City of Basketball Love

By CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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The annual two-weekend hoopfest that is Philly Live 2025 continued on Saturday, with 10 courts of action going between the gyms at Jefferson University and the Alan Horwitz ‘Sixth Man’ Center from first tip-off at 9:00 a.m. to the final tip at 8:40 p.m.

CoBL had writers and scouts scattered throughout both gyms, checking out as much of the competition as we could. Here’s who stood out in games we were able to get our eyes on:

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2025 Philly Live Week 1 Coverage
Standouts: Friday (Pt. 1) | Friday (Pt. 2) | Saturday (Pt. 1) | Saturday (Pt. 2) | Sunday (Pt. 1) | Sunday (Pt. 2)
Notebooks: Recruiting (Pt. 1) | Recruiting (Pt. 2) | Recruiting (Pt. 3) | Recruiting (Pt. 4) | Recruiting (Pt. 5) | Team Coverage (Pt. 1) | Team Coverage (Pt. 2)

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Julius Avent (2026 | Bergen Catholic, N.J.)
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo and an assistant were at Jefferson for both of Avent’s games on Saturday and one of the top players in the 2026 class did not disappoint. The 6-foot-7 forward finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, a block and an assist in a 54-48 win over Andrews Osborne Academy then followed with 21 points, seven rebounds and two blocks in a win over Roman Catholic. Avent produced without dominating the ball, allowing his teammates to get their own as well. He has really good defensive instincts to go along with his offensive game. He’s long but strong, which helped him make things difficult for Roman star Sammy Jackson on Saturday.

Brandon Bass Jr. (2026 | Windermere Prep, Fla.)
The son of longtime former NBAer Brandon Bass, Bass Jr. showed why he’s a four-star recruit and in the ESPN Top 75 for his class in a morning win over Coatesville. The 6-5 lefty wing is a versatile threat, a high-level defender with length who presents a real problem for whoever he’s matched up against, while also possessing a mature offensive game. Bass Jr. scored 27 points against Coatesville with seven rebounds, four assists and a block for good measure; after going 2-of-10 from the floor in the opening half, he caught fire in the second as he scored 17 points (5-7 FG, 2-2 3PT, 5-5 FT), finishing the day with three 3-pointers on six attempts and going 10-of-10 from the charity stripe. 

Kobe Bazemore (2026 | Upper Dublin)
With 12 points, six assists, and five steals, Bazemore took the fight to Mendham late Saturday afternoon. He opened the game with back-to-back steals for layups. Recognizing how valuable he was, Menhem tried to get mismatches against him in the post, but Bazemore stood his ground and walled up. The wiry 6-0 point guard primarily distributed to the Cardinals forwards down low and shooters out wide. But whenever their lead got too narrow, he went right back at the Minutemen and got to the cup to put the game away. 

Jaden Brown (2026 | Bergen Catholic, N.J.)
The other half of Bergen’s talented 1-2 punch this weekend, Brown was right there with Avent in terms of making one impactful play after another, especially in a big win for Bergen over Roman Catholic. The athletic, talented 6-3 guard had a picture-perfect jumper, knocking down a pull-up 3-pointer, hitting a couple step-backs in the mid-range, and finishing a physical and-one as part of a 16-point, four-rebound, three-assist effort that also saw him chip in a steal and block. Brown’s got quality physicality, plays at a great pace and had a confidence to his game at both ends that helped set the tone for his team. 

Mark Brown (2026 | Salesianum, Del.)
Playing even bigger than his listed height, the 6-8 forward was inevitable versus Newark Collegiate Academy. He didn't just play above the rim; he lived there. His point guard Latrell Wright found him an alley oop off the backboard that shook the gym and that was just one of his dunks. The only way Brown wasn't converting shots around the basket was when he got fouled, but he still made the free throws (4-4 FT). He also hit a three for good measure to lead all scorers with 17 points and eight  rebounds. 

