City of Basketball Love

By Josh Verlin (@jmverlin) +
Kenneth Orange (@hooplove215)
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ATLANTIC CITY — The Hoop Group Atlantic City Jam Fest took over the AC Convention Center this week, with action going on from Wednesday through Friday on more than 30 courts in the annual summer live recruiting event. 

CoBL was in the building for all three days, checking out action in the 15U, 16U and 17U fields; here’s the first half of who stood out over the course of the three days; CLICK HERE for Pt. 2: 

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Nico Antoniacci (2028 | NEPA Elite 16U HGSL)
Watch out. The next name to know in Northeastern PA has arrived. Antoniacci opened eyes with Riverside High at Philly Live in June, and despite playing up two age groups, was far and away the best player on the court in leading NEPA to a blowout win over Marston Elite in a Sunday morning game. The 6-0 combo guard started off with a corner catch-and-shoot 3-pointer, the most typical shot on a first half that got more and more ridiculous as it went on, culminating in him hitting three straight 3-pointers from NBA range, in transition, at game speed. He finished with 28 points on 10-13 shooting (6-8 3PT), with six assists and two rebounds, showing great IQ, energy, athleticism, and play-making abilities. 

Maddox Bennett (2026 | Wildcats Select 16U HGSL)
Shooters with size are a wanted commodity these days, and Bennett has both in spades. The DuBois Area (Pa.) rising junior wing is all of 6-6, and the lefty’s best asset is his ability to get space well beyond the 3-point arc and bomb away. That was apparent as Bennett went off for 18 points on Wednesday afternoon in a 16U bracket win, knocking down five of his 10 3-point attempts, most of which came with his feet easily beyond the college arc, if not bordering on NBA range. One of those, a corner triple in the first half, became a four-point play as well, and he attacked a closeout for his only non-triple in the second half. 

Kevin Benson III (2027 | East Coast Power 15U HGSL)
Benson’s a natural scorer, which showed in his 21-point outing for East Coast Power in a 15U first-round game on Wednesday. The 6-3 guard, who’s headed to West Catholic for his sophomore season, doesn’t hesitate to let fly when he’s open beyond the arc, hitting a pair of 3-pointers with good range in the win, and he also hit a mid-range catch-and-shoot while getting to the line a solid amount (7-9 FT) by attacking the rim (and by getting fouled on another triple), all while adding five rebounds and quality defense. 

Jacob Canton (2027 | Team Dyckman 15U)
One of two Rutgers Prep (N.J.) freshmen who helped Team Dyckman to one of two 15U Platinum titles on Friday, Canton made his mark with 16 points, four rebounds, three steals and two assists. The 6-2 combo guard, playing both as a point and as an off-ball scorer, knocked down a pair of deep catch-and-shoot 3-pointers early on, then started attacking the bucket, getting to the rim with an up-and-under move and finishing around a couple opponents on multiple occasions. 

Jaen Chatman (2026 | NJ Panthers 17U HGSL)
Chatman, who’s transferring from East Stroudsburg South to Blair Academy (N.J.) this offseason, was impressive with a hard-fought 15-point outing on Wednesday. He also showed why his reputation is well earned as a tough-nosed lead guard, where at 6-1 he was able to showcase his ability to drive into the lane, scoring at will. His shooting was on point, sinking three three-pointers, including a one-dribble snatch to a step back that gave his team a 40-38 lead in the second half. Chatman also played with excellent tempo and leveraged his physicality effectively against taller, longer defenders. Chatman was able to guard on the perimeter, disrupting passing lanes and causing multiple turnovers throughout the contest. 

Shelton Colwell (2025 | NJ Panthers 17U HGSL)
At 6-5, Colwell showcased his athleticism and skill in the opening-round game on Wednesday. With a quick first step and impressive length, he can elevate rapidly. Colwell frequently drove to the lane intentionally seeking contact and finishing strong. which earned him multiple second-chance opportunities. His high motor was impressive as he stayed active on the glass, highlighted by a crucial rebound putback for an and-1 late in the game. Colwell's performance culminated in a double-double, tallying 13 points and 12 rebounds, demonstrating his impact on both ends of the court.

Kendyll Compton (2026 | TNBA Ohio 16U HGSL)
A 6-3 guard with length and a frame that suggests he might still tack on a few more inches, Compton is a skilled scoring guard with shooting range who can put the ball on the floor and get to the rack. Compton showed great body control as he was attacking, able to get a good look at the rim even against tough defenders, and he converted at a solid clip (6-10 FG, 2-5 3PT, 4-4 FT) to power him to a 18-point, nine-rebound outing. 

Milan Dean Jr. (2025 | Philly Revolution 17U HGSL)
Dean’s been playing with a new energy this summer, and it’s translating into more consistent production on the court. The talented 6-3 scoring guard is athletically gifted, which he showed with a big-time slam as part of an 18-point outing against Mountain State (W.V.) on Thursday morning. Dean loves to play physical and is tough to stop once he gets going downhill, and he’s an improving shooter, knocking down a pair of back-to-back pull-up 3-pointers in the second half, as he shot 7-of-10 from the floor (2-4 3PT) in the win.

Allen Eagles (2026 | NEPA Elite 16U HGSL)
While Antoniacci was stealing the show for NEPA, Eagles grinded out a strong game of his own in the big win. The 6-3 wing from Seton Central Catholic (N.Y.), who had a physical inside-out game, had a couple buckets in the first half, including a mid-range pullup, and then kept finding ways to produce in the second — getting to the line, knocking down a couple jumpers, hitting the glass, and making plays, while always seeming to be around the action. He finished with 16 points on 5-7 FG (1-1 3PT, 5-5 FT), completing the double-double with 10 rebounds plus two assists.

