The Challenge: 2027+2028 Standouts

New readers: Use code "Proia30"   Our scouts covered a great tournament this weekend on Saturday and Sunday, with 80 teams from the DMV and surrounding states converging on Loyola Blakefield to compete in a showcase event. We enjoyed catching some intriguing intra-conference matchups played next to a court with in-state rivals squaring off. Let's break down some of our top freshman and sophomore standouts!    21p 16r 1a 1b   -Had a monster performance against Loyola in one of our first viewings of a full game from him. DiBitetto has a soft touch, is becoming more comfortable attacking the basket off the bounce, and works hard on the glass. His footwork and feel have taken a step forward as has his conditioning, best play was when he turned a great seal on the low block into a drop step and two-handed dunk through the contact. Once his stamina and vertical leaping ability take a bigger jump, I believe he'll be able to show off the passing, shooting and shot-blocking abilities that will push him into a more elite recruiting stratosphere.     -The motor, athleticism, rebounding, and defensive versatility was apparent in a win over Calvert Hall. But I loved seeing him knock down a face-up three and a C+S wing three that were well-contested-- not just that he made it, but that he was confident enough to take it. He's also improving as an instinctive off-ball mover, scoring on well-timed diagonal cuts to the rim from the perimeter and not just cuts that come within the flow of the offense.     -Stood out in a win over Polaris Prep as a ball-hawking PG that doubles as a dynamic play-maker in transition. Jones turned 3 steals into layups and FTs at the other end, anticipates passes off the ball as well as changes of direction on the ball. He's always pushing the pace, always putting pressure on the defense to help and locating his shooters on the perimeter accordingly for assists.     -Dynamic combo guard tweener that does a little bit of everything for this St. Elizabeth team. Liked the sense of urgency and pace when he initiated the fast break off a steal or outlet and he made good reads as a play-maker in that setting that can finish through contact at the rim or kick out to his shooters. The fluidity of his pull-up jumper from the midrange stood out as he knocked down jumpers with the breathing space that defenders gave him after scoring at the rim several times. Really intriguing LM scoring CG prospect to track in 2027.     -Started out the event strong in a win over Gwynn Park with 13 points and 6 rebounds off 5/6 shooting. Bogard works really hard on the glass and has polished his finishing ability to stick more putbacks before even touching the ground after the rebound. The lateral quickness has improved and he takes on the challenge of staying in front of guards on perimeter switches, using his length to bother kick-outs to get deflections or to force a contested shot. Bogard also completed a great cross-court kickout to a shooter from the low post to the opposite wing, that vision as a passer from the low block will be crucial for a Spalding team that doesn't have a ton of guys that can create their own shot.     -Don't have the final stats from this one but Sulaimon was huge in a win over Virginia Academy, turning steals into layups at the other end for at least 12 points. The shifty freshman point guard forced a ton of havoc from the top of the key as a physical, ball-hawking POA defender that took pride in turning his matchup over throughout the game. Although he's on the smaller side, he doesn't settle for jumpshots and is a great finisher around the rim with a good blend of finishing moves with either hand. The last of his acrobatic reverse finishes in transition pushed the lead back out to a 3-score game for good. BL boasts a loaded backcourt but has another one on the way in this freshman PG.

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