Clint Cauley (2026 | Conrad, Del.)
An all-around basketball player, Cauley made the unselfish plays that allowed others to shine against William Tennent. The 6’1 connector kept the offense flowing and made sure the ball found one of Conrad's many shooters. Then they returned the favor, getting him an open three and spacing floor for him to get to his spots inside the arc. Cauley did some damage in transition as well, highlighted by a couple dunks. He led all contributors with 15 points, plus four assists and two steals.  

Connor Corris (2026 | Windermere Prep, Fla.)
Though much of the attention in Windermere’s game against Coatesville on Saturday morning — and there was plenty of attention on a game that had to be rescheduled to 9 AM due to some travel issues — was on the star matchup between Brandon Bass and Colton Hiller, Corris really opened eyes as well with his strong play out of the ‘4’ spot. A skilled, left-handed 6-8 forward, Corris is a modern stretch-’4’ with good athleticism and competitiveness; he actually didn’t make either of the 3-pointers he attempted in this one, though his stroke was clean, but he showed great touch and ability to adjust his body around the rim, scoring 14 points (6-10 FG, 2-2 FT) along with seven rebounds, three blocks, two assists and a steal. 

Xavier Davis (2026 | North Mecklenburg, N.C.)
One of the top teams in the Tarheel State, North Mecklenburg impressed as a whole in an 18-point win over Archbishop Carroll in an afternoon game at Jefferson, with three players in double figures in 2026s Exzavier Young and Ashton Pierce, both of whom had quality moments, and 2027 Alex Lewandowski. But it was Davis who really stood out, the 5-10 guard playing his point guard role to perfection, especially in a strong first half. Davis only took two shots but finished with five points, six rebounds and seven assists as he was constantly getting his teammates open looks; as soon as NM got the ball, it was going to Davis’ hands so he could make things happen, and his teammates rewarded him with one bucket after another. 

Jordan Dill (2026 | Imhotep)
With the baselines and stands full, Dill’s shotmaking had the whole gym rocking against St. Xavier. A 5-11 combo guard, he got to his spot inside the paint for a tough fade away jumper to fuel the Panthers offensively. Then he got white hot from three. Over the course of four straight possessions, Dill hit a step-back three, pulled up behind a screen for another three, knocked down a spot-up three, and drilled a movement three that allowed Tep to take control of the game. Dill finished with 18 points and three rebounds. 

Anthony Gonzalez (2027 | Seton Hall Prep)
The 6-2 rising junior guard could be part of one of the best guard combinations this coming season, teamed with 6-1 rising sophomore guard Infinite Sincere, a transfer from Immaculate Conception. Against Windermere Prep (Fl.), Gonzalez showed great range on his jumper, an ability to drive the lane and work with both hands, and a big reason why the smaller Seton Hall Prep dominated the larger Windermere Prep, 63-43, scoring 11 points. Gonzalez played staunch defense and came back to score 15 points against Hershey in Seton Hall Prep’s 87-60 victory over the PIAA Class 5A state finalist. In that game, Gonzalez went coast-to-coast with one possession, outracing everyone up the court for a layup.  

Jason Green (2026 | Pope John Paul II)
Green had a strong showing as PJP eased past Bristol on Saturday. The 6-foot-2 guard had 18 points to go along with four assists. Green sees the floor really well and has a good idea of how to get the ball where it needs to go. It’s fun to watch him fire away from beyond the 3-point line as his high-arcing shot goes in at a very high clip. He added two steals on the defensive end as well.

Colton Hiller (2028 | Coatesville)
One of the top draws in Philly this weekend, Hiller’s fresh off an appearance with the USA Basketball U-16 squad, and he looked every bit the part in a morning game against Windermere Prep (Fl.) at PYB. The 6-6 wing with a feathery touch came out on fire, hitting his first three shots from the field along with five foul shots to give him 13 points before the midpoint of the first half. (The last of those, a lightning-quick catch-and-shoot triple from the corner with a hand in his face, prompted one Division I coach nearby to whisper “what the f***?” under his breath). Hiller cooled off a little, but still finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks, showing his increased ability to get his own shot and some real playmaking flashes including a no-look pass to a teammate for a wide-open layup attempt.

