2024 Baltimore Watch List

<p>Select teams in the Baltimore area are finding ways to hold games this winter, but the majority have been forced to sit out which means many of the talented freshmen were unable to showcase their skills. For this article, I’ll highlight the 2024 prospects in the Baltimore area that either have been or would’ve been standouts for their respective high school teams.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1089573" first="Derik" last="Queen"] | 6’8 | St. Frances</strong></span></p> <p>It would be difficult to find 10 freshmen in the country who are better than Queen. His unique blend of size, skill and IQ all contribute into making him an elite prospect. We at Prep Hoops have been fortunate enough to see Queen in live game action this winter and he’s been nothing short of impressive. He’s a legitimate point forward who can push the pace, make advance passes, operate off the bounce on the perimeter and be a threat to score from all three levels. Queen is just scratching the surface in terms of the player he can become, and that’s saying something.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1089572" first="Daquan" last="Davis"] | 5’10 | St. Frances</strong></span></p> <p>Davis is a tough-nosed guard who plays extremely hard at both ends. One thing you don’t have to worry about with Davis is effort and he doesn’t allow scoring or a lack thereof to impact the effort in which he plays with. He’ll chase down 50/50s, rebounds at a high rate for his position and doesn’t back down when guarding bigger matchups defensively. On offense he’s at his best getting downhill or in transition finishing around the rim. His shot is still a work in progress but with enough time and space, Davis has proven to be a capable three-point threat.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Isaiah Williams | 6’2 | Calvert Hall</strong></span></p> <p>I had the opportunity to see Williams this fall and he has plenty of valuable aspects to offer within Calvert Hall’s rotation. He has good size for a combo guard, plays with a competitive edge and is equipped with explosive athleticism. Williams can do damage from three, but is a bigger threat in the open floor because of his ability to finish above the rim. You can tell he approaches the defensive end with pride and doesn’t like seeing his matchup score a bucket. He can guard against either backcourt position competently and is a willing rebounder.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Gabe Grant | 6’9 | McDonogh</strong></span></p> <p>Grant is an extremely raw prospect that still has a ways to go, but his size and potential are intriguing to say the least. As he continues to get comfortable with his frame, he’ll need to work on footwork when operating on the block. However, Grant showed this fall that he has a chance to be a threat in pick-and-roll scenarios where he can catch and finish over the rim. His length helps distort shots in the paint and allows him to rebound out of his area. </p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>RJ Newton | 6’4 | Archbishop Spalding</strong></span></p> <p>I haven’t seen Newton live to this point, but the film I’ve gathered points to a very good wing/guard at the high school level. He has good size for his position and age to go along with an excellent mid-range jumper. He can be a streaky shooter once he sees one fall, but can hang his hat on slashing and getting to the rim on a routine basis. He’s a versatile defender and rebounds at a steady rate.</p>