City of Basketball Love

By Andrew Robinson (@ADRobinson3) +
Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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The 2025 edition of the Philly Girls’ High School Live event takes place this Thursday through Saturday, June 12-14 at Jefferson University’s Gallagher Athletic Center. 

Here’s a look at some of the top games over the course of the event; the full schedule can be found at the bottom:

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Thursday, June 12
Archbishop Carroll vs. Imhotep Charter (4:10 PM, Ct. 1)
After back-to-back trips to the Palestra, the Patriots should enter the season as a contender to get there once again and with designs on capturing the PCL title that’s eluded them those last two times. Rising senior Alexis Eberz is closing on her college decision, the high-scoring all-state guard still pulling in offers while her younger sister Kayla Eberz was one of the area’s best freshman and is only getting better. Abbie McFillin, who recently collected her first offer, is Carroll’s other returning starter from last year’s state semifinalist.

Audenried Charter vs. Camden Catholic (5:20 PM, Ct. 1)
Thursday will be the first look at a very different Audenried group. The Public League champions will be starting life without Shayla Smith, the city’s all-time leading scorer soon to be heading to Penn State to start her college career. Smith isn’t the only notable departure with Senaya Parker and Reynah Ratliff also having graduated. Standout sophomore Nasiaah Russell is back, the 6-foot-2 forward likely to become the focal point for Kevin Slaughter’s group the next two seasons.

Archbishop Carroll vs. Paul VI (6:30 PM, Ct. 1)
Carroll, which will spend the remainder of the live period across the river in New Jersey, will certainly be tested with two quality matchups on Thursday. The Patriots will have to replace four senior contributors from last season but sophomore Cate Schumacher saw plenty of minutes during the season. Junior Bridget Grant and freshman Evie Lawrence will also have a chance to take on larger roles in the rotation.

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Friday, June 13
Cardinal O’Hara vs. Upper Dublin (1:50 PM, Ct. 1)
The Lions and the Flying Cardinals both figure to be strong contenders in the PCL and SOL respectively this coming year. O’Hara will be playing without Molly Rullo (Drexel) for the first time in four years but the Lions are getting rising senior Megan Rullo back after the guard missed the season with an ACL injury. Leah Hudak, Brigidanne Donohue, Natalie DiBlasi and Catie Doogan all return from a state quarterfinal roster while wing Carly Wakefield seems primed to take on a bigger role and upcoming freshman Olivia Craft will get her first time with the Lions.

Upper Dublin returns its top six players from this past season, headlined by rising seniors Megan Ngo (FDU) and Emilia Coleman (La Salle). Rising junior wing Tamia Clark took a big step from freshman to sophomore year while freshmen Ella Morris and Lexi Ngo both got plenty of playing time. UD coach Morgan Funsten has a few multi-sport athletes rounding out the roster, with rising junior Bridget DiMartile – a standout lacrosse player – having started every game this season.

Archbishop Wood vs. Paul VI (N.J.) (3:00 PM, Ct. 1)
The Vikings came a win short of a fifth straight state title this winter and figure to enter the 2025-26 season with high expectations again. Emily Knouse (St. Joe’s) has graduated, but Mike McDonald will have a deep group of players to work with. Sophomore Ryan Carter is not expected to play with the Vikings – who will be at NJ Live on Saturday as well – this weekend, nor will rising senior Colleen Besachio who remains out with an ACL injury. Rising juniors Emma Seckinger and Makayla Finnegan are returning starters for Wood and Sophia McDonald played significant minutes, but a lot of youngsters will be playing their first big minutes this year. Paul VI went 27-1 last year, and though they graduate some key seniors, rising junior Brooke Stagliano is one of the top scorers in South Jersey, with 81 3-pointers made last year. 

Archbishop Wood vs. St. John’s College (D.C.) (5:20 PM, Ct. 1)
Wood figures to see a much expanded role from its 2028 class starting next season. Abbie Kelly has been playing well this summer alongside classmates Addison Payne and Zoey Whalen while Casey Thompson has also been ramping up on the club circuit. Rising senior guard Emma Yogis came on late last season and has continued to shoot well so far this summer. They’ll face a tough test against a St. John’s College squad that’s one of the best in the DMV region, with the likes of Azzi Fudd amongst its recent alumni; four-star rising senior Morgan Stewart is sure to draw loads of coaches, with fellow rising seniors Lyla Coogen, Camille Nesmith, Sam Eller and others all with offers and interest of their own. 

