The Heat take on the Wizards
Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo worked up a good sweat before tip-off versus the Wizards.
On Sunday, February 8th, the Miami Heat touched down in the nation’s capital to take on the Washington Wizards. The Heat have had an up and down season. They came in having gone 2-3 in their last 5 games. The Wizards were 1-5 during the same span. Many people had thought that the Heat would try to make a move to add a piece before the trade deadline, but they stood pat. The Wizards, on the other hand, were aggressive and swung for the fences.
They landed Anthony Davis in an 8 player deal. Davis was clearly brought in to pair with former Hawk Tray Young to form a new duo in DC. There’s some optimism surrounding the future of the franchise for the first time in a long time. The veteran presence should surely help the Wizards’ young core grow into what the franchise sees for these guys. AD and Young are both nursing injuries, and it’s unclear if they will see the floor this season.
It’s hard to tell what the Heat’s plans are for this season and beyond. It seems as if they’ve been in a holding pattern for quite some time. Some of their young guys have been linked to every trade in the book. It was thought they were making a run for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but per usual, nothing materialized. The Heat have been named in every major trade rumor over the last few years, but their roster remains mostly unchanged. Heat President Pat Riley has been lauded over the years as a top executive, but to be frank, he’s been living off his reputation. The Heat haven’t made significant moves since LeBron James came to town. That move was orchestrated by the trio of Wade, James, and Bosh. So, can we really give Pat Riley credit for it?
Jimmy Butler’s stint flamed out after he didn’t get the money he thought he deserved. Rookie Kasparov Jakucionis has been playing well lately and has been showing signs of being a guy in this league. Star big, Bam Adebayo, and wing Norman Powell have remained steady and are driving the bus for the franchise. The Heat have been without Tyler Hero, and they could really use his presence on the court. Who knows what the future holds for this team, but their fan base has grown impatient with the direction of the team.
The Wizards jumped on the Heat immediately from the tip off. They got downhill and got the ball into the paint and scored almost at will. Wizards wing Kyshawn George started off strong. He went 3 for 3, with his first 2 makes coming from 3. Alex Sarr came soaring through the paint to get a lob from Bub Carrington for his first make of the game. He started out 3 for 3 as well. Things were looking promising for the Wizards. Midway through the first, the Wizards went to the bench, and things quickly deteriorated from there. The Heat fought back and got hot from the field around the 4 min mark. They were down 21-29 and finished the first quarter up 37-33. The Wizards wouldn’t lead again for the remainder of the game.
The 2nd quarter was more of the same from both teams. The Wizards’ young core went ice cold from the field, and the Heat quickly increased their lead to 39-57 with 8 minutes left in the 2nd quarter. It’s amazing how quickly things can get out of hand in an NBA game. There is immense talent in the league, and some incredible athletes are playing the game today. Bam had arguably the play of the game, where he posterized his own teammate on a putback dunk (see here). He put the Heat up 68 to 52 with 2:25 left in the half. Justin Champaigne and Bub Carrington shot decently in the 2nd quarter. They took a combined 6 shots, while George and Sarr accounted for the bulk, going a combined 2 for 12 from the field.
The Heat, on the other hand, shot a combined 51.9 percent from the field as a team. They took 23 shots from beyond the arc, making 11 (47.8%) of them. Adebayo went 5 for 7 from the field while Kel’el Ware went 3 for 5. Ware was able to get into the paint and do damage off of a 2nd chance rebound, an alley oop from Jaquez, and a nice turnaround hook shot in the paint. Bam killed the Wizards down low as well, scoring all but 3 of his 12 second-quarter points from the paint. The Heat headed into the half with a 74 to 52 lead.
The 2nd half was more of the same from both teams. The Heat continued to pressure the Wizards into bad shots and turnovers. They went up 92-61 with 6:25 left in the 3rd. The Wiz found a little life and began to push back, after a bit of a run and a 3 pointer by Wizards Tristan Vukcevic. The Heat called a timeout to slow the momentum. The Wizards got it to 73 to 95 with 3:35 left to play. The timeout worked, and the Heat came back out refocused and finished the 3rd quarter up 107-75. With about 10 mins left in the 4th and the game clearly in hand, the Heat went to their bench and let them finish the game out. The Heat wound up taking home the win, 132 to 101.
Where I’ve been…
Hey guys! It’s been quite some time since I’ve last posted. 2025 was an insane year for me. If you follow me on instagram you probably know what happened to me but in case you missed it, here’s where I’ve been!
In late 2024, I woke up on a weekday morning as I always have. Sat up to wipe the sleep out of my eyes from the night before. I turned my body to get out of bed, planted my feet firmly on the floor as I always have. Went to stand up and then I immediately, was sat back down by an excruciating pain. It’s a pain that I had never experienced before. My ankle locked and I couldn’t put any weight on it. I was so confused and I got worried for a second.
I sat on the bed for a few minutes and tried to shake it off. Eventually the pain had went away and I was able to get up and walk around. I’ve played sports all of my life so I just walked it off and I was fine. Thought it was odd but hey, I’m getting up there in age and sometimes I hurt in new places lol!
Over the coming days, the situation I described became a mainstay in my day to day life. My ankle kept locking and I was unable to put any weight on it. It got so bad that it started locking in the middle of the night and waking me up out of my sleep. Eventually I grew tired of it happening and sought out my medical team to figure out what was going on.
I’m not stranger to surgeries or injuries. If you play full contact sports throughout the majority of your life, you’re going to roll an ankle or maybe dislocate something the way. I had torn both of my labrum’s in my shoulders and biceps tendons as well. I had 2 major surgeries in a 4 year period. You find pretty good medical teams having to deal with this kind of stuff.
I reached out to the team at Penn and got an appointment to see an ankle specialist. She ordered an X-ray for me so we could get a preliminary look at to what could be going on. I sat in her office for a few after the X-ray and what she said next, astonished me.
She looked at me with concern and I said “Alright Doc, lay it on me.” She replied “When did you break your leg and ankle?!” I was taken aback by the question. I replied “Huh?!? What do you mean?!?” She said “At some point, your leg fractured where your tibia meets the ankle.” I couldn’t believe it! It was so shocking to hear that. You think that you know what a fracture would look or feel like but to my surprise, it wasn’t anything like any previous fractures I’ve had.
I was able to walk and run pretty normally. The issue was that at random times of the day and night, my ankle would completely lock and give me excruciating pain. I was unable to walk when it happened and it left me very confused. Never in a million years did I think my leg and ankle were broken. I coach youth girls basketball and track. I was pretty active and I couldn’t figure out how I did this.
She asked me to think really hard about it and try to pinpoint when it could’ve happened. I had a player run up into my leg and I slightly rolled my ankle. But that didn’t feel significant enough to break it.
She showed me the x-rays and informed me that it looked like I had floating pieces of bone in the joint and that was causing the locking. She highlighted where the leg was broken but I’d need an MRI to truly see the damage. So she ordered the MRI and referred me to an ankle surgeon for further treatment.
That hump is a bone spur that developed on top of my ankle
The surgeon got me in pretty quickly and we confirmed what the x-ray was showing. I had a broken leg and ankle and had several “loose bodies” floating in my ankle. We setup a plan and scheduled surgery for April of 2025! As I stated previously, this wasn’t my first rodeo with major surgery. Been there and done that multiple times but this ankle was a different beast.
The surgery went very well and she was able to get in and clean it up. Turns out I had torn the stabilizing ligament in the ankle as well and that needed to be reconstructed. She informed me that the recovery period was going to be a long one and that it could take a year or more before I felt like myself.
At my first follow-up, she showed me a photo of what she had removed, and I was, to say the least, shocked. These 7 bone fragments were causing havoc in the joint. It was so painful, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone!
My surgeon wasn’t kidding when she said that this recovery would be long. I have had setback after setback after setback with this thing. I developed a blood clot in the ankle, and was unable to rehab for quite a while. This thing has caused me so many headaches. So many sleepless nights. I’m 10 months post-surgery, and it’s still very swollen and tender.
The bursa sac is constantly inflamed, and I’m still managing pain. My pain tolerance is legitimately legendary! But this thing has been a massive problem. I was in a boot for months!
