freeman and consistent facilitating from Jasin Custus and Tyler Sutton powered Love Basketball to a wire-to-wire win. Chwastyk, a Malvern Prep freshman, had 18 of his 24 in the first half, while Marshall poured in 19 of his 24 in the second half. Marquis Newson and Sutton each tallied 18 points, Sutton adding seven assists, while Freeman had nine of his 11 in the second half. Owen Coughlin had 22 to pace a Positive Image team that had six double-figure scorers. Kamani Healey had 17, Brandon Williams and Jalen Chiles each had 16 and Saaid Lee added 15 points.

Game Two: Team Awesome 125, Blue Chips 109

The defending champions looked very much like a team that could be playing in a week’s time looking for a second straight title. Paced by a strong effort from St. Joe’s Prep senior duo Jordan Ellerbee (FCGU) and Jaron McKie (Dayton) and Pocono Mtn West big man Adrian Brito, Team Awesome jumped out to an early lead, withstood a Blue Chips run in the first half and pulled away after halftime. Ellerbee led Team Awesome with 23 points, Brito went for 22 and McKie had 18 with Hayden Johns and Manny Joe Samuel each chipping in 12 points. The champs needed them thanks to a dazzling effort from Colton Hiller, the Coatesville freshman getting his 31 in all manner of ways, and a scorching effort from Deacon Baratta (Tufts), the Phoenixville wing splashing seven 3s on his way to 25 points. Thaddeus Lee Jr played tough inside with 18 points and Nasir Williams added 10 for Blue Chips.

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Hiller stands out on Donofrio stage

It didn’t take long for Colton Hiller to arrive during the high school season. The same could be said for his first action at the Donofrio Classic.

“I would have guessed he was one of those fifth-year seniors,” said one spectator checking the book after Thursday’s second game wrapped up.

“They said he’s only a freshman? He’s legit,” said another observer leaving the Fel.

Hiller’s first run in the Donofrio only lasted two games, but the Coatesville freshman looked every bit like he belonged on the court with the tournament’s defending champions Team Awesome on Thursday. Despite a loss, he poured in a game-high 31 points that included five made three-pointers and a driving dunk to follow up a 26-point effort last Friday in his Conshohocken debut.

“I knew it was a big-time tournament but I just tried to hoop,” Hiller said. “I wanted to get as many good shots up as I could. I was trying to win, obviously that didn’t happen, but hopefully next year.”

The 6-foot-5 wing showed off pretty much every aspect of his game in his two Donofrio games. Hiller rained threes, he put down a total of five dunks, he ran the floor, brought the ball up and made some nice passes while also finding his offense in the tournament’s usual high-paced flow.

Playing at Coatesville, an annual contender for one of the top big school programs in District 1, means it’s hard to go unnoticed. To that end, Hiller certainly had his share of attention coming into his freshman year but he also went out and backed it up right away.

That in turn brought plenty of extra defensive attention his way, even as the freshman found his footing in high school as part of a talented roster.

“After like two weeks of the season, I started getting face-guarded every game,” Hiller said. “I didn’t move off the ball as well as I wanted to but that’s definitely something I’m looking to do more of next year.”

Hiller also listed his defense as an area he wants to improve on, especially his lateral movement.

“Everything this past year was way more physical, so I have to get in the weight room too,” Hiller said.

Hiller is already drawing Division I interest, although that’s nothing new in his family. Colton’s older brother Max is a highly coveted offensive line prospect, he’s the top-rated sophomore in PA for the Class of 2027, with well over two dozen offers to his name.

Max Hiller is taking some college visits this week, including to Penn State this weekend, and Colton said it’s been fun watching his brother emerge as a prospect and he thinks it will help when it’s his time to do the same.

“He has 30 offers, hopefully I can get to that point,” Hiller said. “It’s a good learning experience to see how he goes through it, hearing how coaches talk at the next level, I’m trying to take in everything.”

Up next, Hiller will start his travel season playing with PSA Cardinals on the Nike EYBL circuit. He has some high goals for himself this summer, including New Balance National camp and Hiller is aiming to make the Nike Top 100 camp.

“I feel like I got better after these two games,” Hiller said. “I put the ball on the floor more, shot more contested shots, but 100 percent, definitely using this to go into AAU.”

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Sutton striking a balance at point guard

Tyler Sutton thought he’d missed his chance to play in this year’s Donofrio Classic.

The Roman Catholic sophomore wasn’t able to make last Thursday’s opening round when Difference Makers dropped their opening game against Hunting Park I. With Love Basketball short on rostered players but still wanting to at least put a team on the floor, Sutton’s phone buzzed with an invite he was happy to accept.

