Donofrio Classic: Week One stock-risers

The Donofrio Classic kicked off it 64th year this past week with an action-packed set of opening round games. Keep reading for a handful of stock-risers from the first week with games set to continue on Monday before the second round starts on Wednesday night.    Despite leaving with a first round loss, nobody did more for their stock than Pace during the first week of the Donofrio, with news and video of his 44-point outburst reverberating across the region. The unsigned senior guard took full advantage of the opportunity on a new stage after running circles around most of South Jersey over the course of the winter. His blend of shotmaking and dribble-drive creation has consistently caused havoc for opposing defenders, especially when factoring in his ability to whip passes across the floor on a dime with either hand. Pace earned his first two D1 offers in the days since his explosive performance and will look to boost his stock even further during the spring AAU season.     Bailey's PA Hoops team left with a narrow loss to a talented Difference Makers Elite group but the junior guard opened plenty of eyes with his dynamic scoring performance. The prolific sharpshooter, originally from Maryland's eastern shore region, nearly shot his team into the second round before anybody realized what had happened, knocking down five quick first half 3's while demonstrating his pristine mechanics and lightning-quick trigger. Where he really impressed was with the added wrinkles he showed punishing aggressive defenders with smooth and explosive combos off the dribble, knifing into the lane for strong finishes off two feet. Bailey is on a D1 track no matter what but could see some offers come his way sooner than later if he continues showing that type of growth off the bounce.     Unsigned seniors have made names for themselves at the Donofrio for decades and Perkins can now add himself to the list after his 37-point first round explosion in a decisive win. The southpaw wing isn't a household name, having seen little varsity action before this year and then coming off the bench for Malvern as a senior. He's always flashed intriguing talent, with explosive athleticism and smooth shotmaking ability from the perimeter, but this was the most he's ever shown in terms of putting it all together into impactful production. The southpaw could be an intriguing late add for high-academic programs at a variety of levels or could make good use of a post-grad year as a younger senior with a lack of much in-game experience.     After putting up video game numbers for most of the season in South Jersey, Adomanis made the trip over the river and further proved himself as one of the more versatile and consistently productive unsigned forwards in the region. Despite a first round loss, he made a notable splash with 38 points and 15 rebounds, showing his full inside-out skillset in the process. Adomanis has consistently expanded his game toward the perimeter but done so without losing sight of his bread-and-butter, that being his energetic impact around the rim. His Donofrio outburst was yet another indicator that he's a scholarship-level prospect who could even be worth a look for D1 programs as he continues proving himself against different forms of competition.     Riley's name has been percolating in the First State throughout the winter as he's stuffed stat sheets for Tower Hill, but suiting up with several of his Uptown teammates for Werdt's Warriors gave him his first real opportunity to make a name for himself within Philly hoops circles. The emerging forward was sure to seize the opportunity, showing the lengths of his versatility and explosive athleticism in a dynamic two-way effort. He was able to fly around on defense to make plays all over the floor, showing off what could be a calling card for him as he looks to translate toward the scholarship level. Riley is now firmly on the radar after his Donofrio debut with a chance to generate some real buzz on the AAU scene this spring.     The flashes were there throughout the winter as Valera Melo headlined a deep and talented young core at Phelps that fit in smoothly as complementary pieces to a dynamic senior backcourt. His upside was already apparent but the Dominican wing's Donofrio debut, despite coming in a loss, gave him the chance to show how much he's already capable of when empowered with a greater offensive load. Instead of spacing out to the wing, he was placed into more of a ballhandling role, showing his ability to create his own shot from the perimeter in a way that's really intriguing for a young prospect with his size. His ability to produce across a variety of roles gives him a nice intersection of floor and ceiling when considering his long-term projection as a prospect.

The Donofrio Classic kicked off it 64th year this past week with an action-packed set of opening round games. Keep reading for a handful of stock-risers from the first week with games set to continue on Monday before the second round starts on Wednesday night.