Team Durant vs Distrcit BC Standouts (15U & 17U)
Saturday in Laurel Team Durant and District BC came together to have their 15s, 16s and 17s play against each other. First and foremost, it was a controlled environment where each player had to use hand sanitizer on stoppage of…
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Continue ReadingSaturday in Laurel Team Durant and District BC came together to have their 15s, 16s and 17s play against each other. First and foremost, it was a controlled environment where each player had to use hand sanitizer on stoppage of play, the ball was wiped down with Clorox wipes and all coaches were masked. The programs did a great job of separating those who were in attendance and keeping crowds to a minimum in certain spaces.
I was in attendance for the 15s and 17s, so these standouts will be from the two contests.
Jahnathan Lamothe Jahnathan Lamothe 6'3" | CG St. Frances | 2023 State #204 Nation MD | 6’3 | Team Durant ’23
Lamothe made his impact from the opening tip and routinely got into the paint making plays for himself or others. The 6-foot-3 guard, who is known for his outside shooting ability, scored all of his 13 points on either drives or free-throws after drawing contact on shots around the rim. He caused multiple turnovers with his off-ball defense as his overall game really seems to be coming together as he heads into his sophomore season at St. Frances.
Jamie Kaiser | 6’5 | Team Durant ’23
Kaiser is an athletic, 6-foot-5 wing who has a strong frame and an already developed body. He scored the basketball is efficiency and did so from all three levels. Kaiser is a versatile defender who communicates and displayed endless energy when crashing the glass. Kaiser and Lamothe both led Durant with 13 points each.
Kwame Evans Kwame Evans 6'9" | SF Montverde | 2023 State #20 Nation FL | 6’8 | Team Durant ’23
Evans got going when the third quarter began as he quickly hit two three’s and had a put back bucket off of an offensive rebound. Throughout the game however he made sound decisions as a decision maker especially in transition. Evans could probably score much more than he does, but he instead makes the right basketball play and when alongside the talent on this Team Durant squad, it makes them extremely dangerous.
Amani Hansberry Amani Hansberry 6'7" | C Mount St. Joseph | 2023 State #52 Nation MD | 6’7 | Team Durant ’23
Hansberry imposed his dominance in the painted area in the early going, but then displayed his versatility on both ends by making plays off the bounce from 17-to-18 feet and guarding smaller, quicker guards defensively. I walked away Saturday with much more confidence that Hansberry can eventually develop into a versatile forward despite him having more of an ‘old-school’ back to the basket type of offensive approach throughout his freshman year.
Kris Johnson | 6’2 | District BC ’23
Johnson took some time to settle in and adjust to Durant’s defensive pressure, but put together a productive second half where he scored all of his nine points. The 6-foot-2 guard has a quick first step and displayed craft on his drives and finishes around the basket.
Corwin Holland | 6’3 | District BC ’23
Holland played with great effort throughout this game doing the small things. Once the third quarter came around Durant began experimenting with some zone defensive looks. Holland took advantage by finding the open spots and knocking down two three’s. He also manufactured points on offensive boards as he led the team with 10 points.
Alex Mostashari | 6’3 | District BC ’23
Mostashari has a good, strong build at 6-foot-3 and showed his potential of being a shot maker. He scored seven points in the game, but even his misses were good shots. It’s easy for any team to feel rushed playing against the athleticism and length that this Team Durant squad has, but Mostashari didn’t allow that to effect his shot selection or pace.
Dariq Whitehead | 6’5 | Team Durant ’22
Whitehead was the best player I saw on Saturday and it comes to little surprise as he’s been on an upward trajectory since his productive season at Montverde. Considered as one of the top guard in his class nationally, Whitehead had his hand in every statistical category. Where he impressed me most was his decision making in transition and his ability to stop on a dime from 15-17 feet and knock down jumpers with ease.
Ryan Cornish Ryan Cornish 6'3" | CG Sidwell Friends | 2021 State MD | 6’3 | District BC ’21
I walked away from this scrimmage impressed with how Cornish played. He was guarded by the likes of Whitehead and Jalen Warley, two highly-touted prospects in their respective class that are being sought after by a slew of high major programs. Cornish showed confidence and control in ball-screen situations where he would force the Durant big man to switch. Instead of rushing a decision, Cornish would pull the ball out and use his quickness or long-range shooting to his advantage. He also competed and held his own on the defensive end. His quick hands and good instincts caused a few turnovers and created fastbreak opportunities.
Jalen Warley | 6’5 | Team Durant ’21
Warley put together and overall efficient performance from the standpoint of a scorer, decision maker and defender. He doesn’t allow pressure from the defense to speed him up. Warley did the majority of his scoring around the rim after taking advantage of driving lanes from the rotating defense. He pushed the tempo on DBC’s misses and quickly advanced the ball for easy looks in transition. Defensively he moved his feet well, pressured without fouling and communicated off the ball.
Thomas Whitley Thomas Whitley 6'6" | PF Eleanor Roosevelt | 2021 State MD | 6’5 | District BC ’21
With the talent and size that Durant boasts there tends to be slight hesitancy or nerves in the early goings for opponents. Whitley showed no signs of either as he played with an endless motor and a competitive edge throughout. The 6-foot-5 wing also showcased his shot from three off the catch and his soft touch from mid-range. He’s a versatile defender who isn’t afraid to do the dirty work. Whitley contested shots around the rim and rebounded at a solid rate.
Gabe Dorsey | 6’5 | Team Durant ’21
Dorsey held his own shooting clinic on Saturday by drilling three’s with regularity. The 6-foot-5 southpaw is equipped with a quick, smooth release that doesn’t require much separation from his defender. It really showed why he’s considered as one of the top available marksman nationally in the 2021 class.