City of Basketball Love

CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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The first CoBL Underclassman Camp of 2018 brought together just shy of 80 rising eighth, ninth and 10th graders for a day of instruction and competition at Friends’ Central School.

Here are our picks for camp standouts:

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Michael Anderson III (2021/Roman Catholic)
Anderson saw very little time for the Philadelphia Catholic League champs as a freshman last season, ending the season with four varsity points. The 5-foot-10 point guard showed the poise of a veteran on Wednesday though, controlling the pace of the game, never letting opponents’ defensive pressure speed him up. Though he did a great job scoring, positing point totals of nine, 13 and 17, Anderson did so very efficiently. He was also effective setting up teammates for an easy bucket,whether it was creating space with the dribble in the halfcourt set or hitting someone in stride in transition. On defense, he showed quick lateral ability and was typically in good position to help.

Rasheen Caulk Jr. (2021/Salesianum)
Perhaps the smoothest athlete in camp, Caulk was a consistent force slashing to the rim both in transition and in the halfcourt, with seemingly nobody able to stay in front of him and keep him out of the lane. Previously more of just a run-and-jump athlete, the Delaware native showed off more polish to his game than in previous viewings, attacking off the bounce with some combination dribble moves and showing a solid pull-up stroke. Most important, with Caulk set to take over point guard duties for the powerhouse Sallies this year, he showed he can use the attention he attracts from defenses to set up his teammates, dumping off a few nice passes after drawing help in the lane.

Luke Dicanno (2021/Plymouth-Whitemarsh)
Dicanno spent his first year of high school on the freshman squad for the powerhouse Colonials, but he looks ready to contribute right up at the varsity level sooner rather than later after a strong day from start to finish. The 6-3 wing was one of the more physical players at the camp, inviting contact en route to the rim, with solid body control even while absorbing some blows; his handle was good enough to get him to the rack in 1-on-1 situations, though he really excelled off the catch and taking advantage of driving lanes. He didn’t need to rely too heavily on his jumper, but he did show he could knock down an open shot or two, and was one of the better wing rebounders all camp.

Khalil Farmer (2022/Shipley School)
After knee tendonitis squashed his plans to play on Shipley’s varsity squad as an eighth grader, Farmer proved today that he’s well on his way to a full return and still oozing with the talent that has had him heralded as one of the top prospects in his class nationally. Standing around 6-foot-3 with a strong frame, Farmer is the quintessential shooting guard, with the ability to score it from all three levels and function as a secondary ballhandler. Despite still working his way back into game shape, he saved his best performance for last, scoring 18 points in his final game of the day. Known primarily for his scoring, it was also nice to see Farmer use his strength to contribute on the glass and initiate fastbreaks with some impressive hit-ahead passes.

Rahdir Hicks (2021/Malvern Prep)
Unlike many of the other campers, Hicks has two years of varsity experience under his belt. He’s technically started as a freshman twice for Malvern Prep after reclassifying last season. The 6-foot guard arguably had the best day of any camper on Wednesday. He scored 17, 21 and 27 points in his three games and seemingly got a bucket any time he wanted to. The quickness, tight handle and playmaking Hicks displayed are nothing new. What might have been most impressive was his 3-point shot. Once one of the only weaknesses in his game, Hicks was lights out from deep. He knocked down eight 3-point shots during the day, including five in one game.

Matthew Johnson (2022/Germantown Friends)
Johnson was one of a handful of super quick guards at Wednesday’s camp. He wasn’t one of the top scorers, averaging just six points per game in three games played, but he did successfully get into the paint with his well-above-average ball handling. The finishing ability should improve as he gets older and stronger and lead to more scoring. Johnson was pretty unselfish with the basketball, making terrific passes all afternoon long, but when he did shoot a jumper or go to the line he showed a very good shooting stroke with end-over-end rotation. The 5-foot-8 point guard is a scrappy defender with quick feet and quick hands, which helped him get out and use his speed in transition. As a rising freshman, it will be interesting to see how Johnson fits into Germantown Friends’ future plans.

Justin Molen (2022/Independence School)
On a day filled with guards, Molen stood out as one of the top small forwards at Wednesday’s camp. Playing off the ball, Molen showed a good feel for the floor, finding open spaces and sprinting in transition to set up himself up for easy buckets. He reached double figures in all three of his team’s games, averaging 12.3 points per game on the day. Molen’s shooting stroke didn’t appear to be one of the strongest aspects of his game, but he did show off the ability to step outside and knock down jump shots from the midrange and behind the 3-point arc. At 6-4, he was a strong finisher when he got the ball inside. His size and high motor also helped him with his offensive and defensive rebounding and frustrating the opponents he was guarding.

Blaise Vespe (2021/St. Augustine Prep, N.J.)
Vespe didn’t play much as a freshman on a very experienced St. Augustine squad, but his performance on Wednesday gave reason to believe that he’ll be contending for good minutes as a sophomore. At 6-6, he was one of the tallest players to show up to camp, and he put that to good use around the hoop, grabbing boards on both ends of the court and finishing clinically around the rim. His height wasn’t his only asset, however; despite his size, Vespe took the ball up the floor numerous times for his team and drained long and mid-range jumpers en route to a camp-high, 29-point performance in his final game, showing he can score at all three levels. A high energy guy, he ran the break well and rounded out his performance by taking a charge on the defensive end.

A.J. Walker (2021/Cherokee, N.J.)
Throughout all three of his team’s games, Walker just kept being in the right place at the right time. A 6-1 guard, Walker was excellent at crashing the glass and always being in the right position for second-chance opportunities, though he was plenty crafty with the ball in his hands, especially in the open court. Weaving in and out of defenders, Walker could finish around the rim with both hands, through contact, and even when somewhat out-of-position, and he complimented that ability with several nifty assists once the defense started collapsing on his drives.

Cole Walker (2021/E.L. Meyers)
Walker started at point guard for Meyers as a freshman, but perhaps where the 6-3 wing excelled most at Wednesday’s camp was under the glass. With a long, athletic build, Walker was an active rebounder on both ends of the floor, out-jumping several bigger opponents for boards. On defense, he was glued to his man, more often than not guarding the other teams’ most dangerous offensive threats, and he showed good hustle around the floor at all times. His guard skills were still evident, too, as he handled the ball well and managed to score from the outside as well as in the paint.

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Honorable Mention: Jacob Beccles (2022/TBD), Hadir Boswell (2022/TBD), Ali Brown (2022/TBD), Wade Chiddick (2022/Westtown School), Jaden Dickerson (2021/St. Elizabeth’s), Daivon Edmond (21/Columbia Sr. HS), Justin Green (2021/La Salle HS), Gabe Herling (2023), Hunter Healy (2021/Lansdale Catholic), Ed Holland III (2021/Friends’ Central), Basim Horshaw (2021/Friends’ Central), T.J. Lewis (2021/Westtown), Bobby Rosenberger (2022/Strayer MS), John Seidman (2021/Haverford), Shawnn Smith (2022/TBD), Tyson Thomas (2022/St. Thomas More), Dinero Washington Jr. (2023)

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