Philadelphia Public Sleeper Seniors: Part 2

As we inch closer to the high school basketball season Prep Hoops will continue Philadelphia Public League, most commonly referred to as “The Pub”, Senior Sleepers. With so many teams in one of America’s largest cities it is easy to miss the hidden talent in this league. No worries though Prep Hoops has you covered. This is Part 2 of our Sleeper Senior feature featuring the Class off 2021 that can help college programs in the future. David White, Murrell Dobbins – Coming from a storied high school that produced basketball legends such as Dawn Staley and Eric “Hank” Gathers you have to represent the program every time you step on the court. David does just that. He is a pass first type of guard with tremendous court vision. He is all about team. He could be selfish but prefers to set his teammates up and get them involved because he knows that what is good for the team. With a solid handle he can quickly slash to the basket and with good range on his jump shot he can get hot and reel off points in bunches. At 6’0” he is an awesome on ball defender that plays the passing lanes well which displays his understanding for the game. This 3 year returning starter will log major minutes this upcoming season and will be tasked with continuing the winning tradition. Continued growth on the court and high academic achievement on his resume he is beginning to gain interest from Philadelphia Area Division III schools.   <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/IMG_20201030_194309.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1083068 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/IMG_20201030_194309-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="100" height="134" /></a> Kahrell Rowe, Paul Roberson – It’s hard to find a player with high energy. As a former college coach I used to look for that energy in players because that is something that easily transfers to the NCAA level. Kahrell definitely has that. I usually don’t reference NBA players when evaluating high school players but to give you a visual Kahrell has Russell Westbrook type motor. This 6’1” explosive slasher with amazing stop and start ability off the bounce does a little bit of everything, like a Swiss army knife. His vocal leadership on the floor is felt on both ends of the floor. He is raw offensively but a tenacious defender with active hands and great lateral movement. His offensive skill set should improve as he gets more experience playing under the whistle. His high school career has been up and down but he has found a home at Paul Roberson. This North Philly native has a love and passion for the game and is looking forward to his senior year where he will play major minutes.   <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/IMG_20201108_163242.jpg?1605234280812"><img class="wp-image-1083075 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/IMG_20201108_163242.jpg" alt="" width="100" height="133" /></a> Jo-Nathan Kelly, Strawberry Mansion – His government name is Jo-Nathan, but everyone calls him “JoJo”. JoJo is a mature beyond his years for a high school senior, he looks and plays like a college sophomore. This 6’1” strong framed, sturdy guard loves to play in the post, especially behind the defense. He is very dangerous playing with his back to the basket and has vicious pro style post up moves where he can either forward or reverse pivot putting the defense in uncompromising positions with his quickness and strength. He is also very effective in isolations and one on one situations. He reads the floor and moves very well without the ball to open gaps in the defense. He plays with a mature pace and plays the role needed for his team to win. If his team needs him to rebound, to score or be a facilitator he is capable of doing that and much more. He played for the Mt. Pleasant Bulldogs during the abbreviated summer circuit where he was able to expand his scoring range, particularly his three point shot. JoJo is a high academic student that will attract various colleges this season.   <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/IMG_20201108_172245.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1083079 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/IMG_20201108_172245.jpg" alt="" width="100" height="134" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="991060" first="Asim" last="Wilson"], Strawberry Mansion – Asim is an ultra-quick super athletic combo guard. If the defense blinks, that’s all he needs to breeze past them. Although he is 6’0” he attacks the rim similar to players much taller. He has innate body control that allows him to hang in the air just long enough to contort his body to get his shot off or draw the defense to make a play for his teammates. This two sport athlete, he also plays quarterback on the gridiron, is not afraid to create contact which puts pressure on the defense because he will get to the foul line numerous times a game. A bona fide three level scorer, Asim also makes good decisions on the floor when in the point guard role. With his flashy high motor playmaking ability, he is more of a scoring guard and will compliment Mansion’s point guard this upcoming. Last year Asim played for Freire Charter and during this summer played for Philadelphia’s underrated Mt. Pleasant Bulldogs. He has gained interest from local Division II schools in the PSAC conference.