Montgomery County 4A Preview: Part 1
Last season Quince orchard was the dominant team in Montgomery County 4A posting a 24-3 record & advancing to the MD 4A State finals. In the semis the Cougars defeated heavily favored Wise in one of biggest upsets in the DMV for 2016/17. Head Coach Paul Foringer’s team ran the UNC 4 corners to perfection & executed the perfect game against Wise. QO lost All County Players in John Fierstein (Salisbury University) & Matthew Kelly (Assumption). 6’2″ Daniel Dorsey is an excellent player, but the lone returning starter for the Cougars. QO is in an apparent rebuilding mode, but as many insiders say, any team that has Paul Foringer as a Head Coach will be a factor. For the 2017/18 season the wise man says Paint branch & Springbrook will be the top 2 teams.
This prediction could very well pan out since Richard Montgomery could lose D1 starter for the year due to injury. BBC has great potential but the Barons are young. Whitman lost several key players from graduation, but the Vikings could contend. Gaithersburg & Wootton could easily become the best turnaround team in MOCO 4A & are a threat to knock off any 4A team. In summary we have a top 2 of Paint Branch & Springbrook & 5 teams in Tier 1 : BCC, Gaithersburg, Richard Montgomery, Walt Whitman & Wootton. Montgomery County is loaded with excellent Coaches & players. We believe MOCO 4A will become a top public school conference in the state of Maryland in the near future as more players see the excellent opportunities Montgomery County basketball offers on & off the court. We will write our MOCO 4A season preview in 4 parts & in part 2 we will provide team overviews for Whitman & Wootton & three Tier 2 teams. In each segment we will include 5 of the top 25 players.Tier 2 teams in MOCO 4A are very capable of defeating any of the top 7 preseason teams & this seasons MOCO 4A is one of the deepest we have seen in many years.
Top 5 PLAYERS in MOCO 4A.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Matthew Balanc, 6’3″ WG, 2018. Springbrook Blue Devils. Silver Spring, MD. Grassroots Team: Mid Atlantic Select
Matthew had an excellent summer playing for Mid Atlantic Select, Springbrook in the DeMatha BSN Summer League & the MD Elite Summer League. He was awarded 1st Team All Star in the prestigious DeMatha Summer League & scored 50 points in the MD Elite All Star game winning game MVP. This fall Matthew committed to Quinnipiac Univeristy where we believe he will be an impact player early. This summer we awarded Matthew to the Doctor Dunk All Star team which features the best dunkers in the DC DMV. He is an excellent all around player who can score in any manner, make blocks, get steals, rebound, deliver clutch plays. & perform the intangibles.
Bobby Miller, 6’3″ WG, 2018. Paint Branch Panthers.
Grassroots Team: Bump N Run. Prep Hoops knows Bobby very well & Adam Ayalew, Coby Giacubeno & myself have each scouted Bobby & we all have the same point of view. He is a high motor & super explosive player. Bobby is currently ranked #55 in our 2018 DC/MD rankings. We awarded Bobby to our Doctor of Dunk Team this fall. He is slashing wing who can score from all 3 levels & an excellent defender. With his long wingspan & athleticism Bobby can block shots, rebound & defend. He will do whatever it takes to get a win & Paint Branch will look to Bobby for his leadership in the Panthers quest for a MD 4A State Title.
Alex Sanson. 6’1″ CG, 2018. Walt Whitman Vikings. Grassroots Team: MD Elite
Alex is one of the most underrated players in the DC DMV & we would place Alex on our All Sleeper Team. He possesses excellent all around skills with sneaky athleticism& a very high IQ. Alex has an ultra high motor, can score at a high level, pass, play on or off the ball, & is tough as nails. He excels in his inside out game with range well beyond the college 3 point line. Alex scores very off the dribble & his style of play reminds us of Goran Dragic who plays for the Maimi Heat. We believe Alex can play at the low D1 mid major level. Alex, Matthew Balnac, Eliijah Wood & Davis Long all have potential to lead MOCO in scoring.
