Donofrio Classic: Week two storylines to follow

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 64th annual Donofrio Classic rolls on this week with the conclusion of the first round and the start of second round action. Keep reading for a look at some storylines to follow heading into the second week of action in Conshohocken.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Philly Hoop Group debuts a talent-laden group</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rosters are never completely finalized until a team takes the floor, but Philly Hoop Group makes its debut in this year's tournament on Monday night with what figures to be a loaded team featuring players from across District 12. A pair of the area's best senior guards both bound for the Big 5 figure to lead the way with Father Judge's [player_tooltip player_id='1611959' first='Derrick' last='Morton-Rivera'] (Temple) and Roman's [player_tooltip player_id='1613878' first='RJ' last='Smith'] (La Salle) teaming up after a series of battles over the past several years. The Imhotep tandem of [player_tooltip player_id='1406792' first='Zaahir' last='Muhammad-Gray'] and another Big 5 commit in Drexel-bound [player_tooltip player_id='1888747' first='Latief' last='Lorenzano-White'] give athleticism and versatility on the wings with breakout Judge junior [player_tooltip player_id='2853708' first='Jeremiah' last='Adedeji'] adding support up front along with seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1611931' first='Kody' last='Colson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1406771' first='Dillon' last='Gamble'] in the backcourt. It will be interesting to see if nationally-touted junior Zion Green, a Philly native now playing down in Maryland, will suit or not, as he's on the roster but has played in the past with Hunting Park. Whether he does or not, expect this team to be a contender deep into the bracket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Independent school battles rekindle in Difference Makers/Love Basketball duel</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The second round tips off on Wednesday night, where matchups start to get really heated with loads of D1 talent on the floor for both sides in most games. That figures to be the case on Thursday when Love Basketball clashes with Difference Makers Elite, both coming off exciting first round wins.<br><br>Both teams feature a litany of prospects from across the PA and NJ independent school ranks, many of whom have done battle with and against each other throughout the winter months. Love Basketball features a roster heavily comprised of Academy of the New Church seniors (most notably [player_tooltip player_id='2056714' first='Ryan' last='Warren'], [player_tooltip player_id='1608494' first='Dior' last='Carter'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1387096' first='Bryce' last='Rollerson']) along with several prospects from the Phelps School's post-grad team. They'll match up with a Difference Makers team that will include a half-dozen players who matched up with ANC this season, including one who used to go there. Also included is a member of Phelps' national team who's battled with the post-grads in practice and open gym nearly every day since the fall. The winner will move on to what should be a fun quarterfinal matchup, presumably against either Philly Hoop Group or [program_tooltip program_id='2078682' first='K-Low' last='Elite'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Keystone Blazers/Philly Blaze emerging as the favorites?</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Keystone Blazers/Philly Blaze took the floor on Wednesday and looked like a force to be reckoned with, sporting a blend of prospects from the Catholic League and the Philly suburbs to team with five-star sophomore Mason Collins by way of Delaware. PCL stars [player_tooltip player_id='2364681' first='Marquis' last='Newson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2206834' first='Caleb' last='Lundy'] put together dynamic performances in the opening round and should add support moving forward in the form of league MVP [player_tooltip player_id='2398422' first='Korey' last='Francis'] and fellow all-league performer [player_tooltip player_id='2397578' first='Jaydn' last='Jenkins'], arguably the most impactful defensive force in the area. That five-some, along with a splash from seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2247394' first='Brady' last='MacAdams'] (Marist) and Delaware POY Josh Obiora along with dynamic junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2427245' first='Xander' last='Grasty'], makes for as powerful a rotation as any in the tournament thus far. The emergence of 7-footer Jona Sellenrick could also be a key storyline to track as the unsigned senior via Germany gets set for a post-grad year while continuing to acclimate to the American game and make a name for himself locally.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->