City of Basketball Love

By CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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The annual two-weekend hoopfest that is Philly Live 2025 continued on Sunday 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 games beginning around 4:00 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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Blake Nassry (2027 | Parkland)
The 6-3 rising junior combo guard has officially graduated from “underclassman” status and continues to grow into one of Parkland’s key pieces. The defending District 11 Class 6A champions held off Class 4A runner-up Berks Catholic 54-48, and Nassry played a major role with 17 points (5-8 FG, 3 threes) and a team-high 7 rebounds. A multi-sport athlete with a strong build, he attacked the basket with power, drew contact, and scored at all three levels. His feel for spacing and defensive reads stands out, and he’s steadily polishing his mechanics and decision-making as he works toward reaching scholarship-level play. 

Shane O’Brien (2026 | Conestoga)
A lanky 6-2 lefty, O’Brien complemented Miller’s game well as he racked up a 17-point, 13-rebound double-double against Chester Charter. O’Brien didn’t mind playing physical, crashing the boards over and over, grabbing five of those on the offensive end, and several of his two--pointers were stick-backs, during which he showed good patience and second effort amongst defenders. A sharpshooter from beyond the arc, O’Brien missed his first three from deep but then heated up, knocking down a quick-trigger triple ahead of the first-half buzzer and finishing with three 3’s. Later on, O’Brien posted 16 points, 6 rebounds, a steal and assist in a victory over Camden Eastside (N.J.).

Michael Pereira (2026 | Plymouth Whitemarsh)
While Mani Sajid and Buddy Denard were busy lighting up Rutgers Prep from beyond the arc, Pereira was rumbling in the paint. As soon as he caught the ball in the post, there were defenders hanging on him, but the 6-10 center powered through them with drop-steps for dunks. And in other instances, Pereira used pump-fakes to send defenders flying over him before throwing down more two-hand jams. His defense was almost as devastating. When guards tried to drive on the Colonials, Pereria met them at the rim with force, sending them and the ball back.

Kyndal Riley-Garlick (2028 | William Penn, Del.)

When the Colonials faced Souderton at 9 am, Riley-Garlick repeatedly answered the call in big moments. The 6-2 combo guard used his strength to smack the ball away from opposing guards and get his team out in transition. That paired with his ability to get off the ground quickly allowed him to also effectively rebound the ball on both ends. These and other skills came through the loudest in overtime, when they needed 3 points to win. First, Riley-Garlick drove through the lane and absorbed the contact for a tough layup. Then, on the following possession, he grabbed an offensive board, got fouled on the putback, and made the free throw to call “game.” 

Mani Sajid (2026 | Plymouth Whitemarsh)
Sajid has been playing at a high level all weekend, and that wasn’t any different on Sunday as PW beat Rutgers Prep. The 6-4 guard dropped 35 points on 12-of-23 shooting (6-12 3PT, 5-5 FT), hitting all sorts of catch-and-shoot and pull-up shots, including one-dribble pull-ups, from all over the court. And he didn’t just score — Sajid also grabbed eight rebounds and dished out six assists with one steal, making this perhaps the best individual performance we’ve seen from him yet. 

Eric Scott (2027 | West Catholic)
Scott was very impressive in West Catholic’s sudden-death overtime win over Roselle Catholic (N.J.). The 5-foot-10 guard dropped 26 points and hit ten of his eighteen shot attempts. Scott hit five threes in the contest and wasn’t afraid to drive when need be, as he weaved through traffic for a tough finish at the cup. He and Kingston Wheatley picked apart the defense from every angle, leading to their 64-61 win.

Mason Santiago (2026 | St. Peter’s Prep, N.J.)
The 6-foot-3 rising senior was a sight to see in St. Peter’s Prep’s (N.J.) 70-65 win over Imhotep. Santiago’s unbelievable shot-making and playmaking ability was on full display in Sunday’s game, where he dropped 31 points and snagged 8 rebounds and 7 assists. The majority of his three point attempts were contested, yet that didn’t throw off Santiago as he knocked down six. His passing was crisp, with the ball being delivered throughout all different spots of the court with precision, and he was a dog down low, finishing through and around heavy contact.

