City of Basketball Love

By CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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The Hoop Group boys’ circuit is wrapping up this weekend with the Summer Finale taking place at the Atlantic City Convention Center from Thursday evening through Sunday afternoon. The tournament is a mix of the championships for the Hoop Group Academic League (HGAL) as well as showcase games for many of the Hoop Group Showcase League (HGSL) programs, and some other bracket play for independent grassroots teams in the 15U, 16U and 17U age divisions.

Here’s who stood out to CoBL staff during games we watched on Thursday night and during the day Friday:

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Hoop Group Summer Finale Coverage
Standouts: Thursday/Friday | Saturday/Sunday
Recruiting Notebooks: Pt. 1 | Pt. 2 | Pt. 3 

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Lateef Afolabi (2026 | Middlesex Magic HGSL 17U)
The 6-4 rising senior point guard helped set the tone early in a 63-44 win over Adapt Academy Mountain State HGSL, scoring 10 of his team-high 14 points in the first half as part of a balanced team effort. Afolabi was smooth attacking downhill, finishing through contact and throwing down a dunk with ease. He showed good vision in transition, threading a pinpoint lead pass in the second half and consistently reading the floor before making his move. Afolabi finished 6-of-9 from the floor and added seven rebounds, a steal, and an assist in the win.

Pierce Blackwell (2027 | BW Elite HGSL 16U)
Blackwell was no doubt the leader of this BW Elite squad. He was able to control the pace of the game, setting up his teammates for success as he created opportunities and delivered crisp looks, which ultimately gave his team the slight edge to get the win. At the point he remained composed and disciplined, helping his team get set and really relying on his high basketball IQ. The part of his game however that takes the cake is his shooting. Friends Central’s rising junior hit five 3-pointers, each shot smoother than the next as he remained hot from outside all game. He was BW’s leading scorer as he put up 20. 

Peace Brand (2027 | Full Court Philly HGSL 16U)
Though Full Court Philly fell short against United NJ HGAL in a Thursday night showcase game, Brand put in work en route to a 19-point, 13-rebound, three-assist outing with a block and a steal for good measure. The 6-7, 200-pound wing/forward took advantage of his status as the tallest player on the court by getting into the lane against whoever was guarding him, whether it was by putting his head down and driving or using his footwork to back them in; he did knock down one of his two 3-point attempts to show his range, and he grabbed seven rebounds on the offensive end.

Jordan Ghee (2026 | Marston Elite HGSL 17U)
A 6-5 wing and Don Bosco (N.J.) grad going to Hotchkiss School (Conn.) for a post-grad year, Ghee was head and shoulders the most productive players on the court during a 19-point win for Marston Elite over K-Low Elite’s 17s on Friday morning. Playing assertively with the ball in his hands, Ghee piled up 14 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 4-of-6 from the 3-point arc, knocking down a couple mid-range buckets as well, as he showed great improvement on his jumper over the last year and change. Ghee also flashed his playmaking with four assists, making good passes overall, and grabbed two rebounds.

Adin Goldschneider (2027 | NJ Panthers HGAL 16U)
Goldschneider impressed on Thursday night in a game against Team Final Red, going for 21 points and six assists as the muscular 6-1 guard led his team in a competitive matchup. Goldschneider did a great job of getting to the rim even against a quality and athletic Team Final Red backcourt, showing he could finish with both hands around and through contact, while also continuously making plays for his teammates off the bounce. 

Ydderick Gonzalez (2026 | CT Takeover HGAL 17U)
One of the most entertaining games we saw in the first full day of the weekend saw CT TakeOver lose by two points to the Jersey Shore Predators in the HGAL Sweet 16, with both teams putting up terrific efforts. Gonzalez, a 5-10 point guard built like a running back, with wide shoulders and a strong frame, showed his hoops acumen with a 15-point, six-assist, five-rebound, five-steal outing that saw him control the tempo, knock down shots, get to the rim and finish through contact, and make great plays with the ball, whether he was kicking out to a teammate or finding a cutter on the move. 

Max Kellogg (2027 | House We Built HGSL 16U)
Kellogg flexed his sharpshooting skills from three in House We Built’s tough 1 point loss to BW Elite as he knocked down 4 triples from beyond the arc ending the game with 14 points. The 6-3 point guard brought much control to the game with his comfortability with the ball in hand and his ability to direct the tempo. An all-around player on both ends of the floor, he was always the first guy on the ground fighting to grab a loose ball and was not afraid to apply pressure up top on the ball handler on the defensive-side and on offense he was not only effective from long range but could quickly change speeds to drive fast to the lane. His quickness also served him as he was able to decisively jump out in front of the ball to get a steal or swoop in, utilizing his elevation, to get a rebound, even over the bigs down low.

Ryland Klosner (2027 | VA Premier HGSL 16U)
Klosner led the fight for VA Premier against Hilltopper Basketball Club as he gave his team 16 points with his smooth finishes. No matter if three defenders were barreling down the court to catch him on a fast break, he was met with the bigs on the block, or he was one-on-one driving the lane, he remained disciplined, and got the job done focusing one thing, putting up a good shot to get the ball in the basket. His focus on the court did not end there, on defense he was a force at the top, trying to contain the explosive guards by strictly moving his feet and keeping his eyes on the ball, not letting the Hilltoppers runs cloud his concentration. He also was able to showcase a bit of his shooting abilities pulling out his effective mid-range jumper.

