Governors Challenge: Stock-Rising 2027 DMV Wings/Forwards

The 2025 Governors Challenge is in the books and over the course of the next few days, the notebook will be emptied out as I took in over 65 games in the span of five days. There's plenty to get to, but this article will highlight the stock-rising 2027 wings/forwards of MD/VA who helped boost their stock with their showings.    [player_tooltip player_id='2815039' first='Jamar' last='Nix'] was a name that began gaining momentum late last winter as a sophomore with steady progression shown throughout the summer. Now in his junior season, he's proving to be an impact prospect that should absolutely be on the recruiting boards of colleges and his body of work in Salisbury is just another piece of evidence as to why. The 6-foot-5 four man averaged an impressive stat line of 26 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 stocks (blocks + steals) per game. He anchors Sherwood's defense with his agile and strong frame, active feet and winning mentality.     As the season continues, I fully expect Jones to continue on his upward trajectory as he takes on the primary scoring role for the first time of his career at the varsity level. Not only is he answering the call as a scorer, but he's also providing consistent value on the glass, altering shots around the rim and making good decision as a passing hub from the high-post. The 6-foot-6 junior averaged 18.5 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists per game as New Town went 1-1 in their Gov. Challenge showing. As a team, they depend heavily on Jones and 2027 wing [player_tooltip player_id='2954432' first='Michael' last='Brown'], but help is on the way in the new semester, particularly in the backcourt that should lift this team's ceiling significantly in county play.     Ferguson remains one of the more under appreciated wings in the DMV given the amount of categories he touches on the box score, his blend of length and athleticism as well as his overall positional versatility. The 6-foot-7 southpaw averaged 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3 assists in the two-game slate as McDonogh suffered a loss against a very good Haverford group, but rebounded nicely the next day with a win over Montverde CBD. Ferguson's effort was instrumental in the win, specifically with the way he can get to the free-throw line, which he converted 10-of-14 for the game. He showed plenty of flashes as a sophomore, but Ferguson is putting together consistently productive outings as he becomes one of the foundational pieces this season for head coach Gerry Abrams.     Brown really impressed me, despite New Town coming up short in the opening game against Tuscarora. Brown took a hard fall midway through the game and tweaked his back, but he toughened out the remainder of the game and continued to be a crucial piece in the close loss. He stands 6'4"-6'5" with a smooth shooting stroke off the catch from the corners. The southpaw did a nice job of running the lanes with intensity and purpose to put himself in position for lobs. What stood out to be about Brown was his efficient use of his dribbles. If there was a gap to attack, he didn't waste time. If there wasn't, the ball didn't stick with him. He does his due diligence on the glass, can defend multiple positions at the high school level and even spent some possessions getting his team in order as the primary ball-handler in the half court.     Jones-Lloyd's activity in Friendship's double-overtime loss to Riverdale Baptist was impossible to overlook. The 6-foot-7 mobile forward was protecting the rim with pride on the defensive end and while he only registered one block for the contest, his activity and quick rotations were enough to alter shots or steer the opposing guards away from the paint. He did a nice job of playing out of screens in short rolls and even showed off some nice touch from three in crunch time as he buried a critical three. The size, budding skill and untapped potential are all reasons for Lloyd to be on radars as he continues to develop into a hard working four man with wing potential in the long-term.     Given his No. 30 overall ranking, we're clearly pretty high on Mahan and his showing in Salisbury gave us more reasons to remain in that line of thinking. He brings size, outside shooting with the ability to knock down 2-to-3 in a row and continues to show the want-to on the defensive end as well as the glass. Jackson-Reed looked strong in their two games as they claimed their bracket title while Mahan averaged 14.5 points on 57 percent from three, grabbed 8 rebounds and dished out 3.5 dimes per game.     Patton was a prospect that I wasn't familiar with before Gov. Challenge and he left an impression on me as a potential long-term player for schools to monitor. His frame has the look as one that will fill out nicely once he gets to college and while his overall skill set remains raw, there are indicators that with continued improvement he'll become a force for head coach Hillary Haley. In a tough matchup against Seneca Valley to claim their bracket title, Patton faced a solid 2026 big and did his job well finishing with 10 points (4/5 FG) and grabbing 7 rebounds. This SMCA team has plenty of talent in the backcourt and on the wing, so Patton's job is to be efficient with his looks around the rim and be willing to do some of the dirty work that may not show up on the box score, but impact winning. He did that in their two-game slate with good energy.     Anytime a prospect puts up 30 or more points, you really can't dismiss it. That was the case with Galloway as he exploded for 36 with ultra-efficiency by shooting 13-of-17 from the field. Galloway ran the floor and scoring in transition, took advantage of open shots from mid-range or three and did a nice job of getting to the free-throw line. He shot just 8-of-14 from the line, which could've allowed him for a 40-point outing, but nevertheless, it resulted in a win for the Millers.

The 2025 Governors Challenge is in the books and over the course of the next few days, the notebook will be emptied out as I took in over 65 games in the span of five days. There's plenty to get to, but this article will highlight the stock-rising 2027 wings/forwards of MD/VA who helped boost their stock with their showings.