By Mike Gross (@MikeGrossGRP) + Sean McBryan (@SeanMcBryan)
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MILLERSVILLE, Pa. — The 2025 MADE Hoops Team Camp occurred this past Saturday and Sunday at Millersville University featuring top high school basketball programs in Delaware, D.C., Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, including a plethora of local schools. CoBL had reporters on site to catch games both days.
Here’s a notebook of the teams we caught up with:
Sahin Rodriguez (above) is gearing up for his senior season with E&S. (Photo: Sean McBryan/CoBL)
Engineering & Sciences
Sahin Rodriguez has been part of some history at Engineering & Sciences.
As a sophomore, the Engineers won the Public League “B” Division for the first time since 2012, finished runner-up in District 12 Class 4A, and won their first state playoff game since 2006.
As a junior, the Engineers entered the “A” Division, the first time the program has been in the top division of the Public League since the school opened in 1978.
The rising senior made a once-in-a-lifetime play last season when he hit a game-winning half-court shot to lift the Engineers over North Penn in December.
The victory put the Engineers at 4-1 before an up-and-down 11-8 finish to season concluded with a 74-71 loss to West Philadelphia in the second round of the Public League playoffs. E&S finished 5-5 in its first season in the “A” Division and feels like there’s room for improvement.
“We want to go farther than the second round next year, Rodriguez said. “We’re trying to win a chip.”
Rodriguez and E&S picked up two victories Sunday with a 64-59 win over St. Elizabeth (Del.) and 55-47 win over Mifflin County. In the second game, Rodriguez had 19 points and nine rebounds to lead the Engineers, using his size to do the majority of his damage in the paint.
The 6-3 guard is part of a talented, experienced 2026 class that has been playing critical minutes together since sophomore year when the Engineers went to the state quarterfinals for the first time in program history.
Rodriguez averaged 11.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game last season with classmates in 5-7 guard Fareed Brown (16.5 ppg) and 6-0 guard Matt McField (12.2 ppg) joining him as the Engineers’ top three scorers.
“We want to make it back to states,” Rodriguez said. “We had to win in the second round to qualify [last season]. We made it to the Elite Eight when I was a sophomore so we want to get back there. I think we have the potential to do that.”
With the trio back for their senior seasons under second-year head coach Dustin Hardy-Moore, they’ll be looking to finish their careers with more history.
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Imhotep Charter
Like a lot of head high school coaches, Imhotep’s Andre Noble allows his assistants to run the show during summer games.
He watched quietly Saturday as the Panthers beat York with one exception, when his guys forgot to huddle after a foul was called, and before lining up for the free throws.
“That’s the kind of thing, details, huddling, helping each other up, that you can reinforce in the summer,’’ he said. “This time of year we want attention to detail and we want to establish the kind of passion we want to play with.’’
Imhotep is a dynasty in the truest sense of that criminally-overused word. It has won 10 state titles, all since 2008.
Last year it won the Philadelphia Public League title and the District 12 (or City) title in a memorable battle with Catholic League champ Father Judge.
Judge avenged that loss in the state 6A semifinals, in Imhotep's first year in the PIAA’s highest classification.
Last year’s team had lost three starters from the previous year’s class 5A state champs. This year’s edition, like last year’s, may not have a high-major recruit like 2023 grad Justin Edwards (one-and-done at Kentucky, now with the Sixers), and 2024 grad Ahmad Nowell, now a VCU sophomore.
Further, Imhotep took a hit in the transfer merry-go-round, losing point guard RJ Smith to Roman Catholic and big guard Rezon Harris to Father Judge.
“We have several guys who’ve played (point guard) and have the skills for the position,’’ Noble said. “We have some young guys, but also guys who’ve played a lot of basketball.’’
Among them, and a potential replacement for RJ’s playmaking and Rezon’s scoring, is 6-0 senior Jordan Dill, a transfer from Germantown Friends.
