SEPA Summer Grassroots Report — Week I
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[player_tooltip player_id="991189" first="Justice" last="Williams"] (C/O 2022) from Team Final EYBL 17U. This weekend a significant number of the top grassroots teams from southeastern Pennsylvania returned to action as they tip off the July circuit. Teams from southeastern Pennsylvania (and beyond)…
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Continue ReadingThis weekend a significant number of the top grassroots teams from southeastern Pennsylvania returned to action as they tip off the July circuit. Teams from southeastern Pennsylvania (and beyond) participated in several marquee area events – the Battle for the Bell, Hoop Group Summer Warm-Up and the Philly Pride Summer Breakout Bump.
All three events boasted extremely competitive fields that included powerhouse regional teams.
Below is a review of prospects from southeastern Pennsylvania who played well on the summer grassroots circuit this past weekend.
17U (2022)
Derek Simpson – 6’2” / Lenape (NJ) / K-Low Elite / Combo Guard: A New Jersey prospect sneaks into this week’s SEPA grassroots report because he was key factor in K-Low’s 2-0 record at Battle for the Bell. Included in those victories was a 2OT win over Team Final EYBL. In the scorebook, Simpson can sometimes fly under the radar for this group. However if you see this team in-person or watch games on YouTube Simpson jumps out at you right away. On Saturday Simpson played downhill and was always in attack mode. Once he gets to the cup, the wiry prospect can finish with either hand. If the help side defense cuts off his path to the rim, Simpson can slam on the breaks for a pull up jumper. He is skilled enough to burn as a point guard if the need arises. Billy Lange and Saint Joe’s have been all over Simpson for two years, but a number of other DI schools have entered the mix of late.
Daniel Skillings Daniel Skillings 6'5" | SG Roman Catholic | 2022 State PA – 6’5” / Roman Catholic / Philly Pride National UAA / Shooting Guard: In late June Skillings was simply unstoppable at the Philly HS Live runs and as a result he was flooded with DI offers. At the Battle for The Bell, he showed no sign of taking his foot of the gas. So expect more offers to come pouring in. The long and athletic shooting guard can simply get buckets from anywhere on the court. At the Battle for the Bell his ability to stop on a dime for a pull up jumper was especially impressive. Skillings is no slouch on the defensive end either. A rarity among offensive weapons of his caliber.
Zion Stanford Zion Stanford 6'5" | SF West Catholic | 2023 State PA – 6’5” / West Catholic / K-Low Elite / Wing: Stanford is a long, versatile and athletic prospect who can play multiple positions. The do it all wing can fill the lane in transition or push the rock up the floor himself. His jumper has range out to the three where he hits at a high percentage. However, if a defender closes out on Stanford too quickly, he is also very comfortable putting the ball on the floor and playing downhill. This skill set was on full display at the Battle for the Bell on a very impressive individual play during K-Low’s upset victory over Team Final EYBL. Stanford started at the arc, put the ball on the deck, navigated through traffic and flushed with authority on an opponent’s head. On Saturday Stanford posted 26 points vs. Team Final EYBL as well as a 14-spot against Philly Pride National. K-Low was 2-0 on Saturday.
Byron Hopkins Byron Hopkins 6'0" | PG Upper Moreland | 2022 State PA – 6’2” / TBD / Team Final EYBL / Combo Guard: The former Montverde Academy (FL) reserve has yet to pick a high school for 2021-22, but his play on Saturday could make him the most sought after high school “free agent” in Pennsylvania. If you can take your eyes off his Team Final teammates Jalen Duren, Jameel Brown Jameel Brown 6'4" | SG Westtown School | 2022 State #180 Nation PA and Dereck Lively II Dereck Lively II 7'1" | C Westtown School | 2022 State #3 Nation PA you will see Williams is a tremendously versatile talent with a very high basketball IQ. This 2022 prospect can score in bunches or dial it back and get teammates involved. As a primary ball handler, he owns tremendous dribbling skills and excellent change of direction / pace. Thus he can break full-court pressure on his own. Williams is committed to LSU and the Tigers got one helluva a player.
16U (2023)
Justin Edwards Justin Edwards 6'6" | PF Imhotep Charter | 2023 State #3 Nation PA – 6’7” / Imhotep Charter / Team Final EYBL / Wing: Edwards had arguably the best spring runs of any 2023 prospect in Pennsylvania and he looked very good at the Battle for the Bell. He is an elite, lefty wing player who with his attacking style applies constant pressure on the opponents. If defenses are able to wall off the lane, he can knock down threes off the dribble or distribute an open teammate.
Dylan Levis – 5’10” / Cumberland Valley / York Ballers / Point Guard: Levis is an ultra-quick true point guard whose on court leadership helped the York Ballers go 5-0 and capture the Hoop Group Summer Warm-Up 16U division title. He exceled at penetrating the lane and then kicking out to open shooters along the arc. Levis plays a team first style, but make no mistake he can score it when needed. Specifically he is a good three point shooter and can score at the rim. On defense Levis is an intense competitor who applies constant on-ball pressure.
