St. James Fall League: Opening Night Takeaways

<p><em>SPRINGFIELD, VA</em> -- It felt good to be back in the gym for the opening night of The St. James Fall League. Here are a few takeaways from Tuesday’s action. </p> <p><strong>BLACK AND WEBB GIVE TEAM VA AN INSIDE EDGE</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/IMG_0766.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1058779" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/IMG_0766-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>Team VA beat Christ Chapel quite easily last night, and 2022 forwards <strong>Elliott Black</strong> and <strong>Miles Webb</strong> were key contributors throughout the comprehensive win. Black is a forceful paint presence who would not budge while pummelling CCA on the offensive boards in search of easy second-chance scoring opportunities. Webb was excellent on the defensive glass and used his length to alter everything around the rim. Both forwards were efficient on the offensive end, earning several free throw attempts between them while providing a dynamic inside out scoring punch.</p> <p><strong>ALLEN COULD BE UP NEXT FROM THE MAC</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/Screen-Shot-2020-09-30-at-2.16.12-PM.png?1601489824107"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1058778" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/Screen-Shot-2020-09-30-at-2.16.12-PM-300x197.png" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a></p> <p>In recent years, the MAC has produced some truly elite hoopers: Saddiq Bey, Josh Hart, Luka Garza, Grant Golden, and Anthony Duruji to name just a few. [player_tooltip player_id="902002" first="Quincy" last="Allen"] looks like he will the next one in line. The bouncy 6-foot-7+ Colorado commit impressed in his debut at the St. James Fall League. Allen’s vigilance on the boards was commendable. He grabbed seemingly every rebound in or out of his area and quickly looked to get out in transition. His offensive game has always been smooth when you consider the fact that he is an efficient scorer from all three levels but also has reliable ball-handling and playmaking skills, which were on full display last night. Perhaps most importantly, Allen is maturing as a vocal leader, which was evident last night as he was often heard barking out instructions to his teammates while on defense. All signs are pointing in the right direction when looking at how Allen is developing, and his future looks very bright indeed. </p> <p><strong>DONT SLEEP ON THE PUBLIC SCHOOL TALENT</strong></p> <p>Team Lorton vs. PW Warriors was probably the most competitive game of the night, with both teams featuring a bevy of college-level talent. Mount St. Mary’s commit <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="798699" first="Andre" last="Speight"]</strong>, who was the headliner, played very well and scored a majority of his team’s points. He appears to be set for a huge uptick in usage and should be considered a legit First Team All-Met Candidate. His teammate, <strong>Trenton Picott</strong>, is a hidden gem among forwards in the local 2021 class. Picott helped Speight handle the scoring duties while defending at a high level all over the court. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="798715" first="Tyrell" last="Harris"]</strong> of PW Warriors is another talented 2021 forward who was featured in this game. He is similar to Picott in that he is a good athlete who is a versatile contributor on both ends of the floor. 2021 guard <strong>KeJahn Rainey</strong> had a standout performance and has evidently been putting in work this summer. Rainey’s shot-making ability and leadership intangibles were impressive. 2022 guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="815623" first="Kyle" last="Honore"]</strong>, named first-team All-State last season, appears set to build off the momentum he has created. Honore is in peak physical condition and will be a very intriguing player to monitor moving forward. <strong>Trey Nelson</strong> of Team Manassas is quickly establishing a reputation as one of the better guards in this area. He was the best player on the court, showcasing an impressive floor game while leading his squad to a win over Family Over Fame. The experience Nelson gained last year is paying dividends as he appears poised for a breakout. </p>