Dill is Friends’ career scoring leader with 2,046 points. The Tigers lost in the first round of the PAISAA tournament last season, in part because Dill missed the game with an injury.
Imhotep looked deep, athletic and very organized in overwhelming York Saturday. Dill, still getting used to the Imhotep way, was as impressive as any of them.
“Everyone knows I can score, but the main thing is getting better as a point guard, because at the next level, that’s what I’m going to have to be,’’ Dill said.
Dill says he has recruiting interest from Temple, Drexel, Old Dominion and Towson.
“I’m looking to go somewhere where I have a chance to play right away,’’ he said.
As Dill spoke some of his teammates were recording him on their phones and others were razzing him. You wouldn’t have guessed he’s a new guy. Which brings us back to the little details Noble was talking about.
“It’s the coaching - that’s the first thing I noticed when I got here,’’ Dill said. “That’s how to build a team, and that’s how you get close as a team.’’
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Kingston Wheatley had a big game in win over DeMatha Saturday. (Photo: Josh Verllin/CoBL)
West Catholic
The Burrs won the state Class AAA title last season, but entered the state tournament with a losing record, thanks to the toughness and depth of the Philadelphia Catholic League.
West would like to take the next step to PCL contention next season, and looked capable of it in beating DeMatha Catholic, a national name-brand program from Hyattsville, Md. in an intense battle Saturday.
The Burrs used pressure defense and high, high energy to roll to a 33-11 lead early in that game, and held on to win 68-60 behind 31 points from Kingston Wheatley.
It was a strong day for the Catholic League. West also beat Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.). Archbishop Wood beat Gonzaga and Bishop McNamara (Md.), and Monsignor Bonner beat Pope John Paul VI of Chantilly, Va.
“At this time of year, we’re just looking to play high-level teams and take on every possibility,’’ said West coach Miguel Bocachica. “Over the last two years we’ve been able to depend on some older guys.
“Now, with some younger guys, it’s just the experience of getting them on the court and being responsible for winning and losing. Just throwing them in a fire.’’
Looking at a roster from last year’s state final, Bocachica scratched off eight of 13 names, either graduated or transferred out.
What remains is a fiery group (reflecting their coach) that turns defense into offense, and a legit star in Wheatley, whose 31 in the DeMatha game included four three-pointers. Listed at 6-7, Wheatley has interest from La Salle, Iona, St. Peters, North Carolina A&T and Merrimack.
He hasn’t really been a face-the-basket scorer, but it looked Saturday like that’s about to change.
“He’s mostly been a back-to-the-basket, around-the-rim guy,’’ Bocachica said. “What you saw today is (the next step) for him.’’
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St. Joe’s Prep
Will Lesovitz and his St. Joe’s Prep teammates had a 2024-25 high school season with plenty of positives: a 15-game winning streak, a league-best 12-1 record in the PCL, the Catholic League Player of the Year Jordan Ellerbee.
The Hawks were disappointed to not bring home any hardware after Father Judge proved to be a thorn in their side at the end of the season. The Crusaders handed the Hawks their first—and only—league loss in the final game of the regular season, and then defeated them again 10 days later in the PCL semifinals, preventing both a championship and state tournament appearance for SJP.
“That’s a big goal of ours to win the PCL,” said Lesovitz, a 6-4 guard returning for his senior season. “Last year we lost in the semifinals, so we want to make it back, win it, and make it to states finally.”
The Hawks head into the 2025-26 season needing to replace Ellerbee (Florida Gulf Coast), Jaron McKie (Dayton), and Olin Chamberlain, the senior guard trio that was critical in lifting the team back to the Palestra.
“We had three great leaders last year,” Lesovitz said. “So I think the biggest thing for me this upcoming year is to become a better leader. Last year we had a great brotherhood. We meshed really well together. We have to build that during the summertime.”
The Hawks began that process Sunday at the MADE Team Camp at Millersville University, losing tight affairs to Gonzaga 52-49 in OT and Bishop McNamara (Md.) 57-56.
