Charm City Challenge : Baltimore BCL vs DC WCAC. Part 2
This is part 2 of our Charm City Challenge Preview held at UMBC on 12-2-17 which cover the final 2 games.
On Saturday December 2 at the campus of University of Maryland Baltimore County located in Catonsville, MD, the 2017 Charm City Challenge will be held. It is an excellent 4 game tournament which features 4 of Baltimore’s top Baltimore Catholic League (BCL) teams vs 4 of Washington, DCs DMV top Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) teams in a 4 game tourney with games scheduled below. Game #1 begins @ 2pm & game #4 starts at 7pm. Part 1 of the review features games 1 & 2 while Part 2 covers games 3 & 4. This is a superb tourney & Prep Hoops will be in attendance for all 4 games with game & player reports.
Please see Part 1 in the link below:
https://prephoops.com/2017/12/charm-city-challenge-baltimore-bcl-vs-dc-wcac-part-1/
Game # 3 @ 5:15pm: Mt. St. Joseph vs St. Johns College HS
Mt. St. Joseph Gaels HS. 4403 Frederick Avenue, Baltimore, MD. 21229 Head Coach : Pat Clatchey (Conference BCL & MIAA A Black)
The Gaels are currently 2-1 & return most of last seasons team except 6’5″ nationally ranked 2017 G Darryl Morsell now at Maryland who was the leader for MSJ. In 2016/17 the Gaels finished with a superb 32-5 record. The key returnee is 6’10” Jalen Smith pictured right aka “Sticks” ranked in top 15 nationally & committed to Maryland. He is one of the best & most versatile players in he nation. 6’3″ junior sharpshooter James Bishop is ranked in the top 140s nationally & is an excellent player. 6’0″ senior Tyree Meyers (#52) will have a big role after a splendid summer. 6’2″ senior Kendall McMillan (#68) is a probable starter along with 6’5″ junior WG/WF Albert Jackson (#61) & 6’5″ junior Ryan Marshall (#65). 6’0″ sophomore Tyler Brelsford will see significant playing time. In our 2017/18 team power rankings MSJ is ranked @ #6. We expect the Gaels to get back on track but they must find the toughness Darryl Morsell brought. According to the schedules MSJ is scheduled to play a very tough BCL rival St. Maria Gorreti the night before the Charm City Challenge on 12-1-17 @ Mt. St. Joseph.
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St. Johns College HS Cadets. 2607 Military Road, NW. Washington DC. 20015. Head Coach : Patrick Behan Conference ( WCAC)
First year head Coach Patrick Behan’s SJC Cadets are ranked #5 in our 2017/18 team power rankings for the DC DMV & MD for a good reason. The Cadets feature one the quickest & fastest backcourts in the DC DMV in 6’1″ explosive senior Tre Wood pictured right who is committed to UMass, 6’3″ junior Casey Morsell who is ranked #125 nationally by Prep Hoops. 6’7″ senior Richard Njoku (#31) is a fast & tough C/PF who is committed to the US Naval Academy. 6’5″ Jalin Abbott (#23) will play a stretch 4 role & 6’2″ up & coming sophomore Ishmael Leggett will start on the wing rounding out the speedy Cadets starting 5. Expect to 6’0″ sharpshooting Devon Dunn in a microwave role, 6’4″ sophomore Darius Maddox & 6’3″ freshmen Devon Savage as top reserves. 6’8″ freshmen C/F Victory Naboya is a player to watch & is improving rapidly. Slice & Dice 5’10” sophomore PG Delonnie Hunt has had a superb fall & will be in the SJC rotation. Please read our St. Johns team overview overview in the link below:
https://prephoops.com/2017/10/st-johns-college-cadets-team-overview-college-prospects/
Game #4 @ 7pm St. Frances vs Gonzaga College HS
St. Frances Academy Panthers. 501 East Chase Street , Baltimore, MD. 21202. Head Coach : (BCL Conference & MIAA Red)
The highly regarded Panthers enter their showdown on 12-2-17 vs Gonzaga with a 4-0 record which includes a controversial OT win @ John Carroll when officials waved off a buzzer beating basket by the Patriots in 11-29-17 contest. In our new DC DMV /MD power team rankings SFA is ranked #12. On paper the Panthers look loaded with 3 new Bigs which are: 6’9″ freshmen Detwan Montague, 6’8″ junior Jason Murphy (#13) via Chapelgate Christian, & 6’7″ Wing Bassariou Diop from VA. We are not sure of the status of 6’8″ senior Koran Moore (#32). However, the clear leaders for the panthers are in the back-court where 6’0″ sophomore Captain Ace Baldwin pictured right (#5), 6’3″ senior Captain Elijah Epps (#54) who we like as a stock riser, 6’3″ junior Rajeir Jones (#25) & 6’3″ sophomore Jordan Toles ( #17) are dynmaic & superb. We saw SFA in the University of MD Team games this summer where the Panthers won the Title over Gonzaga after controversial buzzer beater. We viewed the SFA vs John Carroll game from the video provided by by our friend Marc Stern of Capitol Hoops from Wednesday night which can be seen below. SFA is tough as nails & will come at opposing teams in waves. The key to winning the BCL for the Panthers will getting solid production from their Bigs & forming a winning rotation. But anytime St. Frances takes the floor they have to talent to beat anyone on their schedule.
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Gonzaga Eagles. 19 I Street, NW, Washington, DC. 20001. Head Coach: Stephen Turner (Conference WCAC)
Despite losing their best player in 6’3″ senior CG Prentiss Hubb pictured left (Notre Dame commit & ranked 50 in nation) to a torn ACL, the Eagles are ranked @ #8 in our team power rankings. We wish Prentiss a 110 % recovery & the best. On the positive Gonzaga has a lot of talent & chemistry. It would not surprise us if the Eagles close out the 2017/18 season ranked higher. Last season Gonzaga finished @ 32-5 winning the Gonzaga Classic, WCAC, TitleWashington DC State Title & the Alhambra ACIT. The Eagles key losses are Chris Lykes ranked @ # 50 in nation & DC Gatorade POY, now seeing major minutes @ Miami, Eddie Scott to Penn & Michael Meyers to Williams. The Eagles have 3 locks to start which are, 6’5″ senior WG Myles Dread in the photo right & committed to Penn State & ranked #167 by Prep Hoops nationally, top 30 nationally ranked 6’7″ sophomore PF Terrance Williams, 6’5″ stock riser Anwar Gill (#10). There are 4 players who will compete for the last 2 starting spots & each one is a superb players: 6’2″ sophomore PG Chuck Harris (#24), 6’7″ fast rising W Myles Stute (#12), 6’5″ junior Josh Watts (#16) & 6’7″ F/SF Allin Blunt. Each of the 4 players had a fantastic off-season. Instead of asking repetitive annoying questions to Head Coach Stephen Turner about who will start, we patiently wait until 12-2-17 @ 7pm. 6’3″ Will Turgeon will be in the rotation as a sharpshooter. Keep your eye on 6’4″ freshmen Malcolm Dread who is an impact freshmen & 6’3″ sophomore Carlos Hubb, brother of Prentiss.