PAISAA Quarterfinals: Underclassmen to watch

Hill School and Haverford School kicked off the PAISAA quarterfinals on Saturday, but the rest of the quarterfinal round will take place Tuesday with six teams vying for bids to the semis. Top-seeded Perkiomen, the defending champ, hosts Malvern Prep, second-seeded Penn Charter hosts George School, and fourth-seeded Springside Chestnut Hill hosts upset-minded Phelps School (12th seed). Read below for a look at a number of underclassmen who will factor in heavily for their teams as they compete for a PA Independent School state title.    One of the higher-upside prospects in the state, Chwastyk comes off the bench but makes a consistent impact for Malvern with his size, skill, and versatility up front. He shows all the outlines of a modern big or stretch forward, scoring efficiently around the bucket off rolls, dumpoffs, or offensive boards but also being able to step out and shoot or show flashes off the dribble. Defensively, he protects the rim with enthusiasm while flashing an ability to contain guards on switches. There's clear high-major upside as his body matures over time.     One of two freshman starters in the Malvern backcourt last year, Harken was thrown into the fire immediately and it paid dividends with a breakout year as a sophomore. A regular threat for 20+ points, he shows versatile scoring ability but also a consistent impact across the floor game. He's methodical using his footwork and strong frame to work his way to the rim, with a steadily improving ability to space the floor out to 3. Harken is also an outstanding off-ball cutter with strength and athleticism to finish in traffic. He figures to be a popular name among high-academic D1 programs in the coming years.     He's not necessarily relied upon for heavy production in a George lineup littered with experienced guards, but Melniczak has stepped right in at the varsity level with impressive poise. He's skilled and polished off the dribble, crisply breaking down defenses to get into the paint and make plays. He's also shown to be a reliable shooter from 3, a virtual must for guards of his stature at the scholarship level. Melniczak is certainly tracking towards that level at this early stage, with sneaky upside if he can follow anything close to the development trajectory of his brother Luke (2025).     The other freshman starter in Malvern's backcourt last year, Reed was handed the ball from day one at the lead guard spot, so it figures he would look like a chiseled veteran by just this late stage in his sophomore year. With blinding speed off the dribble and rapidly quick hands/feet guarding the ball, he consistently dictates the pace of the game while looking to push tempo and speed up opposing guards. He's learned to harness his speed impressively to finish under control among the trees, with increasingly frequent flashes of consistent pullup shooting to keep defenses honest. Along with his teammate in Harken, Reed figures to be a hot name among Northeast D1 programs in the years to come.     Another of the higher-upside prospects in the state, Smith cut his teeth last year while receiving varsity minutes as an 8th grader. While his role didn't fluctuate much with the return of five college-bound seniors (including 3 high-majors), he showed a clear uptick over the course of his freshman year. His feel for the game paired with his natural athletic gifts and polished skill level make for a pretty seamless projection to the next level, provided he adds the requisite strength to his frame over time. With the Quakers losing most of their production and Smith having bided his time in the background, he's a heavy candidate for a sophomore breakout that could place him onto high-major radars sooner rather than later.     New to the area this year after transferring down from St. Thomas More (CT), Yue showed some brilliant flashes over the course of his repeat-freshman year. A native of China still adjusting to the speed of the American game, he's most comfortable as a prolific floor-spacer in the frontcourt, with the ability to hoist and convert on 3's off a wide variety of actions. Yue also shows an ability to create his own shot, whether in the post or facing up off the dribble, where he's also a threat to make plays for teammates. There will be questions about his athleticism and defensive fit at the next level, but Yue figures to at least draw intrigue up to the high-major level in coming years with his size and offensive prowess.

Hill School and Haverford School kicked off the PAISAA quarterfinals on Saturday, but the rest of the quarterfinal round will take place Tuesday with six teams vying for bids to the semis. Top-seeded Perkiomen, the defending champ, hosts Malvern Prep, second-seeded Penn Charter hosts George School, and fourth-seeded Springside Chestnut Hill hosts upset-minded Phelps School (12th seed). Read below for a look at a number of underclassmen who will factor in heavily for their teams as they compete for a PA Independent School state title.