"Everyone on our team has new roles this year,” Lesovitz said. “Filling those roles will determine how our season goes.”
Lesovitz will be the lone senior returner who received ample playing time last season. He’ll likely be joined by junior guard Myles Peterson, junior guard Mekhi Robertson, junior wing Jayden Doctor, sophomore wing Julian McKie, and sophomore guard Justin McKie in the rotation.
They’ll also be with a new coach in Chris Clark, the 2004 Prep grad and former Temple assistant who takes over for Jason Harrigan after five seasons at the helm. Clark was not on the sideline Sunday; assistant Tyler Sandora handled coaching duties.
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Penn Charter
Penn Charter took a thumping in a 67-27 loss to Maryland powerhouse DeMatha Catholic Sunday, but Carter Smith remained a bright spot leading the team in scoring and continuing to look poised despite the large deficit.
Smith has been on the Quakers’ varsity roster since he was an eighth grader and still has plenty of room to grow—literally and figuratively—as he approaches his sophomore season.
“For me personally, [playing competition like DeMatha] is an opportunity,” Smith said. “We have a new team. I need to be a leader for the team. We just need to grow, get better, and know each other.”
The guard has physically grown an inch since the beginning of his freshman year, now standing at 6-4, and it’s possible he’ll grow even more.
On the court, he’s beginning the transition to becoming Penn Charter’s go-to player after his three high-major teammates in Matt Gilhool (LSU), Inter-Ac MVP Jake West (Northwestern), and Kai Shinholster (Minnesota) are off to the next level. Jamal Hicks (St. Thomas Aquinas) and TJ Bryson (Widener) are also moving on.
“My freshman season went great,” Smith said. “We didn’t end the season how we wanted. We lost in the Final Four [of the PAISAA tournament], but it was very fun playing with all my guys. I learned a lot from all five of them.”
Penn Charter repeated as Inter-Ac champions, went a spotless 10-0 in league play, and had won 14 consecutive games before falling to Hill School 61-59 in the PAISAA semifinals.
Next season it’ll be Smith running the show with senior Dominic Comitale, sophomore Luke West (Jake’s younger brother), junior Daniel Gilhool (Matt’s younger brother), junior Grahm Hamilton, sophomore Larry Brown Jr., and recent La Salle transfer Brayden Erfle expected to fill out the lineup.
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York High
The Bearcats have won 10 District Three championships and reached two state finals in a basketball history that stretches back over a century.
The program has slid in the past decade, though, as non-boundary school options in the area emerged and so did neighboring Central York, which won the 2024 state 6A title.
The Bearcats are on the road back under second-year coach Kerry Glover, who led Columbia High in Lancaster County to 3A district titles in 2022 and ’24.
York went 19-11 last season, with four of the losses to Central York, and lost in the first round of states to Upper St. Clair.
The Bearcats appeared to have enough to compete, at least at the district level, in beating New Hope Academy Saturday. Immediately after that game, they had to hustle to another court to face Imhotep, playing its first game of the day, with predictable results.
“I’ll take it,’’ Glover said. “I didn’t love the back-to-back part, but I love the competition. It’s great for us.’’
York has a show-running guard in Nasir Barnes, who led the team in scoring with 14.7 per game as a sophomore a year ago. There’s excitement about some young guys, including 6-6 sophomore Rashard Miller, sophomore guard Yoziah Romero and even some freshmen guards, notably Ni Rubio-White.
The Bearcats will compete in the Philly Live showcases later in the month, and are playing in a summer league in York that includes plenty of current and former college players.
“We’re on track to be really good,’’ Glover said. “Guys want to stay home now.’’
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Father Judge All-State guard Derrick Morton-Rivera is back for his senior season. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)
Father Judge
Based on the final scores, Saturday was a tough day for last year’s Catholic League and state 6A champs. The Crusaders blew a 20-point lead and lost to Bishop McNamara (Md.) 71-68, and later lost to DeMatha, 73-72.