Cardinal O’Hara vs. Wildwood Catholic (N.J.) (5:20 PM, Ct. 2)
Speaking of great shooters in South Jersey, Wildwood Catholic rising junior Lola McGonigle is in that mix, as she hit 84 3-pointers last year to lead her team to a 23-win season; rising senior guard Lily King is talented as well, and both play with local grassroots teams in the Comets and Runnin’ Rebels respectively. Rising sophomore Dani Daley, the team’s third-leading scorer a year ago, is another name to watch, the multi-sport athlete also the team leader in steals. This matchup will also pit a number of Comets 2027s head-to-head in McGonigle and O’Hara’s Hudak and Donohue. 

Paul VI (N.J.) vs. St. John’s College (D.C.) (7:40 PM, Ct. 1)
We’ve already covered both of these teams here in this preview, but didn’t want to leave out what should be a great matchup between one of the DMV area’s best programs and one of the toughest squads from South Jersey. Considering PVI graduated three talented seniors from last year’s squad, this will be a great test for a few of their younger, up-and-coming players like rising sophomore Kennedy Broughton and rising junior Keiara Sellers to show what they can do.

Pennsbury vs. York Suburban (7:40 PM, Ct. 2)
There might not be a high-major target on this court, but both teams have plenty of quality guards that should result in a high-quality game to close out the day. York Suburban is the defending District 3 5A champs, winning 23 games a year ago, with head coach Jess Weaver relying heavily on rising juniors Jordyn Williams and Amaya Pope along with their recent 2025 graduates. Pennsbury has some quality youngsters of its own like rising junior Sammie Haws and rising sophomore Alyssa Thomas; we’ll see if another quality rising junior, Joley Hohman, is back on the court after missing last year with an ACL injury. 

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Saturday, June 14
Gloucester Catholic (N.J.) vs. South River (Md.) (11:20 AM, Ct. 1)
Under longtime head coach and Villanova legend Lisa Gedaka, Gloucester Catholic’s long been a team to watch in South Jersey, and this year’s group is no exception. Rising senior wings Talia Shumate and Jahzara Green are both versatile Division I recruits, rising junior wings Ashlynn and Amanda Eggers are ballplayers from a hoops family, and there’s young talent on the roster as well, coming off a 26-5 win season with no seniors on the roster. South River, located near the western side of the Chesapeake Bay, won 22 games last year, advancing to the Maryland 3A state championship game 

Bethlehem Catholic vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (N.J.) (12:30 PM, Ct. 1)
One of the top programs from the Lehigh Valley, BeCaHi certainly has one of its most talented rosters with talent in all four classes. Senior wing Aliyah Brame, who missed much of last season due to injury, is a Bryant commit; rising sophomore Tess Tryanski, who plays with the Comets, gives them more offensive pop, and incoming freshman Kam Gallis is one of the Lehigh Valley's top young talents and will be one of its best shooters right off the bat. STAC, which won 23 games last year, is led by rising senior Trista Whitney, who just picked up her first Division I offer (Tennessee State) at the end of May. as well as 6-0 rising senior wing Jordan Barnes and rising junior Lauryn Downing, both of whom play with Team Sharp on the Select Events S40 circuit. 

Gloucester Catholic (N.J.) vs. St. John’s College (D.C.) (1:40 PM, Ct. 1)
We’ve gone over both of these squads in detail, but didn’t want to leave this game out, as it should be one of the highest-profile contests of the entire weekend, part of a loaded Court 1 slate on Saturday. This is a big test for Gloucester Catholic, but one they’re capable of passing.

Spring-Ford vs. Red Lion (1:40 PM, Ct. 2)
Red Lion guard Julia Sedora has had a strong spring with the Comets, picking up multiple Division I offers over the last couple months, so there are sure to be coaches here to check out the talented rising senior, whose younger sister Bekah Sedora is a promising rising sophomore in her own right. The Lions won 26 games last year with the Sedora sisters leading the way; rising junior Reagan Smith is another player to watch for a group that returns all but one member of its rotation. The youth movement is on at Spring-Ford, with a number of 2027s and 2028s aiming to break out this year. 