Jordan Moton (2027 | Team Final Red EYCL 16U)
Team Final Red’s got a talented 16U group without a real star, but in a Thursday night win over the NJ Panthers HGAL, it was Jordan Moton who led the way — he wasn’t the team’s leading scorer at 14 points, but he stuffed the stat sheet with five rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks as he was impactful at both ends thanks to just playing hard. A muscular, athletic 6-1 guard just like his identical twin brother Jayden, Jordan knocked down two of his four 3-pointers and got downhill with aplomb, showing off some nice finishing moves around the rim and getting to the line three times (4-6 FT).

Blake Nassry (2027 | Full Court Philly HGSL 16U)
Nassry was strong for FCP on Thursday night in that close loss to United NJ HGAL, the 6-4 wing from the Lehigh Valley contributing 18 points and five rebounds to his team’s efforts. Nassry’s been a quality outside shooter his whole run at Parkland, so it wasn’t a surprise to see him knock down four 3-pointers (on six attempts), a couple pull-ups off dribble-hands offs and a couple catch-and-shoot knockdowns in rhythm. Nassry also knocked down a smooth 14’ pullup moving to his right, and competed well on the defensive end, taking advantage of his size and strength to body up around the post and keep ball-handlers honest on the perimeter. 

Ikenna Okafor (2027 | House We Built HGSL 16U)
If there was one word to describe Okafor’s presence on the court it would be “dominant”. Finishing off with 22 points, he was no stranger to being able to find his way to the rim, whether it be getting what he wanted inside, including a monster dunk off a steal, or going up strong to make his way to the line; either way it seemed that BW Elite had a hard time stopping him. He combines his lengthy 6-6 frame with his overall athleticism, meaning he was a threat from anywhere on the court, from down low on the block or outside of three where he was ready to attack. 

Chase Stevens (2028 | K-Low Elite 3SSB 15U)
A burgeoning star at Lansdale Catholic, Stevens looked the part on Friday in a game against the NJ Scholars’ 15s, going for 27 points and seven rebounds as he played tough from tip to whistle. The Scholars had serious size inside but the 6-4 Stevens wasn’t deterred, showing good patience and physicality around the rim as he toughed up several buckets, while also getting to the line eight different times (11-14 FT). He showed his improving outside shot by knocking down a couple 3-pointers, including a deep catch-and-shoot trey from the right wing, and three of his seven rebounds came on the offensive end.

Anthony Stuard (2028 | Full Court Philly HGSL 15U)
Though he was the shortest player on the court in Full Court’s 59-55 win over House We Built HGSL in a 15U showcase game Friday morning, Stuard’s game stood tall as he paced his squad with 14 points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals. Strong of frame and with the ball in his hands, Stuard is a true dribble-drive point guard at 5-7, able to get into the lane at will as he can go right or left, with a great change-of-pace ability, getting House We Built’s forwards off their feet to scoot past them for a layup or kick out to a teammate; he also knocked in a floater to avoid a block. 

Caleb Williams (2026 | Hilltopper Basketball Club 3SSB)
Williams is one shifty point guard. As the Hilltoppers were able to take care of business in a 63-57 win over VA Premier it seemed that all eyes could not help but be on him. There is a sense of fluidity that Williams has with the ball as he has this unique athleticism that allows him to be creative with his handle. From his quick change of speeds to his crafty change of direction, defensive pressure appears to not even phase him and he is able to finesse his way to finish at the rim, leading him to give HBC 19 points. One thing that stands out about Williams is his vertical. On a fast break he was able to crush a one-handed dunk like he stood at 6-10 despite only being 6 feet. 

Elijah Webb (2026 | Middlesex Magic HGSL 17U)
Webb continues to flash long-term upside as a 6-9 wing with fluid mobility and a natural feel for using his size. The rising senior finished with 12 points (6-of-13 FG), five rebounds, and two steals in Saturday’s win, doing damage both on clean setups from teammates and off his own decisive moves. He was an instant rebounder, reacting smoothly off the glass and staying active inside. His presence alone created hesitation for defenders as he made the most of that space every time.

Dean Yellen (2026 | Jersey Shore Predators HGAL 17U)
As to be expected, the Predators got a number of quality performances in their tough-it-out win over CT Takeover to advance into Saturday’s quarterfinals, but it was Yellen who really set the tone. The 6-1 left-handed point guard scored 16 points and dished out five assists and was constantly making plays, his teammates getting the ball in his hands nearly every possession to try to get an open shot or penetrate the lane to break down the defense. Yellen finished 3-of-6 from deep, had a few strong takes to the rim and played energetic defense the entire time he was on the floor — just about every minute of the game. 

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Honorable Mention
Justin Addo-Boateng (2027 | Team Final Red EYCL 16U), Zakariah Bah (2026 | Marston Elite HGSL 17U), Andrew Balagot (2027 | United NJ HGAL 16U), Chidi Chukwurah (2026 | Jersey Shore Predators HGAL 17U), Anthony DeJohn (2026 | Middlesex Magic HGSL 17U), Tommy Denvir (2027 | United NJ HGAL 16U), Franklin Gilbert (2027 | Next Play Prime 17U), Brody Hallik (2026 | Jersey Shore Predators HGAL 17U), Caj Jones (2028 | K-Low Elite 3SSB 15U), Yariel Gonzalez (2027 | Team Final Red EYCL 16U), R.J. Michel (2028 | NJ Panthers HGSL 15U), Kaiden Mooty (2028 | Full Court Philly HGSL 15U), Akwasi Opoku-Achampong (2026 | Adapt Academy Mountain State HGSL 17U), Finn Pulsifer (2026 | PA Hoops Academy Platinum 17U), E.J. Stanton (2028 | NJ Scholars EYBL 15U), Konnie Stavrakis (2028 | Full Court Philly HGSL 15U), Dylan Stish (2027 | Team Final Red EYCL 16U), Aadarsh Yalamanchili (2028 | House We Built HGSL 15U)