PAISAA Tournament: Cristo Rey 76, Germantown Academy 61

Eight seed Cristo Rey fought back from an early deficit to defend its home floor and defeat ninth-seeded Germantown Academy in the first round of the PAISAA tournament. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2251708' first='Tyler' last='Tolbert'] paced the Blue Pride with 19 points while senior swingman Mick McKee led GA with 18.    Leading an otherwise younger Cristo Rey group, particularly in the backcourt, Tolbert stepped up with his high school career hanging in the balance and delivered a clutch 19-point effort to overcome an early deficit. Tolbert was tough to contain attacking off the bounce, operating both as a lead ballhandler and attacking from the wing in a multiguard alignment. He was efficient covering ground with his handle and showed polished footwork getting into both rim finishes and pullup jumpers. His midrange pullup to break a tie and beat the third-quarter buzzer was key toward establishing momentum to set up a 17-1 run that shut the door for good. Tolbert is a hidden gem for the small-college level and is worth a real look for local D2's.     It wasn't the prettiest but Monroe was nonetheless highly effective while racking up 12 points and pulling down what felt like at least that many rebounds. He thrived on the strength of his size, athleticism, and boundless energy while setting a hard-nosed tone on both ends of the floor. The hybrid forward was an effective dumpoff threat around the rim and stood out on the defensive end with his ability to slide his feet on the perimeter and contribute as a secondary rim protector. His runout dunk just before halftime was key toward establishing the Blue Pride's momentum heading into the break. He'll have a chance to emerge as a bona fide D1 prospect over the course of the spring and summer.     Matched up with an undersized GA frontcourt, Adamson kept it simple while sticking to his strength and imposing his will as a two-way paint presence. Adamson nearly racked up a double-double with 10 points, punctuated by a pair of fourth quarter dunks that slammed the door on any Patriot comeback hopes. He was an intimidating force as a rim protector and consistently created extra possessions with his nonstop energy on the glass. There were also a couple intriguing instances where he was caught on the perimeter and held up well to keep the ball in front. While he has clear limitations from a skill standpoint offensively, Adamson could add value at the D1 level for programs who value motor and athleticism at the '5'.     In what's likely to be his last organized basketball game, McKee went down swinging with a hard-fought 18 points in the loss. The hyper-athletic wing guard was a constant aggressor looking to get downhill and put pressure on the rim, both in the halfcourt and transition. He has a dynamic first step with functional ball skills and explosive finishing ability once he gets a step on his man. Heading to Lehigh to play wide receiver, McKee lacks a degree of polish from having focused more on football but is a clear standout talent on the hardwood who could have garnered scholarship-level interest had he chosen that route.     The leading scorer for GA throughout the year, Brenner was held mostly in check throughout the game but showed his ability during a big third quarter. Looking notably stronger than when we saw him last, he scored 10 of his 14 points in that third frame, using his size and burgeoning strength to work near the rim and get himself going. He was effective dribbling into postups against smaller defenders while also staying active as a cutter and crasher. Known as a shooter, Brenner struggled to find a groove but did flash his touch on a smooth wing 3. His size and ability to thrive in structure should have him on the radar of high-academic programs across levels over the course of the spring and summer.     A new name on our radar, Rush came out swinging and caught the eye immediately with all 11 of his points coming in the first quarter. He stood out as a dangerous and reliable threat from long range, spotting up off-ball for smooth catch-and-shoot attempts from well beyond the line. Not just a one-trick pony, he also showed some skill and ambition to his handle both driving closeouts and operating as a secondary creator. It's unclear if Rush will pursue basketball at the next level as he's also part of GA's football team but there should undoubtedly be a spot for him on someone's small college roster.     Coming in off the bench to add a key spark for the Patriots, Addo-Boateng intrigued with his natural scoring ability from the wing. He would score nine points, all in the first half, highlighted by a coast-to-coast take just before the first-quarter buzzer that established GA's largest lead of the game. He showed smooth mechanics getting into his stepback 3 with natural instincts for creating space at each level of the floor. Quick on his feet with an athletic build, Addo-Boateng has a chance to develop into a nice high-academic prospect as he learns to stay under control and take efficient shots.

Eight seed Cristo Rey fought back from an early deficit to defend its home floor and defeat ninth-seeded Germantown Academy in the first round of the PAISAA tournament. Senior guard Tyler Tolbert Tyler Tolbert 5'11" | PG Cristo Rey Philadelphia | 2026 State PA paced the Blue Pride with 19 points while senior swingman Mick McKee led GA with 18.