EYBL Peach Jam Day 1: MD/DC Headlines

Peach Jam officially tipped off yesterday in what is considered one of the biggest events in the high school basketball calendar. Multiple programs from the state took the stage at the 17U level as well as one in the 15U age bracket. We'll take a look at some headlines surrounding these games and keep regular updates on the site throughout the event. [player_tooltip player_id="999616" first="DeShawn" last="Harris-Smith"] leads Team Takeover Harris-Smith has been no secret in the DMV over the course of his high school career and while he is getting his just due on a more national level, he's still underrated in the ways that he impacts winning basketball. Doing what he did yesterday was a reminder for folks around the country that he is exactly that--a winner. The 6-foot-5 southpaw combo guard averaged a double-double in their two games with 17 points, 12 rebounds and 5.5 assists. Takeover had to win a play-in game to earn their spot in Peach Jam play and thanks to Harris-Smith's efforts, they won in commanding fashion over Pro Skills. Others such as 2023 guard [player_tooltip player_id="957109" first="Jeremiah" last="Quigley"] and 2024 guard [player_tooltip player_id="1259620" first="Darren" last="Harris"] each had important performances as well, but moving forward the success will continue to ride on the broad shoulders of Harris-Smith. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/07/IMG-9363.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1505142" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/07/IMG-9363-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> [program_tooltip program_id='2078457' first='Team' last='Durant']'s balanced attack Durant took the floor in an opening night matchup against All Ohio. It was a tightly contested game after the first quarter, but then as a team, Durant found their groove and blew the doors off. It has become routine for our No. 1 prospect in the 2023 class, [player_tooltip player_id="957018" first="Amani" last="Hansberry"], to record double-doubles and he did so again with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Maryland commit [player_tooltip player_id="957025" first="Jahnathan" last="Lamothe"] had a spurt in the third quarter where he rattled off three-straight triples to deliver a knockout punch. The 6-foot-4 guard finished with 14 points on 5-of-10 from the field and 4-of-7 from three while dishing out seven assists and grabbing three boards. 2023 wing [player_tooltip player_id="1207981" first="Shawn" last="Simmons"] provided electric finishes above the rim especially in transition to set a ton early in the game. Simmons had 12 points and three rebounds. 2024 guard [player_tooltip player_id="1259623" first="Del" last="Jones"] helped provide balance and controlled the pace as a primary ball-handler while choosing his spots wisely. Jones scored 11 points and had three assists. Last but not least, 2023 wing Kwame Evans put forth a productive effort and really looked impressive as a playmaker in the paint on drives. He had a few no-look passes to Hansberry in the dunker's spot where he fit the ball in tight windows for easy looks. The top-10 prospect nationally scored 10 points, hauled in nine boards and delivered four assists. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Ross-Jayden-Head-Shot.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1194482" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Ross-Jayden-Head-Shot-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Team Melo's obstacles After an impressive S4, Melo saw some early struggles when they ran into a feisty Brad Beal Elite team in the play-in game. Despite losing their two games played, UConn commit [player_tooltip player_id="999641" first="Jayden" last="Ross"] caught my eye with his effective movement off the ball. Whether it was backdoor cuts, working on flex screens or simply reading when his man fell asleep for a second, he was very in-tune in making himself available and his teammates did a great job of reading quickly and finding him for scores. In their second loss to Nightrydas Elite, 2023 forward Gavin Walsh got off to a hot start shooting the basketball. He finished with 15 points and converted on three of his four looks from downtown. Walsh was effective in pick-and-pops where the guard was typically getting trapped coming off the ball. He quickly slipped off onto the wing area where he had time to catch, gather and let it go with confidence. 2023 guard Rob Davis was also feeling himself from three off the catch. The 6-foot-4 guard made all four of his field goals from deep, a couple in which came from a few feet behind the line. Davis contributed with 14 points. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/12/Rougier-Roane-Jalen-Head-Shot.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1339665" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/12/Rougier-Roane-Jalen-Head-Shot-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Durant 15's start strong The 15U [program_tooltip program_id='2078457' first='Team' last='Durant'] squad got their Peach Jam experience started with a win over CP3. 2025 guard [player_tooltip player_id="1370500" first="Jalen" last="Rougier-Roane"] continues to make a strong case for No. 1 consideration as he led the way with 18 points. He was at his best getting downhill, putting his defender in tough scenarios in the paint and getting to the free-throw line where he converted efficiently. Our current No. 1 prospect in the 2025 class, Cam Ward, followed up with 16 points. Ward's size and skill set for such a young age is what makes him so intriguing as a long-term prospect. It wouldn't surprise me if his name catches national eyes over the course of the week.