DMV Roundtable: Biggest Surprise, Early POY Candidates, Must See Players
It’s crazy to think that we’re already approaching February. As high school hoops in the DMV ramps up signicantly with playoff implications playing a factor, we get to see teams/players rise to the occasion and display their skill sets on…
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Continue ReadingIt’s crazy to think that we’re already approaching February. As high school hoops in the DMV ramps up signicantly with playoff implications playing a factor, we get to see teams/players rise to the occasion and display their skill sets on big stages. Here on Prep Hoops Maryland, we try and cover the Maryland, D.C. and Virginia area as in-depth as possible. For this week’s roundtable, we’ll address questions to help give updates on surprise factors and players that are must-see before this season concludes.
1. Which player has been the biggest surprise to you thus far?
Giacubeno: 2020 Cam Byers is my answer for this question. Last year for Byers was a very up-and-down season despite Dulaney’s success. I felt as though he never really found his niche with that team. However with this year’s roster, he is a go-to option offensively alongside 2021 Ryan Conway. Teams are beginning to key in on Conway and challenge everyone else on the Lions to beat them in some scenarios. Byers has proven himself multiple times now to be a legitimate threat from three and capable of posting 20+ point performances consistently. As a result of his play, his recruitment has picked up with a handful of Division II and a couple of Division I programs starting to track him closely.
Ayalew: Paul Lewis from Bishop O’Connell has played at a high level of late. The sophomore guard, who was on the JV team last year, had a productive summer and is playing with a ton of confidence.
Wilson: There are a lot of surprises every given year and many to choose from this year but one thing that comes to mind is the improvement TJ Gasden has shown during his time at St. Andrew’s. He has become an important piece for Kevin Jones on both sides of the ball and has good versatility which allows him to guard multiple positions on defense. He has shown that he can finish out in transition and also above the rim. Since his time at St. Andrew’s his stock has taken a major boost as St. Andrew’s currently sits with a record of 13-3 .
2. Give 3-5 names on who should be considered as the player of the year candidates for your given area (Baltimore/D.C/VA).
Giacubeno: Baltimore’s list(in alphabetical order)
Ahmad Harrison (City)
Jamal West (St. Frances)
Justin Lewis (Poly)
Jason Edokpayi (Mount St. Joseph)
Ryan Conway (Dulaney)
Ayalew:
Corey Dyches – Potomac (MD)
Wilson:
WCAC: I will go with Earl Timberlake for the WCAC. He has had a very impressive senior season for DeMatha and has dug them out late in games they easily could have lost. I only expect this type of play to continue as the season goes on and we get deeper into conference play.
IAC: The IAC is a toss up as there is a lot of talent, especially underclassmen. I believe St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes will eventually win the regular which makes me believe either Chase Beasley, Jamal Barnes or Andre Screen will win player of the year. I do not have the stats in front of me so I am not exactly sure what those are looking like but from what I have seen and heard thus far, it is Beasley, Barnes and Screen that are contributing the most on of the most talented teams in the state of Virginia. It can’t be forgotten that 2020 Radford pledge Xavier Lipscomb runs the show for SSSA as the floor general and 2020 Army commit Jared Cross is having a stellar senior campaign who just recently joined the 1000 point club. 2021 Darius Johnson of Episcopal and 2022 Rodney Rice are also enjoying good seasons and will be the frontrunners for player of the year next year in the conference.
MAC: If St. Andrew’s goes on to win the conference I think Benny Williams or Colin Smalls will be player of the year. Benny has taken big strides since the summer and is becoming the elite player that can take over games. In the latest update in our MD/DC 2021 rankings, he moved up to third on our list. Smalls is committed to American University and has really set the tone for this team being the floor general.
3. It’s been a week or two since the last roundtable. Give people some names of players who they should make a priority to go and watch live.
Giacubeno: I tend to gravitate towards players who I know will go 100 percent no matter the situation. Jamal West is the first player that comes to mind. The 2020 South Alabama commit has a relentless motor at all times and it pays dividends for the Panthers on nights where they have to rest other starters. He manhandles players inside, rebounds at an extremely high rate and has even extended the range on his jumper to be more of a three-point threat. 2021 Dulaney guard Ryan Conway will give you your scoring fix on any given night. The 6-foot-1 guard has already logged a 40-point game and most recently, a 55-point game in three quarters against Hereford. 2020 guard Brandon Murray has had a breakout season for Poly this season that has put him on the radar of mid-to-high major programs. The 6-foot-5 guard is one of the most explosive athletes you’ll find. He can also scorch opponents from deep as a spot-up shooter. Murray plays with tremendous energy that is evident in his willingness to guard, rebound and block shots around the rim.
Ayalew: Zane Adnan – Bullis ‘23. Adnan is one of the better freshman guards I’ve seen all year. He is going to have a much bigger role for the foreseeable future due to Rodney Rice’s shoulder injury, and I expect him to step up.
Wilson: Before Earl Timberlake heads off to college people should definitely make it a priority to watch the future Miami Hurricane. He is one of the more exciting players in the whole country and is an impact on both sides of the ball. As I wrote above, he has a strong chance to win player of the year in the WCAC.
I am going to stick with the 2020 class just because these guys will not be able to play in front of our eyes in person next year each but Jeremy Roach is must watch material. The future Duke Blue Devil is officially back from an ACL injury and leading Paul VI to another strong season in the WCAC. He is an electric guard that can make plays at an elite level. Roach is going to be a fan favorite in Durham.