Capitol Hoops Challenge: Early Saturday backcourt standouts

Capitol Hoops kicked off its fourth annual Capitol Hoops Challenge presented by the Washington Wizards with a loaded day of games at DeMatha before another full day tomorrow. After taking in a pair of thrillers early in the day, we'll start coverage with a group of backcourt prospects who impressed us with their play.    Playing about as well as any high school player in the country right now, Smith Jr. continued his torrid pace while carrying PVI with a dominant scoring performance. Ranked among the top 3 prospects in the senior class, he came out aggressive from the opening tap and scored his team's first 14 points of the game. By halftime, the Panthers led Davidson Day (NC) 30-26 with Smith Jr. having scored 26 points himself. He would finish with 34, methodically getting to his spots for midrange jumpers that have become a go-to weapon of his, but also turning on the jets when appropriate to get all the way to the rim and finish athletically through traffic. Smith Jr. also brought his typical defensive intensity while lifting the competitive spirit of all around him. He continues to show with each passing game why he's so highly regarded.     Having seen a couple rocky performances of Veney's earlier in the season, it was a welcome change to see him put it all together with an impressive 23-point effort to engineer a come-from-behind win. Instead of the heavy initiation role he'd played in the past, Veney shined by using his positional size and strength to fill in gaps , routinely catching inside the paint on cuts or crashes and finishing strong through congestion. He got going with multiple self-created drives during a 16-point second half while also playing tough-nosed defense in a series of key 1-on-1 situations. When all was said and done, Veney earned game MVP honors while shooting 10-of-14 from the field while adding 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. All that was missing was his perimeter stroke, but nonetheless Veney clearly looked the part of a potential high-major guard.     Putting together a dynamic individual effort despite a narrow loss to St. John's (DC), Lyons was electric on both ends throughout the contest. Lyons picked his spots, coming out as a facilitator and letting things come to him in a perfect shooting first half. He went into takeover mode during multiple second half stretches, using his speed, potent handle, and emerging shotmaking ability to score a game-high 24 points on 9-for-13 shooting. Even while sharing lead ballhandling duties, Lyons stands out with his feel as a playmaker (6 assists) and ability to keep the offense on schedule. He also played tenacious on-ball defense while serving as a ballhawk in the open floor en route to 5 steals, including a pair of pick-six dunks. Lyons continues to make a case as the top prospect in his class across the DMV.     Really coming into his own after showing flashes as a freshman, Smith-Bey has impressed with each viewing of St. John's this winter and Saturday proved to be no different. The sophomore wing guard came out firing from the perimeter, showcasing an efficient catch-and-shoot game that's become a dynamic weapon of his and knocking down 4 first-half 3's. He continues to intrigue as a slasher as well, showing high-level flashes natural footwork and passing feel while his ball skills continue to develop. Having been more of a wing when we saw him in the past, it's fair to consider Smith-Bey a true backcourt prospect at this point. He has multiple high-major offers already in tow and will have a strong case to rise in the next rankings update.     Having seen a strong game of his at DeMatha during June's DMV Live event, it was nice to get a followup viewing of the Cox Mill (NC) transfer as he settles into his new situation. Playing alongside a trio of 6'10"+ high-major prospects, McCormick dealt with a somewhat clogged paint at times but impressed with his ability to adjust accordingly and score from the perimeter. McCormick knocked down a 3 shots from long range en route to a team-high 15 points, also flashing a shifty handle to get himself downhill and put pressure on the paint. Despite being on the smaller side, his shotmaking and level of overall production at this stage should have him on D1 radars moving forward.

Capitol Hoops kicked off its fourth annual Capitol Hoops Challenge presented by the Washington Wizards with a loaded day of games at DeMatha before another full day tomorrow. After taking in a pair of thrillers early in the day, we'll start coverage with a group of backcourt prospects who impressed us with their play.