Early July DMV Headlines

The month of July is always filled with nonstop action in the grassroots scene. For the DMV in particular, the past couple of years have been nothing short of dominant as the different programs competing on various circuits reach their mountain tops and are crowned champions. July 2023 was similar and on top of being named champions, there has been significant recruiting news forming, which I'll do my best to unpack in this article.   [program_tooltip program_id='2077004' first='Team' last='Takeover'] 17s wins Peach Jam   [program_tooltip program_id='2077004' first='Team' last='Takeover'] has been a staple in the grassroots landscape for years thanks to their continuous success on the biggest of stages. The 17s defeated Vegas Elite in the title game to win what can be considered as the most coveted championship the AAU scene has to offer. 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1259620' first='Darren' last='Harris'] was brilliant as the future Duke Blue Devil exploded for 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the field and 5-of-7 from deep. Harris spent the week at Peach Jam helping [program_tooltip program_id='2077004' first='Team' last='Takeover'] to an 8-0 record and reminding folks why he is a solidified blue blood prospect due to his elite long-range shooting. Another key contributor was our the No. 1 ranked prospect in the MD/DC rankings, Syracuse commit [player_tooltip player_id='1127309' first='Donavan' last='Freeman']. The 6'9 forward displayed his versatility as a shot-maker off the catch from all around the mid-range area and established himself as someone who demanded respect whenever he caught the ball beyond the arc with space. Freeman followed Harris' 28 points with 13 of his own in the title victory. One of the unsung heroes for this team throughout their Peach Jam title run was 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1259542' first='Ben' last='Hammond']. A recent Rhode Island commit, Hammond did an excellent job of controlling the game from the point guard position, picking and choosing his spots as a scorer and supplying relentless defense that set an early tone for this team.   3SSB success   The DMV was well-represented on the 3SSB Circuit once again this summer, but one of the more impressive runs that you'll see this summer was the Washington Warriors 16U group winning the circuit championship. It was a win/win for the area because the Warriors faced off against New World for the crown, but winning in their first season on the circuit speaks volumes. 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2252287' first='Darius' last='Bivins'] was the talk of the game thanks to his poise, instincts and ability to impact the game in a multitude of ways playing up at the point guard position. In the 60-51 victory, Bivins scored 11 points while dishing out nine assists. He'll be one to monitor this season at Alexandria City. 2025 duo of Charles Thomas and [player_tooltip player_id='1351693' first='Kade' last='Sebastian'] also played pivotal roles with positional versatility, shot-making and their presence in the paint on the defensive end.   The New World 15s brought the hardware home for their age bracket. 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1782657' first='Neiko' last='Mundey']'s stock continues to soar as the electric play-making guard left his imprint all over the win with 21 points and four steals. Mundey is a legitimate threat from all three levels as a scorer and as his jumper off the bounce continues to improve like it has been, his name will begin to catch national attention. Another 2026 prospect who has greatly improved his stock this summer is [player_tooltip player_id='1782594' first='Jalyn' last='Collingwood']. The 6'6 hybrid forward has pogo-stick athleticism that pops in the open floor offensively or when making weak side rotations for blocks on the defensive end. Collingwood led New World in the title game with 22 points and six rebounds as he and Mundey cemented themselves as one of the more explosive duos in 3SSB 15U play.   [program_tooltip program_id='2077005' first='Team' last='Thrill'] 16s   Thrill 16s were a force from the beginning of the UAA Circuit schedule and finished the job in similar fashion. Another championship game that was represented by DMV teams, Thrill would go on to defeat [program_tooltip program_id='2078456' first='DC' last='Premier'] by a final score of 57-37. 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1370503' first='Tyler' last='Jackson'] was up to his usual tricks showing off why he's one of the most gifted scorers in his class on a national scale. 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1374773' first='Cam' last='Fleming']'s confidence has shown signs of improvement since DMV Live, which has resulted in him being the versatile athlete that he can be on both ends. 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1371863' first='Omarr' last='Smith']'s all-around game has steadily improved as his three-point prowess remains high-level and 2025 points guard [player_tooltip player_id='1494081' first='Rodney' last='Scott'] did an excellent job of showing pride in doing the little things that may not show up on the box score, but play a crucial role in securing wins.   Ngongba enters elite status   The April Live Period was a stretch of weekends that 2024 PVI/[program_tooltip program_id='2077004' first='Team' last='Takeover'] big man Pat Ngongba's recruitment started to sky-rocket with top-end power five programs. He hasn't slowed down since. In fact, his name can now be found at the top of national rankings for the center position. Since the conclusion of Peach Jam, Ngongba received offers from Kentucky and Texas. Kansas State has been the most consistent program ever since becoming the first high major program to offer, but since the likes of UConn, Duke, Kansas, Indiana and Providence are in the mix. It's hard to say whether Kansas has applied the full-court press at this moment, but they always make to be a serious factor in any pursuit that they choose. UConn is the favorite to land 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1259618' first='Isaiah' last='Abraham'], who Ngongba is extremely close with and has played next to throughout their high school careers. The Duke and PVI pipeline is something to consider other than the obvious elephant in the room that, well...they're Duke. So far, there has been no announcement for any sort of commitment date and until then, the race for one of the nation's most skilled, polished bigs will be cut-throat until the end.   Commitment watch   As we approach the back end of the summer months, we'll see a bevy of visits being taken from prospects in the 2024 and 2025 classes, but for many of the rising seniors, college announcements will follow soon after. One was mentioned earlier in 2024 PVI/[program_tooltip program_id='2077004' first='Team' last='Takeover'] wing [player_tooltip player_id='1259618' first='Isaiah' last='Abraham']. Set to make his college decision in the coming week or two. His suitors include Marquette, Providence, UConn and Virginia Tech. The Huskies seem to have control of the driver's seat.   Another PVI/[program_tooltip program_id='2077004' first='Team' last='Takeover'] prospect that could decide soon is forward [player_tooltip player_id='1259630' first='Garrett' last='Sundra']. The 6'10 forward rounded out a productive and efficient showing through the months of June and July. He is set to visit Notre Dame officially at the end of the month and possibly has a visit to Providence in the works. Other programs involved include Butler, George Mason, George Washington, Rhode Island and Virginia Tech. In my opinion, this could come down to a two-team race between the Fighting Irish and the Hokies, but keep your eye on Providence if head coach is able to lock in an official visit with Sundra.

The month of July is always filled with nonstop action in the grassroots scene. For the DMV in particular, the past couple of years have been nothing short of dominant as the different programs competing on various circuits reach their mountain tops and are crowned champions. July 2023 was similar and on top of being named champions, there has been significant recruiting news forming, which I'll do my best to unpack in this article.