Philly Tip Off Weekend: Player Matchups Preview
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KJ Cochran KJ Cochran 6'3" | CG Perkiomen | 2025 State #111 Nation PA (WC East) Jacob Nguyen Jacob Nguyen 6'3" | SG Spring Ford | 2025 State PA (Spring-Ford) Staring at their neighborhood schools outside of the city, Cochran…
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Continue ReadingKJ Cochran KJ Cochran 6'3" | CG Perkiomen | 2025 State #111 Nation PA (WC East) Jacob Nguyen Jacob Nguyen 6'3" | SG Spring Ford | 2025 State PA (Spring-Ford)
Staring at their neighborhood schools outside of the city, Cochran and Nguyen are two of the best 2025 guards in the area. Cochran is the high feel player who led his team in scoring as a freshman and earned first team honors in the Ches-Mont league. Nguyen came off the bench as a freshman, making his bones as a shooter. The two face off on Friday at the State College Tip Off Classic.
Milan Dean Milan Dean 6'3" | SF Archbishop Wood | 2025 State #286 Nation PA Jr (Archbishop Wood) vs Donovan Fromhartz Donovan Fromhartz 6'5" | SF Downingtown West | 2025 State PA (Downingtown West)
The Whippets of Downingtown West play the Vikings from Wood on Friday afternoon for both teams’ first game of the season. The pack led by Army-signee Dylan Blair Dylan Blair 5'10" | PG Downingtown West | 2023 State PA will turn to Fromhartz to balance their attack with his 3-ball. Dean Jr likely will be tasked with picking him up. His defensive instincts and event creation (deflections, blocks, steals, etc) will be critical.
Collin Bowman Collin Bowman 6'2" | SF Friends Central School | 2022 State PA (Friends Central) vs Argel Pettit Argel Pettit 5'10" | PG Devon Prep | 2022 State PA “IV” (Phelps)
Friends Central are both PAISSA schools so their game Friday won’t be the first of the season, but these two going at it should be fun. They’re each averaging multiple 3-point makes per contest already – Bowman on pullups and Pettit on the move. In a game where neither team has a ball-dominant scorer, perimeter shooting will be key.
Dean Coleman-Newsome Dean Coleman-Newsome 6'2" | PG Archbishop Carroll | 2023 State PA (Archbishop Carroll) vs Nasir Washington Nasir Washington 6'2" | SG Penn Wood | 2023 State PA (Penn Wood)
Two of the best unsigned senior guards will go head-to-head over at Carroll Friday night. Carroll features a ton of youth while Penn Wood looks to make another league title run after losing multiple 2022 starters to graduation. Gifted in their own ways offensively, they’ll both have to make the other work on defense. If they do indeed guard one another, this could decide the game.
Matt Gilhool Matt Gilhool 6'10" | C Long Island Lutheran | 2024 #254 Nation NY (Westtown) vs James Moore James Moore 6'1" | SF Harrisburg | 2023 State PA (Mt. Zion)
Mt. Zion might have just as many players from PA as Westtown in Moore, Malachi Palmer, and Sabree Scott making somewhat of a homecoming on Saturday night (5pm). With several talented perimeter athletes across both squads, the potential dual between Gilhool and Moore stands out most. They each have the talent to swing the momentum in their respective team’s favor – Gilhool with his face-up game or Moore as a rim runner.
Andrew Phillips Andrew Phillips 6'3" | SF Malvern Prep | 2023 State PA (Malvern Prep) vs Earle Greer Jr Earle Greer Jr 6'7" | SF Rocktop Academy | 2023 State PA (Abington Friends)
One of several Friends/Inter-Ac cross league matchups this week, this will be one of the best. The Friars and the Roos play through their junior guards – Ryan Williams Ryan Williams 6'3" | SG Malvern Prep | 2024 State PA and Kaydin Ford Kaydin Ford 5'10" | PG Abington Friends | 2024 State PA , respectively – but this game will come down to the wings/forwards. Saturday afternoon (2:30pm), it’s going to be Phillip’s below-the-rim finishing and chopper from 3 versus West-Ingram’s above-the-rim, off-ball rim pressure as a cutter and dunker.
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