Prince George's County Public School Prospects to Know (Pt. 1)

Prince George's County is known for its rich basketball talent no matter how far back in history you look. This season is no different as there are over a dozen prospects off to hot starts as we approach the halfway point in the schedule. We start with arguably the most impressive handful as we continue our series going through each county and spotlighting the standouts from the public school sector.    Walker leads the state in scoring averaging over 30 points per game and has Wise in the thick of things, as the Pumas usually are, with a 7-3 record. Walker is fresh off a 33-point outing last night against Flowers and much of his scoring attack starts with their relentless full court trap and frantic offensive pace. He's the top man on the press and records steals in bunches thanks to his active hands and cat-like first step in the passing lanes. He gets to the rim quickly in straight-line fashion with good athletic pop off one foot to make it tough for opposing shot-blockers. The style and emphasis that Wise forces their opponents into should not only allow Walker to maintain his impressive individual season, but also put the team in strong position to make a run in the Class 4A state tournament.     Last week when our 2027 rankings were updated, Brooks received a worthy bump thanks to his steady production and the perfect season that Flowers had been off to. Their record remains unblemished after a massive win at Wise last night and Brooks was the key ingredient after a shaky first quarter. The 6-foot-6 forward uses his burley frame as a mismatch nightmare for those in the public school sector and blended with skill, shot making and vision as a passer, has Flowers off to a 12-0 start and firmly in first place through the midway point. He's rebounding as a high rate on both ends. Even on his own misses around the rim, he's active in pursuing the ball at its peak, regaining balance and finishing through contact if needed. While he isn't the quickest, Brooks has some shake to his game off the bounce and the confidence to pull-up off the dribble with good results.     Expect Oyekan to receive a healthy boost in our 2029 rankings update next week as he's off to one of the more impressive starts for this local freshman class. He's shown signs of a high-upside name here in the 2029 class as a 6-foot-3 guard with plus length, bouncy athleticism and a wiry frame with a plus wingspan that should fill out nicely over time. He's a rim-protecting presence despite being a guard and can get out in the open floor offensively and present as a handful for most defenders at the basket. The jumper remains a work in progress, but his ability to expose driving lanes with a quick and long first step makes trips to the charity stripe inevitable as his matchup or those rotating weakside cannot meet his quickness. Through Laurel's first 10 games, Oyekan was posting over 17.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.2 stocks (steals + blocks) per game.     Heading into this season, Johnson was looked to fill a large portion of the unfillable void left behind by Cam Ward (Michigan State). The 6-foot-2 lead guard had a couple of quiet games to his standard in the early goings, but has since put together stat-stuffing performances that are expected to be routine as the senior leader. The Lions have talent evenly dispersed throughout their rotation and now putting the puzzle together within the chemistry department will determine their ceiling. As for Johnson, he's a crafty scoring guard who can break his man down off the bounce or operate with pace in ball screens. In transition, he poses as an above-the-rim guy with a clear launching pad and every now and again, will deliver a high-level dime off the live dribble to a cutting teammate or shooter spotting up on the weak side of the floor.     Tarawally is one of the more put together scorers and overall prospects in PG County despite being just a sophomore. His positional size at 6'3"-6'4" and his ability to pose as a threat from multiple levels makes him a tough matchup and often times, requires double-teams to contain. Through 11 games, Tarawally is averaging a sturdy 25.1 points per outing and has Gywnn Park sitting with an 11-2 overall record. His presence is felt on both sides of the ball as he also snags 5.5 rebounds and records 2.2 stocks (steals + blocks) with ability to generate quick points off those steals or turnovers in thunderous fashion above the rim.

Prince George's County is known for its rich basketball talent no matter how far back in history you look. This season is no different as there are over a dozen prospects off to hot starts as we approach the halfway point in the schedule. We start with arguably the most impressive handful as we continue our series going through each county and spotlighting the standouts from the public school sector.