Class 3A Final Four Standouts

The Class 3A Final Four took place this past Tuesday with a very quick turnaround for the state championship game. City would go on to complete their perfect season at 28-0 as they defeated Damascus last night at the University of Maryland to earn the crown. With that being the case, we still want to shed light on the prospects who stood out in the semifinal matchups:   [player_tooltip player_id='1413504' first='Cam' last='Horton'] | City '23   Horton put forth a tremendous showing in both the semifinal and state championship games. As the Knights faced off against Aberdeen for the semifinal, the 6'4 combo forward had his impact as he usually does by scoring inside the arc. He'd finish with 26 points on the evening by way of a variety of mid-range jumpers, crashing the offensive glass for clean up opportunities and running the floor in transition.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/IMG-2563.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/IMG-2563.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-1841717" /></a></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='1573251' first='Kyree' last='Smith'] | City '23   Smith has evolved into a highly recruited Division III prospect locally and for good reason. He's a 6'3 guard who can impact the game while playing on or off the ball. He looks to push at any opportunity in transition and while he thrives at scoring around the basket, his pull-up while stopping on a dime from 17 feet and in has improved over the calendar year. All of these traits were on display in their dominant showing over Aberdeen as he followed up Horton with 20 points.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/IMG-2565.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/IMG-2565.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-1841718" /></a></figure>   Darion Parris | Aberdeen '24   The Eagles relied heavily on their outside shooting to keep the game close until about midway through the second quarter. Paris' production was a big reason they had early success as the 6'5 sophomore converted on four triples in total on his way to a team-high 18 points in the loss.   Tylan Bass | Aberdeen '23   Bass had spurts throughout this game where he showcased his shot creation off the dribble and confidence as a scorer even with a defender draped all over him. He used his tight handle and array of crossovers to get to the basket for finishes with either hand, knocked down a couple of shots following hard step backs and canned open looks from three off the catch. Bass followed Parris' 18 points with 14 of his own. Bass is looking like a solid junior college prospect at the moment.   [player_tooltip player_id='1573254' first='Kwon' last='Johnson'] | City '23   Johnson used the state tournament run as a springboard for some small college interest. He's a 6'0 combo guard who brings a Baltimore tough mentality to both ends of the floor. Johnson takes immense pride in his matchup defensively, is always looks to play up-tempo and looks to initiate contact whenever he drives to the basket. Johnson's three-point shot has improved since last spring to the point where the defense much respect him on a catch.   Daniel Parsons | City '23   Another dynamic senior on this City team is Parsons, a 6'3 guard who can mix up his scoring approach. Against Aberdeen, he made the Eagles pay for any driving lane that was presented to him. He used euro steps, spin moves and crossovers to find his way into the paint for nifty finishes. With a clear driving lane, Parsons didn't hesitate to rise up and flush it with two hands.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/IMG-2582.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/IMG-2582.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-1841721" /></a></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='1413495' first='Peter' last='Mangan'] | Damascus '23   It was a classic to remember as Damascus snuck by an undefeated Frederick squad by a final score of 53-50. At the controls was senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1413495' first='Peter' last='Mangan'], who led the Hornets with 18 points. Mangan intends on attending the Naval Academy, but would be a no-brainer Division III All-American had he chose to take his talents to said level. His poise, balance and ability to impact the box score in a handful of ways all speak to why his team ran like a well-oiled machine despite being down their starting senior big man.   [player_tooltip player_id='1748556' first='Joey' last='Lutz'] | Damascus '23   Fresh off setting the MPSSAA state tournament record for most three's made in a single game (10), Lutz battled through adversity as well as some pesky Frederick defense in this one. After splitting his chin on the floor when he was knocked to the ground on a layup attempt, Lutz entered the game immediately after getting bandaged up and spaced the floor as he usually does. Half of his 12 points came from attacking closeouts to find space inside the arc for mid-rangers, but Lutz was also able to cash in on a couple of clean looks from deep. He proved his toughness and will undoubtedly enjoy a productive career at the Division III level.   [player_tooltip player_id='1759620' first='Elwyne' last='Wordlaw'] | Frederick '24   Wordlaw has put together an impressive junior campaign that will keep him on my radar moving forward. The 6'0 lead guard is quick with the ball in his hands and has explosive end-to-end speed as well. He came up huge in the fourth quarter to lead the Cadets' comeback effort as he logged 13 of his team-high 18 points in the frame. Wordlaw is a capable from all three levels on the floor and plays with great command as a primary ball-handler. He was also a prideful defender who can pick up the opposing point guard the full length of the court effectively.   David Dorsey III | Frederick '24   Another Frederick junior who put himself on my list to monitor was Dorsey. He's 6'6-6'7 with intriguing upside due to his outside shooting ability for his size and his athleticism on plays at the rim. He has plus length and presented plenty of mismatch opportunities in this contest, but found himself in foul trouble early on that would force him to play with caution. Dorsey would end this game with 16 points that included two triples, touches while operating on the block and short corner jumpers from penetration guards.

The Class 3A Final Four took place this past Tuesday with a very quick turnaround for the state championship game. City would go on to complete their perfect season at 28-0 as they defeated Damascus last night at the University of Maryland to earn the crown. With that being the case, we still want to shed light on the prospects who stood out in the semifinal matchups: