Philly Tip Off Weekend: Player Matchups Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id='1197611' first='KJ' last='Cochran'] (WC East) [player_tooltip player_id='1460771' first='Jacob' last='Nguyen'] (Spring-Ford)</span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Staring at their neighborhood schools outside of the city, Cochran and Nguyen are two of the best 2025 guards in the area. Cochran is the high feel player who led his team in scoring as a freshman and earned first team honors in the Ches-Mont league. Nguyen came off the bench as a freshman, making his bones as a shooter. The two face off on Friday at the State College Tip Off Classic.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id='1188627' first='Milan' last='Dean'] Jr (Archbishop Wood) vs [player_tooltip player_id='1379429' first='Donovan' last='Fromhartz'] (Downingtown West)</span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Whippets of Downingtown West play the Vikings from Wood on Friday afternoon for both teams' first game of the season. The pack led by Army-signee [player_tooltip player_id='1116019' first='Dylan' last='Blair'] will turn to Fromhartz to balance their attack with his 3-ball. Dean Jr likely will be tasked with picking him up. His defensive instincts and event creation (deflections, blocks, steals, etc) will be critical.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id='1122142' first='Collin' last='Bowman'] (Friends Central) vs [player_tooltip player_id='991309' first='Argel' last='Pettit'] “IV” (Phelps)</span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Friends Central are both PAISSA schools so their game Friday won't be the first of the season, but these two going at it should be fun. They're each averaging multiple 3-point makes per contest already - Bowman on pullups and Pettit on the move. In a game where neither team has a ball-dominant scorer, perimeter shooting will be key.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id='991335' first='Dean' last='Coleman-Newsome'] (Archbishop Carroll) vs [player_tooltip player_id='1472575' first='Nasir' last='Washington'] (Penn Wood)</span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two of the best unsigned senior guards will go head-to-head over at Carroll Friday night. Carroll features a ton of youth while Penn Wood looks to make another league title run after losing multiple 2022 starters to graduation. Gifted in their own ways offensively, they'll both have to make the other work on defense. If they do indeed guard one another, this could decide the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id='1173984' first='Matt' last='Gilhool'] (Westtown) vs [player_tooltip player_id='991382' first='James' last='Moore'] (Mt. Zion)</span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mt. Zion might have just as many players from PA as Westtown in Moore, Malachi Palmer, and Sabree Scott making somewhat of a homecoming on Saturday night (5pm). With several talented perimeter athletes across both squads, the potential dual between Gilhool and Moore stands out most. They each have the talent to swing the momentum in their respective team's favor - Gilhool with his face-up game or Moore as a rim runner.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">[player_tooltip player_id='1379452' first='Andrew' last='Phillips'] (Malvern Prep) vs [player_tooltip player_id='1279645' first='Ife' last='West-Ingram'] (Abington Friends)</span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of several Friends/Inter-Ac cross league matchups this week, this will be one of the best. The Friars and the Roos play through their junior guards - [player_tooltip player_id='991421' first='Ryan' last='Williams'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1136566' first='Kaydin' last='Ford'], respectively - but this game will come down to the wings/forwards. Saturday afternoon (2:30pm), it's going to be Phillip's below-the-rim finishing and chopper from 3 versus West-Ingram's above-the-rim, off-ball rim pressure as a cutter and dunker.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For more basketball coverage, follow me on IG/Twitter @ CGraham_Sports</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->