Best of the Rest: PCL Sophomores (2027) to Watch

Easily the best league in the state and one of the best high school leagues across the country, the Philly Catholic League (PCL) isn't a kind place for underclassmen looking to compete among the big boys. While we already highlighted the group of top sophomores in the league over the course of the season, there were a handful of additional contributors from the 2027 class who merit long-term monitoring. We decided to highlight them here, listed in alphabetical order.    A newcomer to the league after not cracking Lower Merion's varsity last year, Brown made an instant impact at O'Hara and showed plenty of intrigue as a prospect. His length, defensive instincts, and overall touch offensively all represent great long-term building blocks. Brown was right away one of the premier defensive playmakers in the PCL. He's still coming into his own both physically and with his skillset, but there's every reason to believe this is a D1 prospect in due time, with sizable upside left to tap into.     Another transfer who made the jump over the bridge from Eastern (NJ), Franklin actually saw an uptick in his production from his freshman year along with the notable jump in competition. A long and athletic presence in the backcourt, he possesses a good deal of polish as a scorer and finisher. He plays effectively at all three levels offensively, though will have to continue to work on his consistency from the perimeter. We look forward to seeing him continue learning to apply his physical tools elsewhere on the game outside of scoring.     Maybe the hardest to leave off our PCL All-Sophomore team, Jackson was a consistent engine for Bonner on both ends at the point of attack. After contributing as a freshman, he jumped into the starting lineup and showed great consistency as a downhill threat, decisionmaker, and perimeter shooter. There's limitations for some systems based on his size, but for coaches who embrace smaller guards, there's a lot to like here moving forward.     A transfer from Upper Moreland with a good deal of varsity reps already, Martin made the jump to the PCL look pretty seamless as a sophomore. Part of a deep young core at Egan, he shows a good deal of polish working off-ball as a shooter and cutter. His wiry strong build and developing athleticism help point to real long-term upside as well. Will be a key if Egan's to make a jump up the PCL standings into the playoffs next year.     Another key piece of Egan's young core, Moore stepped into a featured scoring role after a somewhat rare in-league transfer from West Catholic. He flashed last year as a freshman, but was a consistent producer this year under the increased workload. His natural talent as a shot-creator from multiple levels can really jump out at you along with his budding frame and athleticism. The next step will be boosting his efficiency and learning to impact games outside of scoring.     A JV player as a freshman, Okebata stepped onto the varsity this year and made an immediate impact for a feisty LaSalle group. He impacts games consistently with his sheer length and dynamic athleticism, with ability to score both going downhill and spacing out to the perimeter. His highest upside most likely lies on the defensive end, where he already racks up steals and deflections from the backcourt. Okebata is one we look forward to getting more of a look at this spring.     After seeing spot minutes as a freshman, Stone jumped into the starting lineup and had some really nice moments at the helm of Ryan's attack. He consistently shined on defense, using his length, instincts, and competitiveness to hound opposing ballhandlers and spark transition opportunities. Offensively, he shows strong ability to collapse a defense off the dribble before finishing or finding a teammate. His ceiling at the next level will be determined largely by the progress of his jumper in the coming years.

Easily the best league in the state and one of the best high school leagues across the country, the Philly Catholic League (PCL) isn't a kind place for underclassmen looking to compete among the big boys. While we already highlighted the group of top sophomores in the league over the course of the season, there were a handful of additional contributors from the 2027 class who merit long-term monitoring. We decided to highlight them here, listed in alphabetical order.