Slam Dunk to the Beach returns to Lewes Dec. 27-29
The Slam Dunk to the Beach basketball showcase will return to Cape Henlopen High School Monday to Wednesday, Dec. 27 to 29, after a one-year COVID-19 hiatus. The annual basketball bonanza has partnered with the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and undergone a slight name change (it’s now officially called Hoophall East presented by Slam Dunk to the Beach), but the talent on display is sure to live up to the event’s storied history. The showcase will feature 16 boys’ teams, including six currently ranked among ESPN’s SCNext Top 25 nationally, as well as 21 blue-chip prospects listed in the top 100 of their classes. The No. 1 recruits in the 2022, 2023, and 2024 classes – Dereck Lively of Westtown (Pa.), Camden (N.J.)’s D.J. Wagner, and Naasir Cunningham of Gill St. Bernard’s (N.J.) – will all take the court at Cape’s Big House. For the first time, Slam Dunk fans will be treated to a girls’ matchup, with the host Cape Henlopen Lady Vikings taking on Westtown to kick off the event. Check out the schedule and team capsules below.
Boys’ teams
Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.) Vikings
Record: 2-1
Standouts: 6-1 Sr. G Justin Moore (Drexel commit); 6-0 So. G Jalil Bethea (considering Temple, Radford, Mount St. Mary’s); 6-4 Sr. G Mike Knouse; 6-7 Jr. F Carson Howard; 5-10 Sr. G Sherod Cannedy
No. 5 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) Dragons
Record: 13-1
MaxPreps Rank: 1 (independent schools)
Standouts: 6-7 Jr. F Mookie Cook (No. 4 prospect; considering Kentucky, Gonzaga, Kansas); 6-1 Jr. G Kylan Boswell (No. 11 prospect; considering Arizona, Illinois, UCLA); 6-6 Sr. F Chance Westry (No. 30 prospect; Auburn commit); 6-3 Sr. G Dylan Andrews (No. 42 prospect; UCLA commit); 6-10 Sr. F Sadraque Nganga (No. 46 prospect; considering Kentucky, UCLA, Kansas); 6-8 Sr. F Colin Smith (Vanderbilt commit); 6-7 Sr. F Joshua Ola-Joseph (Minnesota commit); 7-0 Sr. C Adrame Diongue (considering Kansas, Illinois, Mississippi St.); 6-5 Sr. G Lamar Washington (considering Texas Tech, Auburn, TCU); 6-5 Sr. G Mehki Mason (Rice commit)
No. 24 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) Crusaders
Record: 1-0
MaxPreps Rank: 26 (traditional schools)
Standouts: 6-1 So. G Elliott Cadeau (No. 7 prospect; considering Tennessee, Texas Tech, Syracuse); 6-9 So. C T.J. Copeland (considering Seton Hall, St. John’s, Creighton); 6-2 Sr. G Will Richardson (Fordham commit); 6-1 Sr. G Julian Brown (Wagner commit); 6-4 Sr. G Elijah Flournoy
Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) Mustangs
Record: 5-0
Standouts: 6-11 Sr. C Favour Aire (Miami (Fla.) commit); 6-1 Jr. G Jaden Johnson; 6-0 Jr. G Jeremiah Quigley; 6-0 So. G Martin Somerville; 5-10 Fr. G Ben Chandler
Bishop Walsh (Cumberland, Md.) Spartans
Record: 5-4
MaxPreps Rank: 40 (traditional schools)
