Battle for the Bell & Philly Pride Breakout Preview

[player_tooltip player_id="991188" first="Jameel" last="Brown"] (C/O 2022) of Team Final EYBL. The July grassroots circuit tips off this weekend with teams from southeastern Pennsylvania (and beyond) participating in two marquee local events – the Battle for the Bell and the Philly Pride Summer Breakout Bump. Both events will boast extremely competitive fields that include powerhouse regional teams. Below is a glance at the southeastern Pennsylvania grassroots squads participating in these event as well the early match-ups for the local teams.   17U (2022): Team Final EYBL: During the spring circuit national superstar Emoni Bates joined on with future NBA lottery selection Jalen Duren, dominant big man Dereck Lively II Dereck Lively II 7'1" | C Westtown School | 2022 State #3 Nation PA , high DI combo-guard Jameel Brown Jameel Brown 6'4" | SG Westtown School | 2022 State #180 Nation PA  and the rest of the Team Final crew to become the kings of 17U grassroots scene. Now we want you to keep an eye on combo guard Byron Hopkins Byron Hopkins 6'0" | PG Upper Moreland | 2022 State PA . The LSU commit played outstanding basketball at Philly HS Live last week. On Saturday they will participate in the Battle for the Bell runs where they will matchup against Philly Pride National UAA and then K-Low Elite. We expect this collection of mega-stars to run the table at this event. Philly Pride National UAA: In early June this roster “played up” and captured the 17U division at the Big Shots / Philly Pride event. They are hungry to continue those winning ways. Combo guard  Naji Reid Naji Reid 6'0" | SG Joshua Christian Academy | 2022 State PA  will be a problem for defenders all weekend. Center Mike Walz is arguably the hottest big man prospect on the East Coast and now holds multiple DI offers. Shooting guard Daniel Skillings Daniel Skillings 6'5" | SG Roman Catholic | 2022 State PA was one of the best players at the Philly HS Live event. Reid, Walz, Skillings and the rest of Philly Pride will play in both events this weekend. They will tip off their weekend on Friday Night at the Philly Pride Summer Breakout Bump with a highly anticipated match-up against NJ Scholars Elite which should feature none other than DJ Wagner. At the Battle of the Bell, they face K-Low Elite and then Team Final EYBL. This Philly Pride squad will be put to the test this weekend.   [player_tooltip player_id="1180429" first="Sean" last="Howlett"] (C/O 2022) of LV Force. Lehigh Valley Force National: At last weekend’s Philly HS Live (Session II) Sean Howlett Sean Howlett 6'1" | SG Notre Dame Green Pond | 2022 State PA posted an outstanding 31 point performance against Bound Brook (NJ). During that contest Howlett’s smooth shooting mechanics and non-stop movement without the ball were on full display. Howlett looks to stay hot this weekend at the Philly Pride Summer Breakout Bump. He and assist machine CJ Santos lead a LVF team that takes on Philly Pride Bucks; Sharon Knights and L&L Running Rebels in pool play. L&L Running Rebels:  Liam Joyce Liam Joyce 6'6" | PF Allentown Central Catholic | 2022 State PA (PIAA 4A 1st Team All-State) is a prospect on a hell of a run. In March he helped lead Allentown Central Catholic to the 4A state title. Then on the spring circuit Joyce turned in numerous high level performances that grabbed the attention of college coaches. He followed that up by turning heads again at the Philly HS Live (Session I) event. Joyce is a dominant mid-range player who is also an excellent rebounder. This weekend he will team up with scoring guard CJ Miles (26 ppg. for Scotland Campus) and three point assassin Edixon Gomez as the Running Rebels take on pool play opponents the Sharon Knights; Philly Pride 302 and Lehigh Valley Force National. K-Low Elite: Combo-guard extraordinaire Justin Moore Justin Moore 6'1" | CG Archbishop Wood | 2022 State PA leads a very talented K-Low Elite group this weekend. On the wings he will have West Catholic’s Kareem Watson Kareem Watson 6'5" | SF West Catholic | 2022 State PA and Kaseem Watson Kaseem Watson 6'6" | CG West Catholic | 2022 State PA . Ohh yeah, did we mention that former Archbishop Ryan star and PIAA 5A POY selection Aaron Lemon-Warren Aaron Lemon-Warren 6'4" | SF Archbishop Ryan | 2021 State PA (Who is now reclassed into the 2022 grad year at Mt. Zion in Maryland.) is also running with K-Low Elite. At the Battle for the Bell they will take on Philly Pride National UAA and then Team Final EYBL. 16U (2023): Team Final EYBL: The trio of Justin Edwards Justin Edwards 6'6" | PF Imhotep Charter | 2023 State #18 Nation PA , a 6’7” wing player who was a PIAA 5A 1st Team All-State selection and is currently the hottest 16U prospect in the state; elite floor general  Rahmir Barno Rahmir Barno 5'10" | CG Imhotep Charter | 2023 State #141 Nation PA  (3rd Team 5A All-State) and combo-guard Ruben Rodriguez (6A 1st Team All-State) set the tone for this TF roster. On the interior TF 16s leans on Onyekachi Nzeh Onyekachi Nzeh 6'9" | PF George School | 2023 State PA . “Kachi” has come a long from his awkward days at Upper Darby and has developed into a high DI prospect who holds numerous offers. That group and their Team Final EYBL teammates will participate in the Battle for the Bell event. Their runs with Philly Pride and then K-Low Elite will be very competitive games. [player_tooltip player_id="1202023" first="Augustus" last="Gerhart"] (C/O 2023) of Philly Pride National UAA. Philly Pride National UAA: The high level perimeter players on this Philly Pride roster -- Horace Simmons Horace Simmons 6'6" | SF LaSalle CHS | 2022 State PA ,  Dylan Blair Dylan Blair 5'10" | PG Downingtown West | 2023 State PA  and  Deywilk Tavarez Deywilk Tavarez 6'2" | CG Academy of New Church | 2023 State PA – get a t great deal of love on this site and they deserve it. However, this team also features a trio of immensely talented big men who are attracting DI attention. Augustus Gerhart Augustus Gerhart 6'9" | PF Hill School | 2023 State PA his a very athletic forward who can play above the rim, is a capable three point shooter and can guard smaller players out on the perimeter. Alassane Amadou Alassane Amadou 6'9" | PF SCH Academy | 2023 State #195 Nation PA is a wiry and long athlete who shot 44% from the field last winter. Finally, 6’10” Jake Warren was outstanding at Philly HS Live (Session II) and provides a mid-range / interior offensive threat, serves as quality rim protector and can dominate the glass. On Friday night at the Philly Pride Breakout they will face NJ Scholars. At Saturday’s Battle for the Bell games they take on K-Low Elite and then Team Final EYBL.    K-Low Elite: This 16U group may be the most talented squad in the K-Low family. At the end of June this team “played up” in the 17U division at the prestigious NERR Super 16 event and held their own.   In the backcourt K-Low’s 16us features lights out shooter / scorer Trey Shinholster Trey Shinholster 6'2" | SG Penn Charter | 2023 State PA and one of the fastest rising backcourt prospects in Pennsylvania, Xzayvier Brown Xzayvier Brown 6'1" | PG Roman Catholic | 2023 State #168 Nation PA . On the wing is our guy Anthony Finkley Anthony Finkley 6'6" | SF Roman Catholic | 2023 State PA who thrives in that unique point-forward role. Their Battle for the Bell schedule starts with Philly Pride National UAA and ends with Team Final EYBL. Both will be intense, close contests.    Lehigh Valley Force National: LV Force is a team on the come up so watch for them this weekend at the Philly Pride Breakout. Combo guard Brogan Campbell is a smooth shooter with range well beyond the arc. 6’4” forward Joe Ragazzo is a monster on the glass and 6’1” wing Jacob Capetta can score the rock in bunches. Their pool play slate of games on Saturday includes East Coast Power; We R1 Select and Philly Pride 302. 15U (2024): Team Final EYBL: The No. 1 team in our SEPA 15U spring rankings was white hot at the end of the season -- 17-2 in their last nineteen games. With a backcourt of all-everything combo guard Robert Wright, III and shooting guard Nick Coval Nick Coval 6'1" | CG Parkland | 2024 State PA as well as wing players Jaden Murray Jaden Murray 6'3" | SF Archbishop Ryan | 2024 State PA  and  Amir Williams Amir Williams 6'5" | SF Neuman-Goretti | 2024 State PA , we expect their winning ways to continue here in July. At the Battle for the Bell, TF will have a highly anticipated game with Philly Pride National UAA. After that war is decided, it’s a contest with K-Low Elite. [player_tooltip player_id="991421" first="Ryan" last="Williams"] (C/O 2024) of Philly Pride National UAA. Philly Pride National UAA: This Philly Pride group ended the spring season in the No. 2 spot of our SEPA 15U grassroots rankings. So it’s an understatement to say that elite prospects like lead point guards Fazl Oshodi Fazl Oshodi 6'3" | CG Friends Central School | 2024 State PA and Ryan Williams Ryan Williams 6'3" | PG Malvern Prep | 2024 State PA as well as electric scoring guard Ty Burton Ty Burton 5'10" | PG Lampeter-Strasburg | 2024 State PA are eagerly awaiting their match-up with the No. 1 ranked Team Final EYBL. Their weekend tips off with a Friday night contest vs. NJ Scholars Elite (more on that Scholars team in a minute) at the Philly Pride Summer Breakout Bump. On Saturday their Battle for The Bell appetizer will be a run against K-Low Elite. After that it’s on to the main event vs Team Final EYBL. K-Low Elite: This squad wrapped up their spring 2021 season with an impressive 5-2 run over their last 7 games. That record landed them at the No. 3 spot in our final 15U spring rankings. They are guided by the highly talented duo of Darren Williams Darren Williams 6'2" | CG Archbishop Ryan | 2024 State PA and Touari “Deuce” Ketner. Keep an eye on 6’5” pure shooter Pearse McGuinn Pearse McGuinn 6'7" | SG Cardinal O'Hara | 2024 State PA . McGuinn torched the nets at Philly HS Live (Session II) with his jumper. That trio and the rest of K-Low Elite 15’s take the court at the Battle for the Bell vs. Philly Pride National UAA and then Team Final EYBL.   Philly Pride Select: The Abington Friends dynamic duo of superb combo guard Kaydin Ford Kaydin Ford 5'9" | PG Abington Friends | 2024 State PA and interior force Nate Osbourne highlight a stacked roster. Ford has some of the slickest handles (but rarely turns the ball over) and best court vision you will find in the Class of 2024. This roster also features extraordinary perimeter shooter Gyasi Miller (Shipley School) and combo guard Brendan Styer (Conestoga). During Saturday’s first round action at the Breakout tournament Philly Pride Select will face Philly Pride 302; Lehigh Valley Force and Philly Pride Bucks. NJ Scholars EYBL: Ordinarily we would not cover a grassroots team from New Jersey, but Philly native  Lorenzo Jerkins Lorenzo Jerkins 6'5" | SF Chester | 2024 PA  (One of the best C/O 2024s in the country!) is playing with NJ Scholars EYBL 15s this July. So over the next month we will want to keep an eye on their results. Nowell’s squad takes on Philly Pride National on Friday night at Archbishop Ryan in the Breakout event.