DMV Showcase Saturday Takeaways

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>UPPER MARLBORO, MD -- </em>There was a standing-room-only crowd on hand to witness a pair of preseason contests featuring Virginia Gold, the District Eagles, CBC, and the Hyattsville Stags. Here are some takeaways from the action.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>The Eagles are in good form</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Eagles' 2025 backcourt of <strong>Nyk Lewis</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1370496' first='Derek' last='Dixon']</strong> both impressed. Lewis played hard defensively. He was also assertive on the ball and dangerous in transition. Dixon looks to be in line for a big year. He scored the ball, made plays for others, and competed defensively. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Seniors <strong>Thomas Batties</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1114029' first='Ryan' last='Sabol']</strong>, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1413525' first='Jack' last='Cadin']</strong> all played well also. Batties was a difference-maker on both ends. His rotations defensively were on point. He also scored it from inside and out. Sabol was on a heater. He started off by hitting a couple of shots inside the arc, then drained a couple of triples. Sabol easily scored in the double-figures by halftime. Cadin took his opportunities when they came. He was aggressive in getting downhill and scoring in 1v1 situations. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025's <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1434219' first='Alex' last='Touomou']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1434218' first='Will' last='Harper']</strong> showed flashes of their potential. Touomou is a big wing with a good-looking jump shot. He still has a ways to go defensively but has the talent to become quite menacing on that end of the floor. It was good for Harper to get some experience in this environment. Once he hit those three free throws in the first half, he settled into the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Warriors Have Talent</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Despite the loss, several guys stood out for Virginia Gold. 2024 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1220767' first='Zion' last='Pipkin']</strong> is a broad-shouldered guard who is tough as nails. He picked up full court consistently on defense. Pipkin demonstrated confidence in his handling under pressure. He was also a reliable playmaker on the ball. 2023 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1034557' first='Josh' last='Holloway']</strong>, a Memphis native, was another impressive guard for Virginia Gold. He is a top-tier athlete with commendable vision and playmaking skills. Other names to know for the Warriors include <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1127313' first='AJ' last='Swinton']</strong>, <strong>Micah Robinson</strong>, <strong>Jeremiah Whitmore</strong> &amp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1591316' first='Kaden' last='Magwood']</strong>. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Stags Defend "Home" Court</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Despite being at Wise, it felt like we were on Madison Street for the nightcap between CBC and Hyattsville. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='957107' first='Jaden' last='Winston']</strong> set the tone early by bringing a competitive edge. This permeated throughout his team. Winston was outstanding in this contest. Whether he was taking away air space at the point of attack defensively, or getting a teammate an open shot, he did whatever it took to give his team the advantage. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Stags have a couple of sleepers in the 2023 class. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1142023' first='Adam' last='Fox']</strong> had a breakout performance. He looked explosive and appears ready to make a consistent impact. 2023 <strong>Cristian McElveen </strong>had a night to remember. The lanky wing had a dunk that set the gym into pandemonium. Both guys are firmly on our radar moving forward.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Several underclassmen also made an impact with the Stags. 2025 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1351693' first='Kade' last='Sebastian']</strong> had some nice moments coming off the bench. He made a difference with his motor and shot-making. 2025 <strong>Charles Thomas III </strong>helped his team close the gap to an early deficit late in the first half. He was disruptive defensively as a result of his length and energy. 2026<strong> Ashton Meeks</strong> introduced himself by making shots and taking on the challenge defensively. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->