More Than Basketball Uptown Hoopfest Recap : Part 2.
1-6-18. Georgetown University McDonough Arena, Home of the Hoyas.
This is part 2 of the Uptown Hoopfest presented by More Than Basketball which covers the final 4 games. There were so many excellent players I will write a Top performers article in part 3.
Game #4
Friendship Tech Titans (9-2) 56 Dunbar Crimson Tide (10-6) 50
Friendship was led by 6’3.5″ Malik Miller who is committed to Morgan State & is the DC DMVs leading rebounder grabbed 18 boards while scoring 16 points, adding 5 assists & 3 blocks. 6’0″ 2018 6’0″ F/G Derrick Love totaled 14 points & 6 rebounds & 5’10” PG/CG Kenneth Tyree (left) who is a D1 recruit scored 15. 6’0″ 2021 F Jamile Kirkland Jr. scored 6 points in just 11 minutes. 2021 5’6″ PG Rasheed Dupree added 4 points, 7 rebounds & 5 assists. Friendship Tech Head Coach Dwayne Shackleford & Dunbar Head Coach Damon Singletary teams play with as much intensity & toughness as anyone in the DC DMV. Friendship Tech is my favorite to win the very tough DC Charter while Dunbar is the 3rd best DCIAA team in my opinion. However, the Crimson Tide will meet McKinley Tech @ home on Friday with the winner becoming the 3rd place team.
Dunbar 2018 5’10” PG Rasheed Gatling (17.7 ppg, 5 apg) had another superb performance scoring a game high 24 on 9-15 FGs. 6’3″ 2018 Wing Cole Phaire scored 12 & added 5 boards, & 6’1″ Wing Mitchell Eason grabbed 9 rebounds & totaled 8 points. 5’10” 2018 G Ahmad Mckeithan did not reach his 12.8 ppg average scoring 5 points but he was a relentless defender.
Game #5
Cesar Chavez Eagles (6-4) 49 McKinley Tech Trainers (7-6) 44
6’2.5″,2018, WG/CG Lawrence Martin (22.9 ppg) scored 25 points grabbed 8 rebounds, dished out 4 assists, blocked 2 shots & got 2 steals. 2021 M. Brown scored 10 points, with 3 steals, Deonta Wallace added 8 points & 4 boards, & Tyson Minor chipped in with 4.
McKinley Tech was led by 6’8″ 2020 F Woody Newton who scored 15 & collected 8 rebounds, Chism Njoku scoored 9 & added rebounds, & 5’9″ 2019 PG Daniel Allen scored 7
Cesar Chavez victory was the 2nd game of the day in the Uptown Hoopfest where a DC Charter School defeated at DCIAA school. The DC Charter is an excellent up & coming conference with Friendship Tech, Cesar Chavez, Thurgood Marshall, Seed DC & National Collegiate Prep among those teams competing at a high level.
Lawrence Martin and Woody Newton named MVP’s.
Game #6
Theodore Roosevelt (16-2) 66 Thurgood Marshall (9-6) 58
6’6.5″ 2020 W/G Darius Miles led Roosevelt with 17 points & 10 boards, 5’9″ 2019 PG Micko Reeves scored 15 with 4 huge treys, 6’1″ 2019 PG Marcus Dockery added 12 points & 5’10” 2018 PG Marquise Brown scored 9, & 6’4″ 2019 C Darius Buchannan added 6 points & 6 boards.
6’4″ 2018 CG Savion Gallion led Thurgood with 21 points, 6 rebounds & 3 assists, 6’4.5″, 2018 F Janoski McNeil Jr grabbed 13 rebounds & totaled 11 points, 5’7″, 2021 PG Mike Aiken added 10 points, 4 assists, & 6’4.5″, 2018, F Darius Richardson scored 7 & added 7 boards.
Thurgood held a 30-28 advantage at the half, but Roosevelt played a very strong 3rd quarter,led by Daruis Miles & Marcus Dockery. Micko Reeves had a huge 4th quarter hitting 3 treys. Roosevelt & Woodrow Wilson remain as the top 2 DCIAA teams while Thurgood will challenge for the DC Charter title.
Game #7
Woodrow Wilson Tigers (13-8) 69 National Christian Eagles (5-5) 49
6’8″ 2018 Wing Ricky Lindo Jr. grabbed 16 boards, totaled 16 points & dished out 6 assists, 6’3″ 2019 CG Jay Heath scored 16 with 3 assists, 2020 6’6″ Wing Dimingus Stevens hit 5 treys for 15 points. 6’8″ 2019 F/C Josiah Marable scored 11 & grabbed 13 rebounds, & 5’10: 2018 PG Ayinde Hakim added 6 points .
5’11”, 2019 PG Jimmy Kpadeh totaled 20 points & 5 boards for NCA, 6’10” 2020 Center Christian Oliver scored 9 with 7 boards, 6’9″ 2020 F/C Oumar Koureissi added 8 points & 3 rebounds & 6’5″ 2020 G Jakai Robinson scored 4 & had 6 rebounds.
Woodrow Wilson played one of their best games of the season & showed some positive signs of playing towards their tremendous upside. The Tigers were scheduled to meet Theodore Roosevelt (16-2) in a DCIAA showdown on Monday, but the game was cancelled due to inclement weather. Despite the loss NCA was very impressive & their top 5 players are very young with one payer @ 2019, 3 for 2020, & one in the 2021 class.