DMV Roundtable: Weekend Takeaways, Surprising Teams, Surprising Players
We’ve officially tipped off the high school basketball season. Now that public schools have entered into the mix of things, it’s time to get a better feel for how teams truly measure up. It’s the beginning of the season, so…
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Continue ReadingWe’ve officially tipped off the high school basketball season. Now that public schools have entered into the mix of things, it’s time to get a better feel for how teams truly measure up. It’s the beginning of the season, so of course there’s a period where teams will need to improve in certain areas, but that doesn’t mean we can’t obtain some evaluations of what we’ve seen in the early stages.
1. What are some takeaways from this weekend?
Giacubeno: I attended the Stars and Stripes Salute even this weekend and learned that Edmonson is not a team to take lightly. The Red Storm came into New Town and defeated the reigning Baltimore County champs by three. 2020 wing Tra’Shawn Lewis caught my eye with his activity and willingness to do whatever it took to give his team the edge. He has long limbs and can finish well above the rim in transition. Edomonson is always a team that is slept on in the Baltimore area, but after their win this weekend, they should be on many people’s radar.
Ayalew: 2021 Darius Johnson of Episcopal is a bonafide high major lead guard. I watched him drop 46 points against Middleburg and it was one of the best performances I’ve ever seen in person. He can shoot from anywhere inside half court and has no problem finishing in the paint despite his relatively small stature. Not only is he a dynamo on offense but he is also a good rebounder and a tough defender.
Wilson: Jeremy Roach is officially back for PVI. The Duke commit was out all of last year and this summer after tearing his ACL. This past weekend was the first time I have seen him in game action since the injury and he looks better than ever. He was showing off quickness and elite athleticism in a big time win over IMG. In my viewing of him on Saturday he finished with 16 points, including three triples.
Paul VI made a major statement this weekend by beating two nationally ranked teams and the guy that was helping Roach all weekend was 2021 Trevor Keels. Keels had a monster weekend by having a 25 point performance and then backed that up with a 34-point performance on Sunday. Keels was the MVP of the weekend which is saying a lot with all of the talent that was in the gym.
2. Which team has caught you by surprise so far?
Giacubeno: Gilman has been the team that has been most surprising for me. Coming into the season, we knew that the Hounds had decent talent, but I didn’t think they’d get off to a 3-1 start. Their only loss came in overtime against a tough Mervo team, but they bounced back the next day with a 14-point win over Dunbar. Follow that up with a win against Loyola and all of a sudden, a lot of eyes shift towards the Hounds to see if they can keep this momentum.
Ayalew: Good Counsel. The Falcons continue to prove that they’re ready to make things interesting in the WCAC this year. They picked up a signature win over Gonzaga and got a good road win at Ireton. The signs were there for us to see as Good Counsel outplayed Sidwell in a preseason scrimmage. It’s nice to see them continuing to play at a high-level.
Wilson: There are going to be no nights off this year in the WCAC. Last Thursday, Good Counsel shocked the DMV when they knocked off Gonzaga. We knew Good Counsel had the opportunity to make some noise in the conference this year, I don’t think we knew we were going to see an upset on this level though. The Falcons are currently 2-0 in the WCAC which includes a win over Bishop Ireton.
3. Are any players outperforming your expectations in the early going?
Giacubeno: I’ll stick with Gilman and choose 2022 guard Christian Winborne for this one. If you know me, you know I’ve been high on Winborne for some time, but the way he has hit the ground running this season has surprised me. It seems he is adjusting comfortably to being the primary option offensively only as a sophomore. After the loss to Mervo, the 6-foot-1 combo guard scorched Dunbar for 27 points. He didn’t limit his impact to just the scoring category, as he grabbed seven rebounds, dished out seven assist and recorded two steals in the win. Winborne was vital in their win against Loyola last night as well. He scored 20 points, which is starting to become a common theme. Opposing defenses will start game planning specifically to stop him. It’ll be fun to see how he handles it and grows as a player.
Ayalew: 2020 Wilson Ramabu of Bishop Walsh has significantly outperformed my expectations so far this season. At 6-foot-6, Ramabu is a good athlete who plays with a high motor and has intangibles that coaches look for. He has been efficient with the ball, productive on the boards and is playing solid team defense.
Wilson: Colby saw St. John’s play two weekends ago and raved about John “Mikey” Square. I saw him play last week in a win against Archbishop Carroll and I loved what I saw out of the 2020 unsigned seniors. You can tell he has taken on a leadership role for the Cadets and has improved in all phases of his game. I was extremely impressed with his motor and how hard he was hustling. Throw in an improved jump shot and the ability to rebound the ball on both ends, this is a prospect that has drastically improved since last season.