Sleepy Thompson Thursday: Top Performers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Alexandria, VA -- The 66th Sleepy Thompson Tournament is underway at St. Stephen's &amp; St. Agnes. Unsurprisingly, a high level of talent was on display throughout an eventful day. Here are some of the top performers we observed. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='957060' first='Franklin' last='Ayissi-Etoh'] | guard | Archbishop Carroll (DC) '23</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's a shame most of the gym had cleared out by the time Ayissi-Etoh could show what he was capable of. The unsigned senior guard poured in a seemingly effortless 31 points to lift the Lions over a hard-fought contest against a scrappy Carmel (VA) team. Ayissi-Etoh came alive in the second half, and in the fourth quarter specifically during which he scored 11 points. This was not the first time he has had a big game at Sleepy. Ayissi-Etoh is a bonafide bucket-getter who should command more attention as one of the better pure scorers in the area. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='1414533' first='Patrick' last='Curtin'] | guard | Glenelg Country (MD) '25</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It did not take long for Sidwell Friends to identify Curtin as a threat. He still found ways to put the ball in the hole though. Curtin was one of the top scorers on the EYBL for Team Melo on the 15u circuit, and he reinforced his credentials against a very good defensive team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='1260005' first='Ari' last='Hobson'] | guard | Landon (MD) '24</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hobson put forth a double-figure scoring effort for the Bears in their impressive win over Episcopal (TX) to kick off the tournament. The Virginia Academy transfer looks like he will be a key piece for Coach Turner throughout the season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='1591318' first='Riley' last='Jacobs'] | forward | St. Stephen's &amp; St. Agnes (VA) '25</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1591318' first='Riley' last='Jacobs'] was simply outstanding for the Saints in their victory over Collegiate (VA). The crowd couldn't help but chant his name once he strung together a few good possessions. Jacobs has the features of an NFL tight end but is becoming quite graceful on the court. His balance is impressive on jump hooks. Jacobs also sprinted down the floor multiple times. He even made a look-ahead pass to ignite a fast break. There were a lot of things to like about this performance along with his long-term potential. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='1225257' first='Acaden' last='Lewis'] | guard | Sidwell Friends (DC) '25</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lewis got into a rhythm offensively early in Sidwell's win. He demonstrated superb body control in the lane and instinctive touch on his floaters. Lewis rotated confidently on defense and made a few impactful plays on that end as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='1370504' first='Frankie' last='Mannino'] | guard | Landon (MD) '25</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was another workmanlike performance for [player_tooltip player_id='1370504' first='Frankie' last='Mannino'], who is growing in stature for this Landon squad. Mannino made a couple of moves in transition that pleased the eye. His attention to detail in all facets of his game is evident. You'll even see Mannino chop his feet fundamentally while closing out. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='1370500' first='Jalen' last='Rougier-Roane'] guard | Sidwell Friends (DC) '25</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rougier-Roane recognized the need to step up in the absence of [player_tooltip player_id='1127314' first='Caleb' last='Williams'] on Thursday. His shot was falling, as usual, but he also did many little things that contributed to the win. He set the tone early by fighting for a 50/50 ball. Rougier-Roane also did a tremendous job attacking the glass. Still just a sophomore, it's exciting to consider how good he will be in a year or two.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='999623' first='Luke' last='Smith'] | forward | Collegiate (VA) '23</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Through the deafening Saints home crowd, you could hear Smith demanding the ball, and rightfully so because he was very efficient in the low post. The Chicago commit is a technician who displays fundamental footwork and the toughness to deal with physical play. Smith gave a valiant effort despite his team coming up just short. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='1237830' first='Jake' last='Williams'] | guard | Sidwell Friends (DC) '24</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>4 was the magic number for Williams in the opening round. He wore number 4 and hit 4 three-pointers. The sharpshooter who transferred from Bishop O'Connell was in the starting lineup on Thursday and is acclimating quickly to his new team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Ube Zaid | guard | Landon (MD) '26</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Zaid showed signs during the summer that he would be a key player as a freshman. After watching him play on Thursday, those predictions were confirmed. Zaid was a difference-maker on both ends. He is quick like a cat, gets paint touches, and is a flat-out menace defensively. It's going to be fun watching him for the next four years. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->