City of Basketball Love

By CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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MANHEIM, Pa. — The Hoop Group circuit came back to Spooky Nook Sports this weekend with the Spring Jam Fest, three days of action in front of the assembled college coaches during the only Division I live recruiting period of the 2025 spring.

CoBL had at least one writer in attendance each day, checking out a mix of local and regional programs. Here’s who stood out to us this weekend:

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HG Spring Jam Fest Coverage: Event Standouts | Notebook Pt. 1 | Notebook Pt. 2 | Notebook Pt. 3 | 

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Kiyen Alexander (2027 | Full Court Philly HGSL 16U)
The point guard from St. Elizabeth High School (Wilmington, Del.) stands at 5-8, but plays the furthest thing from diminutive. Alexander’s energy was a key catalyst in FCP’s 43-41 comeback victory over Miami Triple Threat Sunday afternoon in a game that was called with 6:34 remaining after Triple Threat’s head coach picked up his second technical foul. Alexander and FCP were at a severe height disadvantage and fell behind 8-0 and 17-3 early. Alexander was undeterred, picking up 11 points, seven rebounds, an assist, and two steals as FCP gradually chipped away at the deficit. FCP went on to win its bracket with a 76-75 victory over NJ Beasts later in the day.

Yaw Ansong (2026 | Marston Elite Showcase HGSL 17U)
The 7-foot senior was an intimidating force in Marston Elite Showcase’s dominant 83-43 victory over Team Sim HGSL on Saturday, scoring 16 points, grabbing eight rebounds, and blocking five shots. His confidence level has risen considerably in a year’s time, manifested by being far more assertive than he was this time last year. His wide wingspan makes it incredibly tough for anyone entering the lane.

Nico Antoniacci (2028 | NEPA Elite HGSL 17U)
We watched a lot of hoops this weekend, and nobody had a game like the one Antoniacci had in a Friday night win over the Middlesex Magic HGAL 17s. The Riverside (Pa.) standout, who already has an offer from Penn State, erupted in the second half; the 6-2 guard knocked down his first six shots out of the break, including four 3-pointers, as he scored 29 points in the closing 16 minutes to finish with 41 points on 14-of-22 shooting, going 9-of-16 from downtown. Antoniacci hit a few ridiculous step-back triples as well as a half-court chuck going into the half, then added a floater and a couple other driving layups for good measure. 

Brandon Arnold (2026 | Crown Basketball HGSL 17U)
A bouncy, twitchy-yet-strong 6-3 combo guard, Arnold impressed during a Friday afternoon win over Full Court Philly HGSL, scoring 17 points and grabbing five rebounds with three assists and two steals as he showed he can score from all three levels and play both guard spots well. Arnold, who’s got multiple Division II offers and some D-I interest, knocked down three 3-pointers on four attempts and had some strong takes to the rim, including a crossover into a kiss off the glass, and he was very active defensively. 

Adam Badyrka (2027 | NEPA Elite HGSL 16U)
The 6-2 shooting guard from Holy Cross High School in Dunmore, Pa., plays with relentless energy on both ends with unique shotmaking and separation-creating abilities offensively. In NEPA’s 58-53 loss to PA Hoops in the Platinum Final Four, Badyrka showed what he could do from the perimeter with three early 3s. Once the defense adjusted, he made his way to the rim with crafty pump fakes and footwork to get past his defender. He added another 3 in the second half for good measure, bringing his final statline to 17 points, three assists, three rebounds, and a steal.

Zach Baum (2026 | Middlesex Magic HGAL 17U)
Even while his team was getting Antoniacci’d on Friday evening, Baum impressed in a 14-point, 12-rebound, six-assist outing of his own. The 6-8 forward from the Noble & Greenough School (Mass.) opened his night up with a quick catch and 12-foot faceup and continued to flash his versatility all night long; he was able to push the ball ahead in transition, moved well in the offensive flow, crashed the glass hard and always kept his eyes up looking for teammates, and he could catch and finish with both hands.

Henry Belcher (2027 | Next Play Basketball HGAL 16U)
He was on a Next Play Basketball team that had just seven players. He was facing a Brad Wanamaker Elite HGAL that had 11 players. Watching the 5-foot-8 rising junior Harriton guard made you feel there was a balance between the teams. He was easily the best player on the court. He showed great balance in his game, offensively and defensively. He also showed he could break a press by himself. Next Play Basketball won 55-50. Belcher scored 25.

