DMV Live II: Colby’s Friday Notebook

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The second weekend of the scholastic June Live Period is underway. Adam Ayalew and I posted up at DeMatha Catholic for Friday's session II of DMV Live. Below are some notes from the games that I watched from Friday's slate of games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Grace Brethren's toughness</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last year head coach Devin Paige put together a roster of players who pride themselves on playing hard, gritty basketball. While a few faces from last year's team are no longer there, the core was kept in tact and the culture is still thriving. 2024 guard [player_tooltip player_id='1367745' first='Kris' last='Johnson'] has added value to his name since Session I thanks to the intensity that he brings at both ends. You pair that with his sturdy frame at 6'4, athleticism to play above the rim on drives and his willingness to do the dirty work and you have a player that LM-MM programs star on their roster booklets.&nbsp;&nbsp;All of that was on display yesterday in their win over St. Mary's Annapolis, but when his shot from deep is falling as well, they're a tough team to compete with. The senior guard led his team with 21 points (3 3's) and seven rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grace Brethren has a crowd of guards that buy into the style, but dating back to last season [player_tooltip player_id='1759604' first='Ky' last='Panda-Massey'] has been Mr. Consistency as far as the floor generals on the roster. He's plays with great physicality for his size at 5'10 and embraces contact on his way to the bucket. Panda-Massey is a balanced scorer who can find the net from multiple levels, but he also has the ability to set the table for others. He finished behind Johnson in the win with 11 points, five assists and four boards.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Last second finish between Good Counsel and Severn</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In one of the more entertaining games I saw on Friday, Good Counsel's 2026 backcourt duo of [player_tooltip player_id='1782657' first='Neiko' last='Mundey'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1782659' first='Parker' last='Robinson'] provided plenty of reason as to they they're one of the most electric pairings in the DMV. Both have such a good feel for the game and play with a playground sort of approach with the ball both as passers and scorers. Robinson notched a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds while Mundey recorded 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was 2024 Severn point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1366892' first='Kingston' last='Price Jr.'] who spoiled Good Counsel's Friday afternoon by going coast-to-coast with seven seconds in the game, converting on what would be the game-winning layup in which he finished through a foul. If you're familiar with Price, you know the 6'1 lead guard can get buckets in a variety of ways. He did so throughout the game and came through in the clutch to seal the win and sport a stat line of 23 points, nine rebounds and six assists. 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2340842' first='Daniel' last='Growney'] and 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1588121' first='Sean' last='Harvey'] also caught eyes and will be two guards that I monitor heading into July. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Sudden death: Mount St. Joe vs Bishop Ireton</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was a back and forth affair in what would be the best finish of the slate of games that I saw. In the end, it was 2026 Bishop Ireton hybrid forward Rip Kodi that stepped to the line and buried two free-throws to earn the sudden death victory. This came after Kodi made a few key mistakes in the final minute of regulation, so it was good to see he didn't let that impact him mentally. Overall, this game for Bishop Ireton was about 2026 point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1782690' first='Silas' last='Devonish']'s ability to control a game. He has great instincts in controlling the pace, can make you pay in several ways operating in ball screens and has the heart of a giant when it comes to competing. His 20 points, three rebounds and three assists only represent a fraction of his impact. 2024 guard Mekai Johnson has been a riser since Session I. His size at 6'5, shot making ability and athleticism all stick in LM-MM coach's minds. Johnson got into his groove immediately out of halftime and set the tone for Ireton's comeback victory while posting 13 points, nine rebounds and six assists.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>To put things simply, 2024 MSJ forward [player_tooltip player_id='1280947' first='Tyonne' last='Farrell'] was unstoppable. He had his full offensive arsenal on display whether it was bullying his way to the rim from the mid-post, ripping and attacking from the top of the key or grabbing boards and leading the break for coast-to-coast finishes. The 6'6 rising senior's stock is hot and you can add 28 points and 12 rebounds from this game for good measure.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>St. Frances back on track with a win over Bishop McNamara</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. Frances did not look like the Panthers of old last weekend in Session I. Now by adding 2024 guard [player_tooltip player_id='1089572' first='Daquan' last='Davis'] back to the fold, the tough, gritty mindset has returned and it showed in their victory over an extremely talented McNamara group. Davis scored eight of his game-high 28 points in the final minute where he banked in a three from the top of the circle, finished a layup through a foul and converted on two additional free-throws to seal the win. Davis is a winner and his presence on the floor makes all the difference. 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1370503' first='Tyler' last='Jackson'] was up to his usual scoring ways and makes high level moves with the basketball look so easy. What stood out more to me though, was his concentration on crashing the glass. As a result, he recorded a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds. 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1374773' first='Cam' last='Fleming']'s springy athleticism was showcased throughout on his finishes and skying for rebounds at their peak. Fleming chipped in with 14 points and eight rebounds.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Our No. 1 ranked 2026 prospect Prince-Alexander Moody backed his status with his dynamic scoring prowess and the mature know-how to get to his spots and get his shots off. Moody led McNamara with 24 points in the loss. 2024 combo guard Martin Somerville came alive in the second half to bury a few tough shots in catch-and-go scenarios that he makes look routine. Somerville scored 10 points and ripped down seven rebounds.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Highland gets a good win over the Gaels</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Highland School has a revamped roster filled with young talent that is still trying to mesh. Their win over Mount St. Joe yesterday should help matters after digging a 15+ point hole in the early goings. 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1591317' first='Nate' last='Ament'] oozes with upside and showed why yesterday as he displayed impressive ball skills for a 6'8 wing with plus length. Ament notched 16 points and five rebounds. 2025 guard Chance Perkins was the leader for Highland in the win thanks to his three-level scoring on his way to 19 points on 8-of-16 from the field.&nbsp;&nbsp;2025 wing [player_tooltip player_id='1768960' first='Sabree' last='Scott'] continues to stack solid outings and did so once again in this win scoring 10 points and hauling in six boards while defending multiple positions with his 6'5 frame.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->