Prospect Spotlight 2018: Wayne Bristol Jr.
Wayne Bristol Jr., 6’6″, WG, Riverdale Baptist Crusaders. Upper Marlboro, MD.
Grassroots Team: Team Takeover Orange 17U
Thru hard work & dedication Wayne Bristol Jr. has developed into an under the radar D1 recruit. Last season Wayne was a very valuable rotational player for the deep & talented Crusaders who were one of the best & elite teams in Washington, DC area. This year Wayne will be a go to player for RBHS & will form one of the most potent back courts in the Washington, DC /DMV pairing with Donovan Toatley who recently committed to D1 Tennessee Chattanooga. Both players excel on both sides of the ball & are fantastic all around players. The duo have been playing together for 3 years & Donovan is an excellent penetrating PG who can facilitate & hit Wayne for baseline flex cuts, back screens, alley oops or open look 3s.
Wayne is blessed with an outstanding basketball physique standing at 6’6″ with a lean muscular frame weighing in at 175 & long wingspan. His father, Wayne Sr. was a 1990/91 All Met basketball for High Point HS & played at the University of Maryland for 4 seasons as a valuable role player for former Terps Coach Gary Williams. Wayne has grown 5 inches taller than his father & he has inherited his Dad.
We believe Wayne is poised & ready for a breakout senior campaign for RBHS. In the last 2 years Wayne has put in great work to better himself on & off the court. He has gotten bigger, faster & stronger in addition to continually improving his basketball skills. When we scout players we look for a certain demeanor which we call the IT factor & Wayne has IT. During a game when makes a great play, he is immediately ready for the next play with intense in control aggression. We chatted with Wayne this weekend who says,”On defense I want to shut down my opponent while playing team defense.I use my wingspan & athleticism for rebounds & deflections. At every opportunity I scout my opponent looking for their tendencies & weaknesses. At Riverdale Coach Wilson & our great Assistant Coaches break down film & develop a game plan which we execute.” Last season RBHS finished @ 31-9 in the very competitive Beltway Conference & 6 losses totaled just 17 points & ranked #7 in the loaded Washington, DC, DMV. The Crusaders will once gain be one of the top teams in the DC/DMV for 2017/18. RBHS has been a perennial DC power for the last 18 years under Head Coach Lou Williams who has surpassed the 700 win mark.
This season Wayne will be a stat sheet stuffer for the Crusaders & his summer he averaged 17.5, 6 rpg, 5 assists, 3 steals, 4 blocks for Team Takeover Orange 17U. Wayne is a winner & he will do whatever it takes for W. He plays with a very high motor & comes up with loose balls, deflections, saves & makes hockey assists & other non stat plays which impact the game. While Wayne can score in bunches, he plays with great intensity on both sides. We asked Wayne about his offensive skill set & he replied,”My goal is to be a complete player. I can score from any location on the court from all 3 levels & I like to attack the rim. My 3 point shot is beyond the college 3, with the ability to score off the dribble.”One aspect of Wayne’s game that gets overlooked are his passing skills. We have seen him make some elite passes & Wayne is a tremendous facilitator & ball mover. Wayne can go coast to coast or from the wing & finish with a strong explosive dunk off one leg. Additionally, we are impressed how Wayne maneuvers in traffic & slashes to the basket with the ability to get thru small creases in the defense.
This summer Wayne worked out with his Personal Trainer Emanuel Coulibaly 6 days a week. They work on every aspect of basketball, strength & conditioning, agility & flexibility. The dividends are paying off & Wayne is one of the best the under the radar players in the DC DMV who we believe will see a large spike in his recruitment at the D1 level. Wayne says,” This spring & summer my ball handling, confidence & overall skill-set shave improved. I have gotten bigger, faster, stronger & more explosive. Trainer Coulibaly incorporates weight training, plyos, running & basketball drills in our workouts.”Last season Prep Hoops 1st team All DMV I-495 player Deion Hammond took Wayne under his wing & they worked out numerous tines together. In our opinion Deion was possibly the most explosive players & dunkers in the DMV, possessed one of the best high rising jumpers & most intense players we saw in 2016/17. D1 Monmouth got a steal landing him who could be an impact player this season for Monmouth. Additionally, Wayne studies Kobe Bryant’s footwork & moves off the dribble & how Kevin Durant uses his body in games. On defense Wayne watches Kwahi Lenonard & Michael Jordan. Coaches on all levels are impressed with his willingness to learn & improve.
In the classroom Wayne is an excellent student carrying a 3.3 GPA. He names his parents as role models & his family is very close knot. To date Wayne is receiving interest from schools such as JMU, Radford, and Salisbury, but his recruitment is about to take off. We will be covering Riverdale Baptist,Wayne & the Crusaders player this coming season providing live game reports& individual player articles.
Wayne is # 0 in the video He appears at the 3:42 mark draining a 3 mark. As a role player last season Wayne was very impressive & displayed flashes of excellence. Deion Hammond is #3, Donovan Toatley #1, David McCullough #11, Ayan Teel #2, & Cyril Obuagu#34.
I TRAIN 2 WIN @TeamTakeFligtDC