MBCA: Underclass Standouts

New readers: Use code Proia30 for discounted subscription    26p 5r 3a 1b vs Milford Mill   -Really fun prospect to watch because of how many areas he impacts the game in at both ends of the floor. Brooks' skill level for a W/F tweener is really intriguing. He serves as a passing hub from both the elbows and the low post, with an advanced handle that allows him to find guys off the bounce as well. He's got soft touch around the rim, uses his brawn effectively to carve out space around the rim to score, and is nimble enough to slice through small gaps in the defense. His range extends past the three point line and he's got a pretty fluid shooting motion-- even on pull-up 3's. Definitely a guy that D1s should be tracking.     6p 4r 1b vs Milford Mill   -Obayande is more prospect than player right now but he has the tools and the motor to eventually forge himself into a viable prospect. Loved his activity off the bench to be disruptive as a shot-blocking deterrent big for his team, using his size to rebound the basketball and serve as a viable roll threat. The ball skills are developing but are encouraging, he can execute basic post moves and has solid touch around the rim. Excited to see how he develops over the next two seasons in a frontcourt that should be the best in public school basketball.     10p 7r 2a 1s 1b vs Frederick   -The incoming freshman really wowed with his athleticism and a humming motor that shown through on both ends of the floor. Echebi moves really well for a young W/F prospect, using his length and bounce to hit the glass heavy in traffic. Liked his instincts as a free safety type helper in Flowers' full court press schemes as he understands angles and rotations as a young defender looking to cause turnovers. His work on the offensive glass (4 offensive rebounds) was very impactful in extending possessions for a Largo team that needed that boost in an overtime win over Frederick.     -Really enjoyed his motor, energy, and enthusiasm throughout a nice win over Suitland. Mims ran the floor hard, did a great job of staying around the basket for boards/finishing opportunities without getting in the way of his guards on their drives to the rim, blocked shots, and finished with two hands with authority throughout the evening. He's got a pretty strong frame for an undersized big, using his raw power to overwhelm opponents on the glass and wall up to force bigs out of the paint to make them take more difficult shots over the top. Should be a force for Southern this season in the county.     11p 4r 6a 1s 1b   -Williams really stood out as a quick but physical defensive-minded guard that took on the challenge of guarding the best scorer to force some tough looks and a few turnovers. Williams understands how to do his work early and attaches himself well to the ballhandler to fight over screens and keep his matchup out of the paint. Williams had a nice jab n go from the wing to get all the way to the rim and finish through the contact, hit a pull-up from the top of the key to stop a Meade run, hit a nice wing 3 off the bounce, and hit a pull-up 3 to make it a 2-point game with under a minute left to go. The blend of athleticism and ball skills mixed with some tenacity makes him a key piece for a scrappy Whitman team that really gets after it defensively.     17p 9a 6r 1s 1b vs Whitman   -Scott overcame some tired legs to be effective down the stretch for Meade as a play-making lead guard. He scored with several extension lays after taking a long stride 1-2 after the dribble pick-up, drove right down the gut off the SLOB to lay it up before the defense could react, snagged a steal at halfcourt and finished at the other end, and made a beautifully-timed bounce pass to a teammate for the easy deuce off the spin move instead of forcing up a tough fader in the key. Scott plays with great pace and has developing a good understanding of when to pass and when to score it on his own. Narrowly missed out on a triple double despite seeing several double teams and the opponent keying in on his drives to surround him with multiple defenders in the paint.     -Thought Lewis displayed a smooth offensive game in a nice win over a Suitland team that has a pretty talented backcourt. Lewis understands timing on ball screens, waiting for the help defense to clear before coming off of his teammates' screen shoulder to shoulder before getting downhill or rising up for a jumper. He has the requisite ball skills to be successful, showing that he can raise up for a jumper or find teammates effectively off a live dribble. Lewis also does a great job of attacking the top shoulder and sees the floor well when he gets two feet in the paint. Lewis is also devastatingly-effective in transition, showing a good understanding of the importance of letting the ball go at just the right moment to force the defense to commit a beat before he lets a pass go.     13p 7r 1a 2s 1b vs Frederick   -Performed well in a nice win for Largo as a shot-making guard that did an excellent job of probing the defense. Ashe was getting to the rim a step before his defender but also made them respect the jumper with several smooth pull-ups from the elbows. Liked the impact that he had on the glass despite his size, timing his dives to the rim well to snag a few key rebounds to extend possesions for the Lions. Defensively, I like that he is staying home more defensively-- waiting patiently for the offense to turn the ball over or over-balance so that he can get a steal or a block without fouling and initiate a fastbreak. Should play a big role for Largo this season as a starter.     11p 9r 2s vs Frederick   -Loved the athleticism and activity from Turner in this one. With good positional size, Turner is an extraordinary leaper and uses that vertical pop to really impact the game as a rebounder despite a pretty thin frame. Turner can shoot, pass, dribble, and guard at a pretty high level for a prospect this young and seems to be a guy that both his teammates and coaches love to have around. No defensive assignment or role is too small for him and he attacks his opponent with consistency to win advantages for his team throughout the game. Very interested to see if he becomes a 3+D guard or wing, or if he develops into more of a scoring guard.

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