This past weekend the annual National Hoops Fest was held at DeMatha Catholic High School. It is a premier high school basketball showcase and had a lot of elite talent in the same building. I was able to catch some of the action and will recap the teams that I saw.
Paul VI
The Panthers bring back almost everyone from last year’s team, where they fell short in the WCAC championship. Due to the loss of Aaron Thompson, sophomore Jeremy Roach has become the facilitator of the offense along with a larger responsibly to help with the scoring load. He has flourished in that role so far, proving to be one of the best guards in the area regardless of class. Villanova commit Brandon Slater is what makes this team go, and he has been scoring the ball with ease so far. Slater came up big in the fourth quarter against nationally ranked Wesleyan Christian. Senior Miles Latimer is back and better than ever as he is playing with a newfound confidence. Latimer also became much stronger over the summer and is now a threat at all three levels. Lastly, the Panthers added Freshman Trevor Keels who has been doing a little bit of everything. Keels’ impact wasn’t really showing up in the stat sheet until he exploded for 23 points, including four threes. Despite dropping a heartbreaker to Oak Ridge, PVI has picked up two solid wins without one of their top players, Anthony Harris.
Westtown (PA)
The game between Georgetown Prep and Westtown was one of the most high level high school basketball games I’ve ever witnessed in person. That is mainly due to the fact that Westtown senior and Duke commit Cam Reddish is absolutely incredible. After a slow first half, Reddish came out with a new pair of shoes (he switched at halftime) and a new mentality. The Five-Star recruit took over the game, getting buckets whenever and wherever he wanted. Although his 34 point performance wasn’t enough for a W against Georgetown Prep, his astonishing 53 point performance the following morning was. Reddish averaged 43.5 points per game while shooting 63% from deep, he is definitely helping his case for the number one spot. Indiana commit Jake Forrester dominated the paint on both ends despite not being 100%. He is an extremely athletic big man with a great motor, Forrester will be very productive for Archie Miller’s squad in the coming years. Junior point guard Jalen Gaffney also showcased great vision and his ability to finish around the rim. Those three players create a very talented core, and make this Westtown team very fun to watch.
Georgetown Prep
Unlike PVI and DeMatha, Prep isn’t a traditional basketball powerhouse. But, this year they are definitely one of best teams in the area. The Hoyas have a stacked senior class including three division one commits. The team follows the lead of Senior point guard Jared Bynum but fellow Seniors Chimezie Offurum (George Washington) and Ike Nweke (Columbia) help carry the load. Bynum was especially impressive against Westtown, finishing with 29 points 7 assists and 0 turnovers. He was getting whatever he wanted in the lane and was very efficient behind the arc. Offurum, a GW commit was having his way in the paint all night and was extremely efficient and craft around the rim. Nweke, who saw his stock rise after a good summer on the EYBL circuit for Team Melo, played a big part in the win. He has great touch that consistently extends out to about 15 feet. This Prep team has a great combination of chemistry and talent that will make them a very hard team to beat.
DeMatha
The Stags are arguably the team to beat in the DMV early on as they have been rolling so far. Coach Mike Jones reeled in big time transfers Earl Timberlake and Jahmir Young during the off-season that have definitely elevated the play of DeMatha. They also bring back one of the best players in the DMV regardless of class in Junior Justin Moore, he missed most of last year with an injury but hasn’t skipped a beat. The combo guard has been scoring with ease, especially from behind the arc. Arguably the biggest piece for the Stags is seven foot Sophomore Hunter Dickinson. The five-star center has made significant strides in his game, and will go from being a role player his freshman year to being an absolute force during his sophomore year. He provides the Stags with an inside force to go along with their great group of guards. The best part for Coach Jones is that there isn’t one senior in their starting lineup, so this team will contend in the DMV for years to come.
This is just the start of coverage in the DMV, stay tuned for more articles showcasing some of the nations top talent.