City of Basketball Love

By CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
—

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 nearly 9:00 p.m.

CoBL had writers and scouts scattered throughout both gyms, checking out as much of the competition as we could. Here’s Pt. 1 of who stood out in games we were able to get our eyes on:

~~~

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

~~~

Chris Allegra (2026 | Coatesville)
Allegra brings an edge to the floor every time he plays for Coatesville, the 5-foot-11 guard seemingly everywhere on the court at the same time. Allegra brought his constant defensive pressure (two steals), and chipped in on the glass (three rebounds). He was on the floor, on the glass, and also popping off for a 20-point, three-assist night in a tight loss to Roman on Saturday night at Jefferson. Allegra was in constant motion on offense, freeing himself wide open on multiple occasions underneath for easy buckets. He hit a three to end the first half. He got to the basket and finished. A cross-court assist to Colton Hiller for a three late in the game, highlighted some of the court vision Allegra can bring to the table.

Jonathan Anderson (2026 | South County, Va.)
A 6-1 lead guard, Anderson has a smooth floor game, to the point where he’ll rack up a big game without it even being obvious. The South County rising senior hit his first shot in a game against Bishop Guilfoyle, a 3-pointer, but still only had five points at halftime; he came on strong after halftime, finishing with 21 points, four rebounds and three assists. Smooth with the ball in his hands, Anderson has a good mix of savvy and skill, knowing how to keep defenders on his hip and away from the ball, which got him to the line six times (11-12 FT).

Ayden Ashe (2027 | Largo, Md.)
Making the trip up from Maryland, Ashe helped lead Largo to a hard-fought 62-53 win over La Salle College H.S. The 6-1 rising junior point guard finished with 19 points on 8-for-10 free throws, adding eight rebounds, three assists, three steals, and a three-pointer. Ashe was vocal and locked in from the start, playing with pace, aggressiveness, and a dynamic blend of speed and quickness that set the tone on both ends.

Julius Avent (2026 | Bergen Catholic, N.J.)
Avent’s had some notable eyes on his games the last two weekends — Michigan State’s Tom Izzo and Penn State’s Mike Rhoades among them on Saturday — and it’s easy to see why. The 6-foot-7 wing combines skill and strength and he used both to good effect in wins over Archbishop Carroll and Bonner-Prendergast. Avent had 20 points against Carroll and 16 against the Friars, going inside and out to get his buckets. He also mixed in a couple assists in each game and hit the glass well in both matchups.

Nate Best (2026 | Upper Moreland)
Best was a solid complimentary piece for the Golden Bears this winter as they put together a historic season. With a reshaped roster around him, Best will now be looked at as a leader and put on a good display of what that might look like in Saturday’s OT win against Chambersburg. Best scored 24 points, the 5-foot-9 guard canning a pair of treys, driving into and drawing plenty of contact from a big Chambersburg team and finishing well around the rim. He was steady on the ball and covered a lot of ground on defense while racking up three steals.

Seamus Bieg (2026 | Camden Catholic, N.J.)
Bieg is certainly the engine that makes Camden Catholic go, as the 6-0 guard just didn’t stop moving during a game against Lansdale Catholic at PYB in the first set of the morning. Bieg racked up 29 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals as he poured everything on out the court. He came out on fire, knocking down four first-half triples, including one moving left to right off a screen, knocked in a 10-foot floater, had a tough left-handed take, and more; he was also a quick decision-maker with the ball, knowing exactly what he wanted to do with the rock as soon as it touched his fingertips. His legs were clearly tired near the end, when his jumper wasn’t falling as consistently, but even his misses were all on the mark. 

Anthony Brown Jr. (2026 | Archbishop Carroll, D.C.)
Brown has a wow-factor to his game in multiple facets. He finished with 21 points, six assists, eight rebounds, four steals and two blocks against Rutgers Prep early on Saturday at Jefferson. The 6-foot-2 guard, who has a budding reputation nationally, likes to create for his defense and pairs vision with some pop on his passes to find them in tough spaces. He can certainly go get his own as well, and good luck stopping him when he gets going with a head of steam. He’s really quick and physical on the defensive end as well, easily able to turn around the game with his work on that end.

Jaden Brown (2026 | Bergen Catholic, N.J.)
Brown was terrific in helping BC to a 2-0 day against Philadelphia Catholic League opponents Saturday. In the opening against Archbishop Carroll, Brown came out shooting with a pair of first half threes, then switched into attack mode when Carroll got back into the game. He provided the go-ahead bucket after Carroll took a brief lead as part of a 16-point effort. Brown followed up with another strong second half effort against Bonner-Prendie, tallying 18 points in a win over the Friars where he again made his mark by going aggressively to the rim while also keeping the ball moving.

Will Brunson (2028 | Rutgers Prep, N.J.)
Brunson didn’t get a lot of time for the Argonauts as a freshman, but he’s making a name for himself this summer. He put together a dominant all-around performance with 23 points, nine rebounds and six assists in a 71-60 win over Archbishop Carroll (D.C.) on Saturday at Jefferson. The 6-foot-6 lefty, a guard/wing, knocked down two early triples from the wing, finishing with three. He then started to get downhill toward the hoop, creating for himself and his teammates. His length and height help him see the floor. Defensively he can really be a difference maker as well, going up straight with two hands to contest shots, adding a pair of blocks and a steal to his dominant stat line.

Bryce Clark (2027 | St. Augustine Prep, N.J.)
Clark led St. Augustine Prep in scoring in their game against Methacton, with 19 points and hitting four of his five foul shots. The 5-foot-6 rising junior who holds Division I offers in football, was acrobatic in the paint and used his athleticism to finish through and around contact. His high energy on defense made it difficult for the opposing offense to operate and allowed him to swipe the ball away from the Methacton offense three times. He used his small stature to his advantage and used a combination of speed and strength to make a difference.

