Week 7 SEPA Scouting: 7 Prospects Who Impressed

[caption id="attachment_1157857" align="alignleft" width="279"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Ruben-Rodriguez-2021-crop-1438x944-1616945540.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1157857" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Ruben-Rodriguez-2021-crop-1438x944-1616945540-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="279" height="183" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1279633" first="Ruben" last="Rodriguez"] (C/O 2023) from Reading. Photo: @Rubrodriguez25[/caption] The high school basketball schedule here in southeastern Pennsylvania continues to trend towards a return to normalcy. Thus, this past week (or so) we were fortunate to witness numerous contests that featured noteworthy college basketball prospects. In this week’s installment you will notice that prospects from the region are producing jaw dropping scoring performances. We are talking about the type of point totals that break school records and really grab the attention of college coaches. Below is a quick review of seven prospects we saw in-person or via online streams in last week who impressed us with their extraordinary level of play. [player_tooltip player_id="991172" first="Neel" last="Beniwal"] – 6’4’’ / Senior / Phelps School / Rhode Island Elite / Shooting Guard: How a prospect with Beniwal’s length, athleticism, basketball instincts and premier shooting skills (40% from three) remains uncommitted is a mystery wrapped in an enigma. Beniwal’s latest jaw dropping effort was 31 points (8 threes) against Pennsylvania basketball factory Scotland Campus. That game marked the second time this season that Beniwal has rung up 8 or more threes in a single game. [player_tooltip player_id="1379563" first="Quin" last="Berger"] – 6’2’’ / Senior / Westtown School / NJ Shoreshots / Combo Guard: Just when we thought Berger couldn’t get any hotter (Across four games last week he averaged 20 ppg.) he goes out and drops 39 points on Academy of the New Church. Berger followed up that performance with 26 points and 4 rebounds against Gill St. Bernard (NJ). In those two games combined Berger shot over 40% from the field. To say that his recruiting stock is on the rise is an understatement. Berger’s high IQ, court awareness and ability to score at all three levels will make him a great college player. Matt Campione – 6’2’’ / Junior / Pennridge / Shooting Guard: Campione began last week with a fairly routine 15 points and 7 rebounds performance during a win over Council Rock South. However, there was nothing routine about Campione’s scoring line in Pennridge’s next win vs. Harry S Truman. This quick two guard with a watery jumper broke the school record for points in a game with 42 (6 threes as well as 4 steals). As a bonus to his extraordinary shooting, Campione possess enough dribbling skills that he can slide to the point guard spot in a pinch. He also will not hesitate to move the ball to an open teammate. Christopher Edwards – 6’7’’ / Senior / Palmyra Area / York Ballers / Shooting Guard: Edwards plays like a high-level stretch-4 prospect and we know how college coaches love stretch-4s. Because of his height and wingspan, he can shoot threes over defenders on the perimeter or score in close over double teams. Additionally, Edwards has a great feel for the game. He began his latest three-game stretch of fantastic play with 27 points (6 threes) vs. Cedar Cliff. That was followed by 14 points (2 threes) and 8 rebounds against Lower Dauphin. But the highlight of last week for Edwards was the 30 points (6 threes) he hung on Milton Hershey. Edwards is committed to DeSales University (DIII). [player_tooltip player_id="991213" first="Anthony" last="McCall"] – 6’4” / Senior / Academy of the New Church / We R1 / Wing: One of the fastest rising wing players in the Class of 2022, McCall (21 ppg.) has become a walking bucket. This lefty can stroke triples or absorb contact on his way to the rim for a lay-in. He began the week by scoring 17 points and pulling down 5 rebounds in a win over Friends Select. McCall then notched 26 points (3 threes) and 6 rebounds in a tough loss to nationally ranked Westtown School. McCall must have shaken off that loss quickly because the next night he posted 27 points and grabbed 6 boards in a W against the Perkiomen School. It is only a matter of time before McCall’s breakout season produces a slew of college offers. [player_tooltip player_id="1188249" first="Kevin" last="McCarthy"] – 6’4” / Sophomore / Episcopal Academy / Philly Pride Gold / Wing: This sophomore sensation is an extremely versatile prospect with pure shooting mechanics, a quick release and deep range. That trifecta makes McCarthy a lethal shooting threat from anywhere on the court. As a bonus to his automatic jump shot, he possesses solid handles and ability to finish through contact with either hand. So, he can score off the bounce as well. Nevertheless, this past week it was his infamous jumper that propelled McCarthy to a 31-point night (6 threes) against SCHA and then a 20-point (4 threes) effort against Haverford School. McCarthy is a dark horse candidate for Inter-Ac POY honors and has DI potential. [player_tooltip player_id="1378453" first="Ruben" last="Rodriguez"] – 6’1’’ / Junior / Reading / Team Final EYBL / Combo Guard: After the 2020-21 this starter on the 6A state championship team was named as a 1st Team 6A All-State selection. Still, we do not think anyone could have predicted that Rodriguez would post a 50-burger (21 FGs; 4 threes) this season. Did we mention that he posted that outrageous school record in only three quarters of play? That is not a typo. In Reading’s 111-44 win over Daniel Boone, Rodriguez hit for 21 points in the 1st quarter; 20 in the 2nd quarter and 9 in the 3rd quarter, before being removed from the game. Later in the week, this fearless backcourt prospect who can obviously play as a scoring lead guard or facilitate for others, recorded 22 points in a win over national power Vertical Academy (NC). During that contest Rodriguez eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for his career.