Mayhem on Military Rd: Between-The-Lines Performers

In this loaded DMV 2024-25 season kick-off event, there was a high volume of quality basketball played. Both the familiar faces and the newer DMV prospects on the scene contributed in different ways. These featured players all had a positive hand in their team's games and brought different aspects to the table.   6'0 CG Izrael Everett | 2025 | Mount Zion Prep (MD)   Izrael came on to the floor and played extremely hard for Mt. Zion during his minutes. His hustle earned him a lot of deflections and steals. Off his steals he made a few fast break layups to further extend his team's large lead. Everett came down with some big rebounds through the crowd that ignited the fast break. Nice piece to have on such a deep and talented roster.    Johnson came off the bench and filled into a lineup with mostly starters, and he held the position steady. He was smart with his touches and shot the ball nicely in his limited attempts. He showed that he can bring a grit to the floor that his team needs at times. Wasn't a huge scorer in this game against Highland, but he provided baskets whenever his opportunities arose.     Joell was a very nice complimentary piece to the gritty Cardozo backcourt duo. He spent game 1 vs Glenelg Country wreaking havoc on the defensive end. He collected 5+ steals that helped keep Cardozo in arms length for the entirety of the game, although ending in a loss. Young showcased his offensive skillset all through the team's big win over St. Andrew's. His blazing speed in the open court constantly opened up lanes for him and his teammates. When Young settled down and controlled his pace, he could get anywhere on the court and get his shot off comfortably. Scored a lot of points from beyond the arc, a highly confident quick-firing shooter. Attacked the basket well in both his games and showed ability to put the ball down and break down his defender and get into the 2nd and 3rd levels.     With the absence of the starting forward, Cayton got a lot of extra workload. He made the most of it, as he was constantly involved in the play happening on the court. He was all over the boards, hauling down rebounds in traffic and immediately taking off on the break. He made a few baskets and showed comfort in pulling up a shot off a dribble or two. Smooth-looking jumpshot, lengthy defender, and nice athleticism that filled out a nice role at the wing spot. Took good advantage of the added opportunity he was provided.     [player_tooltip player_id='1370494' first='David' last='Bumpass'] had a very steady game for Tech Prep as they went head-to-head with GTown Prep. Bumpass got to the rim pretty much at will, simply using his first step or making a quick change of direction and lining himself up for a straight drive towards the rim. He had some very strong finishes once he drove to the basket and went up against the help D. Made some nice jumpers as well. Very efficient game from Bumpass, but probably could've had even more points if he chose to attack a bit more offensively. He is capable of being a reliable 1st or 2nd scoring option on this talented roster when he's on his game.     In his first game Grey was mainly a rebounder and a solid inside presence. Game 2 is where he left his fingerprints in a big win. Grey juvinated his team by dominating the glass in the second half of the St. Andrew's matchup. He had at least 5 offensive rebounds down the stretch that gave his team another chance to make a successful basket. He was able to put it up through the contact and finish some, and even stretched out to the perimeter and hit a couple of huge 3-pointers. Had one in OT which was vital in sealing the deal. Grey owned the paint in his game #2, especially in the 2nd half, both offensively and defensively. Big piece to the Cardozo roster.     Silas didn't shoot the ball extremely well in his game vs Mt. Carmel, but he did make a variety of nice plays with the ball. He ran the point guard position very efficiently, kept his turnovers down and made a handful of impressive passes to open teammates that led them to an open look from beyond the ark or under the rim. Had some nice dishes to his roller in the P&R. He is building some nice chemistry with his sharpshooter [player_tooltip player_id='1782692' first='Ripp' last='Kodi'], finding him at the perfect time in the perfect spot for Kodi to rise and shoot before the closeout all game long.     Made big shots from the perimeter, played great defense on and off the ball. If the defense was tight, Polk made his way right around them and earned himself or his teammates an open look. He had timely finishes at the basket when he read that the help-side was out of position to protect the rim. Polk seemed to know which decision to make at the right times, a key component for a smaller guard. Polk commanded his teammates offensively and defensively, you could see his leadership qualities in the game. His high-IQ scoring ability almost comes as a second thought because of the other aspects he contributes to the game.

In this loaded DMV 2024-25 season kick-off event, there was a high volume of quality basketball played. Both the familiar faces and the newer DMV prospects on the scene contributed in different ways. These featured players all had a positive hand in their team's games and brought different aspects to the table.