Mid-Atlantic Basketball Classic: Top Juniors & Seniors

The MABC held by High Level DC was as entertaining as you could hope for out at Eleanor Roosevelt HS! Great event with solid matchups featuring teams all over Maryland with some DC traveling schools, and an appearance from Epic South from NY. The full 8-game slate of coverage will be broken into a few articles, the first featuring the top performing prospects in the 2025 and 2026 classes.    Naz had a phenomenal 2nd half to keep Carver-Vo at bey for a comfortable win. He hit three 3-balls in a row to create a sizeable gap after the Bears made a fierce run. Naz showed his outstanding vision by zipping many timely passes turned assists. He isn't the quickest or most athletic PG, but he makes his way around his defender effectively by keeping the ball tight on a string. He got anywhere he wanted to on the floor and managed to make a few finishes under the rim. Maintained the offense well and shot the ball very well from deep and in-between. PG1 for a sneaky good Lanham Christian team.     The South Carolina commit had a dominant performance in a sizeable win against AACS. He totaled 37 points, 16 coming in the first quarter alone. Immediately started the game with 3 open triples, then started getting busy in the midrange and the block. The defense couldn't contend with Polk's size and versatility. He was too strong to contain in the post when he wanted to back down and pivot to a close finish. The closeouts on his jumpshots were almost ineffective as he hit with any type of daylight given, had one possession which he looked down his defender and sunk a deep three from near center court. He collected 10+ rebounds as well, did his job on the glass. Moved the ball well too, finding his teammates nicely and had a couple of nice assists down low leading to a layup. Not much that the defense could do to slow Grant down in this 37-point outburst.     One of the better games I've seen from Haki recently. He was clearly one of the best, if not the best player on the floor. He seemed to make the right decision with the ball all game, even if it didn't result in a made field goal. He could score at will with his size and handle, sinking a couple fadeaways and pull-ups from the midrange. His points came very efficiently, took high percentage shots most of the game. Came up clutch in the 4th quarter to put things away, hitting a couple three pointers and making solid passes that resulted in baskets. Stayed active defensively too, grabbing a couple steals and finishing in transition. Really liked the combination of baskets Haki put together, scoring on the inside and outside, getting to the free-throw line strategically. Strong outing in the opening game at MABC that earned him the game MVP.     Cam was a smooth operator in a close win over Kipp. He calmed things down for the offense and was able to read the defense to make smart decisions. Showed veteran senior leadership in a scrappy game. Lyons was poised in his attacks to the basket, often scanning the floor before making a move to get by his defender and finish. He made his way to the free throw line consistently through the game. Had to play less minutes then he would've wanted due to foul trouble, and his time on the bench had a major effect on the offensive flow for Atholton. But while he was on the floor he was scoring efficiently both beyond the arc and in the paint amongst the bigs. Very steady game from the senior guard.     David was a problem for the opposition all game in the paint. He came away with rebound after rebound on the offensive end alone. Spent a big part of the game at the free-throw line from putting back misses. Had some and-1's and big offensive rebounds to help close the gap in a close loss to Lanham Christian. Ross did not try to play outside his role and was rewarded for that, finding the ball all kinds of ways without having to generate his own rhythm. Was as active on defense as he was on the glass. Had some nice blocks under the rim and tipped the ball around through passing lanes and fights for the loose ball. Game certainly would have looked different for Carver-Vo had Ross played any differently.     Colt played extremely efficiently for Spalding in a nice win. He lit up the scoreboard with his prolific 3pt accuracy all over the perimeter, led the team with 23 points. Shooting was not his only contribution, he was very active on the glass. Almost reached a double-double grabbing 8 big rebounds. He made sound decisions when he was forced to put the ball on the deck, making a quick sidestep to line up a 3, or taking a dribble or two for the finish closer in. Made the simple pass over to the next open man at the right time, never held the ball too long or shied away from the open shot. Didn't have to take more than a few dribbles for any of his field goals, played within the offense and took what became available. Really liked what I saw from Colt in this game.     Morton showed nice in the PG County showdown vs Bowie at the MABC. He was able to create some nice baskets off the dribble, using his array of moves to freeze the defense and blow by for a layup opportunity. He had a number of drives that ended with free throws because of his relentless slashing mentality. Amir has a strong base that he used well to focus on his shot through the contact at the rim. I liked his confidence to keep attacking and try to create for his team when they needed a play. He was willing to take big shots and defend with purpose.     Kendrick came out and had a statement game in the absence of the team's leading scorer. He finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds in a dominant paint performance. The second half was where he made his biggest impact, trying to help mount a comeback by cleaning up the boards and going up strong with the 2nd opportunity. Battled down low and used his strength to outmuscle anyone around him to get his shot up. It was impressive to watch him go to work offensively when he was in full rhythm. Finished his layups nicely when operating under the basket and drew a multitude of fouls due to his relentless activity. Strong performance against a formidable St Albans squad.

The MABC held by High Level DC was as entertaining as you could hope for out at Eleanor Roosevelt HS! Great event with solid matchups featuring teams all over Maryland with some DC traveling schools, and an appearance from Epic South from NY. The full 8-game slate of coverage will be broken into a few articles, the first featuring the top performing prospects in the 2025 and 2026 classes.