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 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. 2 of who stood out in games we were able to get our eyes on:

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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) |

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Isaiah Gillard (2026 | Dr. Phillips, Fla.)
Gillard’s fingerprints were all over Dr. Phillips’ hard-fought 46-43 overtime win over Don Bosco Prep on Saturday. The 6-foot-3 combo guard put together an efficient and composed performance, finishing with a team-high 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting, adding four rebounds and three steals. Gillard’s mid-range touch and floater game were on point, and he showed an impressive feel for when to attack — drawing contact and capitalizing against a physical Don Bosco front line. More than half his points came after halftime, and he didn’t miss a single jumper or layup throughout the contest. His defensive attentiveness and poise in tight moments helped guide Dr. Phillips in a game that never felt fully in control.

Josiah Gillard (2028 | Dr. Phillips, Fla.)
Coming all the way up from Orlando, Gillard made the trip worthwhile with a strong showing with his brother Isaiah in both of Dr. Phillips’ games on Saturday. In their 46-43 overtime win against Don Bosco Prep (N.J.), the 6-foot rising sophomore guard played a steady, all-around role, finishing with 11 points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal while hitting three triples (3-6 3FG). Gillard did much of the dirty work — setting the offense, handling inbound duties, and staying engaged on the glass. Later in a close loss to Seton Hall Prep (N.J.), he really turned heads with 20 points, three assists, and four 3-pointers, showing off his shifty athleticism, confident handle, and scoring creativity. With an early offer already on the table from San Diego, more looks should be on the way.

Colton Hiller (2028 | Coatesville)
Coatesville hasn’t ducked competition in either Philly Live and Hiller has responded to the challenges with some impressive outings. He was almost unstoppable in a tight loss to Seton Hall Prep early Saturday evening, scoring 32 points in a multitude of ways from threes, to a steal into a dunk, a sweet-looking turnaround post jumper and a nifty power step through the lane. He added six rebounds, two assists and a block in that one while also going 10-of-11 at the foul line. Hiller followed up with 19 points in yet another tight loss later in the evening against Roman Catholic with both games having at least a few Division I coaches watching intently.

Malik Hughes (2026 | Archbishop Ryan)
Just shy of 20 points and 10 rebounds versus St. Georges, Hughes had an almost masterful performance to lead the Raiders to victory. Whether he was facing from the short corner or posting up, the 6-6 forward scored at the cup with power and skill. He might initiate the contact with a bump, then create the finishing angle by spinning into open space. Hughes knocked down multiple jumpers as well. So when the game went to overtime, he was the perfect decoy to draw attention away from his teammate who scored the game-winning bucket. 

Sammy Jackson (2026 | Roman Catholic)
Despite a slow offensive start, the recent VCU commit scored 20 points in a 62-60 win over Coatesville on Saturday night at Jefferson. He rattled the rim with a few slams, showed off his turnaround jumper and knocked down a three. More impressive was his defensive performance, making things extremely difficult for Coatesville’s Colton Hiller (who is so good he still finished with 19 points). Jackson, a 6-foot-7 guard/wing, had his length on display as he poked the ball free on several occasions (three steals). 

Jaydn Jenkins (2027 | Archbishop Wood)
Wood found it tough sledding offensively against Sidwell Friends (Md.), its guards getting shut off at one avenue after another, but Jenkins was a bright spot with 15 points and six rebounds. The lanky 6-11 big man crashed the boards hard as he came up with five on the offensive end, and he showed improved ability to withstand a defender and put the ball back up and in, converting on a 3-point play as well. He also flashed his ability to step up and knock down jumpers, putting in a smooth wing triple, as he finished the day 6-of-7 from the floor and 2-of-3 from the line, with a block as well.

Jalen Johnson (2027 | Largo, Md.)
In Largo’s 62-53 win over La Salle College H.S., Johnson led all scorers with 22 points on 10-for-18 shooting, doing all his scoring inside the arc. The 6-2 rising junior shooting guard played at a fast tempo, getting to the rim with speed and confidence while keeping his teammates engaged and on track. He added three rebounds, two steals, and a block, using his quickness to make plays on both ends without needing to rely on the three-point shot.

Diego Joy (2026 | Jackson-Reed, D.C.)
Standing at just 6-1, Joy played much bigger than his size in Jackson-Reed’s thrilling 52-51 win over Notre Dame (Conn.). The rising senior point guard poured in 16 points, second-most on the team, while adding four rebounds along with a mix of assists and steals. He showed great hustle pushing the ball up the floor, drew multiple fouls, and attacked the lane with a strong drive. Joy sees the court well, defends with energy, and brought toughness to every possession. A rising D-II prospect, he’s got a chance to work his way into low-major D-I conversations with continued development.

Wills Kontul (2026 | Pittsburgh Central Catholic)
Kontul, a 5-foot-10 rising senior, was on fire on Saturday. In his game against Chambersburg at the Sixth Man Center, he missed his first three shots and proceeded to nail his next nine in a row. Of those nine shots, Kontul knocked down six threes en route to a 24-point performance. The undersized guard dished out beautiful kick-out and skip passes to his teammates, not letting his size alter his playmaking ability. Kontul was also vocal and directive, making sure he and his teammates were in the right spot every possession.

