City of Basketball Love

By CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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The 2025 edition of the Philly Girls’ High School live event was a major step forward over last year’s inaugural edition, with more than 40 high school teams — including several dozen featuring at least one Division I prospect — making their way to Jefferson University from Thursday through Saturday for three days of high-level hoops in front of college coaches of all levels.

CoBL had numerous reporters checking in over the course of the event, watching as many of the games as we could. Here’s Pt. 2 of four notebooks from the event focused on individual players and their recruitments: 

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Philly HS Girls Live Coverage
Standouts (A-L) | Standouts (M-Z)
Recruiting Notebook Pt. 1 | Pt 2. | Pt. 3 | Pt. 4
Team Coverage Pt. 1 | Pt. 2

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Jahzara Green (2026 | Gloucester Catholic, N.J.)

The 6-foot-1 rising senior is one of the best players in South Jersey. She is a superior athlete who is not afraid to play hard on both ends of the court and is the total package for any major college recruiting her, with a weighted 4.2 GPA at academically demanding Gloucester Catholic.

A first-team all-state, Green is considering Villanova and Saint Joseph’s, where she will be visiting in late-July, and she also has Princeton and Harvard on her list, along with James Madison University. Auburn and Richmond have also come into the picture.

Green, the daughter of former Eagle Jamaal Green, a fourth-round draft pick out of Miami (Fl.) in 2003, playing five seasons in the NFL, said she is looking to make a decision sometime in September or October, prior to her senior season.

“I am looking at a school where I can develop, but I’m also highly considering a school where my education is the most important, because I want to be a lawyer,” she said. “Education is a high priority in my family. I wouldn’t mind staying close to home, but I really have no preference. I’m looking at a school that will provide the best education.

“I do want to commit before my senior season. Playing when I was growing up, I never thought I would be looked at like this. It’s been a fun process. I’m taking my time.”

In the meantime, she is honing her game and considerable skills. She wants to notice the defense sooner, looking to get the ball out better when defenses double-team her.

Against St. John’s College (D.C.), Green showed why she’s one of the best rising seniors in the Delaware Valley area. Down by 12 with just over two minutes to play, Green stepped forward and made it a game. She moves very well without the ball, and her superior athleticism allows her to be in two places at once, often tricking opponents into passing to where they feel is an open teammate, only to have Green swoop in and intercept the ball—which she often did in the closing minutes of the St. John’s game.

Early on, nothing was falling for her, but she came on late, drawing defenders to her, and kicking out to teammates for open jumpers. What she also displayed was a hustle that does not always come bottled with star players at any level.

She came from nowhere to grab a rebound off a missed free throw in the last minute of the game, turned and hit a jumper to pull the Rams within five. Green also displayed toughness, one time getting hit in the face by an opposing player, while showing the poise not to retaliate.

She singlehandedly converted a blowout into a close game, falling to St. John’s 36-29. — Joseph Santoliquito

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Geren and Crystal Hawthorne (2026 | Imhotep Charter)

If you are looking for Geren and Crystal Hawthorne, you can typically find them going at each other somewhere on the court. Whether it’s at their school Imhotep Charter, at The Alan Horwitz "Sixth Man" Center or at Gambrel Playground in the Frankford section of Philadelphia, the twin sisters are likely trying to give each other buckets.

“Cookin her at the park everyday,” Geren said.

“She doesn’t cook me, I cook her,” Crystal said. “Let’s make that clear.”

Geren is listed at 6-foot and Crystal is listed at 5-11, giving the Panthers a formidable presence in the post. It’s also given each player a worthy adversary to carve their post game over the years.

“Making each other better,” Crystal said. “That’s what it’s all about.”

Crystal is seven minutes older than Geren but got into basketball a few years later. Geren led a balanced Panthers team in scoring last season, averaging 10.3 ppg and 6.5 rpg. Crystal averaged 2.4 ppg and 2.4 rpg.

Imhotep graduated three starters and four total seniors from last year’s deep rotation, including Delaware State-bound forward Anise Geiger. That leaves the Hawthorne’s and classmate Anai Kenyatta as the group to look up to this season.

“I’m not gonna lie, it’s been hard, but we’re getting it all together, trying to make sure everybody’s on the right track for where we need it,” Geren said of the new leadership role. “Get Everybody on the right mindset.”

The Hawthornes play together with the Panthers and throughout the spring and summer on the AAU circuit as well, teaming up with the Philly Legacy program this year. 