Judge looked dominant for stretches, though, and flashed enormous potential.
“We’re trying to fit all the pieces together,’’ said coach Chris Roantree. “Coming down the stretch with the lead, I would never say the kids shouldn’t take threes, but maybe we need at least 2-3 passes before we shoot it. That’s the kind of thing you work on.’’
Judge will miss point guard and state 6A player of the year Kevair Kennedy, now at Merrimack, but most of the key players, plus some intriguing newcomers, return.
Derrick Morton-Rivera, a returning all-state guard who scored inside and out Saturday, is back. So are polished senior guards Nazir Tyler and Rocco Westfield and Max Moshinski, a very athletic 6-6 forward who had at least six dunks and a few SportsCenter-caliber blocked shots over two games.
Jeremiah Adedeji, a 6-7 junior who played JV last year, looked ready for the next step. Not in uniform Saturday was big guard Rezon Harris, a transfer from Imhotep who figures to help right away.
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Coatesville
The Red Raiders had a huge Saturday, routing James Wood (Winchester, Va.) 76-45 and, later, beating powerhouse Imhotep, 70-63.
More impressively, they did it without their best player, Colton Hiller, a 6-5 sophomore who spent the weekend with the USA Basketball U16 National Team at the FIBA AmeriCup in Mexico.
The Raiders were also without Larry Brown, a 6-7 senior who’s getting Division I college looks.
“I feel like we have as good a chance (at a state title) as anybody,’’ said Markel Jones, a Coatesville assistant who directed the team Saturday.
“I’ve really felt like that the last 3-4 years.’’
Coatesville went 24-6 last season and lost to eventual finalist Roman Catholic in the state semis.
The Raiders feature a bunch of quality guards (senior Chris Allegra and juniors Jamaad Williams and Jahlil Thedford) but also have size. Jones Chester, a thin 6-7 senior, is a bundle of upside.
“We lost eight seniors, and we have some guys not here today,’’ said Jones. “This (weekend) is nice, because we get to give our younger guys a chance to play at this level.’’
Hiller’s celebrity will give Coatesville a chance to play up in non-conference games this winter. Jones said they’ll travel to events in Florida and New York City, and they plan to play some Philly Catholic League teams in addition to District One powers Plymouth-Whitemarsh and Lower Merion.
Quick Hits
— In one of the better games of Sunday morning, David Mbuyamba hit the winning free throws in overtime to lift Gonzaga (D.C.) past St. Joe’s Prep 52-49. The 6-6 2028 forward had at least 11 points and six rebounds, without accounting for roughly half of the first half of play. The Eagles won the DCSAA championship last season for the first time since 2020 and ended the year ranked No. 9 in ESPN’s SCNext rankings.
— DeMatha was firing on all cylinders in its 67-27 victory over Penn Charter Sunday. Ashton Meeks, a 6-0 guard in the 2026 class, had 14 points showing off his potent shooting and footwork. He holds offers from Boston College, Bowling Green, Charleston, George Washington, Old Dominion, Temple, and West Virginia. Jared Jeffers, a 6-9 center in the 2027 class, had 14 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks. Jeffers transferred to DeMatha in April from Wheaton (Md.). Christian Proctor, a versatile 6-7 forward in the 2027 class, was the third double-digit scorer for DeMatha with 10 points and four rebounds.
— Some other eyecatchers during play Sunday included Mifflin County 2027 guard Jack Curry, Conrad Science (Del.) 2026 guard Jordan Kennedy, and Edison (Va.) 2028 guard Jahad Mansour. Curry, a 5-11 guard, scored 19 points including three 3’s in a 55-47 loss to Engineering & Sciences. Kennedy, a 5-11 guard, had seven points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals in a 49-45 loss to Edison. Mansour, an already physically imposing and still growing guard, had 12 points and six rebounds in Edison’s win over Conrad.
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