Transfer Watch: SEPA Players on the Move - Part IV

Several more high level <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/IMG_8496_20200818_223846.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1043243 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/IMG_8496_20200818_223846-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /></a>players have now officially enrolled at new high schools, so I thought I would provide a run-down of these additional moves. One would assume that Part IV in fall 2020’s Southeastern Pennsylvania Transfer Watch series would be the final installment, but these days, you never know. Among those highlighted in today’s list of transfers is a one of the elite underclassmen guards in the Philadelphia area.   [player_tooltip player_id="991197" first="Jaheim" last="Bethea"] – 6’0’ / Junior / Point Guard: From Imhotep to Math, Civics & Science. A slick ball handler who missed all of last winter with a knee injury, Bethea is a point who runs the show in the half-court and gets teammates the rock in the right places. Bethea showed great improvement on his jump shot in runs this summer with Team Final AAU (Phila., PA). He was especially impressive in August at the Team Final combine where he displayed a nice hesitation move and was frequently getting past defenders for scores. Bethea was selected as a participant in the “invite only” Check Rock Summer League at the 76ers Fieldhouse (Wilmington, DE) and holds a couple of DI offers. [player_tooltip player_id="933733" first="Darrien" last="Grady"] – 5’10’ / Sophomore / Point Guard: From Moorestown Friends (NJ) to Shipley School. After losing [player_tooltip player_id="991212" first="Khalil" last="Farmer"] to Roman Catholic, Shipley need some good news and they get it with the arrival of Grady. A freshman starter and leading scorer (24 ppg.) for MFS last winter, Grady notched four games where he scored 32 or more points and a 44-point performance against Abington Friends that was ridiculous. Grady has shown no signs of letting up this summer. Lately for Philly Pride, Grady has been hitting stand still threes from way downtown (56 3PM in 2019-20 HS season) and reasonable distance treys off pick action. When defenses chase him of the 3-point line, he can score off the dribble in the mid-range or get all the way to the tin. In recent runs, Grady has displayed the ability to find the open teammate and pass out of the double team. As with most elite level point guards, he possess a high basketball IQ. [player_tooltip player_id="991137" first="Hunter" last="Healy"] – 6’7’ / Senior / Center: From Lansdale Catholic to Bishop McDevitt. An absolute beast in the paint for the LC Crusaders last season and for Philly Pride AAU this summer, Healy will provide McDevitt with much needed interior scoring and someone who can control the defensive glass. Healy has very good footwork and can muscle through traffic to finish at the rim with either hand. Additionally, Healy is a very solid defender who when needed, can be called upon to lock off a foe. Last winter he scored 12 points in his much anticipated match-up with all-state forward [player_tooltip player_id="990932" first="John" last="Camden"] (formerly of Archbishop Carroll). [player_tooltip player_id="991202" first="Justin" last="Moore"] – 6’2’ / Junior / Combo Guard: From Cheltenham to Bishop McDevitt. In 2019-20 Moore slid over to the PG spot when a knee injury forced senior starter Zahree Harrison (Now a frosh at St. Francis of PA) to miss the season. As the “fill-in” lead guard, all Moore did was push Cheltenham to a 14-0 record in SOL and an appearance in that PIAA 6A state tourney. With his speed, Moore can really push the ball in transition. In the half court, that same speed combined with ball-on-a-string-handles allows Moore to attack defenses off the dribble. In January his 17 points and 7 dimes stat line vs Abington turned some heads. Moore then canceled any doubters when he scored 19 points in the District-1 6A semi-final game. He plays with the poise and composure of a veteran. He holds offers from a number of D-I schools. Anthony “Reese” Purnell – 6’1’ / Junior / Point Guard: From Cardinal O’Hara to The Kiski School. If you have seen Purnell play for O’Hara or in the Chosen League or on the grassroots circuit, then you know the elite level player The Kiski School (Saltsburg, PA) is gaining. A lightning fast floor general, Purnell excels in transition at scoring (11.9 ppg. for O’Hara) and/or dropping a dime to a teammate who is fast enough to fill the wing on the break with him. In the half-court Purnell can use his filthy handles to blow by defenders for a buckets at the rim or in the mid-range. His 3-point shooting showed significant improvement last winter and if that facet of his game continues to develop Purnell will take his game to the next level. Purnell is also reclassing into the 2022 grad year at Kiski. The loss of Purnell is another major blow for the O’Hara program which earlier this month saw starting forward Solo Bombara transfer to Neumann-Goretti.