Last Week's Top Underclassmen

23p 5r 2a 3b vs Georgetown Prep   -Our new #1 in the freshman class proved he was deserving of the honor in road win over a conference foe in a game that Bullis was missing several key pieces. Skipworth got it started with a corner 3, ripped through on the wing to get into the floater off two in the paint, curled into a pull-up elbow jumper from the wing, hit his matchup with a quick jab to get the defense off balance then used a crossover to get into his pullup, then closed out his scoring master class with an And-1 pull-up 2 just outside the key. Skipworth showed his value at the defensive end of the floor when he closed the gap on the baseline to body up and block the shot without giving ground in a position that most defenders likely would have gotten whistled for a foul. He also made up for gambling on sending his matchup to his left by recovering to block an inside hand finish that barely got above his matchup's hips. His 2-way productivity makes him a prized prospect in the 2028 class on both a local and national level     18p vs Bullis (JV)   -Saw some encouraging signs of development from the T10 big as he scored 18 points in a win over Bullis that also saw him grab double digit rebounds and mix in several blocks both on and off the ball. Although the movement skills are still pretty raw as he continues to grow more comfortable in his frame, seeing him play with a motor pretty consistently throughout the contest certainly raises his ceiling as a prospect. Aguek showed good hands on several tough catches in traffic, finishing with two hands above the rim on lobs, rolls to the rim, and rim runs in transition.     20p 6r 2a 2s vs Friendship Tech Prep   -The athleticism immediately popped on film in a rivalry matchup with Tech Prep. The explosive PG threw down two massive 1-handed dunks in transition off of steals, with most of his forearm above the rim. Hudgens got to his spots in the halfcourt too, using that burst to blow past his matchup to either pull up for a jumper or get all the way to the rim. Hudgens also did a great job defensively both on and off the ball, timing his forays into passing lanes or lunges at the ball to come away with steals without fouling. Definitely expect him to continue rising in the 2027 rankings as he proves to be a consistent contributor at the varsity level.     9p 8r 1s 1b vs Friendship Tech Prep   -Loved the blend of skills from the big dog, showing himself to be a versatile threat in DHOs at the top of the key to either create a look for others or step into perimeter jumpers himself. The lefty has good hands for this stage in development, snagging 1-handed rebounds and finishing with good touch around the rim. The footwork belies his size, as he can slide on the perimeter to show on ball screens or pivot in the paint for better finishing angles at the offensive end of the floor.     11p 2r 3a 1b vs City   -Skill work is beginning to show in games as Ashe is beginning to consistently break down his matchup and get into the second layer of the defense. Ashe got into a wrong foot floater off the bounce to finish with his left over the defense, making a good read to score as a help defender rotated down to cut off a passing option. The handle progression has improved to allow him to scan the floor with his head up at all times, finding his bigs as soon as they dug in around the basket for easy buckets.      9p 6r 1s vs Gonzaga   -Taylor's motor really stood out in the upset win for McNamara, displaying a ton of toughness and grit both on the backboards. He rebounds out of his area really well for a wing/guard tweener, throwing his body in to chip down on bigs or snag a board over his matchup. He's beginning to time his rolls and cuts to the rim much better to be seen by ballhandler's and is finishing well around the rim through contact. Taylor's willingness to guard up or down several positions makes him an invaluable cog in the Mustangs' revamped defense to really fly around to wreak havoc in the paint and on the perimeter.     9p vs Bullis   -Has a nice skillset for a W/F tweener with good size in his sophomore year. Did a good job of guarding the low post but has the speed to closeout on 3 point jumpers from a starting point inside the paint. Had a nice pass over the top of the defense in transition to find a big for the two-handed jam, showing his unselfish play-making ability on the move and from a standstill. Bhaskar worked as an effective press-breaker and zone-buster, providing a big passing target for the guards that has the ability to put it on the deck to find space and make the right read.