The swelling has been insane! I often times have trouble putting on shoes with this ankle because it’s just that swollen. This process has been tough but I’m built for it. Taking things slowly and one day at a time. I’m not where I want to be but slow progress is better than no progress.
I’m getting there….
Philly Boys High School Live 2025
Philly Boys High School Live 2025 is officially in the books. This year’s event brought together some of the top high school programs from all across the country, creating an exciting and competitive atmosphere. It delivered exactly what we hoped for: high-level competition, full-packed gyms, and numerous eyes focused on Philly’s best basketball talent. College coaches representing some of the nation’s top programs showed up in force, and many players took the opportunity to improve their recruiting stock. The energy inside the gym was electric and spoke for itself. From statement wins to breakout performances, the weekend served as a powerful reminder of what truly makes Philly basketball special and unique. There isn’t a live period around that’s better than Philly’s.
The Anatomy of The Dunk
Josh Lindsay of St. Xavier’s hoops is a nightmare to guard.
Malik Hughes of Archbishop Ryan with the monster block!
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Philly Girls High School Live 2025
Women’s basketball is physical!
Philly Girls HS Live 2025: Year Two Is in the Books
Year two of Philly Girls HS Live wrapped up earlier this month, and it’s safe to say we took another step forward. When we launched this event, there were plenty of questions about whether it could succeed, especially with so many live period options already available for girls' hoops. We had a lot of doubters, and some folks were skeptical.
Despite the noise, we stuck with the idea that Philly needed something local, consistent, and built with care. This year showed that the foundation is solid and that the interest from programs and college coaches is real. We more than doubled the teams from year one, and we had many more coaches in attendance.
Solid Competition and Strong Turnout
From June 12 to 14 at Jefferson University, we welcomed back familiar teams and brought in some new faces. Catholic League staples like Archbishop Carroll, Wood, and O’Hara showed up as expected, along with Imhotep, solid District 1 teams like Upper Dublin and Pennsbury, and strong programs from New Jersey, Delaware, and the DMV.
A few matchups that stood out:
Carroll vs. Imhotep. Competitive and physical, as expected.
Wood vs. Paul VI. Two well-coached teams going at it.
Upper Dublin vs. O’Hara. Clean execution and a good look at some under-the-radar players.
Paul VI vs. St. John’s College. High energy on both ends and arguably the game of the weekend.
Across all three days, the level of play was consistent. Games started on time, teams competed, and college coaches were in the gym taking notes and making connections.
Keeping It Simple
This event was never about trying to be the biggest. We just wanted to create a space that was organized, competitive, and focused on giving girls a real shot to be seen. Our goal has always been to create a reliable, focused environment where the basketball speaks for itself. That is what we are continuing to build.
Thanks to the programs, coaches, players, families, and staff who supported us again this year. We will make the adjustments we need, keep building something solid, and start preparing for what is next. Year three is already in motion.
Shoutout to the Media Team
Big thank you to all the people behind the lens who helped bring this event to life. From start to finish, they captured the energy, emotion, and moments that mattered.
Blake Loatman — locked in all weekend and delivered some of our best on‑court shots
David Anyanwu — from the Philly Girls HS Live team, kept things running smoothly behind the camera and delivered consistent, crisp photos
Athletically Challenged — showed up with highlights that went beyond the final buzzer
@jxm3__ — brought a creative edge and fresh perspective, adding personality to the coverage through her lens
We appreciate the time, hustle, and pride you all put into your work. None of it goes unnoticed, and I couldn’t have done this without you. Thank you! Check them all out and give them a follow.
The Bluecoats are coming!
The NBA G League was established in 2001 and has experienced much growth since its inception. The league consists of players from all walks of life who come together with the common goal of getting better every day. Some guys need this time and opportunity to grow as men and professionals. They need the ability to learn on the fly and continue to develop their games freely. That’s hard to do when you’re on an NBA roster and not getting meaningful minutes in the rotation.
