A Very Melo Classic: 2027 Notables

The 4th annual 'A Very Melo Classic' took place at Hill Field House on the campus of Morgan State on Saturday and featured a five-game slate that included elite national talent. Here were the 2027 prospects that caught my eye throughout the day.   <a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/02/a-very-melo-classic-2026-eye-catchers/">For 2026, click here.</a>    Alongside Jahda Swann, Nunez has carved out a nice role for himself as he splits the scoring responsibilities and in the viewings that I've seen this season, is shooting the ball with good balance and rhythm off the bounce. Nunez can surprise you with his explosive pop around the rim where he's liable to throw down a poster dunk if he has a clear path, but it also translates to ripping down defensive rebounds at their peak and leading the break himself. He's showing improvement with his ability and overall comfort in getting to his spots in isolations without needing to get all the way to the cup and off the ball, is an active cutter. Streaking the lanes in transition is where he can shine brightest as his athleticism can assist in quick scores around or above the rim. He's a toolsy defender that plays with an edge and pride in his individual matchup. Nunez led the Strivers in their win over Bishop McNamara with 20 points on a scorching 10-of-12 from the field.     Smith is smooth operator when it comes to scoring and this Oak Hill requires him to put up a big number in that category to win games. He has one of the quicker releases off the catch from three that would make the high-level defenders look late on closeouts. While there are times where he can depend on his long-range shooting, Smith poses the threat of putting it on the deck as well and exposing driving lanes for quick pulls off the bounce as well. Oak Hill took on the buzzsaw that is Paul VI and would go on to lose the game by double-figures, but it was Smith's 16-point performance that stood out for the Nike EYBL Scholastic program.     This event offered the stage that Jones tends to thrive on and yesterday was no different. It was a quiet first half for the southpaw combo guard as he went into halftime with three points. He added another bucket in the third, but the fourth period was where he really got into his flow. Jones stepped up is aggression and quickly showed the local crowd that he'd spearhead St. Frances' ultimate comeback win that took overtime to complete. Not only did he convert a huge 4-point play after getting fouled on a three-point attempt to tie the ball game with less than 2 minutes in the game, he'd go on to hit the buzzer-beating triple that forced the overtime session and give his Panthers the time needed to secure control. He's a fearless Baltimore guard whose confidence never wavers, which is why he's one of the more potent scorers you'll find in the Baltimore/DMV regardless of class. Jones would score a game-high 23 points     Veney was the offensive source for the Cadets as they were in full control of their matchup against St. Frances for three quarters until the Panthers stormed back. His body and frame continue to improve month-to-month, which has simultaneously made him a bigger threat off the bounce in creating space to pull-up for his mid-range jumper or get all the way to the rim and create angles in the air to finish. Veney thrived in getting downhill or posting up smaller guards where he bullied his way to the rim for finished despite contact on the way. If he wasn't getting all the way into the paint, he'd use a jab and get to his spot around the nail for 15-footers, which he converted at an efficient clip. Veney led St. John's in the overtime thriller with 19 points.     Much of the attention of this PVI team is toward [player_tooltip player_id='1782696' first='Jordan' last='Smith Jr.'] and rightfully so, but it is the role players who will decide how far into the national conversation the Panthers continue to trek towards. Harsanyi is one of the more under-the-radar guys, but there's no overlooking his elite long-range shooting and as Oak Hill tried to make several defensive adjustments in hopes of putting together stops, it was the 6-foot-3 junior that buried demoralizing three's. His quick trigger allowed for advance passes from Smith, Turk Brown and others as Harsanyi did his sprinting early on the break to get his feet set and let it fly. As Oak Hill attempted to limit penetration in the half court, Harsanyi would spot up a few feet beyond the arc making it impossible for his defender to get a clean contest on the catch. He nailed four three's to finish with 12 points in the win.     This PVI team is simply operating on a different frequency at this point in the season in comparison to any other team in the DMV and it's showing with one dominant performance after the next. The addition of Mitchell Jr. has the argument of being the most valuable of the offseason and it's a testament to his ability to space the floor, perform as a high-level connector and bring further defensive versatility. He'd finish this one with a modest 12 points and got there by scoring in a variety of ways, but it was his hockey assists, precise lifts to force the defense's rotation and open up someone else on the backside as well as his fight on the glass to close down possessions that spoke volumes to me.     Condon's approach to the game is hard to not fall in love with. A blue-collar forward who continues to expand his skillset at a steady rate, he is the type of player that fuels winning. Although Sidwell would come up short against LuHi (NY) in their contest Saturday afternoon, it wasn't due to a lack of effort or production from the junior leader. He's a legitimate floor-spacing threat with his quick, compact mechanics off the catch from three. Last season a lot of his shots from outside came from the corners, but now he's a threat from the wing or at the top of the key in pick-and-pops or as a trailer in transition. He can always rely on his bullish frame to expose a mismatch in the post, but his ability to beat guys off the bounce with regularity now poses a slew of other worries for opposing staffs to prepare for. Defensively, he's as strong as they come both inside and out. He can guard in space on switches, battle with bigger fours and fives while maintaining position and is no stranger in giving up his body on a charge after a crisp rotation. Condon paced Sidwell with 20 points.     McNamara has been riddled by injuries this season as looked to stop a potential seven-game skid coming into this weekend. With the fluid rotation, it has allowed others such as Duran to adjust their shot diet and for a shooter of his ilk, will benefit him in the long run. He struggled to find his mark in the first half despite remaining aggressive and that resulted in a much better second half where he went 5-of-7 and 3-of-4 from deep. 13 of his 15 points came in the final two frames and his third quarter production was a catalyst for a fourth quarter push as The St. James took their foot off the gas.

The 4th annual 'A Very Melo Classic' took place at Hill Field House on the campus of Morgan State on Saturday and featured a five-game slate that included elite national talent. Here were the 2027 prospects that caught my eye throughout the day.