Eliijah Wood, 6’6″, PG 2020. BCC Barons. Grassroots Team: Team St8ment
Eliijah is very impressive on the offensive end & possesses a huge upside. He will become a very good defender in the near future with his great length & athleticism. Eliijah as a D1 high major with an impressive offer list which includes: Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Auburn, Tulane, Norfolk State, Georgia, St. Bonaventure and Hampton. He is a superb slasher & possesses an excellent jump shot from all 3 levels. Eliijah is ranked in the nations top 35 for the class of 2020 & his arrival at BCC makes the Barons a legitimate threat to win the 4A Regionals. We look forward to covering BCC this season & in the future.
Davis Long, 6’3″ WG, 2018. Sherwood Warriors. Grassroots Team:
The DC DMV is loaded with many nationally ranked players & a tremendous amount of others who are being recruited by D1 schools. Each season we see sleepers with with D1 potential. In our opinion Davis possesses legitimate D1 upside & he is one of the best kept secrets in the DMV. Davis is an excellent athlete who plays with very high IQ & motor. He is one of the best sharpshooters in DC/MD with beyond the college 3 point range on or off the dribble. Davis has superb elevation & explosion on his shot with a fantastic quick/high release. His shot is very soft with great mechanics. Davis is an excellent ball handler with great facilitation skills & overall game.
THE TOP 2 CONTENDERS: Paint Branch & Springbrook
Paint Branch Panthers, (17-6, 10-1) 14121 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville, MD. 20866. Head Coach Patrick Bohlen
The Panthers have 3 players rated in our top 30 MOCO 4A rankings & 2 on the brink. The leader is 6’3″ 2018 Wing Bobby Miller who we know very well. Bobby can play several positions & is a super explosive slasher who is low D1 mid major or D2 recruit. 5’9″ junior Richard Dudley will run the point for the Panthers & he does his craft very well. 6’4″ 2018 wing Xavier Reeves is a key returning stater player and joins Bobby & Richard in the top 30 MOCO 4A player list. 6’2″ SG Marley Summe had an excellent summer & will start. Marley could crack our top 30 this season. 6’4″ 2020 F Jordan Alphonso is poised for a breakout year & like Marley is a top 30 candidate who could easily be added to our top 30 list list. Paint Branch lost to eventual State Champion Perry Hall in the MD 4A quarterfinals 82-71 in Baltimore last season. The Panthers are very long, athletic & tough. They are very cohesive & could be the MOCO 4A favorite to advance to the MD 4A semifinals at the University of Maryland. X- Factor: If the Panthers advance to the MD 4A quarterfinals can they make up for their lack of height with their excellent chemistry & long athletes? .
Springbrook Blue Devils (13-12, 6-6)) 201 Valleybrook Drive, Silver Spring, MD. 20902 Head Coach
Matthew Balanc is currently #21 in our 2018 MD/ DC ranking. He is one of the most explosive players in the DC DMV & our preseason Player of the Year. 6’6.5″ 2018 WF Cameron Rucker is a very versatile player who can play point forward & is currently ranked #87 in our 2018 rankings. 6’01/2″ PG Delaino Jessup is am impact newcomer to the Blue Devils who had a fantastic summer & joins Matthew & Cameron in our MOCO Top 30 players. 6’2″ WF/WG Anthony Deruisseau is a college recruit & 4 year varsity player who gives the Blue Devils a lot of options. Anthony is the 1st of 2 Springbrook glue players who performs all the intangibles. 6’2″ 2018 F Michael Germain will start and he is the Springbrook glue player & had a great summer starting on the frontline. He is receiving interest from several schools. 6’1″ CG Sam Rafidi is a key newcomer to the Blue Devils who see significant playing time. X-Factor : Will the Blue Devils jell & be able to play inside on a consistent basis. The bottom line is we could see the Blue Devils at the University of Maryland this spring whose top 6 players are all seniors.