On December 27th, 2024, the Windy City Bulls came into town to face the Delaware Blue Coats for the league’s season opener. I arrived about an hour before the game tip-offed. I wanted to make sure I got in early to acclimate myself to the environment. I always like to watch players warm up before games. Sometimes, you can get a good feel for the headspace that a player is in during their warmups. Is their shot falling? If it’s not, what body language are they displaying? Are they working on a move that they want to pull off in-game? There are a lot of tells that you can pick up on, and it helps me pay attention to certain things when I’m trying to visually tell a story.
The game got off to a great start as both teams came out and ran sets to feel each other out. It was a seesaw affair all game long, but the Blue Coats controlled the pace of play for most of the game. The Bulls made their runs and got within striking distance quite a few times. E.J. Liddell (#32) of the Bulls was a real defensive standout. He blocked quite a few shots and altered the trajectory of many jumpers. He quietly put up 29 points to go along with his four rebounds and three blocked shots. Jordan Hall was dropping dimes all night, and he finished with a game-high eight assists. As a team, they couldn’t find a consistent offensive rhythm for most of the night.
It was a different story for the Blue Coats. They got off to a very hot start and kept that momentum up for the rest of the game. Led by Jeff Dowtin Jr’s 34 points on 14-20 from the field. Jeff poked and prodded the defense all night and consistently got to his spots on the floor. Big man Isiah Mobley chipped in with a double-double! He scored 14 points and grabbed 11 boards. Philly’s own Justin Edwards finished with 15, and Marcus Bagley added 20. The team did well defensively and finished with nine steals and nine blocked shots. The defense sparked a lot of positive plays for the Blue Coats, and they delivered on offense when it counted the most. The final score was 116 to 97, and I’m looking forward to watching these guys again.
SJU Takes down Nova!
Walking into Hagan arena, you could feel the atmosphere heating up. The student section was full of college kids in hard hats and jam packed an hour before tip off. The Hawks haven’t beaten Villanova at home since 2011 and they were due for a win! From the opening tip off, both teams looked to get right to it! It was a game of runs and it came down to who wanted it more! The Hawks and Wildcats started off the first half pretty evenly. They traded buckets early on, probing and prodding. From one of the Wildcats first possessions they tried to set the tone of the game when Wooga Popular tried to jam it over the Hawks big man, Justice Ajogbor.
SJU settled into a groove towards the end of the first half and closed it with a big bucket from sophomore guard, Xzavier Brown to put the Hawks up 37 to 36. The Hawks came out on fire in the 2nd half with great ball pressure and forced the Wildcats into some costly turnovers. The Hawks jumped out to a 15 - 0 run and the crowd went crazy! The Hawks fed off the Hawk Hill faithful all night long. Villanova didn’t go down without a fight as they went on a run of their own and cut into the Hawks big lead. Wooga Popular hit a 3 to cut the Hawks lead to 57 to 56. In The end, SJU had an answer for everything the Wildcats threw at them and would not be denied! The Hawks win with a final score of 76 to 83.
Player Spotlight /// Mikel Brown Jr /// Team Loaded
To put it plainly, Mikel Brown Jr of Team Loaded and formerly Overtime Elite and now DME Academy is one of the most dynamic guards in the country. Too often, evaluators and scouts assign tags and buzz words to kids who haven’t really made the consistent impact to attach such expectations to them. Not only does Mikel live up to them, he far and away exceeds them! The C/O 25 guard currently holds offers from some of the top programs in the country which include Villanova, Kentucky, Arizona, Florida and Kansas to name a few. Coming into the Adidas 3 Stripes Select Basketball Championship session, he was fresh off a stellar performance with Team USA’s U18 squad as well as Adidas athlete and NBA Superstar Donovan Mitchell’s inaugural “SPIDA ELITE CAMP.”
I came into Rock Hill wanting to see if the hype was real. I never come in with any preconceived notions about players and nor do I come in with expectations. I always start with a blank canvas and just report on what I have observed out there. I made it a point to watch several of his games to see how he faired and I was blown away by his performance. I rarely attach the pro label to kids but Mikel just plays at a level that was above everyone else’s on the court. He’s got the “IT” factor and it’s very easy to see. I don’t think there’s a true one to one comp of him. He’s his own prototype whose game is evolving and expanding far beyond his years.