Bryce Hillman (2026 | Camden Eastside)
The 6-2 rising senior guard was a shining light in Eastside’s first game, an 82-70 loss to Philadelphia Public League runner-up Samuel Fels. The score was 52-25 at halftime, and Hillman exploded with a big second half, bringing Eastside within single digits once. Hillman finished with a team-high 17 points, showing constant hustle as the heart of the team. He showed a solid handle, ability to work strong in traffic, and was willing to play defense. He also had a couple of great passes, finding teammates underneath, which sometimes were not finished. 

DJ Jones (2027 | Cardinal O’Hara)
Jones closed the game strong as he helped the Lions to a 54-51 win over Parkland late Saturday evening. The 6-foot-7 wing collected 20 points and seven rebounds in the winning effort. Jones is an energizer for his teammates. Whether it was one of his three triples, an offensive rebound or the monster slam he threw down that almost ripped off the rim, Jones found ways to hype his teammates with his play. He did damage both on the perimeter and down low inside where he used his size and length. 

Ben Kondrya (2028 | Central Bucks West)
When the Bucks faced The Christian Academy, Kondrya was the catalyst who propelled them to a hot start. He attacked from a standstill and while on the go to collapse the defense. His crisp playmaking routinely set others up to score or get fouled and get to the line. He even threw guys open at the basket with laser passes. Kondrya’s playmaking continued on defense too, where he created turnovers and generated even more transition offense. He tallied nine points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals. 

Izaaz Kornegay (2026 | Samuel Fels)
The 6-7 rising senior scored 21 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and blocked five shots in Fels’ 82-70 victory over Camden Eastside on Saturday. He was athletic, strong around the basket, and there were some moments when he was spectacular. In one sequence, he came from nowhere to block a shot against the glass, which he was called for goaltending. After a slow start to the second half, Kornegay picked up his pace with 10 points, four rebounds and two blocked shots. With Fels sagging after building a big halftime lead, it was Kornegay who infused new life into the Panthers as an immediate difference-maker. No one from Eastside could defend him.  

Shane Lopez & King Savior (2027 | Middletown, Del.)
The Cavaliers made quick work out of Chantilly, thanks to their deep rotation and help from Lopez and Savior. Lopez spaced the floor from deep using his smooth release and swung the ball to the open decisions.. Savior hit a three of his own, but he maximized his size advantage in the paint as he cleaned the glass, including a putback dunk. They both feasted on transition opportunities and forced their foes into difficult shots. Lopez scored 14 points while Savior had 11 points. 

Latief Lorenzano-White (2026 | Imhotep)
No stranger to big games, Lorenzano-White played with so much heart versus St. Xavier. His motor was unmatched, outworking everyone on the boards. The 6-5 two-way wing would've been content to simply rebound and guard his yard, but the Panthers needed him to do more. On two separate occasions, he sprinted back on defense off of a (someone else's) turnover and pinned the shot on the backboard. Lorenzano-White heated up as a scorer too, shocking everyone with a pair of threes to stabilize Tep in the second half. He finished with game-highs of 20 points and seven rebounds.

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Honorable Mentions
Sean Badea (2026 | Andrews Osborne Academy, Ohio), Kahseem Bronzell (2026 | Cardinal O’Hara), Chief Cameron (2026 | St. Xavier, Ky.), Kai Carlson (2026 | Cathedral Catholic, Calif.), Noah Cohen (2026 | Upper Dublin), Terron Davis (2026 | Plymouth Whitemarsh), Zahaid Edwards-Boone (2026 | Pope John Paul II), A'zir Ellegood (2027 | Sanford, Del.), Munir Greig (2027 | Archbishop Carroll), Avery Harrison (2026 | Bristol), Jaydn Jenkins (2027 | Archbishop Wood), Jayden Johnson (2027 | Elizabeth, N.J.), Rahsaan Johnson (2027 | Landstown, Va.), Rocky Johnson (2028 | Imhotep), RJ Jones (2026 | Saint Ignatius, Ohio), Alieu Kelleh (2026 | Newark Collegiate Academy), Jordan Kennedy (2026 | Conrad, Del.), N.J.), Josh Lindsey (2028 | St. Xavier, Ky.)