DeMajh Salisbury – 6’0” / LaAcademia Charter / Philly Pride National UAA / Point Guard: If Salisbury continues to play like he did this past Saturday at Battle for the Bell, we expect that DI offers will come pouring in this month. Salisbury was one of the best scoring guards at this event. That’s really saying something given the talent level inside Cristo Rey’s gym on Saturday. He showed the ability to hit threes, score off the dribble-drive and get out in transition. Additionally, Salisbury showed that he can defend at an elite level and is an excellent rebounding guard. In Philly Pride’s upset win over Team Final EYBL Salisbury had the critical assist on Augustus Gerhart Augustus Gerhart 6'9" | PF Hill School | 2023 State PA ’s game winning corner jump shot at the buzzer.
Horace Simmons Horace Simmons 6'6" | SF LaSalle CHS | 2022 State PA – 6’6” / LaSalle CHS / Philly Pride National UAA / Wing: At the Battle for the Bell Simmons put on a 3-point shooting display that was out of this world. He drained 3PAs of every variety — spot-ups, in transition as well as coming off pick action — and from every location on the court. Still, if you have watched Simmons play you know he can do more than just hit deep jumpers. This versatile wing can also play a slasher style game; rebounds well and is a solid rim protector. Simmons’ outstanding play (along with Salisbury) was a big reason Philly Pride 16U’s were 2-0 on Saturday. Simmons recently picked up an offer from Marquette.
15U (2024)
Antonio Morris – 5’9” / Bensalem / Philly Pride – Bucks / Combo Guard: Morris displayed a fantastic ability to use the bounce to navigate through traffic to his mid-range game for jumpers. When the defense failed to block off the lane Morris continued all the way to the rim for a bucket. His pull up J was very effective from inside and outside arc. He showed enough spot up 3-point shooting ability that defenders had to honor that skill and play him tight. During PP-B’s 3-0 run this weekend at the Summer Breakout Bump Morris averaged 15 points and 3 rebounds per game.
Billy Rayer – 5’10” / Devon Prep / East Coast Power-Danzig / Point Guard: A coach on the floor style point guard, Rayer helped push ECP-Danzig to a 4-0 record as they captured the Hoop Group Summer Warm-Up 15U division title. When he wasn’t directing ECP’s half-court offense or distributing the rock to an open teammate, Rayer scored the ball in transition and hit jumpers out to the arc. At the other end, Rayer was a defensive catalyst who applied constant on-ball pressure and had a knack for cutting through passing lanes at the right moment for a steal.
Jeremiah White Jeremiah White 6'6" | PF Imhotep Charter | 2024 State PA – 6’6’’/ Imhotep / Philly Pride National UAA / Forward: While guards Fazl Oshodi Fazl Oshodi 6'3" | CG Friends Central | 2024 State PA , Ty Burton Ty Burton 5'10" | PG Moravian Prep | 2024 State NC and Ryan Williams Ryan Williams 6'3" | SG Malvern Prep | 2024 State PA grab the bulk of the headlines for Philly Pride National 15U, White was also a huge reason why the team was 2-0 at Battle for the Bell. He is definitely a high level prospect to keep an eye on this July. He has a long wing span, quick second jump and great basketball instincts. That trifecta makes him an intimidating shot blocker and an elite rebounder (6 rpg. on Saturday). White also has the skills, coordination and athleticism to score the rock through contact. When that contact produced foul calls, White converted from the FT line at a high clip. Lastly, he won’t hesitate to finish over a defender with authority.
Ryan Williams Ryan Williams 6'3" | SG Malvern Prep | 2024 State PA – 6’1’’ / Malvern Prep / Philly Pride National UAA / Point Guard: Williams is a super quick floor general with circus handles. That combination means Williams can get into the paint for a floater or all the way to the tin for a bucket whenever he wants. Williams can also shoot the J from any spot on the floor. Team Final EYBL learned that fact when Williams drained 4 threes (18 points overall) on them at the Battle for the Bell during Pride’s upset win over the No. 1 ranked 15U team in the area. Williams also posted 14 points vs. K-Low Elite. In two games on Saturday Williams shot 50% from three and nearly 90% from the FT line. Basically, Williams is a nearly complete guard and thus a real problem for opponents. His ceiling is scary high.
Robert Wright III Robert Wright III 6'0" | PG Montverde Academy (FL) | 2024 State #35 Nation FL – 5’10” / Neumann-Goretti / Team Final EYBL / Combo Guard: Wright III ended the spring circuit by being named the MVP of the 16U division (“played up”) at the Big Shots / Team Final event and on Saturday he showed no signs of letting up here in July. At the Battle for the Bell, the extremely athletic guard stroked it from behind the arc and scored off the dribble (16 points vs. K-Low Elite). He distributed the rock with precision as well (6 dimes in same game). In their game vs Philly Pride National, Wright was TF’s leading scorer (20 points), but it wasn’t enough to save the squad from an upset loss.