PAISAA Quarterfinals: Unsigned seniors (2025) 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). Take a look below for a handful of unsigned seniors who will be important factors for their teams as they compete for a PA Independent School state title.    The man in the middle for the two-time defending state champs, Homenick impacts games with his length and athleticism up front while still possessing a litter of upside. A natural rim-runner with solid hands and explosive finishing ability, his body type and mobility will catch the eye of any coach up to the highest levels. The finer points of his game remain a work in progress, but the flashes of shooting touch and passing feel offer a glimpse of what could still be yet to come. With big men always at a premium, it would behoove any academic D1 program in search of frontcourt help to check in on Homenick, with a redshirt year potentially in play for higher-level programs.     There's a lot of complexities to basketball, but at the end of the day it comes down to scoring more points than the other team, placing a perpetual value on the pure bucket-getting that Johnson provides. A true three-level scoring threat, he's a consistent matchup problem with his ability to finish over smaller defenders inside or drag bigger forwards away from the basket to attack off the bounce. He's grown into a reliable shooter off the catch from 3. We'd like to see him find more ways to apply his size and athleticism over the course of the game, but scholarship-level schools looking for scoring on the wing can certainly throw a look Johnson's way.     A late-bloomer still picking up some of the intricacies of the game, McFadden catches the eye with his natural physical gifts. A long, mobile forward with an increasingly strong frame, he has a game most suited to the frontcourt but with the athleticism of a wing. As a "program kid" who's slowly come up the ranks at Malvern, he's broken out at times this year with his ability to finish inside, clean the glass, and offer versatility on D. Academic small-colleges would be wise to take a look at him as it can be rare to find the athletic tools that he possesses at that level.     There's a lot to be said as a prospect for consistent year-to-year improvement, and few embody that notion more than Melniczak. A southpaw wing guard, he's grown from a little-used bench piece into a key scorer for a George team that surpassed expectations in winning the regular season Friends League title. He's somewhat of a Swiss-army knife with his ability to knock down shots off the catch, attack gaps as a slasher, defend multiple positions, and find his way to loose balls on both ends. High-level D3 programs should be all over Melniczak, with his contributions to winning and track record of improvement giving academic scholarship-level programs reason to check in.     While he can be outshined at times by a pair of D1 commits in the Perkiomen backcourt, Sadler has consistently found ways to contribute as a post-grad after being "the man" during his time at Perkiomen Valley (PA). A smooth lefty, he provides value with his ability to toggle between playing on and off the ball while being a consistent threat to score in large part via his perimeter jumper. The progress he's shown as a decisionmaker at the lead guard spot will be key towards scholarship-level programs ultimately deciding to pull the trigger.     It can be cliché to say a player plays bigger than his size, but it's hard to think anything else when watching Vaughn's impact over the course of the game. His nose for the ball and truly elite vertical athleticism make him a consistent threat for plays near the rim on both ends. He's also developed into a dangerous catch-and-shoot threat from deep. D1s will want to see more progress as a lead guard given his stature, but at this point it's fair to say the Delaware native is being overlooked for the scholarship level given his track record of impacting games at a high level.     A high-energy scoring guard with explosive athleticism, Waters improves with seemingly each viewing. He stands out with his length and athletic ability, but has grown into a consistent shooter from range while really refining his game off the dribble as well. A terror in transition, the strides Waters has made in his skillset have been key towards a more consistent impact in a halfcourt setting. His buy-in and playmaking instincts on D are also safe bets to translate to the next level. It's also hard not to appreciate his communication and leadership. Waters has been pursued hard by high-academic D3 programs, but there's upside here for scholarship-level programs to tap into.

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). Take a look below for a handful of unsigned seniors who will be important factors for their teams as they compete for a PA Independent School state title.