St. Benedict's Prep at Hill School: Standout Prospects

[caption id="attachment_1365436" align="alignleft" width="270"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Augustus-Gerhart-2023-II-crop-412x271-1642114878.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1365436" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Augustus-Gerhart-2023-II-crop-412x271-1642114878-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="270" height="177" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1202023" first="Augustus" last="Gerhart"] (C/O 2023) of Hill School & Philly Pride.[/caption] On Wednesday night the Hill School hosted St. Benedict’s Prep out of New Jersey. Ordinarily we do not “scout” a game involving at team from New Jersey, but this matchup features two tremendously talented rosters. So it was too good to pass on. This year, Hill’s roster boasts several college prospects making them one of the top “prep school” teams in southeastern Pennsylvania. St. Benedict’s Prep is the reigning NJ State Prep A champion, and the program is a traditional New Jersey basketball powerhouse. They are currently ranked No. 15 in New Jersey and this year’s Bees lineup features a slew of prospects who will play at the next level. This contest was an even better match-up than we anticipated. Both teams competed at an astonishingly high level. In the end SBP won 64-62. Below is a review of the college prospects that took the court last night for the St. Benedict’s Prep vs. Hill School game. Hill School [player_tooltip player_id="1202023" first="Augustus" last="Gerhart"] – 6’9” / Junior / Philly Pride National / Power Forward: One would be hard pressed to name another big who has increased his recruiting stock as much over the last 6 months as Gerhart (19 ppg. & 9 rpg.). In the paint Gerhart can score in numerous ways and he is incredibly efficient at doing it. His footwork continues to improve and his athleticism surprises defenders. It should also be noted was that Gerhart was draining threes in warm-ups. Then during the game, he knocked home a corner trey. If he can consistently make triples at the college level, Gerhart will be an excellent stretch-4 player. He recently picked up offers from two of the Ivies -- Penn and Columbia. [player_tooltip player_id="991318" first="Oliver" last="Hutchinson"] – 6’3” / Senior / NEPA Elite / Shooting Guard: The was our first-time watching Hutchinson play and we came away extremely impressed. He a fluid athlete with good instincts. His ability to make open catch and shoot as well as contested threes was extraordinary. At the other end he is a solid defender. Hutchinson led Hill in scoring vs SBP with 19 points (5 threes). [player_tooltip player_id="1196125" first="Jacob" last="Meachem"] – 5’10” / Freshman / K-Low Elite / Point Guard: We have had eye on “Meach” for two years now as he is one of the top-rated Class of 2025 point guard prospects in the state. He provides a nice spark off the bench for Hill. His quick dribbling moves allow him to get past defenders and distribute to the open teammate. Ethan Meuser – 6’8” / Senior / NEPA Elite / Small Forward: This Stonehill College (D2) commit recently scored 19 points in an OT win for Hill and last night he continued to do solid work. He owns a deep bag of lost post moves including a quick spin dribble after which he can score with either hand. He also has a smooth jumper with range out to the arc. He is an underrated shot blocker too. Gabe Moss – 6’8” / Senior / Philly Pride National / Power Forward: Moss is a physical and tough frontcourt presence who plays with a great deal of positive energy. The physical nature of his game is complimented by polished offensive moves and a soft touch around the rim. It is a unique combination to witness. On a couple of occasions Moss displayed his athleticism and hop by finishing off plays with a slam. Moss (17 points & 7 rebounds last night) is committed to Delaware. The Blue Hens are getting a stellar prospect. [player_tooltip player_id="1281962" first="Trey" last="O’Neil"] – 6’1” / Sophomore / NJ Scholars Elite / Combo Guard: This three-level scoring machine provides balance for a Hill lineup that in heavy on interior talent. O’Neil is quick and athletic, so he excels in transition. His ability to knock down threes provides much needed spacing for Hill’s bigs. He owns enough handles to run as a point guard if needed. Anthony Wise – 6’2” / Senior / East Coast Power / Point Guard: Wise is type of guard every player wants to run with as his court vision, high basketball IQ and unselfish nature make him a tremendous distributor. Wise has excellent speed and a bit of an edge to his on-court demeanor. He recorded 5 dimes in the 1st half but saw limited minutes after halftime because of an injury. St. Benedicts Prep (NJ) Everton Browne Jr. – 6’0” / Senior / Combo Guard: A high percentage three-point shooter with a quick trigger and loads of confidence, Browne can drain triples of every variety. In a game earlier this season he posted 31 points and has amassed over 1,000 points in his high school career. Omarion Jett-Dobbs – 6’2” / Senior / Combo Guard: Jett-Dobbs is a score-the-ball style backcourt prospect (10 ppg.) who can hit the three from deep and put the ball on the floor to get to his mid-range spots. Jett-Dobbs can play through contact on his way to the rim. His off-ball movement is solid as well. Ty-Laur Johnson – 6’0” / Junior / Combo Guard: Johnson is a coach on the floor style lead guard who has great feel for the game. Mentally he is on-step ahead of everyone else on the floor. Johnson also has a great feel for when he needs to score the ball vs. when to get teammates involved. His dribble drive game is extremely creative. Ladji Dembele – 6’6” / Junior / Wing: Dembele has a raw, but frequently successful back to the basket low post game. Additionally, he can fill a lane in transition and finish strong. He is an excellent rebounder at both ends of the floor. Dembele’s long arms and ability to play above the rim produces easy put back tip ins for him. Here is an interesting note -- Dembele was a member of the Mali national team at the 2021 19U FIBA World Cup. Maurice Vassel – 6’9” / Sophomore / Power Forward: Thanks to a standout summer with the Riverside Hawks (NY), this 2024 prospect has a good deal of college coaches and scouts talking about his game. Now we can see why. His offensive skills are still developing, but he capitalizes on second chance opportunities. His size, wingspan, athleticism, and ability to run rim-to-rim are mesmerizing. Vassel is an intimidating shot blocker too. He already holds offers from Boston College and St. Bonaventure.