Tri-Team Scrimmage Notebook: City, Spalding, Parkville

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We are to the part of the preseason where both private and public schools are getting scrimmages under their belts to prepare for the official start of the regular season. This past weekend, I was in attendance for a three-team scrimmage at Parkville High School. Competing were the hosting Knights, Archbishop Spalding and City. Here's a brief notebook on each team that participated:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Archbishop Spalding</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The amount of production head coach Josh Pratt has to replace from his stacked roster last season is nothing to scoff at. Not only did he lose the former No. 1 ranked prospect in our 2022 rankings, Cam Whitmore (Villanova), but he also lost Jordan Pennick (Navy), CJ Scott (Coppin State) and Tyheil Peterson (Fairmont State) among others. What he's done is embrace the youth on his current roster and use the approach of getting after you every possession. Led by 2025 Swiss army knife [player_tooltip player_id='1370513' first='Malik' last='Washington'], the young players have a unique confidence that carries over into production. Others such as 2026 TJ Moultrie and 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1579099' first='Holden' last='Williamson'] were impressive on Saturday. Williamson is a dead-eye shooter while Moultrie is a big-bodied guard for his age who can make his impact in a number of ways operating off the dribble. 2023 Johnny Farley, 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2231909' first='Tre' last='Yawn'], 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2231846' first='Jaylin' last='Sykes'] and 2026 Elijah Barrett all had their moments as Spalding collected two wins on the day.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Parkville</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Knights will be a favorite once again in Class 4A competition. They too have some production to replace from last season, but have a slew of capable players who can make a return to the final four realistic. 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1573230' first='Favor' last='Okigweh'] had his usual share of above the rim finishes and contests at the rim defensively that support his value. 2024 Cayne Woodland proves to be an important safety net as a point guard who can handle pressure comfortably and get Parkville into their sets within half court play. 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1579098' first='Josiah' last='Legree'] can fill it up in bunches as a lead guard, but showed his adaptability to play off the ball and attack off the catch. 2024 Mikko Persia's confidence as a shooter continues to develop and when he's knocking down triples, can open the floor immensely for talented drivers such as 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1127304' first='Sincere' last='Barfield']. 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1413496' first='Caron' last='Smith'] was accurate from deep and was routinely getting out on the break where he finished contested lay ups. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>City</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the Baltimore City Public School landscape, Lake Clifton is the elephant in the room. Teams such as City and Edmonson will do all they can to dethrone the Lakers and fortunately for head coach Omar Smith, he has a roster with plenty of senior experience to do so. 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1573251' first='Kyree' last='Smith'] is a downhill nightmare that can get to the rim quickly and finish with either hand. 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1413504' first='Cam' last='Horton'] brings size to the roster at 6'5 and is a dependable finisher in the paint. He has shown signs of knocking down 15-footers with some regularity, but extending his range will be an area of improvement. 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1573254' first='Kwon' last='Johnson'] is a tough-nosed city guard who pressures the ball defensively, always is willing to get into the mix and can score at the rim or off the catch from the perimeter on the offensive end. 2023 Danny Parsons will be an X-factor with consistency being key. He brings valuable size at 6'3, shot making ability from the mid-range and versatility on the defensive end. 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1414526' first='Trent' last='Egbirmolen']'s ablity to stretch the floor with his outside shooting presence will be a must. He couldn't find his mark on Saturday and I'd still like to see more arc on his jumper, but nevertheless, he'll have games this season where he buries 4-to-5 three's and swings the momentum of games in the process. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->