Colby's Fall Check-In: Gwynn Park

The fall workout tour began yesterday and I started things off with making the trip down to Gwynn Park. The Yellow Jackets had tremendous success in acquiring key transfers over the summer to now boast a roster that looks the part of an early favorite in the 2A Class. After catching up with the key additions, their decision to make the move all came down to a similar factor: head coach Rob Garner.    Garner has a history of not only racking wins, but developing his players in an effective way where they're prepared to make immediate impacts at the next level. His attention to detail, commitment to culture and patience in building strong groups over the course of the season is evident. Now with a talented group of players, Garner is in strong position to capture the state title he's been longing for.    Let's take a look at some names who are expected to be key players on this year's team:   [player_tooltip player_id='1127311' first='Ty' last='Bevins'] (2024)   Bevins is the cow bell for this team. He's one of the few returners from last year and with very few seniors on the roster will be expected to step up in a huge way as a leader. The 6'5 (nearing 6'6) guard's game continues to round into all-around shape and becomes more fluid every time I see him. He's a knockdown shooter from deep, is able to finish above the rim in transition and is an underrated passer off the live dribble. It was great watching Bevins play pick-up where he'd guard his man the full length of the floor. Not something you see much in fall workouts from a team's top player.    He'll spend time both on and off the ball. When things get tight, I fully expect him to take control. Bevins seems very capable of doing so both with his physical and mental traits. Expect Bevins to make a strong push for PG County Player of the Year if this group can perform up to expectations.    Machi Chester (2024)   Chester was the major addition in my opinion this summer coming by way of Bishop O'Connell. The 6'3 guard brings good positional size, ability to play on or off the ball and the knack to get buckets in bunches. The talent throughout PG County year-to-year is always impressive, but I fully expect Chester to wreak havoc and put up explosive scoring outings with his shot-making abilities and his aggression. It's safe to say there won't be many duos in the county as solid as Chester and Bevins.    [player_tooltip player_id='1370507' first='Shane' last='Pendergrass'] (2025)   Pendergrass was another major addition because of his long-term upside. Standing every bit of 6'7, the rising sophomore can step outside and make shots with confidence from the forward spot. It'll bode well for guys like Chester, Bevins and others on this list considering the driving lanes that will present themselves as a result. His experience of playing against WCAC competition will have him fully prepared to be a presence on the glass, but that's also an area I will be watching closely with him. There's no reason why he shouldn't haul in 7-8 boards a game with his size and length. Establishing more of a mid-post game will make him more dynamic as well. With this all being said, there's still time in his development and as he grows into his body, Pendergrass will be an extremely intriguing prospect for the next level.    Aaron Jackson (2024)   Yet another transfer, Jackson made the move from Wise to Gwynn Park and will fill the point guard role likely from day one. The 5-foot-11 lefty has quick-twitch ability and can live in the paint. On his drives, he doesn't have a score first mindset and is impressive at making split-second reads where he delivers accurate dumps to teammates along the dunker's spot. I see Jackson having a key opportunity here at Gwynn Park due to much of the defensive attention being keyed in on stopping Bevins and Chester. If he remains determined on getting into the paint, polishing up on his jumper off the catch and supplies pressure on the ball defensively, you'll see his stock rise pretty quickly.    Devin Baxter (2024)   Baxter wasn't present at workouts due to it being football season. The standout wide receiver was praised by the entire staff as one to watch this season due to his size (6'6), physical traits and relentless motor. Pairing him next to Pendergrass who will provide more of the floor-spacing and finesse approach should mean a formidable frontcourt that will produce at high levels.    Josh Price (2024)   Price caught my eye at workouts because of his effort. He's a 6'2 guard with a good frame and kept his approach quite simple: make open shots, run the floor for transition buckets and play defense. It sounds easy, but there are often times where guys aren't accepting of their role. I caught up with Price afterwards to pick his brain on the upcoming season and he couldn't help but smile. “Man look at all the talent we have,” Price said. “It's different than last year. I know what I have to do and that's just be an overall energy guy. Whatever the game calls for, I just gotta be ready.” It's not likely you'll see Price with too many 15+ point games,  but he has a chance to make a significant impact that goes beyond the box score and be the sort of player that helps lift programs to championships   Tony Pope (2024)   Pope is another pesky guard who will fill an important role. The 5-foot-11 guard continues to work his way back from injury and was putting in some time on his ball-handling on the side as others were playing pick-up. Coach Garner had nothing but good things to say about Pope's approach, toughness and grit that will play a part in making this year's team take a major leap.

The fall workout tour began yesterday and I started things off with making the trip down to Gwynn Park. The Yellow Jackets had tremendous success in acquiring key transfers over the summer to now boast a roster that looks the part of an early favorite in the 2A Class. After catching up with the key additions, their decision to make the move all came down to a similar factor: head coach Rob Garner.