National High School Hoop Fest Standouts

[player_tooltip player_id='1259620' first='Darren' last='Harris'] '24 6'5 SG Paul VI   26p 3r 1a 2s   -PVI entered the game without 5-star center Pat Ngongba with many asking the question of who would pick up the slack, question asked and answered: [player_tooltip player_id='1259620' first='Darren' last='Harris']. The fellow Duke commit dominated the game, scoring 26 points efficiently while only hitting one 3. The 6'5 guard had it all going, scoring from all three levels with an improved body and turnaround J from the post. He will have to bring it on a nightly basis for a PVI team set to play several national powerhouses in the next few weeks.     Sadiq White '25 6'8 W Myers Park   24p 7r 1a 1b 2s   -White enjoyed an incredibly productive day as a dynamic play finisher for Myers Park, throwing down emphatic dunks off the short roll and in transition. He has good hands and a tight enough handle to relentlessly attack the basket. White moves incredibly well for a player his size and was disruptive defensively, his versatility on that end of the floor very prominently on display.     Sir Mohammed '24 6'7 W Myers Park   30p 9r 3a 1b 1s   -It felt like Mohammed couldn't miss, whether it was inside or outside of the arc. He was patient with the basketball, made the right reads, took care of the basketball while being efficient with his dribbles, scoring at all three levels- shooting 50% from the floor. It was interesting to note that the defender didn't really seem to matter, with PVI throwing both [player_tooltip player_id='2148767' first='Jordan' last='Smith'] Jr (6'1) and [player_tooltip player_id='1259618' first='Isaiah' last='Abraham'] (6'8) at Mohammed throughout the game without really forcing a different result.   [player_tooltip player_id='1225257' first='Acaden' last='Lewis'] '25 6'3 G Sidwell   20p 13r 5a 7/14 FG 3/6 3PT   -With Sidwell missing star forward [player_tooltip player_id='2194756' first='Caleb' last='Williams'], Lewis needed to step up in a big way for his team to have a shot at coming away with the win and he delivered. He came out of the gate getting his teammates going, letting plays develop and directing traffic without forcing his own shots. Inevitably, he got it going in the second half, finishing with an efficient 20 points including a game-tying three. His ability to play either guard spot effectively makes him an incredibly valuable piece for Sidwell as well as the next level.     [player_tooltip player_id='1494108' first='Aiden' last='Argabright'] '25 6'3 SG John Marshall   21p 4r 2a 8/11 5/8   -Matching Lewis' offensive performance was John Marshall's Argabright, who was really effective offensively in his first game back in the DMV after transferring to the Richmond powerhouse. He had it all going offensively- C+S threes, stop n pop elbow jumpers, extension layups with the inside hand around the defense, floaters in the paint- he is the complete package on the offensive end of the floor. The performance in front of a packed crowd led to his first HM offer to date, with Mississippi State extending an offer earlier this week. Expect more to follow as college coaches see him perform on big stages with the shooting skillset that so many programs covet.     [player_tooltip player_id='1370514' first='Malcolm' last='Thomas'] '24 6'8 F DeMatha   19p 10r 3a 1s   -Thomas was an unstoppable force rolling to the basket throughout this performance, catching every kind of pass before punctuating each drive with a forceful flush at the rim. He has improved his catch radius, the timing of his cuts and offensive rebounds, while still remaining an impactful shot deterrent at the other end of the floor.     Aaron Powell '24 6'3 Campbell Hall   16p 4r 1s   -Powell is an absolute midrange assassin, using an array of crossovers and spins to get to his spots before raising up and knocking down shots. Playing for a Campbell Hall team still awaiting clearance for it's 6'10 center James Bass, Powell thrives despite the offensive attention with 3-level scoring ability.     [player_tooltip player_id='1370500' first='Jalen' last='Rougier-Roane'] '25 6'5 SG Sidwell   16p 6r 1b 1s   -Rougier-Roane was an effective floor spacer and play finisher in this contest, scrapping for 3 offensive rebounds in a tightly-contested game that came down to the last shot. His ability to guard both the ballhandler and big in a PnR makes him incredibly valuable to this Sidwell team, as he is starting to anticipate cuts to the basket as a weakside shot blocker. As he continues to put distance between himself and a knee injury in the DCIAAs in February, I expect the efficiency and smooth movement skills to return to their previous form in a productive junior campaign.     [player_tooltip player_id='1782655' first='Prince' last='Moody'] '26 6'3 SG McNamara   14p 7a 4r 3s 4/7   -The dynamic 6'3 sophomore continues to impress as he showed off improved vision and the play-making ability to capitalize on those reads. A 3-level scorer that is starting to utilize his scoring gravity to create easy looks for his teammates, I expect him to continue to grow as a floor general with the ball in his hands more often this season with the graduation/transfer of McNamara point guards this offseason.     [player_tooltip player_id='1370497' first='Caleb' last='Gillus'] '25 5'11 PG Sidwell   3p 3r 2a 2s   -There is not a second of game time that Gillus' motor runs cold. The junior guard understands where he needs to be defensively and beats his matchup to spots on the floor as well as loose balls off of long rebounds. Defensively he is as pesky as they come, forcing ballhandlers to reject ball screens and head to corners or the sideline in zones that make play-making very difficult. His shooting ability and defensive tenacity allows Sidwell to explore different 3-guard lineups that open more driving lanes, I expect his role to grow throughout the course of the season as he steps up for a Quaker team that needs someone to do the dirty work.

Darren Harris Darren Harris 6'6" | SF Paul VI | 2024 State #59 Nation VA '24 6'5 SG Paul VI