Zahir Clayton (2028 | Chester)
The 6-foot rising sophomore guard finished with 10 points in the Clippers’ very thrilling 60-58 loss to Chantilly (Va.) on Saturday during Day Two of Philly Live II. He is a possible difference-maker and cares about winning. He made defended shots, and hit open shots from distance. He plays “Chester defense” and will be counted on this season to lead the Clippers from the point guard position. Teamed with fellow rising sophomore Ramee Davis Jr., Chester looks like its backcourt will be in good shape for the next three years.    

Jalyn Collingwood (2026 | Sidwell Friends, D.C.)
A 6-6 guard with some truly eye-opening athleticism, Collingwood is an impressive two-way guard who no doubt made an impression amongst all the high-major coaches watching Sidwell’s games at the Sixth Man Center on Saturday afternoon. First, he scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds against Neumann-Goretti, then was even better offensively with 22 points against Archbishop Wood (9-14 FG, 4-7 3PT), hitting one tough jumper after another. Collingwood does a great job of squaring up and rising above defenders, hitting shots from deep and in the mid-range, and he really skied for a number of offensive rebounds.

Ian Condon (2027 | Sidwell Friends, D.C.)
To say the Sidwell Friends forward’s presence was felt on Saturday would be an understatement. The 6-foot-7 rising junior was an offensive machine, scoring 20 points without missing any of his three 3-point attempts against PCL powerhouse Neumann-Goretti. Condon’s game against Wood was even more impressive, as he put up 28 points, hitting five of his nine 3-pointers, and throwing down a poster to add insult to injury. Condon has already had offers from Villanova, Virginia Tech, and American, but more are bound to come after a day like that.

Ramee Davis Jr. (2028 | Chester)
The 6-foot-3 rising sophomore guard finished with a team-high 15 points in the Clippers’ very thrilling 60-58 loss to Chantilly (Va.) on Saturday during Day Two of Philly Live II. He showed great instincts and an ability to succeed with or without the ball in his hands. He drove the lane fearlessly and did a great job drawing fouls. He has a very good first step, and because Chester is so undersized, he will be counted on to do a lot of everything. On Saturday, he did. He rebounded, provided interior and perimeter defense, and did well both attacking the rim and shooting from the outside. By the second half, Chantilly began double-teaming him every time he touched the ball. He has a high ceiling. When Chantilly held a 44-38 lead, it was Davis who deflected a dribble that caused a turnover, scored on a drive to the basket, and came from behind to create a steal to tie the score, 44-44. He could finish better and his shot could be more consistent. 

JayVion Denis (2026 | Dover, Del.)
In the intense game versus St. Joe's Prep, Denis played with a sense of urgency off the bench. The 6-5 wing gave the Senators a boost with a pair of threes, one off of a rugby pitch and another spotting up. His defensive rebounding was vital too because it helped the team get out in transition where they thrived. Denis in particular excelled here because he could use his agility to glide down the floor to the basket. He knocked down his third triple to tie the game late and finished with 18 points, six rebounds, and two steals. 

Vince Evans III (2026 | Seaford, Del.)
When the Blue Jays played Cedar Creek in their first of two games, Evans III applied all the pressure they needed to get the win. It started on defense where he kept snatching the ball away from opposing guards and taking it the other way for two. His burst off the bounce was right behind that. He went into his bag just enough to catch his man flat-footed or leaning the wrong way before dashing right by him. And once he got to the paint, it didn't matter that he's only 5-10 because of his insane vert and ability to finish with touch off the glass. Evans III got the day started with 31 points, five rebounds, and four steals. 

Korey Francis (2027 | Bonner-Prendergast)
The Friars ran into a buzzsaw against Bergan Catholic on Jefferson’s featured court but Francis more than held his own against the N.J. powerhouse. Francis continually put his head down and attacked, the 6-foot-3 guard using his size as leverage against some physical Bergen Catholic defenders with his rim attacks leading to a 20-point effort. While his team was fighting an uphill battle, Francis didn’t try to go at it alone, dishing out four assists as well.

Keyshawn Franklin (2027 | Camden, N.J.)
After playing last week with Archbishop Ryan, Franklin looked pretty comfortable running with his new squad, pouring in 24 points in a 67-58 win over Samuel Fels. He didn’t try to do too much as the points piled up in bunches quite naturally. Franklin slid to space out on the perimeter, allowing him to knock down four threes in the game. He got out in transition, where he showed off some leaping ability. He can attack the hoop as well with some wiggle to his game along with the vertical athleticism.

~~~

Honorable Mentions

Jack Alpert (2027 | Holy Cross), Damir Arp (2028 | Harrisburg), Ryan Ayala (2027 | Dr. Phillips, Fla.), Adam Badyrka (2027 | Holy Cross), Malik Brown Jr. (2027 | Imhotep Charter), Reece Brown (2026 | Harrisburg), Landon Buhrman (2026 | Chambersburg), London Collins (2027 | Neumann-Goretti), Mason Collins (2028 | Tatnall, Del.), Mekanik Connor (2026 | Central Bucks East), Colton Cornwell (2026 | Chambersburg), Ryan Damon (2026 | La Salle College H.S.), Aidan Dauble (2026 | Exeter Township), Rashad Donaldson (2028 | Camden Catholic, N.J.), Jelani Easter (2026 | Central Dauphin), Tobi Echebi (2029 | Largo, Md.), Xavier Fauntroy (2027 | West Catholic), Sean Forbes (2028 | Bergen Catholic, N.J.), Logan Franz (2026 | Rutgers Prep, N.J.)