He’s 6’3 with a wiry frame and he’s deceptively athletic. Watched him on more than one occasion during the week, take on a bigger defender and either lay him up or sneak a dunk on them. He routinely got to his spots on the floor at will and despite being a main scoring option for Team Loaded, there really wasn’t anything defensively, that teams did to make him truly uncomfortable. He was often doubled and tripled team and still made the correct reads to get his team buckets. You can’t leave him open for jump shots either. Hand down, man down was a common theme for Mikel. I watched him pull up for 3 with ease and knock them down consistently when the defense fell asleep. He really demorizaled quite a few of his defenders and entire teams out there.
Mikel is a dynamic playmaker, shot creator, willing defender and passer. He made some passes that a lesser player and PG just couldn’t make. He has eyes in the back of his head and he sees the game a few steps ahead of everyone else. His basketball IQ is off of the charts and he continued to make winning plays. If you’re open and he trusts you, he will find you. There was one game where some hero ball came into play. His team was down and they needed buckets to stay in the game. He relied on it a little too much down the stretch but based on what was happening on the court, you can understand why he did it. His teams shot just wasn’t falling and he took it upon himself to try and bring them back. Depending on who you are and what you want out of a player, that can be a positive or a negative. What I do know is that he’s an absolute dynamo out there on that floor and you’ll be seeing him at the next level very soon!
The sky is the limit for Mikel Brown Jr!
/// - 3 Stripes Select Basketball - Palmetto Road Championship - ///
The slogan “The Road Ends At The Rock” was prominently featured all over The Rock Hill Sports and Event Center in South Carolina. It’s a fitting theme that sets the stage for Adidas’s AAU championship finale. Rock Hill, SC is a beautiful city that blends its past and present together, seamlessly. The Sports and Event center is one of the most impressive facilities in the country and is a fitting location to house such a massive event. Walking through the front door of the facility and seeing 8 full courts of action going all at once was energizing. This is a true hoop junkie’s dream. I spent 6 days watching Adidas’s 3 Stripes Select Basketball circuit featuring some of the best teams and players in the country.
Coming into this session, I had a plan. I took about a week to look into the teams and players that I wanted to check out the most. Over the 6 days I was in SC, most games started at 8:30 am and the last game would usually tip off at 9pm. Rock Hill Sports and Event Center has 8 full courts and a separate dug in arena. That’s 9 games going on at pretty much all times and that is a lot of basketball to take in. If this isn’t something that you’re used to, it can be incredibly overwhelming. There are people everywhere and a bevy of college coaches and scouts from every part of the country. There’s seating for coaches and there was even a craft services area filled with food and friendly staff. Adidas really pulled out all of the stops for this and it showed in every way imaginable.
I tried to keep a reasonable amount of games on my schedule per day. I wanted to really be able to lock in and focus on the teams and players that I wanted to see the most. The talent pool is extremely deep and it was not an easy decision. Sometimes the best games would overlap one another and I found myself hopping from court to court, taking pictures and observing everything. When you’re into hoops, this is a beautiful problem to have.
In order to truly get a feel for a player and his/her team, it’s prudent that you watch them for multiple games against various teams. You can really learn a lot about a player and his/her attitude based on a number of factors. One of the biggest things I look at is body language. How are they when their shot isn’t falling? What’s your body language look like when a team is getting the best of you in an individual matchup? Are you making the necessary mental adjustments? Are you hanging your head in frustration or are you showing that nothing they’re doing is flustering you? This is just a small fraction of what I look at when it comes to evaluating talent. Coaches and scouts from all over the country are looking at the same things and even more.
There were college coaches from every major program in the country in attendance. Dan Hurley, Kelvin Sampson, John Calipari, Mark Pope and so many more adorned the sidelines and rafters for these games. Journalist and media from all walks of life adorned every inch of the arena. At any given time and on any given court, there was someone watching, evaluating and potentially changing the trajectory of their program and the lives of players based on what they see out there. That’s a lot of pressure for some of these kids to endure and for some it can be too much. For others, they simply thrive off of it and excel when the lights are at their brightest. Kaden Magwood and Nate Ament from Team Loaded VA fit that bill. With every eye on his team, Kaden stepped up and hit big bucket after big bucket. Nate played great defense and hit key buckets to give Team Loaded the win. With every eye seemingly in the gym on their team, they stepped up big time and didn’t let the pressure of the moment get to them. Kaden and Nate are a formidable one, two punch for Loaded and they gave quite a few teams matchup problems.