Gerald Edwell (2026 | NJ Beasts 16U HGSL)
Edwards was indeed a beast as the Beasts won their 16U bracket in Atlantic City. The 6-5 wing forward used his solid frame and great hands to muscle his way around the bucket for 15 points, shooting 7-of-14 from the floor, completing a three-point play, while grabbing seven of his nine rebounds on the offensive end. Edwell didn’t need to stretch the floor in this one as he was posting up left and right, backing his defenders down for a layup or fighting off numerous defenders for an offensive board and a put-back. 

Thomas Ferdinando (2025 | Middlesex Magic 17U HGSL)
The knockdown performance of Wednesday went to Fernandino. The 6-2 guard from Governor’s Academy (Mass.) popped in his first six shots, all 3-pointers, to launch him to a 23-point performance in a showcase win Wednesday night. Ferdinando’s shot didn’t seem like it touched the rim until he finally missed near the end of the first half, each one of his shots — coming from all around the arc — perfectly rising up and splashing through the net; he also showed that he can put the ball on the floor and work off his shooting ability, dialing up three assists plus three steals and four rebounds. 

Donovan Fromhartz (2025 | East Coast Power 17U HGSL)
Fromhartz, a 6-5 with a high motor and high basketball IQ, outworked everyone in ECP's latest game. “Power” is the word to describe his strong downhill play, as Fromhartz was a problem for defenders once he squared his shoulders and headed downhill, making it difficult for defenders to deter him. With just under four minutes left, he showcased his strength with a crucial and-1, pushing the lead to 60-49. Fromhartz finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds, leading his team to victory over House We Built HGSL. Despite a hard-fought effort from their opponents, Fromhartz and ECP fought until the end to secure the win.

Jordan Ghee (2025 | Marston Elite 17U)
Ghee’s offensive game was working for him in a viewing on Wednesday evening, scoring 28 points in a one-point showcase game win. The 6-4 wing from Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) was 9-of-13 from the floor when we were keeping stats, hitting three 3-pointers (and adding a fourth), a 12-foot fadeaway and a number of layups, helping his team overcome an early deficit to get back in it in the second half. Ghee’s got college-ready physicality and his shot looks ready to contribute at the next level, too.

Silas Graham (2027 | East Coast Power 16U HGSL)
After missing some time this spring with a calf injury, Graham looked as good as ever this week. The 6-4 point guard, one of the Power 16’s leaders despite playing up a year, is a continual stat-sheet-stuffer, and he does it all as a pass-first point guard who’s flashing more and more scoring ability as the years ago on. Graham especially shined in a 10-point, 14-rebound, four-assist, two-steal outing in a win over Texas Impact HGSL on Thursday, and he had some tough up-and-under finishes in addition to a floater, while throwing in all sorts of playmaking — posting up a defender and then passing to a cutter, driving and kicking, dropoff passes in transition.

Jamal Hicks (2025 | Philly Revolution 17U HGSL)
Hicks was terrific in a Thursday morning win over Mountain State (W.Va.), the 6-2 combo guard from Penn Charter looking every bit the part of a scholarship-level player as he came oh-so-close to a triple-double. Hicks showed off his scoring with a few smooth pull-up jumpers helped him to 11 points (4-9 FG, 2-4 3PT, 1-2 FT), but it was his play-making with the ball in his hands that really impressed; Hicks continually made the extra pass and looked for teammates the whole time he had the ball in his hands — and those teammates were hitting a ton of shots, helping him rack up 10 assists, plus eight rebounds and two steals.

Xavier Howard (2026 | BW Elite 16U HGSL)
Howard was awesome with the ball in his hands as BW Elite won a one-point game over the NJ Panthers on Thursday night. The 5-10 point guard was getting downhill at will, bullying his way to the hoop, where he continually finished with both hands, even through contact. He had a left-handed up-and-under, a spin-and-finish on a put-back, and was just continually involved defensively as an on-ball pest. The West Philly guard finished with 23 points on 10-of-12 from the floor (0-1 3PT, 3-4 FT), with seven rebounds (four offensive), three assists and two steals. 

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Honorable Mention
Kiyen Alexander (2027 | East Coast Power 15U HGSL), Zakariah Bah (2025 | Marston Elite 16U), Jackson Bauman (2026 | Wildcats Select 16U HGSL), Bradford Berwick (2026 | PSB Philly 16U), Keron Booth (2026 | East Coast Power 16U HGSL), James Brenner (2026 | East Coast Power 16U HGSL), Kaden Brown (2026 | WeR1 16U HGSL), Kody Colson (2026 | Philly Revolution 16U HGSL), Reece Craft (2025 | PA Hoops Academy 17U HGSL), Timmy Dennis (2026 | East Coast Power 16U HGSL), Justin Desena (2028 | NJ Beasts 15U HGSL), Dominic Downs (2026 | PA Hoops Academy 16U HGSL), Brayden Erfle (2027 | Philly Revolution 15U HGSL), Cooper Fairlamb (2027 | PA Hoops Academy 15U HGSL), Robert Fiore III (2025 | Middlesex Magic 17U HGSL), Amyre Gray (2025 | Team New England 17U HGSL), Jason Green (2026 | PSB Philly 16U), Mike Green (2025 | Philly Revolution 17U HGSL), Lucas Grimsley (2026 | Wildcats Select 16U HGSL), Madyx Gruber (2025 | PSB Philly 17U)