Saxton Simley (2026 | Gonzaga College, D.C.)
A 6-8 strong forward, the rising senior led all scorers with 17 points, adding 3 rebounds, 2 steals, and an assist in a dominant 59-31 win over Camden. Simley was vocal, played tough, and attacked the rim confidently, finishing through contact and drawing fouls. Even in a one-sided game, his energy and assertiveness made a strong impression on the sidelines as he continues to push the line between low and mid-major D1 looks.

Infinite Sincere Amen-Ra (2028 | Seton Hall Prep, N.J.)
The 6-1 rising sophomore point guard showed strong poise and shiftiness in Seton Hall Prep’s dominant 70-42 win over Salesianum (Del.), finishing with 15 points (6-8 FG), a few boards, a steal, and a three-pointer. Sincere Amen-Ra controlled the tempo well for his age, flashing an impressive change of pace and feel in transition. He consistently made smart reads and cuts, often finishing on give-and-go plays or slicing through traffic for clean looks under the rim. Already carrying clear Division I potential, he plays confidently with plenty of room for growth.

Ian Smith (2028 | Imhotep Charter)
The rising sophomore whose role has increased drastically with the departure of RJ Smith showed off his handle and improved shot at the Sixth Man Center on Sunday. Smith controlled the offense against a tough St. Peter’s Prep (N.J.) program, a task that Andre Noble will need him to do consistently this upcoming season. Scoring-wise, the 5-foot-11 point guard drilled four of his six three-point attempts and finished with 18 points for the game.

Nico Vacchiano (2026 | Wissahickon)
A 6-1 rising senior combo guard with a strong frame and athletic pop, Vacchiano led all scorers with 22 points, adding 5 rebounds and 3 assists in a standout showing. He threw down three dunks, attacked the rim hard, and embraced contact for gritty finishes. Showed leadership as a communicator and teammate, whether directing traffic or cheering from the sideline. A current D3 prospect with early D2 interest that could continue to grow if he keeps performing at this level.

TJ Valletti (2027 | Springfield Delco.)
Valletti, who is coming off of an All-Central League Second Team selection this past season, had a game to remember on Sunday at the Sixth Man Center. The Springfield (Delco.) rising junior had a 30-point performance against South County (Va.), fueled by his finishing in the paint. Additionally, Valletti consistently found the open guy and was active with offensive rebounding, allowing for Springfield to pounce on multiple second-chance opportunities. He also was extremely active in the passing lanes, swiping the ball away from the South County offense eight times.

Jymin Veney (2027 | St. John’s College, D.C.)
A 6-3 rising junior combo guard, Veney made the most of his trip up from the nation’s capital in an all-around showing. He finished with 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in the Cadets’ 63-49 win over Roman Catholic, even throwing down a dunk as mid and high-major D1 coaches watched courtside. Veney stayed vocal, called out plays, and kept his eyes on his teammates while reading the floor. With his strong frame and active hands, he helped guide the offense and continues to sharpen his feel in high-intensity settings.

Kingston Wheatley (2026 | West Catholic)
The first half of West Catholic’s game against Roselle Catholic (N.J.) was all Wheatley. The 6-foot-8 rising senior hit six of his first nine shot attempts and knocked down all nine of his free throws in Sunday afternoon’s game. He accounted for 19 of West Catholic’s first half 35 points, and finished the game with 25. On the glass, Wheatley was able to snag what seemed like almost every ball that flew off the rim and outletted the ball to his point guard with accuracy.

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Honorable Mention
Nicholas Nsenkyire (2026 | Rutgers Prep, N.J.), Nasir Ralls (2026 | Archbishop Carroll), Zach Schwartz (2028 | Wissahickon), Patrick Shime (2028 | Gonzaga College, D.C.), Ryan ‘RJ’ Smith Jr. (2026 | Roman Catholic), Kareem Smith-Bay (2028 | St. John’s College, D.C.), Kahlik Thomas (2026 | Roselle Catholic, N.J.), Rocco Westfield (2026 | Father Judge), Latrell Wright (2026 | Salesianum, Del.)