Hoophall Classic: Westtown vs Gil St. Bernard’s (Part 2)

Joel Francisco

January 28, 2022 @ 10:59 PM

Hoophall Classic: Westtown (PA) vs Gil St. Bernard’s (NJ) (Part 2) SPRINGFIELD, MA—The game between Gill St. Bernards and Westtown had a mix of young and old when it comes to elite prospects. With the exception of the Class of 2025, every other class was represented with arguably the best player in each class in 2022 Dereck Lively, 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="902732" first="Mackenzie" last="Mgbako"], and 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="902746" first="Naasir" last="Cunningham"]. With the exception of Lively, Mgbako and Cunningham put on a show with their respective performances as Gill St. Bernards defeated Westtown 70-60. Dereck Lively (Westtown) 2022, C, 7-foot-2, 225 pounds Joel’s take: Lively didn’t have a strong scoring output (5-points), but you could still see his talent and upside. The rangy 5-man with a 7-foot-6 wingspan has excellent timing at both ends of the floor. Defensively he is a high-level rim protector, but his real impressive attribute is his ability to slide his feet and hedge out on screens. Offensively, he was 1-of-3 from beyond the arc, but his stroke is smooth. Not to mention he is an uncanny passer at his size. However, on the block, he needs to improve his footwork and balance (bend knees) while trying to convert in the paint. [player_tooltip player_id="991188" first="Jameel" last="Brown"] (Westtown) 2022, G, 6-foot-5, Joel’s take: Brown, who is headed to Penn State, is a lengthy wing who possesses a nice all-around game. He impacts the game in multiple ways with his energy at both ends. He has good length with long arms and his hands are active. He can face-up his opponent, shows a quick 1st step and he can slash his way to the rim. In the paint, he can drop in a floater or knock in a deep jump shot. [player_tooltip player_id="1269773" first="Geancarlo" last="Peguero"] (Gil St. Bernards) 2023, F, 6-foot-6 Joel’s take: Peguero got off to a slow start, but he finished strong. He plays both ends of the floor and he is built for the college level. He has broad shoulders, long arms, and he has a chiseled frame. He can attack the rim despite not being overly quick. but he has the strength to carry his defender and finish through contact. In addition, he can shoot the 3, competes at a high level, and moves well without the ball. Peter Mauro (Gil St. Bernards) 2025, PG, 6-foot, Joel’s take: Mauro, despite being a 9th grader, held his own in a high-level game. He has a solid-looking frame with good ball skills in the open court. He moves well without the ball. His jump shot looks tight as well as he knocked in a couple of shots from distance off the catch.