Coaches and Scouts from all over, were here to watch Team Loaded VA 17U take on Team Tradition 17U. The entire court was full, all the way around and came to a standing room.
The defending 17 U Champion, Utah Prospects immediately put teams on notice. Lead by C/O 26 guard Ikenna Alozie and Jalen Holland. The Prospects have the perfect mix of size, shooting and athleticism that really gave a lot of teams trouble. Augustine Ekwe, Chamberlin Burgess and Fawaz “Taco” Ifaola all played their roles extremely well. They were without the services of 25 star, Isiah Harwell. He was present and rooting his team on as he recovered from an injury. It really didn’t seem to matter that he wasn’t on the court because the Prospects did everything they needed to do as a unit and became back to back 17 U Champions! John Southwick also played a major role in this team’s success. He hit a bevy of back breaking threes that put the nail in the coffin in multiple games. Utah took out the teams with bigger names, really gelled and did all of the little things to come out on top! They are the epitome of what building a winning culture and great team is all about!
Indiana Elite was another team that was in the running for the 17 U title. They made the final and took on the Utah Prospects. Indiana is exactly what you think a team from Indiana would be. They play fundamentally sound basketball and rarely made mistakes out on the floor. Their big man, Malachi Moreno is their rock but Braylon Mullins, Trent Sissley and Mark Zackery really make this team go. These young fellas have bright futures ahead of them.
I touched a bit on Team Loaded at the top with Kaden Magwood and Nate Ament but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Team Loaded truly lives up to their moniker. They came to Rock Hill with 6 separate teams representing VA,NC and DC. Their 15’s 16’s and 17’s are stacked with talent from top to bottom and feature some of the top players in the country. Nate and Kaden who play for Loaded’s 17 VA squad, are also accompanied by Latrell Allmond who’s a stud in his own right. Their 17’s from NC are headlined by Mikel Brown and Jordan Tillery who give opposing defenses nightmares. From top to bottom on every level, Loaded brings it!
There were so many other players and teams that I wanted to be able to sit and truly dive in on. With such a finite amount of time and understanding that I’m only one person, I just sat and watched some really good basketball and just enjoyed the show when I could. Players like Koa Peat of Compton Magic and Darryn Peterson of Phenom United all had great performances along the way. If you made it this far, thank you for your time and attention! I’ll be dropping off a parting photo gallery of other players and teams below this sign out. I will be debuting a player spotlight blog featuring Mikel Brown Jr of Team Loaded later this week. Mikel is truly remarkable and I couldn’t think of a better player to kick this feature off with. So that’s it for this look back at my time at the Adidas 3 Stripes Select Basketball Championship! Big shout out to Adidas for giving me media access to such a spectacular event! Until next time my friends!
- Bruce Loatman -
Ronin Zero Media Co.
2024 Boys Philly HS Live Period
Coaches are looking for guys who can come in and fill a need! Are you coachable? Are you a hard worker? Are you going to hustle back on defense? What are you doing to have an impact on the game when your shot is not falling? How are you handling bad officiating? Are you boxing out on every rebound? Are you making the right reads? There are so many things you can do that impact the game without scoring. This is the stuff that coaches are talking about on these sidelines.
The live period is one of the most exciting times in all of high school sports! The AAU hoops circuit plays a massive part in the college recruitment game but some would say that showcasing what you can do with your high school team is more important to the process. It’s a bit of a different game and it allows for some players to get exposure that they might not normally get from playing AAU. Let’s face it, AAU is a different beast and sometimes it doesn’t always serve guys in a way that it should or could. It’s a big business that expands beyond just the players. There’s something inherently pure about the live period here in Philly. Getting together with your guys, starting preparations for the upcoming season and gearing up for a run at a state title and it starts right here!
