Shaw's Takeaways: Big Shots Philly Pride
PHILADELPHIA - Rivals.com's Jamie Shaw sat courtside for all the action at the Philadelphia Expo Center as Big Shots Philly Pride took over six courts with over 100 teams in attendance. Here is what Jamie saw.
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2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Top 30
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ELMARKO JACKSON IS READY FOR THE NATIONAL STAGE
College programs across the country have already started to take notice of Jackson. He carries early offers from the likes of Cal, Ole Miss, Seton Hall and LaSalle.
We R1 was the top 17u team in the Big Shots Philly event as the Under Armour Circuit program went undefeated. It was Jackson, who is playing up, that was the unquestioned MVP of the team. Jackson carries a strong frame with jet-quick burst and shot making ability. Currently unranked in the 2023 Rivals150, expect Jackson to be firmly in the conversation once the updates are made.
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DYLAN HARPER IS THE NEXT HARPER IN LINE
Harper’s father, Ron Harper, won five NBA Championships. Harper’s older brother, Ron Harper, Jr., has declared for the 2021 NBA draft after averaging 14.9 points at Rutgers this past season. Clearly, Harper's family has set the pace, “I know my family’s history in basketball, and I am proud of that, but I just try and go out and get myself better every day.”
Running his own race, the smooth Ramsey (N.J.) Don Bosco Prep lefty carries a high IQ with a great frame and pace to his game as he averaged 20 points throughout the weekend. Looking dominant at times, Harper carries early offers from Georgetown and Rutgers. In time, expect this one to pick up on a national level.
DEMETRIUS LILLY PLAYS EVERY GAME FOR KOBE
Lilly led his Ardmore (Pa.) Lower Merion High team to the 6A PIAA State semifinals this season averaging 20.6 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. A notable graduate of Lower Merion High School is the late Kobe Bryant. “Every game we play is for Kobe, we always try and bring that Mamba mentality to the floor and we just want to do what we can to carry his legacy along,” Lilly said.
This was a big season for the skilled 6-foot-9 junior as he showed up with a re-shaped body dropping all the way down to the 240-pound range. Lilly played this weekend with a great motor which pared well with his ability to attack off the bounce and make shots from each level. As the numbers show, the re-shaped frame has made Lilly a new type of prospect as he now claims offers from the likes of Texas A&M, St. Joseph’s, LaSalle, East Carolina and Bryant.
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THIS AND THAT
... Nolan Hodge of Greensboro (N.C.) Northern Guilford High and Carolina Gaters 17u claims offers from Duquesne, Old Dominion, Radford and NC A&T with Belmont, UNC-Greensboro and Appalachian State keeping close contact.
... Shane Lancaster of Washington (D.C.) St John’s Collegiate and We R1 UAA 17u claims offers from Bryant, Mount St. Mary’s, Robert Morris and Navy with James Madison, George Washington, Brown and Loyola (MD) keeping in close contact.
... Michael Walz of Berwyn (Pa.) Conestoga High claims offers from Penn State, Lehigh, St. Joseph’s and LaSalle with William and Mary and Davidson keeping in close contact.
... TJ Robinson of Patterson (N.J.) Teaneck High claims offers from St. Bonaventure, LaSalle, Illinois-Chicago, Portland and Robert Morris.