Capital Hoop Fest Sunday Observations
OLNEY, MD — Things got interesting at Capital Hoop Fest on Sunday. With teams fighting for championship in their respective brackets, everything was left out on the court. Here we recap Championship Sunday with four observations.
DISTRICT CLAIMS 17U & 16U CHAMPIONSHIPS
District Basketball Club won both the 17U and 16U championships this weekend, but showcased some nice talent on all three of their teams. 2019 Cameron Brown, who was a human highlight reel this weekend, should see an uptick in recruitment when the live period opens up. One player to watch on their 16’s is Phillip Carter from Good Counsel. At 6’5, he’s a long athletic wing that can knock down free throws at a consistent rate. Once he grows into his body a bit and continues to expand his skill set, he could be very good.
MADDOX, TEAM DURANT LOOK FORMIDABLE
Team Durant won the 15U Championship, and their 16’s bowed out in a hard-fought contest against 17U Mid Atlantic Select. 2020 Darius Maddox of St. John’s was a standout in that game, and pretty much throughout the weekend. Look for the smooth 6’4 guard to be closely tracked by mid to high major division one programs this spring and beyond. 2020 Omar Koureissi, younger brother of Richmond Commit Sal Koureissi, is an intriguing forward prospect who blends size with skill. He has a chance to break out this spring and summer as well. 2021 guard Jalen Warley of Westtown stood out among the very talented 15U team.
MAS BOASTS PROMISING TALENT IN ALL AGE GROUPS
17U Mid Atlantic Select didn’t lose a game all weekend, and literally each player on the roster made an impact in some way. 2019’s Collin Schlee, Phillip Smith, and 2020 Lincoln Ball provided spacing and the ability to consistently knock down perimeter jumpers. 2019’s Preston Bacon, Phillip Jordan, and Cole Matthiesen played solid defense, and did all the little things you need in order to win games. 2019’s Yavuz Gultekin and Abdou Tsimbila worked well together and formed a formidable front court tandem. 2019 Jared White gave his team versatility, and impacted the game on both ends of the floor. Amari Cooper, who is expected to prep into 2019, demonstrated improved ball handling ability and IQ.
As for the 16’s, 2020 Matt Rogers, who we talked about earlier in the weekend, was a standout from that team. Look out for 2020 Mike Brown and Noah Charles as well. Benny Williams had a great day with the 15’s. The long limbed wing from Riverdale Baptist knocked down jumpers with some consistency. 2021 Afamdi Achufusi is one to watch with the 15’s as well.
QUICK TAKES
- 2021 Jao Ituka had some nice moments for Team Stat in a hard-fought battle with 15U MAS. The Gaithersburg product is still tracking among the top prospects in his class.
- Woody Newton continues to demonstrate improved coordination, which is becoming a nightmare for opposing defenders. The 6-foot-8 2020 prospect, who stood out for Team Thrill, looks set for a breakout spring.
- Got a quick look at 2022 Jarace Walker of Team Thrill, who will be attending IMG Academy next season. His physicality is the first thing that stood out. Walker is already an imposing presence on the court.