Philadelphia puts on one of the best live period events in all of the country! Philadelphia routinely pumps out basketball talent that goes on to play across the globe! The culture here is different and you have to bring your A game to make a name for yourself. One of the biggest things that I want young hoopers to understand is that they need to be able to star in their role. Sitting on sidelines and being able to talk to coaches and scouts about what they look for in a player, has been invaluable for me personally. I’m able to take this information and relay it to hoopers who might not get that one to one feedback. Talking high-level hoops with some of the best basketball minds around, is a very cathartic feeling for a hoop junky like myself.
Coaches come here with players in mind that they want to see but if you come out there and star in your role, you’ll be able to put yourself on a programs radar. I’ve seen it with my own eyes! “Do you know who that kid is?” Covering a lot of these kids across their careers have allowed me to drop some gems on coaches. It’s a great feeling for me to say “Yes that’s -insert player name -.” Names can absolutely be made during the live period. So it’s important that a player comes out and puts on the best performance he can possibly put on. It’s not just about putting the ball in the basket. Coaches are looking for guys who can come in and fill a need! Are you coachable? Are you a hard worker? Are you going to hustle back on defense? What are you doing to have an impact on the game when your shot is not falling? How are you handling bad officiating? Are you boxing out on every rebound? Are you making the right reads? There are so many things you can do that impact the game without scoring. This is the stuff that coaches are talking about on these sidelines.
So my advice to the hoopers out there is to just diversify your game. Show up to work every single day and be a good teammate. Don’t pout, be supportive of your guys. If you’re on the bench, engage the bench and bring energy! Be vocal and talk on defense. Show up in a way that helps your overall team success! You have to remember that it’s about WE out there and not ME! If you want coaches and scouts to pay attention to you, you have to do all of the little things well. Just because you haven’t heard from coach or a program, doesn’t mean that they don’t know who you are. It may not seem like they’re paying attention but I promise you they are. You also need to be proactive in how you present yourself. If you’re not a highly touted or hyped up kid, you need to be doing some leg work as well. You should be putting together highlights of you in action and emailing coaches and scouts. Use social media as a tool and show off a bit of your personality as well as your game. Sit with your high school coach and find out what he/she thinks are realistic destinations for you. Have your coach reach out on your behalf as well. Recruiting should be a collaborative effort for all involved.
The Inaugural Philly Girls HS LIVE!
Philadelphia has one of if not the best high school basketball scenes in all of America! The boys game tends to get all of the attention and press but the girls have always had a lot of heart and talent but never got the same media attention that they rightfully deserve. The NCAA live period attracts coaches far and wide but to my surprise, Philly has never had a live period tournament for girls. Jazz Williams who is the athletic directer at West Catholic Prep, aimed to change that! In March of 2024, Jazz reached out to me to discuss an idea he had. We met up in person to talk about putting on a girls live period event and giving it the proper media attention that it deserves.
Jazz and I have been friends for years and we’ve worked together in the past on some of his basketball events. I was ecstatic at the chance to be able to put my own personal touch on this event. I felt honored that he trusted me enough to want my help with this. Jazz along with Ruth Onyekwelu of Lincoln High School, did all of the heavy lifting and that allowed me to focus on putting together an outstanding media team. Each side presented its own unique challenges. Holding an event of this magnitude for the first time came with a lot of skepticism. There are so many creators who only care about names and what they can get out of a situation. I can’t begin to tell you how many photographers and videographers left me on read or feigned interest only to disappear when it came time to work.
Support has to be genuine and so many creators don’t genuinely love the game of basketball like I do. I was able to assemble a team of dedicated shooters who love the game. Starting with my son Blake and ending with Dave, Dre and Q! Each one of these guys really came out and put their creative stamp on this event and I can’t thank them enough for their dedication and hard work. The boys have a huge live event but the advantage we have is that we have a dedicated team of shooters, to spotlight these young women. We aim to make our instagram page @PhillygirlsHSLive a hub for the girls game, all year round. This is just the start of things to come and I couldn’t be more excited about the future of the women’s game! It’s long overdue and I’m glad to be able to play a small part in highlighting these women and getting them the exposure that they deserve!