Brad Berwick (2026 | PSB Philly HGAL 17U)
Berwick, a 6-6 center, averaged 11 points and seven rebounds a game last season for a Delco Christian team that went 23-3 and reached the second round of the PIAA Class AA tournament last season. His recruiting stock went up this weekend as he showed a wide skill set including perimeter shooting, on-balance finishing at the rim and a gift for rebounding, even against bigger players. High-academic Division III schools (Swarthmore, Middlebury, Wesleyan) who had been in contact with Berwick have renewed interest based on the weekend, and some Division IIs (Millersville) have made contact.

Fareed Brown (2026 | Mt. Pleasant Bulldogs 17U)
Brown got his weekend off to a good start in a win over the Penn Warriors on Friday night. The Engineering & Sciences guard played hard from start to finish and it paid off in the form of a 16-point, five-rebound, five-block, three-assist, two-steal outing that saw him impact the game in all sorts of ways. A bouncy 5-9 point guard, Brown put in a strong effort on the glass as he leapt for every board he earned, and his blocks were all contested layups that he jumped up to reject, often in weakside help. A shifty ball-handler, he did a good job of getting downhill and either finishing at the rim, getting to the line or dropping off to a plunging teammate.

Andrew Corcoran (2026 | PA Hoops Academy Platinum 17U)
Corcoran was feeling it on Friday night in a win over the Riverside Hawks Select. The 6-3 guard from Bishop Shanahan poured in 25 points, adding nine rebounds (four offensive) and three assists as he had his fingerprints all over the victory. He had eight points at half and exploded in the second, hitting his first six shots out of the break, including four straight 3-pointers; his second, on the move from right to left at the top of the arc, made it clear he was feeling it, and he didn’t slow down; he also knocked down a few catch-and-shoot triples and a floater in the lane, and had his hand on lots of loose balls and rebound attempts.

Logan Frantz (2026 | Marston Elite Showcase HGSL 17U)
The 6-foot-11 Rutgers Prep rising senior center was once a gangly pivot who got pushed around. Not so anymore. He was a major problem for Team Sim HGSL on Saturday in Marston Elite Showcase’s 83-43 victory. He finished with 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while blocking four shots in the win. Frantz was a factor near the rim, and showed he could hit the mid-range jumper.

Brayden Martin (2027 | PA Hoops Academy HGSL 16U)
The 6-5 wing from Conwell-Egan led PA Hoops with 21 points in a 58-53 semifinal win over NEPA Elite Sunday morning in the Platinum bracket. After NEPA jumped out to an early lead, Martin got hot toward the end of the first half and throughout the second with three 3s while also getting his teammates involved with three assists. The game was close in the waning seconds before NEPA began intentionally fouling. Martin stepped to the line and drained four straight free throws to preserve the victory. PA Hoops eventually won its bracket with a 54-46 win over Middlesex Magic later in the day.

Adam McDonald (2026 | Philly Revolution 17U)
McDonald was in total control for the Revolution during a win over Hoop & Motivate (N.Y.) on Friday afternoon. The 5-11 Holy Ghost Prep point guard had a strong floor game with the ball in his hands, making the right decision time and again as he racked up nine points, five assists and three steals; the nine rebounds he collected were because he played hard, all game long, without stopping, or taking a break. McDonald made the extra pass time and time again in the flow of the offense but also made plays, using a ball-on-a-string handle and quality finishing abilities to get to the rim or kick out to shooters.

Max Moshinski (2026 | Team Iverson HGSL 17U)
Coming off a historic season with Father Judge that resulted in the first Catholic League title in 27 years and first state title in program history, Moshinski had a strong performance in live period action this weekend with Team Iverson. The 6-5 wing dealt with some nagging injuries throughout the high school season and is back to full strength. He possesses a solid all-around game evident by his 13 points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks in Iverson’s 48-45 grind-it-out victory over PA Hoops Sunday morning. That statline would’ve looked more impressive if he didn’t miss a few bunnies, but when he did he ensured it wouldn’t hurt his team by locking in defensively.

