From basketball scout team to a starring role at Roman Catholic

Anthony Finkley catches the ball on the wing and three defenders converge on him, blocking his path to the rim. Roman Catholic’s 6-foot-6, 225-pound power forward would have no problem flexing his physicality, but on this play, he has other plans.

In one swift motion, Finkley jumps and delivers a pass over the heads of the defenders and into the hands of a wide-open Xzayvier Brown, who drills a nothing-but-net three-pointer.

That play, which came Friday during Roman’s matchup against Roselle (N.J.) Catholic, was just one of the many shared between Finkley and Brown at the Philly High School Live showcase over the last two weekends at Jefferson University and St. Joseph’s Prep.

The duo showcased a level of on-court chemistry that, until Philly High School Live, had been seen only on the AAU circuit.

Finkley and Brown first met in fourth grade through their involvement with Philly Triple Threat AAU. The two established a friendship that continued when Finkley and Brown started playing with K-Low Elite AAU — a program founded by Miami Heat point guard Kyle Lowry — ahead of high school.

Although they played together nearly year-round on the AAU circuit, it wasn’t until this spring that their high school careers aligned.

While Brown began his high school career at Roman, Finkley played his first two seasons at West Catholic. After two inconsistent seasons, Finkley was ready for a change ahead of his junior year.

That led the forward to leave his native Philadelphia to attend Huntington Prep, a West Virginia-based powerhouse that has produced NBA talents such as Andrew Wiggins, Gorgui Dieng, and Miles Bridges.

However, it wasn’t long before Finkley realized that Huntington Prep wasn’t the right fit either. In January, just four months after his transfer, Finkley returned to Philadelphia and enrolled at Roman Catholic.

After 2½ years of struggling to find the right fit, Finkley focused on the people, not the place, when choosing Roman.

“Relationships,” Finkley said. “I’ve known X [Brown] for a long time. Coach [Chris] McNesby stood out [and] said I was a priority to come here.”

That decision turned out to be the right one for Finkley, who immediately began to fit into Roman’s team culture. Because of transfer rules, Finkley was not eligible to suit up for the Cahillites in games this season. That didn’t stop him from making every effort to help his new team win.

» READ MORE: Collin Gillespie signs with the Nuggets, Jermaine Samuels, St. Joe’s star Jordan Hall also latch on with NBA teams

“He did help us in practice last year,” McNesby said. “It was great every day at practice [with] him kind of on the scout team. So, what an amazing guy to have on the scout team, and he had a great approach, a great attitude.”

Missing the entirety of his junior season might have been a daunting idea for Finkley at first, but it quickly proved to be a much-needed opportunity for him to hit the reset button.

“I needed it, for real,” Finkley said. “It was a mental aspect for me; that’s what I needed the most.”

Said McNesby: “I think sometimes these kids are forced to go, go, go, and he got a forced break. So, when he kind of came back out, he was recharged and ready to go.”

He might not have been playing high school games as a junior, but Finkley was still generating interest on the recruiting trail. The power forward had emerged as a three-star recruit and attracted offers from the likes of Rutgers, Marquette, and La Salle, among others.

In the end, it was Billy Lange’s St. Joseph’s program that secured Finkley’s commitment. For Finkley, the decision was simple, and it boiled down to the same things that helped him find a home with Roman.

“It was a family-oriented situation, and I felt like I was a priority,” Finkley said.

Finkley was also able to lean on a few unique ties he had to St. Joe’s. Brown’s stepfather, Justin Scott, is an assistant coach with the Hawks, and Finkley’s uncle, Brian Samuels, played against St. Joe’s assistant coach John Linehan in both high school and college.

Samuels attended Simon Gratz in the early 1990s before becoming a junior-college All-American at Hagerstown (Md.) Community College and eventually playing a season at Rutgers. His basketball experience has allowed him to be a mentor for Finkley.

Samuels was there for Finkley’s visit to St. Joe’s, and he knew from the start that it was the right fit for his nephew.

“When I had the opportunity to meet coach Billy Lange, that really just sealed it,” Samuels said. “It kind of solidified how I felt about him going into that environment.

“I just felt like that was where he needed to be. I actually didn’t tell him that. He called me before he made the decision to commit, and I just told him, ‘Yes, that’s the right thing to do, that’s the perfect situation for you.’”

Lange’s reputation as a player-development coach, as well as his experience working with NBA players, was also a draw for Finkley.

Now that he’s headed to Hawk Hill, the North Philly native will have the chance to focus on growing into his game.

“He’s a players’ coach, and he’s got NBA experience,” Finkley said of Lange. “[I’m] just trying to get to [that level]. … I know I’m going to get better.

“I feel like I’ve already been through everything, so it’s just about showing [my] work now. Just mature, mature in my game, [and] mature in all aspects.”