DMV Live 1 2023 Standouts (Part 1)
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The June high school live periods kicked off this past weekend with tons of events getting underway all over the country, and one of the biggest ones was in the DMV area where DMV Live took place at the famous…
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Continue ReadingThe June high school live periods kicked off this past weekend with tons of events getting underway all over the country, and one of the biggest ones was in the DMV area where DMV Live took place at the famous DeMatha High School in Maryland. The event featured some of the top private schools from Maryland and Virginia, and had hundreds of college coaches in attendance. We’ll have tons of content from the weekend, starting with part one of the 2023 standouts from the VA schools.
Jamie Kaiser Jamie Kaiser 6'6" | SF IMG Academy | 2023 State #67 Nation FL | 6’6” WG | Bishop Ireton
It’s hard to really start a standout list without starting with Kaiser, who was the bell of the ball as no matter what gym he was in coaches from all over the country were following him and he put on an absolute show. He was the leading scorer in the event until his last game where he finally had an off night, but he regularly put up numbers in the upper twenties and thirties and did so efficiently and in so many different ways. He showed deep range off the catch, he made tough shots in the midrange off the bounce and off balance and he finished around the rim, all while playing with a good motor and making plays defensively too.
Quint Booker Quint Booker 6'3" | SG Bishop Ireton | 2023 State VA | 6’2” CG | Bishop Ireton
Every Batman needs a Robin, and that was Booker for Kaiser as the 6’2” combo rose his stock by showing a mix of athleticism, toughness and two way impact ability. He attacked downhill and finished well through traffic and showed above the rim finishing ability, he knocked down shots from deep and showed he can create off the bounce and he’s a good defender and rebounds well for his position too. He had a few very good showings and left quite a few coaches with a good impression.
DeShawn Harris-Smith DeShawn Harris-Smith 6'5" | SF Paul VI | 2023 State #53 Nation VA | 6’4” CG | Paul VI
Let’s just start by saying that this PVI team is one of the most stacked teams I’ve seen in the WCAC in years and that’s saying something, however they’re young with only two seniors and Harris-Smith as the undoubted senior leader, and what I saw from him was exactly what you want to see from a senior leader. He’s a dog on the floor as he defends tenaciously and makes all the hustle plays, offensively he comes at you over and over again and is an excellent slasher with the ability to finish around the rim while also making plays for teammates which is something he’s improved a lot in and he simply does all the little things that makes his team better. He’s a flat out winner who’s always the toughest kid on the court and he produces across the board and leads by example.
Kris Mickens Kris Mickens 6'5" | CG National Christian Academy | 2023 State MD | 6’4” SG | Fairfax Christian
Mickens is a guy we have watched develop over the past few years and was a big reason for Fairfax Christian’s run to a state championship this year, and he showed that improvement in front of coaches who were impressed with his size and versatility. He’s developed his shot a lot over the past few years and he made shots off the catch and in the midrange consistently, he can handle in transition and in isolation situations to get to the rim where he can use his size and athleticism to finish in traffic and he is a good defender and rebounder too. He’s tapping into all the potential he has and I think he still has a lot of room to grow moving forward.
Joe Baldwin Joe Baldwin 6'7" | SF Fairfax Christian | 2023 State VA | 6’6” WF | Fairfax Christian
Baldwin opened the event with a bang, both literally and metaphorically as he went for 20 points on 8-for-12 shooting from the field and 7 rebounds while also throwing down a massive dunk that was one of the most impressive plays of the weekend. He’s another guy who has steadily developed his game from being a big forward that’s athletic and sometimes makes plays to being a more consistent and well-rounded player who can do a little bit of everything to help his team. He can defend and gets deflections and is a good shot blocker in chase down and helpside, he can catch and shoot from deep and when he gets downhill you may want to think twice about challenging him at the rim.
Gibraltar Coleman Gibraltar Coleman 6'6" | PF Flint Hill | 2023 State VA | 6’6” PF | Flint Hill
Coleman had a good showing for Flint Hill as he showed his versatility as a scorer at his size and how he’s a walking mismatch. He scored over 20 points in multiple games, showing the ability to score in the paint on post ups but really thriving on the perimeter showing he can knock down shots from deep and put it on the deck to get to spots and make shots. He scored it in a number of ways, rebounded well and continues to show improvement every time we see him play.