Eddy Polom (2027 | Red Rush Canada National HGSL 17U)
Polom, a 6-6, 233-pound post, proved to be a handful Sunday afternoon. His strength and big body were unmatchable in the paint as he piled up 18 points, 11 rebounds, four steals, and two blocks for Red Rush in a 53-47 overtime win over Brad Wanamaker Elite Sunday afternoon. While most of his damage occurred through overpowering his defender for buckets around the basket or cleaning up easy putbacks, he also showed ball-handling and playmaking potential. If he continues to refine his frame, he should be able to add even more versatility on the perimeter.

Nasir Ralls (2026 | Full Court Philly HGSL 17U)
Quick, tough and versatile, Ralls is everything you’d expect from a veteran Philly Catholic League guard. He did a little bit of everything for Full Court Philly HGSL in Saturday’s win over Heat Elite. Same last season at Archbishop Carroll: 11.3 points (41 percent three-point shooting), 7.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, nearly two steals and a blocked shot per game.

Matt Scalisi (2026 | Penn Warriors 17U)
Playing on a Penn Warriors team that’s all from New York and is mostly 2027s and 2028s, Scalisi’s the only 2026 on the roster, and he led the way in a losing effort with a strong all-around outing. The 5-11 guard from Staten Island’s Monsignor Farrell (N.Y.) played well on and off the ball, racking up 15 points, six rebounds, five assists and a steal as he showed off his strong handle with both hands, ability to make plays off the bounce and a strong outside shot with a trio of 3-pointers, plus a couple nifty finishes around the rim.

Dion Walker (2026 | District Basketball Club HGSL 17U)
A lanky, athletic 6-4 left-hander Walker flashed scoring ability and playmaking in a win over PA Hoops HGSL on Friday night. The Wise (Md.) junior knocked down two catch-and-shoot 3-pointers in the first half as he scored 16 points overall, including a few tough takes to the rim; he also grabbed five rebounds, dished out two assists and grabbed two steals; afterwards, he said multiple Division III programs had been recruiting him, but he looked like a scholarship wing in this one.

Khabir Washington (2026 | Brad Wanamaker Elite HGSL 17U)
The 6-foot-1, 160-pound West Philadelphia rising senior guard was everywhere in Brad Wanamaker Elite 57-48 victory over PK Flash HGSL. He has good size, and a great motor, constantly up in opponent’s grills and causing chaos. He scored 21 points, and had at least eight steals, most of which he converted into easy layups.

Nick Young (2026 | Mt. Pleasant Bulldogs 17U)
Young was right there with Brown in Friday’s win over the Penn Warriors, the 6-3 wing from Constitution High going for 19 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Young didn’t attempt a 3-pointer, but otherwise scored in a variety of ways, including a couple mid-range jumpers, a pair of and-ones and otherwise getting it done in transition, running the floor hard; he also rebounded well on both ends, grabbing four of his rebounds offensively, turning one of those into an and-one opportunity as well.

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Honorable Mention
Makel Butts (2026 | Full Court Philly HGSL 17U), Zane Conlon  (2025 | PA Hoops Academy HGSL 17U), Ryan Delp (2026 | Philly Revolution 17U), Allan Eagles (2026 | NEPA Elite HGSL 17U), Declan Ehigie (2027 | PA Hoops Academy HGSL 16U), Omoyele Enya (2026 | Hoop & Motivation HGAL 17U), Jalyn Hopkins (2026 | Brad Wanamaker Elite 17U HGSL), Rondel Jones (2026 | District Basketball Club HGSL 17U), Mason Kingery (2027 | NEPA Elite HGSL 16U), Nick Lilly (2026 | Mt. Pleasant Bulldogs 17U), Sebastian Madera (2027 | Miami Triple Threat HGSL 16U), Chase Mitchell (2026 | District Basketball Club HGSL 17U), Blake Nassry (2027 | Full Court Philly HGSL 16U), Isiah Rose (2026 | Crown Basketball HGSL 17U), Aydin Scott (2026 | Philly Revolution 17U), Wilson Udo (2027 | PA Hoops Academy HGSL 17U), Brandon Varlack (2026 | Crown Basketball HGSL 17U)