Both have ambitions of playing at the next level. Geren has an offer from Chestnut Hill College and has also talked with Coppin State. Albright has expressed interest in both sisters playing for their program.

It could be their last time on the court together.

“Maybe, maybe not,” Crystal said. “We’ll see.”

Geren and Crystal both have a few area improvements in mind as they continue to “cook” each other throughout the summer in preparation for next season. Geren mentioned working on her handles and being able to attack both sides of the basket. She also wants to improve her shot to become a three-level scorer.

Crystal noted her finishing is an are she would like to improve. She’s also focused on the defensive end, keeping her hands straight up to avoid fouling.

Growing as leaders will also be important for the Panthers. 

Sophomore Taylor Linton, who spent last season at Germantown Friends, and freshman Dionne Whittington both impressed in a win over Upper Dublin on Friday.

“Just making sure that the underclassmen, the freshmen coming in know what type of culture that we have here,” Geren said of the goal. “We’re trying to make sure it’s instilled in them, so they know what they’re walking into.”

“It’s all within our culture,” Crystal added. “Everybody’s locked into our culture.” — Owen McCue

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Jordan Barnes (2026 | St. Thomas Aquinas, N.J.)

From working her way up to her first D-II offer, Barnes hopes to keep climbing the ladder up to the D-I level. 

She just received an official offer from Roberts Wesleyan a few days ago after being in communication with them for a while. However she still has faith in her abilities as she wants to keep working until the conversations she has had with schools like Navy, Northeastern, and UAlbany become real offers. Her motivation within the game and talent show why she is deserving of the scholarship offer she has received and those to come.

“They loved my intensity,” said Barnes, commenting on why Roberts Wesleyan recruited her. “Along with my energy, my drive, and how I never give up.” 

The 6-foot Jersey forward plays on the Under Armour circuit for Team Sharp during the offseason, going against tough competition. From this she is able to bring what she learns and challenges she faces in AAU to her high school team, pushing her teammates to become better, as the rising senior and captain is taking on the veteran role. 

“The competition in AAU is very hard,” Barnes said. “It honestly makes high school a lot easier because the competition is different. So, bringing that same intensity, that same energy, same communication, and the same drive from AAU helps me.”

Her skills shone through as after a 14 point outing in a 55-40 win over Bethlehem Catholic, the Jefferson coaches passed along a recruiting packet through her coach, implying the strong D-II program — whose head coach Tom Shirley and assistant Matt Bamford were watching the game — liked what they saw.

While D-II offers are nothing to overlook, D-I hopes are still in the back of her mind. Based on the conversations she has had with D-I programs she knows what she needs to improve.

“I think they want to see me shoot more, which I do agree with,” Barnes said. “I think that is one thing I do need to work on.”

In fact, to ensure she has no excuses to not work on her shooting her parents have built a half court in their backyard. She says she is out there for hours each day putting in that work to make the change the D-I teams are looking for. If she can add this component to her already fast and physical game she will be a lot closer to reaching that goal. 

“I want to play on the Division I level,” Barnes said. “Playing the same way I do now, competitive and with a fast tempo.” — Olivia Valania

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Maggie Lutz (2026 | Shawnee, N.J.)

The 5-foot-10 rising senior is coming off a season in which she averaged 13 points and nine rebounds, in an injury-plagued year. In the first game on Saturday against Cedar Crest, Lutz was easily the best player on the court. She did a little of everything, from scoring, to rebounding, to getting her teammates involved, to helping on defense, to providing great energy each time she was on the court. She gets everything out of her talent, and plays with fearlessness.

During one sequence against Cedar Crest, she made a steal on good defensive positioning, made a length-of-the-court pass to an open teammate, and hustled back down on defense. She showed leadership qualities, directing the offense and defense, pointing to teammates where they should be.

She is getting attention from Division III Rowan, Montclair State, Ursinus, Jefferson, Swarthmore, and Arcadia.

“I would like by the end of the summer to know where I want to go,” said Lutz, a three-year starter who carries a 3.9 GPA. “I want to expand my skills being a guard, and I like being aggressive and trying to get to every loose ball I can. I haven’t been on any official visits yet. I would like to stay local and play.

“I want to be the best I can be in my senior year. I had a concussion in the playoffs going for a loose ball, and sprained my ankle a bunch of times. I feel good now, this is probably the healthiest I’ve felt in a while.” — Joseph Santoliquito

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