2021-22 Friends League Midseason Notes

The Friends League is as talented as it’s ever been this season, top to bottom. The teams at the top in particular could compete (and win) in any league in the area, including the Catholic. Here are a few players that known and under-the-radar players who are making an impact. Pleasant Surprises [player_tooltip player_id="1379563" first="Quin" last="Berger"] | Westtown 6’1 G ‘22 With all the attention on Lively II (Duke) and Brown (Penn St) and the internal pressure of being the head coach’s son, Berger has become a diamond in the rough. Quin is even shining his brightest in their toughest games. Most recently, he led them with 26 points on 50% from the field versus Gill St. Bernard. He’s a rugged player on both ends, matching up with some of the best opposing guards nationally. When he’s not cashing in deep threes, Quin is using his thick upper body to bully defenders on drives and post ups. Coach Berger’s son is easily one of the most underrated guards in the area. [player_tooltip player_id="991213" first="Anthony" last="McCall"] | Academy of the New Church 6’4 W ‘22 After not having a junior season at all, Ant is leaving it all on the floor during his senior campaign. ANC has an average margin of victory of over 20 points and that starts with McCall’s leadership on defense. His 2.2 steals and 1.3 blocks per game are the result of him sliding his feet and taking the right angles to effect plays without fouling. Offensively, Ant is leading the league in scoring with 19.4 points/game. The majority of his points are either assisted or come on put-backs (8.6 rebounds/game). He uses his craft to find angles to finish and still get to the free throw line, where he’s shooting 74%. [player_tooltip player_id="1176360" first="Muhsin" last="Muhammad"] | Germantown Friends 6’3 G ’23 During GF’s non-conference schedule, Muhsin picked up where he left off in the handful of games he played as a sophomore. He immediately lit up local and out-of-area teams in some quality match-ups. But he wasn’t getting much attention for it. Things have slowly picked up since he started putting up those same non-con numbers in the Friends League. Muhammad routinely puts up 20+ points a night. A gifted on-ball scorer with solid athleticism, Muhsin changes speeds really well by exploding past his man then hitting the breaks near the basket. His long arms help him access different angles to finish at the rim. And when he draws help, he’s able to dish to a teammate cutting or spotting up. Dante Weiss | George School 6’1 G ‘23 Good things happen when Dante, a Jersey-native touches the ball in the half-court because of how unselfish he is. An over-qualified connector, Weiss is skilled enough to play on the ball. Yet, he chooses to make the most of his touches by swiftly getting the ball out of his hands and passing through tight windows to his teammates. Dante averages 7 points and 5 assists (second on the team). His 2.38 assist-to-turnover ratio underscores how effective of a decision-maker he is. With that in-mind, coaches and viewers agree that the Cougars benefit even further when Dante is more selfish. Rising Stars [player_tooltip player_id="1285466" first="Christian" last="Bliss"] | George School 6’4 G ‘24 Since transferring in from Archbishop Malloy (NY), Bliss has impacted every aspect of the game for GS. The two-way guard leads them in points (19), assists (4.5), deflections (2.0), and steals (1.3), and is third in rebounds (5.6). He shows versatility on defense given his feel and physical tools. Offensively, he makes a living on tough shots off-the-bounce. Christian uses his handle to rock defenders side-to-side before finding just enough space to pull up in rhythm from 3 (33.3%) or the mid-range. When he gets into the paint, he’s efficient at the rim because he’s able to absorb contact and finish through contact, then knock-down his free throws (80.9%). [player_tooltip player_id="1279645" first="Ife" last="West-Ingram"] | Abington Friends 6’5 W ‘23 Coming over from Cheltenham, Ife is an effective glue-guy alongside super sophomore Kaydin Ford. Defensively, he either guards the opposing team’s best wing or covers up his teammates’ mistakes from the weak side using his long arms. He keeps things flowing for the Kangaroos on offense with his ability to dribble, pass, shoot. The volume isn’t there yet from three, but Ife shows flashes of a movement shooter through his scoring from mid-range. His coaches like running him off of curls around the elbow for easy buckets. Together with his 1-2 dribble pull up, West-Ingram is becoming a legit two-way wing that everyone in the league should watch out for. [player_tooltip player_id="1202039" first="Christian" last="Kirkland"] | Friends Select 6’7 F ‘23 It’s everyday that one of the tallest kids on the court is also the most skilled, yet, that’s often the case when Kirkland is on the floor. The Falcons are their best when Christian is a point-forward on offense and their anchor on defense. His ability to score and facilitate a bit from the high-post isn’t new. However, what did stand out recently is his perimeter game. Traditional post-players are mismatches for Kirkland and he exploits them by creating advantages off-the-dribble, then making reads that generate points for him or someone else. Chris plays the 5 for Friends Select, but, best believe he’s a combo forward at the next level. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/01/IMG_20220118_184748923.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1374303" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/01/IMG_20220118_184748923-228x300.jpg" alt="" width="228" height="300" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1173986" first="Fazl" last="Oshodi"] | Friends Central 6’3 G ‘24 His offense is great, but Faz is already one of the top point-of-attack defenders in the league. Ball-handlers have a hard time getting by him because of how he uses his long, lean frame and quick feet. He also does a good job staying glued to his man when bigs try to screen him. On the other end, Faz is key to their success. He’s as talented of a on-ball scorer as there is in the Philly area’s 2024 class, but he spaces the floor for FCS as an off-ball shooter. There’s rarely a game where he doesn’t knock down at least a couple treys. Other Impact Players Kaydin Ford | Abington Friends 5’7 G ‘24 [player_tooltip player_id="1382949" first="Isaiah" last="Milien"] | Academy of the New Church 5’11 G ‘22 Gabe Harris | Academy of the New Church 6’8 C ‘22 [player_tooltip player_id="1122142" first="Collin" last="Bowman"] | Friends Central 6’2 G ‘23 Isaiah Marshall | Friends Select 6’1 G ‘25 Gestin Liberis | George School 6’10 F/C ‘22 Jordan Dill | Germantown Friends 6’0 G ‘26 Andrew Elmore | Moorestown Friends (NJ) 6’2 G ‘22 Colby Wierner | Moorestown Friends 5’10 G ‘22 [player_tooltip player_id="1119155" first="Raijon" last="DiSpensa"] | Shipley 6’8 F ‘23 [player_tooltip player_id="1200771" first="Matt" last="Mayock"] | Westtown 6’6 W ‘23 Seyphon Triplett | Westtown 6’1 G ‘23   For more coverage of Philadelphia basketball, follow me on twitter and IG @CGraham_Sports.