Capitol Hoops Challenge: Early Saturday frontcourt 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 strong group of frontcourt prospects who impressed us with their play.    The only underclassman and only true big in a rotation full of experienced junior and senior guards and wings, Abraham shined as the man in the middle despite a narrow loss to St. John's (DC). He would wind up as one of just two Eagles in double-figures, scoring most of his 10 points in a first half that saw Clinton Grace take early control. Abraham shows great hands and footwork as a hub from the low post, along with advanced ball skills in traffic for his size and age. Still just 14 years old, he's continuing to grow while starting reapportion extra bulk into muscle and power. While cut from a bit of an old-school mold, Abraham should have a chance to be one of the top posts in the DMV before much longer and one of the top in his class on a national scale.     Word out of North Carolina has been that Hall is turning another corner with his play this winter and he lived up to the billing with a strong two-way effort despite a narrow loss to nationally-ranked Paul VI (VA). Hall took a bit to settle into the game but ultimately established himself as a powerful and skilled force around the rim, scoring 12 points to go along with 9 rebounds and 6 blocks. He showed strong fundamentals as a scorer on the block and via offensive rebounds, keeping the ball high and finishing with soft touch using either hand. Defensively, he was consistently in the right position with good technique as a rim protector to block shots without fouling. Still growing and steadily improving his conditioning, Hall has a chance to develop into one of the more imposing frontcourt presences in his class nationally.     A mainstay in the St. John's lineup since his freshman year, Chase is now the lone unsigned senior for the Cadets and looked to be playing with a healthy chip on his shoulder during a well-rounded performance in a Saturday afternoon win. Chase was aggressive from the opening jump, using a blend of quickness, length, and underrated ball skills to attack the rim out of a wide variety of situations. While he struggled at times with his efficiency as a finisher, Chase was relentless with his effort and also flashed some expanded skill away from the basket without ever feeling like he was settling on the perimeter. He stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, 7 boards, and 4 assists. Being pursued mostly at the D2 and JUCO levels, Chase is certainly worth exploring late in the cycle for D1 programs valuing his versatility in the frontcourt.     It's been a bit of an up-and-down year thus far for Taylor since transferring in from Bishop McNamara (MD), and while he struggled in the scoring column on Saturday, Taylor was still key toward holding off a high-octane Clinton Grace team for a big win. With a consistent ability to play bigger than his size thanks to a powerful frame and explosive leaping ability, Taylor grinded his way to 10 rebounds, including 6 on the offensive end that created a series of key extra possessions. He was also effective defensively against a smaller Clinton Grace team. Most important towards his long-term projection, Taylor looked comfortable on a pair of spotup 3s, converting on one of them to go along with a smooth elbow turnaround as he works to expand his game out toward the perimeter. He's a clear D1 prospect but his level will largely be determined by how that development progresses over the course of time.     Heading back to his native North Carolina for his senior year after a year at IMG Academy (FL), Peck forms a potent three-pronged frontcourt along with Hall and 6'11" Clemson signee Will Stevens. The most perimeter-oriented of the group, Peck was quiet for stretches but still managed to show the wide-ranging versatility at his size that has him coveted by a number of high-major programs. Peck showed comfort putting the ball on the floor in the halfcourt while also spacing to the perimeter as a shooter. He really thrived in transition where he's dynamic filling lanes and finishing athletically on the move. Defensively, he covers a ton of ground and shined as a secondary rim protector with a pair of emphatic blocks in the paint. We'd still like to see the potential turn into more consistent production, but you just don't see many players who look and move like Peck falling below the high-major level, where he should have a chance to develop into a valued two-way contributor.

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 strong group of frontcourt prospects who impressed us with their play.