Pioneer Athletic Conference Preview: Elite Wings & Forwards

[caption id="attachment_1107578" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/12/Tre-Diguglielmo-2021.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1107578" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/12/Tre-Diguglielmo-2021-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="991171" first="Tre" last="Diguglielmo"] (C/O 2021) from Boyertown HS[/caption] <p>With three-time defending league champs and traditional state tournament powerhouse Methacton High School in rebuild mode (four new starters and a new head coach), this winter the Pioneer Athletic Conference should feature a wide open battle for league supremacy.   </p> <p>Today we will look at a few of the elite wings and forward prospects who will attempt to push their squad to the top of what should be highly competitive PAC. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1122142" first="Collin" last="Bowman"] </strong><strong>- 6’2”</strong> / <strong>Junior / Upper Merion / Wing: </strong>Last season, Bowman was the third option on offense and was good for 7.4 ppg. However, in late January the lefty’s 30-points and game winning 3-ball at the OT buzzer vs. Spring Ford gave everyone a glimpse of what to expect in 2020-21 from this highly skilled wing player. With his nearly automatic stroke, Bowman can shoot the three and drain jumpers in the mid-range. Additionally, Bowman possess enough handles to create his own shot. Even with all of his scoring ability, Bowman is an unselfish player and will not hesitate to move the rock to an open teammate. With the graduation of 2019-20 leading scorers Ty Jones (10.5 ppg) and Nick Shepperd (10.3 ppg), this winter Bowman will be expected to perform at a high level on a nightly basis.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="991171" first="Tre" last="Diguglielmo"] </strong><strong>- 6’4” / Senior / Boyertown / Wing: </strong>Coming into the 2019-20 season<strong>, </strong>Diguglielmo already had a reputation as dead-eye three point shooter, but the skill set he showed last season proved he is not one dimensional. His non-stop motor and ability to move without the ball make him a threat on the interior as well. Specifically his ability to dive to the rim of pick-n-roll action or a back-screen are very impressive. Diguglielmo also owns an effective head / ball fake move that after he has drained a couple threes, allows him to put the ball on the floor and get to the rack. Last season he posted 12.6 points and 7.6 boards per game while leading the squad with 42 threes in the regular season. Diguglielmo helped push the Bears to the district tournament for first time since 2016.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="990972" first="Justin" last="Green"] </strong><strong>- </strong><strong>6’6” / Senior / Pope John Paul II / Wing:</strong> Green is a long, skilled and well-rounded wing player who shot 38% from deep last winter. So basically, he’s an NBA scout’s dream. A 1^st Team All Area and 2^nd team All-State player, Green was good for 13 points and 8.8 rebs, as he led the Golden Panthers to a 21-5 mark, a division championship, league title game trip, a District 1-4A title and the school’s first appearance in the PIAA quarterfinals. This summer while running with Pro Skills Philly, Green displayed the ability to score off the bounce and outstanding court vision. In recognition of his elite talents, Green was selected as a participant in the “invite only” Check Rock Summer League at the 76ers Fieldhouse (Wilmington, DE).</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="991198" first="Cole" last="Hargrove"]</strong> <strong>- </strong><strong>6’5” / Junior / Methacton / Small Forward:</strong> In 2019-20, Hargrove was the 6^th man who supplied a scoring punch and rebounding for a Methacton squad that ran up a 28-2 mark (the most wins in program history), won its first District 1 Class 6A championship and had hopes of advancing deep into the state postseason before the PIAA quarterfinal round was cancelled by the ongoing pandemic. This coming season Hargrove steps into the starting lineup and he will be expected to contribute heavily for a team that lost 4 senior starters. With extended minutes in 2020-21, college coaches and fans will see that Hargrove owns great footwork, can finish in traffic and is a workhorse on the glass. As a bonus, the kid can bury mid-range and baseline Js.</p> <p><strong>Jake Kressley</strong> <strong>- 6’5”</strong> / <strong>Junior / Spring Ford / Small Forward: </strong>A very athletic baller with hops, Kressley excels at filling the lane in transition. In the half court, Kressley’s skill set is versatile enough to play a physical style of ball on the interior. Defensively, Kressley has shown a knack for stepping into passing lanes at just the right moment and coming up with a steal. A frequent starter as a sophomore, Kressley averaged 5 ppg. last season. In the spring/summer he plays for Eastern PA Elite AAU.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1127030" first="Jason" last="Price"] </strong><strong>– </strong><strong>6’3” / Senior / Methacton / Point-Forward: </strong>After posting a breakout season in 2019-20 at Souderton (Because of injuries at Souderton Price went from 6^th man to No. 1 option.), Price appears ready to take his game to the next level at his new school. Everyone knows Price can score the basketball at all 3 levels, but in the 2020 Competitive Edge Fall League Price also displayed great court vision, handles and ability to slash / cut without the basketball. Additionally, he did a nice job of finishing in traffic with either hand. In short, he has developed into the highly coveted point-forward style of player. When you combine Price’s elite skill set with his jump to a program that boasts a talented roster and a rich basketball tradition, everyone should expect a monster senior year from Price.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1122143" first="Chris" last="Weiah"]</strong> <strong>- 6’4”</strong> /<strong> Junior / Phoenixville / Power Forward: </strong>Last winter, Weiah averaged 7.4 ppg for the Phantoms which is a solid, but not an eye popping stat line. However, towards the end of the 2019-20 season, his development into a legitimate low post threat was very obvious to all of Phoenixville’s opponents in the PAC. An athletic and long prospect, Weiah could always dominate the glass and block shots. It was his ability to power through contact on the blocks, the emergence of a nice scoring touch and continued improvement in his footwork as well as positioning skills that produced his late season surge. Weiah also displayed an improved ability to score off the dribble -- catching the ball at the elbow, putting it on the floor and getting to the rim. In January/February he put up double figures in numerous games and posted a season high 15 points vs Owen J Roberts (PA).  </p>