Coaches for a Cure Standouts (Part 2)
Every February, the Team Loaded organization uses their pull in the basketball community to put on one of the best events in the state to help raise money for cancer research. They held a walk to raise money in the…
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Continue ReadingEvery February, the Team Loaded organization uses their pull in the basketball community to put on one of the best events in the state to help raise money for cancer research. They held a walk to raise money in the morning, and starting at one they had six games featuring teams from all over the state of Virginia and one from North Carolina. While the day was about much more than basketball, I attended five of the six games and there was tons of talent throughout the day. Below is a list of the scores from the games I attended, along with 10 standouts from the final few games.
Menchville 66 Highland Springs 37
LC Bird 55 St. Anne’s-Belfield 49
Life Christian Academy 60 Catholic 40
Blue Ridge 62 Moravian Prep (NC) 54
John Marshall 82 Trinity Episcopal 73
William Lee | 5’10” G | Blue Ridge 2020
Lee continues to show that he’s one of the best available guards in the state with his ability to score in bunches and pressure the basketball the length of the floor. He’s a streaky scorer but once he gets it going he can fill it up quickly and demonstrates great range both off the catch and off the bounce. He’s a quick guard that can play on or off the basketball, he makes good decisions and reads the defense well and he’s a natural athlete that plays much bigger than he is. He finished with 18 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists in their win over Moravian Prep.
Mike Gray | 6’1” G | Blue Ridge 2021
The straw that stirs the drink for Blue Ridge, Gray is a classic combo guard that can score it from multiple levels off the bounce and can make plays for others with his ball handling and ability to get in the lane. He has good range off the bounce and creates space well to get his shot off, he can get to the rim both in transition and in the half court and his ability to score it off the bounce demands the attention of the defense which allows him to make plays for others once he gets it going. He scored 11 points, grabbed 5 rebounds and dished out 4 assists in the win.
Maliq Brown | 6’8” PF | Blue Ridge 2022
Arguably the best big man in the state in the 2022 class, Brown worked his way into the starting lineup for Blue Ridge and has been as consistent as anyone of their talented team all season long. He’s not a flashy big man but he knows his game and plays it well as a guy who can run the floor and be a presence in the paint on both ends. He’s got great hands that allows him to catch tough passes, he knows how to use his body to shield himself from defenders, he rebounds well on both ends and finishes extremely well in traffic and on second chance opportunities. He finished with 17 points on 7-for-8 shooting from the field and pulled down 8 rebounds as well.
Darrius Davis | 6’4” G | Moravian Prep (NC) 2021
Moravian was playing without their senior star and NC State commit Josh Hall, but Davis stepped up and his blue collar mentality was a big reason they were able to get back in the game after trailing by double digits for much of the first half. The 6’4” guard has great size to go along with his ability to handle the basketball, he has a good motor that makes him a force on the glass and the defensive end and he competes with that motor throughout the game as well. He finished with 13 points on 6-for-9 shooting from the field and grabbed 5 rebounds as well.
Henry Coleman | 6’8” PF | Trinity Episcopal 2020
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The Duke commit showed why many consider him the best player in Richmond, as he was fantastic on both ends despite their loss to John Marshall. There aren’t many four star recruits that play with his intensity and motor on both ends, and he was all over the place as he rebounded at a high rate and showed an improved handle and ability to create his own shot. A natural athlete and strong finisher, he got the rim and to the line often, and he was all over the glass and all over the place defensively as well. He finished with 28 points on 11-for-13 shooting from the field, grabbed 18 rebounds and also had 5 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks.
Steven Stinson | 6’4” F | Trinity Episcopal 2023
Stinson has quietly been one of the best freshmen in the Richmond area, and last weekend he had the chance to show it against one of the best teams in the area. He has a great frame for a young prospect with good positional size and strength for his age, and he showed good athleticism as well with a couple of impressive plays above the rim. He showed solid touch from the midrange, ran the floor well and attacked well in straight lines, showing the base skill set necessary to be a player moving forward. He finished with 16 points on 8-for-13 shooting from the field.
Roosevelt Wheeler | 6’10” C | John Marshall 2021
Wheeler continues to take steps in the right direction and I wouldn’t be surprised if he became one of the most sought after big men in the country this summer. He picked up an offer from Louisville and has been getting recruited by multiple schools including NC State and VCU, but with the way he has shown improvement on the offensive end he should see many high majors come his way. He looks much more aggressive and demands the ball more, he can get his own shots off the offensive glass, runs the floor really well and he’s long and athletic that allows him to make plays above the rim on both ends. He finished with a double-double of 20 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocks in the win.
Jason Nelson | 5’8′ PG | John Marshall 2021
One of the top point guards in the state, Nelson’s demeanor and competitiveness is what makes John Marshall go and sets the tone on both ends of the floor for them. He has a great feel and tremendous IQ on both ends of the floor, he is a much improved scorer that has good body control and can go over top of taller defenders in the paint and he gets to the line often by attacking and living in the paint. He finished with 18 points going 10-for-13 from the line, and pitched in 3 assists and 2 steals as well.
Dana Woodley | 6’3” WG/WF | John Marshall 2021
The x-factor for this JM group, Woodley is the guy who comes off the bench and provides a spark with his athleticism and ability to make shots from deep. He has good size on the wing to go along with his athleticism that allows him to rebound and play above the rim, he’s a streaky shooter but can get hot quickly and was cooking in this game and he did a good job picking his spots and taking advantage of them. He finished with 14 points on 5-for-6 shooting from the field and pitched in 4 rebounds as well.
Dennis Parker Jr. | 6’6” WG | John Marshall 2023
Parker Jr. continues to look like the best freshman in the Richmond area, if not in the entire state. The 6’6” guard has a blend of size, athleticism and skill set that most players his age don’t have. He can handle the ball and initiate the offense, and his size makes him a dangerous passer who can see over top the defense and deliver passes. He’s become a more consistent shooter throughout the year, and once he makes a few he can attack closeouts and make plays at the rim as well. He finished with 16 points and 5 rebounds in the win.