Standouts: 7-1 Jr. F William Patterson (considering Oklahoma St., Rutgers, TCU); 6-3 Jr. G Mike Williams (considering LSU, Houston, Maryland); 6-5 Sr. G Travis Roberts (Jacksonville St. commit); 6-2 So. G T.J. Robinson (considering St. Bonaventure, La Salle, Massachusetts); 6-1 Jr. G Mikey Allen; 6-8 Jr. F Maor Nekrashevich
Blair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.) Bucs
Record: 8-2
Standouts: 6-6 Sr. G Otega Oweh (No. 72 prospect; Oklahoma commit); 6-7 Sr. F Joe Carroll; 6-3 Jr. G Jayden Lemond (No. 89 prospect; considering Connecticut, Seton Hall, Auburn); 6-11 Sr. C Lual Manyang (considering VCU, Saint Louis, Massachusetts); 6-4 Sr. G Brady Muller (Bucknell commit); 5-10 So. G Jayden Williams; 5-11 Jr. G Carnegie Johnson; 6-8 Jr. F Ian Imegwu
No. 6 Camden (Camden, N.J.) Panthers
Record: 1-0
MaxPreps Rank: 2 (traditional schools)
Standouts: 6-3 Jr. G D.J. Wagner (No. 1 prospect; considering Kentucky, Memphis, Villanova); 7-0 Jr. C Aaron Bradshaw (No. 21 prospect; considering LSU, Oklahoma St., UCLA); 6-4 Sr. G Elijah Perkins (considering Georgetown, Nebraska, La Salle); 6-8 Sr. F Rasheer Fleming (Saint Joseph’s commit); 6-7 Jr. F Dasear Haskins; 6-0 Jr. G Cian Medley (considering St. Peter’s, Drexel, Siena); 6-6 Jr. F Cornelius Robinson (considering Monmouth, St. Peter’s, Siena)
No. 20 Gill St. Bernard’s (Gladstone, N.J.) Knights
Record: 0-1
MaxPreps Rank: 9 (traditional schools)
Standouts: 6-7 So. F Naasir Cunningham (No. 1 prospect; considering UCLA, LSU, Maryland); 6-7 Jr. F Mackenzie Mgbako (No. 3 prospect; considering Duke, Kentucky, Memphis); 6-2 Sr. G Denver Anglin (No. 77 prospect; Georgetown commit); 6-6 Jr. F Geancarlo Peguero (considering Seton Hall, Dayton); 6-8 Sr. F Drew Kania (Brown commit); 6-3 So. G Samir Thomas (considering Hofstra, Robert Morris, NJIT); 6-2 Jr. G Nick Losada
Gray Collegiate (West Columbia, S.C.) War Eagles
Record: 4-3
Standouts: 5-10 Jr. G Montraivis White; 6-8 Jr. F Avantae Parker; 6-2 Jr. G Jalen Jefferson; 6-2 Sr. G Calvin Hall; 6-3 Fr. F L.J. Britt
Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) Panthers
Record: 3-1
MaxPreps Rank: 25 (traditional schools)
Standouts: 6-7 Jr. F Justin Edwards (No. 16 prospect; considering Kentucky, Connecticut, Penn St.); 6-1 So. G Ahmad Nowell (No. 24 prospect; considering Kansas, Memphis, Auburn); 5-11 Jr. G Rahmir Barno (No. 98 prospect; considering VCU, Temple, La Salle); 6-5 Sr. G Mo Abdullah (Rider commit); 6-7 Sr. F Chad Anglin
National Christian Academy (Fort Washington, Md.) Eagles
Record: 8-0
Standouts: 6-5 Jr. G Isaiah Coleman (No. 46 prospect; considering Maryland, Xavier, Louisville); 6-11 Sr. C Mady Traore (considering Kansas, Oregon, Florida); 6-0 Sr. G Rob Lawson; 6-2 Jr. G Jaden French
Our Saviour Lutheran (Bronx, N.Y.) Falcons
Record: 5-4
MaxPreps Rank: 18 (independent schools)
Standouts: 6-3 Sr. G Jaquan Sanders (Seton Hall commit); 6-6 Jr. F Jahmere Tripp (considering LSU, Penn St., Saint Louis); 6-4 Jr. G Christian Jones; 6-6 Sr. F Ibine Ayo Sadiku (considering Auburn, Seton Hall, Nebraska); 7-0 Sr. C Silas Sunday (considering Illinois, Rutgers, St. John’s); 6-5 Jr. G Armoni Zeigler
No. 18 Roselle (Roselle, N.J.) Lions
Record: 0-1
