St. Vincent Pallotti HS vs Woodrow Wilson HS : 5 Takeaways
12-17-17. 2017 Bullis Holiday Classic. Bullis HS. 10601 Falls Rd. Potomac, MD. 20854
We would like to thank Bullis HS (beautiful campus & gym) for their great hospitality this weekend in their 3 day Bulls Holiday Classic Tourney featuring a very strong 8 team bracket. The teams who played are : Westtown (PA), Episcopal (VA), Mercersburg Academy (PA), Woodrow Wilson HS (DC, DCIAA), Good Counsel HS (MD, WCAC), St. Vincent Pallotti HS (MD, MIAA A), John Paul the Great (VA) & host Bullis Prep (MD, IAC). Please review the Bullis Holiday Classic; All Tournament team & Click on the image to enlarge.
St. Vincent Pallotti Panthers 77 Woodrow Wilson Tigers 72
Pallotti rise to 8-2 is not a surprise.
I attended the St. Vincent Pallotti vs St. Johns Cadets (WCAC game on 12-4-17 in Laurel. (See link below) & despite the close loss I was very impressed with all 5 Pallotti starters & several Panthers off the bench. Just before the season began, Head Coach Panther Coach Dennis Murphy lost 2 key players to transfer (6’8″ & 6’9″) one of which is ranked in the top 70 nationally for 2018. This summer we scouted 6’0″ 2018 PG Stephen Cannady, (right in photo) 6’4″ 2019 WG Ronell Giles, (left in photo) 6’5″ 2018 F, Amir Warrick (center in photo) & 6’6″ 2019 F Gibert Otoo who impressed us a great deal & holds a D1 offer from Columbia. Ronell Giles has been offered by D1 Howard, Columbia & St. Francis of PA. 6’5″ senior sharpshooter Kyron Martin is very intriguing & appears to be a scholarship player. 6’6″ 2019 C/F Miles Mallory has had excellent start to 2019 & is a great fit who plays his role very well. Miles is scholarship prospect who we will be scouting this season up close. Amir Warrick is ranked @ #57 in our 2018 MD/DC rankings & is making a great case to move up. We will be writing an article for Amir in the near future.
St. Vincent Pallotti defeated Mercersburg Academy 69-22, St. John Catholic Prep 73-64 and an excellent Bullis team 78-73 in 2 OT in Saturdays semis to reach last nights final. In the Bullis Invitational Championship game Stephen Canaday was named named Tournament & Game MVP. He scored 19 points which included 3 treys & dished out 5 assists. Ronell Giles scored a game high scorer with 22 points & hit 4 treys, 7 boards while dishing out 7 assists. Amir Warrick totaled 17 points & collected 7 rebounds, Miles Mallory scored 8, Kyron Martin hit 2 treys for 6 points, & Gilbert Otoo scored 6 & played superb defense. Pallotti will face Loyola Blakefield in Towson on 12-12-17 for the Panthers opening MIAA A Conference Game.
https://prephoops.com/2017/12/10-best-st-johns-vs-st-vincent-palloti/
Wilson misses Isaiah Jennings
Last season Wilson finished @ 29-4. Many predicted the Tigers would be better than last season & possibly run the table. However, the Tigers record currently stands at 8-3. Wilson had their opportunities in Pallotti & Cardinal Hayes games, but we must commend both winners. The Tigers clearly miss 6’3″ Forward Isaiah Jennings #1 pictured left with Ayinde Hakim #2, who lead Wilson in scoring @ 13.2 ppg. He was the heart & soul for the Tigers & a tremendous glue/chemistry player. Additionally, Wilson graduated 6’7″ center Marquis Copeland. Isaiah is exactly the prescription needed fort his seasons Wilson Tigers. Wilson has more talent this season, but miss Isaiah’s leadership, toughness & inside. play.
Wilson is still my pick to win the DCIAA
Woodrow Wilson is loaded with talent. However, excellent Tiger Head Coach Angelo Hernandez is faced with a difficult task of finding the best starting lineup, rotations & combinations for this years team. We know & really like the Wilson players on & off the court, but the Tigers are not playing up to their team potential. My instincts lead me to believe the Tigers will find their identity in the near future. Yesterday, Ayinde Hakim played PG & Jay Heath played off the ball. This could be one step in the positive. Coach Hernandez is still in the lab with his talented Tigers. We all know the best talent does not win games, it is the best chemistry teams. Currently, Wilson is the team to beat in the DCIAA & will be a top DC DMV team. The jury is still out if the Tigers can match last seasons Championship team which is pictured right. Narrow loses to excellent Cardinal Hayes & Pallotti are power losses. This seasons Tigers includes , 5’10” PG/CG Ayinde Hikim who is a superb D1 player & one the best in the DC DMV. 6’8″ 2018 Wing Ricky Lindo is an excellent D1 talent, 2019 CG Jay Heath has high major D1 potential in addition to talented 6’5″ 2020 WG Dimingus Stevens. 5’10” 2019 CG Carlos Dunn too good not to get back on track. 6’8″ 2018 P/C Josiah Marable is improving each time out. Theodore Roosevelt, Dunbar & McKinley Tech will round out the DCIAA top 4 with Theodore Roosevelt & possibly Dunbar threats to Wilson. Last night the Tigers were lead by Ayinde Hakim’s 21 points, Jay Heath added 15, Dimingus Stevens scored 15, but just 2 in 2nd half. Josiah Marable totaled 12 & #0 with scored 3.
Pallotti is very dangerous in the MIAA A Conference
Head Coach Dennis Murphy & his staff have done a superb job with the Panthers who possess great chemistry. Pallotti will face Loyola Blakefield in Towson on 12-12-17 for the Panthers opening MIAA A Conference Game. Pallotti plays in MIAA Red with St. Frances, Mt. St. Joseph, Gilman, Loyola, Calvert Hall & Glenelg Country & the Panthers are a legitimate threat to win the conference. Additionally, Pallotti will play John Carroll, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, & McDonogh all MIAA Black teams. Most MIAA teams are members of the BCL, but the Panthers are MIAA only. Pallotti has marquee wins over Goretti, Riverdale Baptist, Bullis, & Woodrow Wilson. Their 3 losses are to Georgetown Prep, St. Johns & Charlotte Christian. I believe Pallotti could defeat any team in the MIAA Red & MIAA overall, but winning the MIAA Red will not easy with Mt.St Joseph, St. Frances & possibly McDonogh providing their toughest competition. Very underrated Pallotti junior Gibert Otoo is pictured left.
Wheeling Jesuit is a getting an excellent PG in Stephen Cannaday
Last night Stephen was awarded the Bullis Holiday Classic MVP with a superb 3 game performance. He is one of the most underrated players in the DC DMV probably caused by the fact Pallotti plays in the MIAA with no DC DMV teams except Pallotti. Stephen is ranked #35 in our our very strong MD/DC 2018 rankings. He is a tremendous floor general with a great handle, high motor, great floor vision & High IQ. Stephen can deliver any pass in the book, drains 3s, & attacks the rim off the dribble. He is a very good defender & a great teammate. Stephen can impact the game without scoring & is a winner.
Steve Cannady is a steal for @WJU_Basketball. MVP of the 2017 @BullisAthletics Holiday Classic@flystevee @SVPHSAthletics pic.twitter.com/jJELiSzX4b
— Adam Ayalew (@AyalewAdam) December 18, 2017
LIVE on #cube: St Vincent Pallotti vs. Wilson – Boys Holiday Cla… @TheCubeDotCom https://t.co/1SWXawxTdc
— Bullis Athletics (@BullisAthletics) December 17, 2017