Metro Classic: Previewing the out-of-state talent

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The annual Metro Classic returns to the Garden State this weekend with a loaded three-day slate of games at Stockton College in Galloway. Many of the state's top teams and players will be participating, including a handful of matchups against elite out-of-state competition. Keep reading for a look at the non-Jersey teams coming in for the weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">SPIRE Academy National (OH)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Considered the country's best team by some national ranking services, SPIRE comes to town led by Jersey native and legendary first-year coach Kevin Boyle. Their coach isn't the only local connection, as SPIRE also features former Colonia (NJ) star and Providence commit [player_tooltip player_id='1595674' first='Aiden' last='Derkack']. The do-everything guard is joined in the lineup by fellow Power 5 commits in [player_tooltip player_id='2023905' first='Tarris' last='Bouie'] (Alabama), [player_tooltip player_id='2961994' first='Dorian' last='Rinaldo-Komlan'] (Iowa State), and [player_tooltip player_id='1660032' first='Alex' last='Constanza'] (Georgetown) along with a cadre of nationally-ranked juniors in [player_tooltip player_id='2238210' first='King' last='Gibson'], [player_tooltip player_id='2194337' first='Darrell' last='Davis'], and [player_tooltip player_id='2287864' first='Charles' last='Pur']. SPIRE takes on Bergen Catholic on Thursday night, College Achieve on Friday, and Linden on Saturday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">SPIRE International (OH)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Along with their EYBL Scholastic program, SPIRE is also bringing it's International Varsity team to town for the weekend. The International team boasts some high-major talent of its own, most notably in the form of bookend forwards [player_tooltip player_id='2125747' first='Jeffrey' last='Reynolds'] (2027) and [player_tooltip player_id='2309001' first='Anthony' last='Goring'] (2028). Also keep an eye on unsigned Canadian big man [player_tooltip player_id='2962003' first='Harmon' last='Hailemichael'], a towering presence inside by way of Orangeville Prep. SPIRE International will take on Hudson Catholic, Hill School, and Gill St. Bernard's over the course of the event.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">St. Thomas More (CT)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Along with the high school action, several prep schools are also taking part in the event, including one of New England's most storied programs in St. Thomas More. This year's Chancellors are led by a talented crop of juniors, most notably a trio of potential high-major recruits in transfers Patrick Otey (Overtime Elite) and Grayson Pierce (Loomis Chaffee) plus returning swingman DJ Hawkins. That's not all, however, as fellow juniors Dillon Callahan and Bentley Shelton are D1 prospects in their own right along with intriguing unsigned seniors Kur Anyang and Johnny Keenan. The Chancellors will play two games, kicking off the event with a matchup against Penn Charter and also playing Blair Academy on Friday night.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Crestwood Prep (CAN)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Making the trip across the border from Canada, Crestwood Prep brings some firepower in the form of two potentially elite sophomores. Swingman Isaiah Hamilton is regarded as one of the top young prospects in North America, ranked as high as 2nd overall in the 2028 class after starring for Canada in the FIBA U16 AmeriCup. Classmate Isaiah Clarke is also a national team member and pairs with Hamilton to form as talented a young wing duo as you'll find. Also keep an eye out for senior guard Malakhi Phillips. Crestwood will play a pair of games beginning on Friday night, taking on St. Joe's Metuchen and Blair Academy, respectively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Westtown School (PA)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Making the relatively short trip across state lines, Westtown is arguably the top team in the Keystone State right now. The Moose are younger than usual, led by an array of D1 talent across the sophomore and junior classes. 2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2450782' first='Rowan' last='Phillips'] and 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2452096' first='Ajani' last='Stewart'] do the heavy lifting as scorers, with 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2427312' first='Wilson' last='Udo'] running the show and 2027 Marshall Bailey adding a knockdown shooting threat. Also look out for a talented group of sophomore forwards in [player_tooltip player_id='2569807' first='Declan' last='Ehigie'], [player_tooltip player_id='2743616' first='Peace' last='Brand'], and [player_tooltip player_id='2846292' first='Victor' last='Lagerkvist'] along with senior Purdue-Fort Wayne commit [player_tooltip player_id='2492438' first='Adam' last='Walker'] up front. Westtown closes out the event with a matchup with Patrick School on Saturday night.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Hill School (PA)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Also making the trip from Pennsylvania, the Hill School comes in for one game on Friday to take on SPIRE International. The traditional MAPL and PAISAA power is led by do-everything senior [player_tooltip player_id='2251704' first='Ethan' last='Johnston'], a Marquette pledge known to stuff the stat sheet from the backcourt. Hill is a senior-laden team, with Johnston being flanked by unsigned post-grads [player_tooltip player_id='1287319' first='Ben' last='Natal'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1230538' first='Zane' last='Conlon'] along with D3 commits [player_tooltip player_id='1466596' first='Caleb' last='Jameson'] and Joseph Terreri. [player_tooltip player_id='2427983' first='Cole' last='Trn'] (2027) and [player_tooltip player_id='2234307' first='Eyan' last='Valadez'] (2028) also provide a stable backcourt core for the future.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Penn Charter (PA)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The multi-time defending Inter-Ac champions, Penn Charter comes in looking to right the ship after a bit of a losing streak in league play. One of the region's elite sophomores, [player_tooltip player_id='2450669' first='Carter' last='Smith'], leads the way while pacing the Quakers in every major statistical category besides blocks per game. Unsigned senior [player_tooltip player_id='1188624' first='Kasey' last='Fleming'] provides a consistent secondary scoring threat with an otherwise younger group that most notably includes an intriguing sophomore forward in [player_tooltip player_id='2397565' first='Daniel' last='Gilhool'] and a precocious eighth grader in Jackson Boyd. PC kicks off the event with a Thursday afternoon matchup against St. Thomas More.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->