Bethlehem Catholic vs. Upper Dublin (5:10 PM, Ct. 1)
Final set of the event, and it closes with a terrific game on the featured court. We've gone into detail on both teams but didn't want to leave it out!
 

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Full Schedule

Thursday, June 12
3:00 PM
Court 1: Freire Charter vs. Conwell-Egan
Court 2: West Catholic vs. Lincoln

4:10 PM
Court 1: Archbishop Carroll vs. Imhotep Charter
Court 2: Great Valley vs. Delcastle (Del.)

5:20 PM
Court 1: Audenried Charter vs. Camden Catholic (N.J.)
Court 2: Freire Charter vs. Springfield (Delco.)

6:30 PM
Court 1: Archbishop Carroll vs. Paul VI (N.J.)
Court 2: Lincoln vs. Delcastle (Del.)
Court 3: Council Rock South vs. Scranton

7:40 PM
Court 1: Conwell-Egan vs. Camden Catholic (N.J.)
Court 2: Great Valley vs. Frankford
Court 3: Renaissance Academy vs. West Philadelphia

Friday, June 13
1:50 PM
Court 1: Cardinal O’Hara vs. Upper Dublin
Court 2: Wildwood Catholic (N.J.) vs. Smyrna (Del.)
Court 3: Howard (Del.) vs. Woodbury (N.J.)

3:00 PM
Court 1: Archbishop Wood vs. Paul VI (N.J.)
Court 2: Bensalem vs. York
Court 3: Renaissance Academy vs. A.I. DuPont (Del.)

4:10 PM
Court 1: Imhotep Charter vs. Upper Dublin
Court 2: Woodbury (N.J.) vs. Governor Mifflin
Court 3: Pennsbury vs. Smyrna (Del.) 

5:20 PM
Court 1: Archbishop Wood vs. St. John’s College (D.C.)
Court 2: Cardinal O’Hara vs. Wildwood Catholic (N.J.)
Court 3: York Suburban vs. Spring-Ford 

6:30 PM
Court 1: Bensalem vs. Governor Mifflin
Court 2: Springfield (Delco.) vs. Renaissance Academy
Court 3: York vs. Howard (Del.)

7:40 PM
Court 1: Paul VI (N.J.) vs. St. John’s College (D.C.)
Court 2: Pennsbury vs. York Suburban
Court 3: Frankford vs. Penn Wood

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Saturday, June 14
10:10 AM
Court 1: St. John’s College (D.C.) vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (N.J.)
Court 2: Cedar Crest vs. Shawnee (N.J.)
Court 3: Red Lion vs. Sanford School (Del.)

11:20 AM
Court 1: Gloucester Catholic (N.J.) vs. South River (Md.)
Court 2: Arts (N.J.) vs. Susquehanna Twp.
Court 3: West Catholic vs. Holy Spirit (N.J.)

12:30 PM
Court 1: Bethlehem Catholic vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (N.J.)
Court 2: West Philadelphia vs. Chester
Court 3: Liberty vs. St. Elizabeth (Del.)

1:40 PM
Court 1: Gloucester Catholic (N.J.) vs. St. John’s College (D.C.)
Court 2: Spring-Ford vs. Red Lion
Court 3: Hudson Catholic (N.J.) vs. Sanford School (Del.)

2:50 PM
Court 1: Arts (N.J.) vs. Cedar Crest
Court 2: Chester vs. Shawnee (N.J.)
Court 3: Susquehanna Twp. vs. Westside (N.J.)

4:00 PM
Court 1: Hudson Catholic (N.J.) vs. Liberty
Court 2: West Catholic vs. A.I. DuPont (Del.)
Court 3: St. Elizabeth (Del.) vs. Holy Spirit (N.J.)

5:10 PM
Court 1: Bethlehem Catholic vs. Upper Dublin
Court 2: St. John’s College (D.C.) vs. South River (Md.)
Court 3: Penn Wood vs. Westside (N.J.)