Sutton helped Love Basketball to a win on the scoreboard Thursday, even if his team was ineligible to advance, with his passing as critical as his scoring efforts.

“They texted me yesterday ‘you want to hoop?’ and because I didn’t play, I figured why not,” Sutton said after dropping 18 points in Thursday’s first game.

Sutton did play last year, but a lot has changed for him in that time. Primarily, as evidenced by the Roman logo on his shirt, where he now plays his high school basketball.

Sutton transferred to Roman after spending his freshman year at George School and played his way right to First Team All-Catholic honors. The 6-foot-1 guard, a superb athlete, felt his game grew playing in the PCL.

“Definitely being more of a point guard,” Sutton said. “I learned that at Roman, getting everybody else involved while feeding myself, getting buckets and also passing the ball. I think I showed that tonight, everybody was having fun on the floor.”

Sutton had at least seven assists on Thursday, the sophomore setting up big man Logan Chwastyk a few times in a big first half by the Malvern Prep freshman. “I just dished him the ball, he went up and dunked it,” Sutton summarized and Chastwyk and his dad gave the guard some props on their way out of the Fellowship House.

He still found his offense on Thursday and was engaged defensively.

“I think I’m like a glue guy for a team, I embrace that role,” Sutton said. “Sometimes I’ll have to go out and score 20 or 30 and sometimes I can go get 15 (points) and eight (assists) and I love that. As long as we’re winning, I’m fine with any of that.”

He’s definitely more than just a glue guy, as the multitude of high-major programs already expressing interest or extending offers indicate. Sutton said he’s trying to not pay too much attention to it now, but he did concede that side of things will all be picking up heavily in June while he’s in the thick of the EYBL season playing with Team Final.

“I see it like going out there to hoop with a purpose,” Sutton said. “It makes you want to hoop even better because you know people are watching you but it could also be the last time they’re watching you. You never know when it’s your last time on a court, so you always have to give it your all.”

Roman advanced to the PCL title game and PIAA Class 6A title game, losing to Father Judge in both contests. With the Cahillities returning plenty of key pieces, the guard said those setbacks are driving him this summer.

“It’s really motivating, in order to win, you have to lose sometimes,” Sutton said. “You don’t forget about the times you’ve lost in big games, you never do. Especially when it’s your biggest goal and it doesn’t go the way you want it to, you’re motivated to win the next year.”

Sutton said his big goal, and that of his entire Team Final roster, is to return to the Peach Jam at the end of the summer. They went last year, but an injury derailed their hopes of a title, something that’s also fueling the entire group to go back and win it this year.

Whatever he needs to do in order to get there, Sutton’s ready to do it.

“I’ve always been a point guard, but I’ve always been a score-first point guard,” Sutton said. “I think mixing it up now, it’s good for me.”

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Lee on cusp of college decision

Thaddeus Lee Jr is not the first and he will not be the last player to make a significant drive to the Fellowship House to play in the Donofrio Classic.

He is not the first and he probably will not be the last to find that drive to and from the event well worth it. The 6-foot-8 post player, a senior at Mercersburg Academy originally from Lancaster, scored 18 points for Blue Chips in their loss to defending champion Team Awesome in Thursday’s nightcap.

He also had a solid outing in last week’s opening round, so the two roughly 90-minute trips out to Conshy were not time wasted.

“It was really fun and really competitive,” Lee said. “It’s high-level basketball, just had a lot of fun with my teammates and competing against everybody.”

Lee said he hadn’t played with anyone on the Blue Chips roster before outside of some pick-up games and training but the group meshed pretty well. He was also eager to see how his game measured up against some of the Philadelphia area’s top players and the forward left confident he definitely belonged on the same floor.

He’s also felt like he belonged at the next level and Lee is close to making that a reality. He announced an offer from Bloomsburg earlier this week and after visiting campus, Lee liked everything the Huskies had to offer and sees himself committing soon.

“Coach (Chris) Bess has a really good program, a really strong culture,” Lee said. “I’m really excited to see what he does in the next few years and I would be excited to be a part of that.”

Bloomsburg finished 6-22 this past season but with just five seniors or graduate students, should have a majority of its roster returning for Bess as he enters his third year leading the program.

“The team’s pretty young, there’d be a lot of guys around my age and they’re all ambitious,” Lee said. “They’re a rebuilding program, that means everybody is hungry and ambitious. It’s a good culture and their offense looks like it’d be something I’d fit into really well.”

Lee nailed a three for his first points on Thursday and he threw down a pretty strong dunk in the second half.

“I always felt like I could fit at the next level, it was just a matter of getting the confidence to go out there and play,” Lee said.