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Archbishop Wood’s Jalil Bethea named to Naismith high school player of the year midseason watch list

The Miami-bound guard is ranked No. 7 in the nation and has been a tear on the court this season, averaging 22.6 points in 14 games played for the Vikings.

Archbishop Wood’s Jalil Bethea was one of 25 players named to the Jersey Mike’s Naismith high school player of the year midseason watch list, an award that's given to the most outstanding prep basketball player in the nation.
Archbishop Wood’s Jalil Bethea was one of 25 players named to the Jersey Mike’s Naismith high school player of the year midseason watch list, an award that's given to the most outstanding prep basketball player in the nation.Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
    by Owen McCue, City of Basketball Love
    Published 

Archbishop Wood’s Jalil Bethea continues to gain national attention.

The senior was one of 25 players named to the Jersey Mike’s Naismith high school player of the year midseason watch list on Thursday. The award has been given to the most outstanding boys’ basketball player in the nation who achieves tremendous on-court success since 1987.

Last season, Imhotep Charter’s Justin Edwards, now at Kentucky, was a finalist for the award. The late Kobe Bryant was the last player in the state to win the award out of Lower Merion in 1996.

Bethea, who is committed to play college basketball at Miami, is ranked No. 7 in the nation. He averaged 23.2 points, 3.9 assists, and 7.6 rebounds last season en route to win PCL MVP.

In his senior campaign, Bethea has averaged 22.6 points for the Vikings (7-7, 3-2 in PCL) through 14 games played.

The Wood standout has been on a tear, dropping 40 points in front of national talent and NBA scouts against Corona Centennial (Calif.) at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. He recently added 36 points in a comeback win over La Salle College High School on Wednesday.

This story was produced as part of a partnership between The Inquirer and City of Basketball Love, a nonprofit news organization that covers high school and college basketball in the Philadelphia area while also helping mentor the next generation of sportswriters. This collaboration will help boost coverage of the city’s vibrant amateur basketball scene, from the high school ranks up through the Big 5 and beyond.