Izaaz Kornegay (2026 | Samuel Fels)
Kornegay has been one of the breakout stars of the summer and continued to pile up stellar performances with 20 points, six boards, two blocks and a steal in a tight loss to Camden (N.J.). Kornegay rattled the rim with three dunks in the game. He also scored via the pick and roll and a short-range jumper. The 6-foot-7 forward operates really well amongst the trees. He finished on both sides of the hoop and battled throughout on the glass with Camden big man Azyris Richmond.

Jack Lineen (2027 | Methacton)
The 6-foot wing was efficient and decisive against St. Augustine Prep at the Sixth Man Center. Lineen drilled both of his three-point attempts and finished the game 4-of-5 from the field with 13 points. He hit three of his four foul shots and was very instinctive offensively. Lineen made the right read seemingly every possession, either rising up for a shot or swinging the ball to the open teammate. However, it was Lineen’s defense that stood out. Defensively, Lineen’s high activity in the passing lanes created opportunities for deflections and steals, in which he took full advantage of as he ended with four steals.

Rocco Loomis (2027 | Rutgers Prep, N.J.)
The 5-foot-11 point guard made something happen every time he touched the ball in a win over Archbishop Carroll (D.C.) on Saturday at Jefferson. Loomis had an efficient 23-point, three-assist outing that included him splashing in five triples. The shot stood out Saturday, but so did his ability to cover ground on the court. He let the game come to him and picked his spots to get to the hoop or set up a teammate. He plays with a lot of energy that seems infectious for his teammates. The guard stepped in for a charge late in the win that really got the rest of the Argonauts going.

Lane Mahan (2027 | Jackson-Reed, D.C.)
In Jackson-Reed’s tight 52-51 victory over Notre Dame (Conn.), Mahan delivered a standout performance. The 6-5 rising junior shooting guard scored a team-high 19 points, knocking down four threes (4-6 3FG), and added six rebounds along with a few steals. An elite shooter who can score at all three levels, Mahan impressed with his quick decision-making — even grabbing his own misses on long-range attempts. Confident in his shot and still refining his finishing and form, he’s shaping into a well-rounded offensive threat.

Brayden Martin (2027 | Lansdale Catholic)
On a Lansdale Catholic squad with a number of ball-handling options and wings, Martin can be a pure scorer, and he played that role quite well in an early-morning win over Camden Catholic (N.J.) at the Sixth Man Center. A 6-3 guard formerly at Conwell-Egan, Martin scored 24 points on an efficient 9-of-14 from the floor, hitting 3-of-5 from downtown along the way as well as 3-of-5 from the foul line. Martin’s confident in his ability to catch and shoot from anywhere on the court, even with a hand in his face, and gets to his spots with smart off-ball movement. Penn and Cornell have been in touch thus far. 

Christian Matos (2026 | Archbishop Carroll)
Matos supplied a constant supply of offense for the Patriots in a roller coaster game against Bergen Catholic — one where Carroll fell behind early, rallied for a brief lead then ultimately came up short — finishing with 21 points. A quick-fire shooter, Matos did most of his work against Bergen Catholic inside the arc, accelerating to the rim and finding a way to finish around a sizable front line of defenders.

Julian McKie (2028 | St. Joseph's Prep)
In the back-and-forth match against Dover, McKie paced the Hawks throughout. The 6-5 wing scored within the flow of the offense, starting with a catch-and-shoot three. That made it easier for him to play off the catch and make his way into paint for twos. He also created for himself slashed to the basket off the bounce. With an array of 6-5-plus wings on Dover, McKie’s contribution on the glass might've been more important than the scoring. He routinely secured defensive boards to get the ball back to his team. So when it was all said and done, he tallied 15 points and 11 rebounds in the win. 

Alassane N’Diaye (2026 | Neumann-Goretti)
The Saints’ guards are going to carry them in a lot of games — but when the shots aren’t falling, N’Diaye is a good option to have. The 6-6 forward was critical in N-G’s 57-49 win over Sidwell Friends (Md.) in a physical contest, coming up with 14 points and 11 rebounds as he battled all game long. N’Diaye knocked down a couple jumpers but was productive around the hoop, showing good patience and footwork as well as the ability to go with either hand; he also got to the line five different times, though he left a few points on the board there.

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Honorable Mentions

Dezmon Garrett (2027 | Samuel Fels), Derek Gomez (2026 | St. Peter’s Prep, N.J.), Anthony Gonzalez (2027 | Seton Hall Prep, N.J.), Ashton Graves (2027 | Archbishop Carroll, D.C.), London Hatch (2026 | Dr. Phillips, Fla.), Bartchuk Henry (2026 | Central Bucks East), Kameron Jackson-Dickson (2026 | Dover, Del.), Stephen Kmetz (2028 | Delbarton School, N.J.), AJ Kousmine (2028 | St. Augustine Prep, N.J.), Landon Krygier (2026 | Notre Dame, Conn.), Ryder Lacy (2028 | Camden Catholic, N.J.), Tyson Lestochi (2026 | Bishop Guilfoyle), Jaylan Lewis (2028 | Don Bosco Prep, N.J.), Jalen Littlejohn (2029 | Tatnall, Del.), Latief Lorenzano-White (2026 | Imhotep Charter), Brady MacAdams (2026 | Archbishop Wood), Oscar Martinez (2027 | St. Peter’s Prep, N.J.), Aizyon Matthews (2026 | Seaford, Del.), Brendan McMillan (2028 | Bergen Catholic, N.J.),  Marquis Newson (2027 | Neumann-Goretti), Allen Mbuyamba (2026 | Gonzaga College, D.C.)