DMV Live Warmup: '27 Standouts

8p 4r 2a 1s vs DeMatha   -Thought Hogg provided the Purple Eagles with some much-needed stability down the stretch of a very close game with WCAC rival DeMatha Catholic. Hogg hit a HUGE 3 to make it a 2-possession game late in the 2H, collected a crucial steal down the stretch that led to a transition bucket that tied the ball game, and took care of the rock in a game where his team just didn't have it going offensively. Hogg has a nose for the basketball and knows how to be in the right place defensively to force the issue for his team along the sideline or along the baseline. His cerebral play will likely be key for Gonzaga to compete in league play this season.     10p 7r 7a 1b 3s vs Neumann Goretti   -Probably the best passing performance that I've seen out of the rising junior PG in a big win for his team over Philly powerhouse Neumann-Goretti. Lyons hit teammates with 1-handed whip passes off the bounce through traffic, wrap-around bounce passes along the baseline, cross-court skip passes that maximized his paint touches, and overhead chest passes that screamed to his target with great pace. Lyons is steadily becoming more consistent as the aggressor, pushing the envelope and taking advantage of his matchup over-balancing or hedging too hard in one direction by quickly changing gears and directions with the ball in his hands. His team will need big performances out of him to compete in a tough nonconference slate but the T10 guard seems up for the task.     25p 11r 2a 4b 3s   -Man oh man what a breakout performance from the Ghanian product playing in his first action in new threads with Mt. Zion. A really active athlete that played with maximum effort on both ends of the floor, Rashid Issah left his imprint all over this game as a chaotic 2-way wing that uses his athleticism to make plays at both ends of the floor. He finished above the rim with a 2-handed dunk after collecting a steal, had an emphatic putback dunk in traffic, laced a standstill 3 from the top of the key, and turned in a 7-stock performance at the defensive end to underline his impact. Fully expect him to debut at a high number in our next update in the 2027 rankings.     21p 5r 5a 6s vs McNamara   -Smalling put up a valiant effort throughout a tough loss to an extremely talented McNamara group. Smalling impressed with his perimeter shot-making (5/11 from 3) over a variety of different defenders off of movement or from a standstill. With good positional size, he used his perimeter shooting gravity to attack closeouts for most of the 2H, earning several trips to the FT line while also shifting the defense. Liked the defensive effort from him throughout this game as well, as he didn't lose intensity even when facing a large deficit or taller opponents.     16p 6r 2b 3s 8/11 vs Woodside    -The game just comes effortlessly to Woodard as he consistently uses his size and athleticism to overpower his matchup while also showing off a bit of perimeter skill. He came up with some rebounds in traffic despite being held down by multiple defenders while also handling the ball well in transition to get his teammates good looks or finishing himself above the rim. He's really difficult to guard without committing a foul when on the move and he often proves why most defenders are hesitant to jump with him because of the variety of 1 or 2-handed dunks that he can pretty effortlessly throw down. Woodard finished an efficient 8/11 from the floor while showing the full skillset as a W/F tweener that can pose matchup problems for a variety of different defenders. The 5 stocks in this one shows an improved attention to detail at the end of the floor--if his effort is consistent on this end, I wouldn't be surprised to see him rise to the top of national rankings.     13p 7r 1a 3b 1s vs Gonzaga   -Really loved the tenacity and activity levels from Proctor because of how much those traits accentuate his athletic gifts. Proctor collected a really good recovery block by sprinting back into frame to block an attempt around the basket, had an emphatic help side block a few possessions later, and had much crisper defensive rotations in this one. He showed improvements to the perimeter handle and fluidity on his jumpshot with a pullup 3 OTB. Proctor also did a good job of sprinting the floor well in transition, not wasting any time with a straight line drive at the basket to finish with 1-handed spikes that went largely uncontested due to their ferocity. It's all starting to come together for this talented wing prospect that figures to make a name for himself over the next two weeks.     17p 5a 3r 2s vs Malvern Prep   -Jones excels as a true master of chaos at both ends of the floor because of how quickly he operates in split second windows where there is a loose ball or an open lane to the rim. The explosive point guard prospect has really worked on his perimeter jumper and that shooting gravity has really opened up driving lanes to the basket for him to rocket through on his trips in the paint. Love the lefty's decision-making in transition whether he is a passer in the middle of the floor or running the wings on either side. His passing/shooting/ball-handling skillset allows him to fill in the gaps when the Panthers go to 4-guard lineups that are engineered to ratchet up the pace to run up leads or claw their way back into games.     13p 13r 2b vs Gonzaga   -Abass continued a torrid month of really good basketball with another standout performance on the glass in a big win over his team's biggest rival. Abass knocked down two C+S 3s from the wings to show off a much more fluid jumper, which will be a really important swing skill for him in the long term as a prospect. He didn't settle for jumpers though, the biggest example being a ferocious catch and rip from the top of the key to blow by his matchup and finish with an emphatic 1-handed spike above the rim through the contact (he would hit the ensuing FT). If Abass can continue to show that he has inside-out potential as an offensive prospect while continuing to make improvements to his athletic profile, I fully expect him to continue moving up our rankings and place his name on the boards of college basketball programs.