MaxPreps Rank: 12 (traditional schools)
Standouts: 6-4 Jr. G Simeon Wilcher (No. 12 prospect; North Carolina commit); 6-9 Jr. F Akil Watson (No. 20 prospect; considering Illinois, Texas Tech, Auburn); 6-3 Sr. GJamarques Lawrence (Nebraska commit); 6-8 So. F Tarik Watson (considering Creighton, Georgetown, St. John’s); 6-4 So. G Jaiden Glover (considering Creighton, St. John’s, Nebraska); 6-8 So. C Rich Brisco (considering TCU, Nebraska, Manhattan); 6-2 Jr. G Christian Pierre-Louis
Seaford (Seaford, Del.) Blue Jays
Record: 2-0
Standouts: 6-0 So. G Kashmeir Wise; 6-3 Jr. F Brent Ricketts; 6-5 Sr. F Tyrese Fortune; 6-0 So. G Careen Bolden
St. Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) Panthers
Record: 6-0
MaxPreps Rank: 20 (traditional schools)
Standouts: 5-11 Sr. G Knasir “Dug” McDaniel (No. 60 prospect; Michigan commit); 6-4 Jr. G DeShawn Harris-Smith (considering LSU, Maryland, Georgetown); 6-5 So. G Darren Harris (considering Georgetown, George Mason, Delaware St.); 6-2 Jr. G Justin Boggs; 6-9 So. F Garrett Sundra
No. 21 Westtown (West Chester, Pa.) Moose
Record: 9-1
MaxPreps Rank: 30 (traditional schools)
Standouts: 7-1 Sr. C Dereck Lively (No. 1 prospect; Duke commit); 6-4 Sr. G Jameel Brown (Penn St. commit); 6-8 Sr. F Alpha Bangura (considering Massachusetts, St. Peter’s, Siena); 6-2 Sr. G Quin Berger; 6-1 Jr. G Seyphon Triplett (considering College Of Charleston, St. Peter’s, Long Island); 6-6 Jr. G Matt Mayock
Girls’ teams
Cape Henlopen (Lewes, Del.) Vikings
Record: 3-1
Standouts: 5-9 Sr. F Mehkia Applewhite; 6-0 Sr. F Morgan Mahoney; 5-11 Sr. G Julia Saleur (Delaware St. commit); 5-9 Sr. G Lauryn Head; 5-5 Sr. G Ella Rishko
Westtown (West Chester, Pa.) Moose
Record: 4-3
Standouts: 5-10 Jr. G Grace Sundback (No. 40 prospect; considering South Carolina, Louisville, Michigan); 6-1 Sr. F Kaylene Smikle (No. 64 prospect; Rutgers commit); 5-10 Jr. G Zahra King; 6-4 Sr. F Helena Lasic (Pennsylvania commit); 5-4 Sr. G Meliah Van-Otoo
*Team rankings are from ESPN’s SCNext Top 25 and MaxPreps.com's traditional and independent rankings. Players are listed according to their highest rankings from 247Sports, ESPN, and/or PrepGirlsHoops.
Schedule
Monday, Dec. 27
Westtown Girls (Pa.) vs. Cape Henlopen Girls (Del.), 3:30 p.m.
Bishop McNamara (Md.) vs. No. 18 Roselle Catholic (N.J.), 5 p.m.
No. 5 AZ Compass Prep (Ariz.) vs. Our Saviour Lutheran (N.Y.), 6:30 p.m.
Archbishop Wood (Pa.) vs. No. 6 Camden (N.J.), 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 28
Our Saviour Lutheran (N.Y.) vs. Seaford (Del.), 2 p.m.
No. 24 Bergen Catholic (N.J.) vs. Bishop Walsh (Md.), 3:30 p.m.
No. 18 Roselle Catholic (N.J.) vs. Gray Collegiate (S.C.), 5 p.m.
No. 20 Gill St. Bernard’s (N.J.) vs. Bishop McNamara (Md.), 6:30 p.m.
No. 21 Westtown (Pa.) vs. No. 5 AZ Compass Prep (Ariz.), 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 29
Gray Collegiate (S.C.) vs. Blair Academy (N.J.), 5 p.m.
St. Paul VI (Va.) vs. Imhotep Charter (Pa.), 6:30 p.m.
National Christian Academy (Md.) vs. No. 21 Westtown (Pa.), 8 p.m.
