League Lookout: Patriot Conference
Welcome to League Lookout! This new series is intended to provide analysis and updates on various players making waves in different leagues across Virginia. Heading into the season, we viewed the Patriot Conference as one of the deepest in 6A. And after 7…
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Continue ReadingWelcome to League Lookout! This new series is intended to provide analysis and updates on various players making waves in different leagues across Virginia.
Heading into the season, we viewed the Patriot Conference as one of the deepest in 6A. And after 7 weeks, our initial thought has held firm.
If anything, the conference looks stronger now than it did prior to the season, with a variety of teams proving themselves capable of some postseason magic. West Springfield is 12-1 overall and undefeated in conference play after thwarting W.T. Woodson at Home. West Potomac has won 4 straight after losing their first 2 conference games to T.C. Williams and W.T. Woodson. Lake Braddock appears to be stabilizing after a small stumbling period. And W.T. Woodson, though they have suffered back-to-back losses — most recently to St. Johns, have shown the ability to hang with anybody when things are clicking.
Below is a look at some of the trends and players making noise in the hotly contested conference as the season crosses the midway point.
Spartans rolling
West Springfield has surely been among the biggest surprises of the season thus far. Yes, the Spartans have an experienced roster chock-full of upperclassmen. But, credit head coach Durmia Marshall for instilling a culture which maximizes their ability to defend and play as a team.
The Spartans are led by 6’8″ senior Lewis Djonkam, perhaps the commonwealth’s best available big man, who has sparked the team with his play on both ends of the court this season. Lewis is averaging 15 points, and over 10 rebounds per game, while serving as the team’s leader and vocal presence.
But as special as Djonkam has been this season, West Springfield couldn’t be 12-1 without a supporting cast that has been consistently efficient all year long. Junior guard Riley Welch has established himself as a go-to force, averaging 10.4 points per game, making winning plays with his energy and aggressiveness. Seniors Brock Vaughn, Spencer Askew, and Andrew Storr and sophomore Gabriel Kier have been among the team’s other top performers.
Lake Braddock will be fine
After an undefeated start, Lake Braddock suffered three consecutive losses – to Champe, Mount Vernon, and West Potomac. The Bruins appear to be back on track, with consecutive victories over Annandale and South County. 6’8″ Navy commit James Butler is on pace to repeat as the conference’s leading scorer, averaging nearly 27 points per game.
Butler has dealt with more double and triple teams than ever. But while he’s still able to put up big numbers in the face of aggressive defenses, including a 46 point explosion vs. TC Williams, he is well-equipped to get contributions from other sources. None has been a better compliment than Corey Pelham, the team’s second leading scorer at over 16 points per game, who has established himself among the top shooters in the 2017 class. Pelham is a highly skilled scoring guard, whose ability to stretch the floor puts constant pressure on defenses. His play, along with the emergence of lightning-quick frosh PG Quentin James gives the Bruins a reliable and dynamic guard duo.
Wolverines progressing
West Potomac is definitely a team that has taken people by surprise with its consistency. Junior guard Khalil Williams-Diggins has led the way for the 7-5 Wolves by contributing 17.2 points per game, fourth best in the Patriot. He has averaged over 24 points per game and has earned 46 total FT attempts during their current 4-game win streak vs. Woodson, Lake Braddock, Mount Vernon, and Annandale. The Wolverines guard tandem is bolstered by the inside presence of 6’4″ senior forward Jamie Sara, who is also averaging double figure scoring numbers.
Head coach David Houston III has done a great job directing his young team, which has also recorded wins this season over a number of talented teams, including Bishop Ireton, Hayfield, and Friendly (MD).
Woodson armed with scorers
Matt Ayoub, who is committed to Division 3 St Mary’s College, is the third leading scorer in the conference, averaging 19 points per game for the Cavaliers. While he’s widely regarded among the top shooters in the state, head coach Doug Craig has a variety of options he can turn to for offense this year. Junior guard Jason Aigner can really shoot it with range, and is proving that in his first varsity season by averaging over 15 points per game. Fellow juniors Brian Peirce and Simon Mulaa have each had some really nice moments. Not to be overlooked is senior Seamus Maloney, who is another tough and reliable guard with in the gym range.
Isaiah Borders returns
As we tweeted earlier, 6-foot-5 sophomore guard Isaiah Borders has made the move from South County to TC. Borders showed flashes of brilliance at times during his freshman campaing, authoring many memorable 25+ point scoring outbursts for the Stallions. After a brief period off the court, Borders has enrolled with the Titans. He will junior Fahmi Mahmo, who is averaging over 17 points per game, to form a formidable scoring tandem.
6'5" Soph. guard Isaiah Borders has transferred to TC Williams High School. Highly talented, instant impact player. pic.twitter.com/Y0QUUJW19O
— Adam Ayalew (@AyalewAdam) January 10, 2016
Under-The-Radar Risers
Names like Butler, Djonkam, Ayoub, Borders, and Pelham are well-known. This is a look at some other players who might not have had much notoriety heading into the season but are helping their teams in big ways.
Dontae Johnson, 5’11” junior guard, Annandale
Dontae Johnson has been perhaps the most important player for the Atoms. He is the team’s leading scorer, at 18.4 points per game. His toughness and ability to defend bigger players gives Annandale an edge to carry with them this season.
Quintin Gilchrest, 6’3″ junior guard, South County
Quintin Gilchrest joins the Stallions this year after running with Bishop Ireton in the WCAC last season. He’s done his best to pick up the scoring slack lost by Borders’ departure, putting up a team-high 14.1 points per game. He has scored at least 10 points in all but three games, shooting efficiently from deep. The sharpshooting guard drilled 5 threes in his last game, a 17-point outing vs. Lake Braddock.
Daryl Mackey Jr, 5’10” freshman guard, West Potomac
At 12.7 points per game, Daryl Mackey Jr. is the leading freshman scorer in the Patriot conference. Perhaps his best game came in their against Lake Braddock, when he scored a season high 22 points. He his a very good facilitator and defender for the Wolverines, whose two league losses have come by a combined eight points. Daryl is a skilled guard who boasts a broad frame, long arms and a nice mix of quickness and athleticism.
Gabriel Kier, 5-11 sophomore guard, West Springfield
An exciting component for the impressive Spartans, Gabriel Kier has done a little bit of everything during their 12-1 start. He’s been the team’s best free throw shooter, with just one miss in 19 attempts this season. West Springfield typically features a balanced scoring attack this year, but he’s cracked double figures twice already including a season-high 16 in their win vs. West Potomac.
Quentin James, 5’10 freshman guard, Lake Braddock
Prior to the season, Lake Braddock Head coach Brian Metress told us he believed that the ball-handling issues his team had previously faced were resolved. Frosh point guard Quentin James has really emerged to solidify his role as the Bruins floor general. From baseline to baseline, he may be the quickest guard in the entire conference, and does a terrific job getting into the paint and earning trips to the foul line. He demonstrates an advanced feel and understanding of the game.
This Week’s Matchups
Tuesday (1/19)
Mount Vernon at Annandale, 7 p.m.
Lake Braddock at West Springfield, 7:30 p.m.
T.C. Williams at W.T. Woodson, 7:15 p.m.
South County at West Potomac, 7:15 p.m.
Friday (1/22)
W.T. Woodson at Mount Vernon, 7 p.m.
Annandale at South County, 7 p.m.
West Potomac at West Springfield, 5:30 p.m.
Lake Braddock at T.C. Williams, 7:30 p.m.