TIER I
Bethesda Chevy Chase Barons (10-14, 3-5) 4301 East West Highway. Bethesda, MD. Head Coach: Sean Tracy.
It would not surprise us if BCC emerges from the MOCO 4A & advances in the Regionals to reach the MD 4A semis.. We rank BCC as our sleeper MOCO 4A team who can contend with Paint Branch & Springbrook. However, we want to scout the Barons in December to get a better look how their chemistry pans out. BCC gladly welcomes 2 impact transfers in 6’6″ 2020 PG Eliijah Wood & 6’3″ 2019 SG Justin Graves who is ranked in our top 30 MOCO players. Eliijah is currently ranked @ #34 in the nation & is a contender for the MOCO 4A Player of the Year. 6’3″ Thomas Baer is an excellent glue player who can defend & shoot. 6’8″ 2018 center Gordan Gibson is an inside force who can rebound & shoot from 15 feet in. The Barons feature 3 top 30 players & Thomas Baer could enter the Top 30 this season. X-factors: How soon & well will the Barons gain team chemistry?
Gaithersburg Trojans (8-15, 5-8) 314 South Frederick Road, Gaithersburg, MD. 20877. Head Coach: Jeffery Holda
Gaithersburg has been beset from injuries & some transfers to private schools in recent years. However, Head Coach Jeffery Holda is one the youngest & best Coaches in Montgomery County. The key player could be impact freshmen 6’01/2″ Jao Ituka who we saw this summer in the MD Elite Summer League. Joa is so talented he could very well finish in the top 10 players this season for MOCO 4A. We have interviewd Jao & we will have his Prospect Report posted this coming week. We will say he does not look or play like a freshmen & has great explosion. 6’5″ 2019 Forward Kendrick Tchoua is one of the best players in MOCO & a returning starter who averaged 12 ppg & 6’5″, F, 2019. 6’1″ senior PG Kevin Neal is a top 30 <OCO Player who we predict will have a breakout season after an excellent summer. Jordan Graham is a 6’0′ 2018 CG, 2018 who will start with the Trojans with the 5th expected stater to be 6’1″ senior Guard Julio Tamakloe who is receiving college interest. Other key players include: 6’3″ 2020 forward Chris Kouemi, 6’4″ 2021 guard Jordan Hawkins:, 5’11” senior guard Pedro Pena & 6’0″ fellow senior Deangelo Miller who can play guard & forward.
Richard Montgomery Rockets (20-5, 7-2) 250 Richard Montgomery Drive, Rockville, MD. 20850. Head Coach: David Breslaw
Head Coach David Breslaw joins our list as an excellent young Head Coach. His Rockets would have been a top MOCO 4A best team contender if 6’7″ 2019 transfer Oliver Nkamhoua did not suffer a potential season ending leg fracture injury. Oliver is a D1 prospect & it is possible he could return this season. 6’1.5 ” Senior Daryn Alexander will start & play CG who plays plays football & runs track. He is a college prospect in basketball & football & is one of the best players in basketball in MOCO. 6’9″ forward Miles Gally joins our Top 30 team & is a D1 mid major recruit. 6’5″ 2019 SF Djordje Oliver is an impact newcomer who will start & is an excellent college prospect. 6’4″ senior center Xavier Harris brings rebounding & hustle to RM & will start. 5’11” freshmen PG Kollin Lewis could be the Rockets 5th starter. 6’2″ senior wing Damarco Morrow was least seasons & could start. Key rotation players include 6’2.5 senior CG Nitin Bandi who provides instant offense, 6’2″ senior sharpshooting WG William Brown & 5’10” CG Michael Keung who can shoot 3s & plays very smart. Please read our Recruiting Reports for Miles Gally & Daryn Alexander below.
Below are the 3 Conferences for Montgomery County basketball each of which includes two or three 3A teams.