WCAC Quarterfinal Preview: Matchups and Players to Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2026 WCAC tournament field is set for the annual quarterfinal round to take place on Saturday at Gallaudet University. As always, four intriguing matchups are set to take place as we enter the last sprint of the high school basketball season. Below are the matchups and prospects to watch heading into the actrion.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">1PM: No. 4 Bishop O'Connell v No. 5 Gonzaga</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>2025-26 history: O'Connell won meeting on 12/10 60-47; O'Connell won meeting on 2/3 53-49</em>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>O'Connell players to watch:</strong> 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2252287' first='Darius' last='Bivins'], 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2459209' first='Justin' last='Edwards'] (Gannon), 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2353544' first='Corey' last='Dixon'], 2027 Jaron Rucker, 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='3363554' first='Tristan' last='Franklin']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gonzaga players to watch:</strong> 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1784446' first='Allen' last='Mbuyamba'], 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='3223516' first='Chase' last='Peterson'], 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2454543' first='Chase' last='Hogg'], 2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2194753' first='Dave' last='Mbuyamba'], 2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2524418' first='Jahlil' last='Waheed'], 2029 Dylan Higginbotham</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2:45PM: No. 1 Paul VI Catholic v No. 8 Bishop McNamara</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>2025-26 history: PVI won meeting on 1/6 74-57; PVI won meeting on 2/7 79-58</em>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PVI players to watch:</strong> 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='3336930' first='Jordan' last='Smith'] Jr. (Arkansas), 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1782590' first='Lawrence' last='Brown'] (FGCU), 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2194710' first='Brian' last='Mitchell Jr.'], 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2353633' first='Matthew' last='Mena'], 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='3295789' first='Dylan' last='Harsanyi'], 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2108094' first='Braydon' last='Young'], 2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2916390' first='Ryan' last='Bahr']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>McNamara players to watch:</strong> 2026 Prince-Alex Moody (Indiana), 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2353561' first='Brandon' last='Woodard'], 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2353528' first='Kirby' last='Duran'], 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2454911' first='Jahmai' last='Drayton']; 2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2194782' first='Terry' last='Brooks III'], 2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2882025' first='Khyair' last='Phillips']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">4:30PM: No. 2 St. John's v No. 7 Bishop Ireton</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>2025-26 history: St. John's won meeting on 1/6 64-61; St. John's won meeting on 2/16 71-62.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>St. John's players to watch: </strong>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1969210' first='Geremy' last='Clark'] (STAC), 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1782593' first='Zyion' last='Chase'], 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2353547' first='Jymin' last='Veney'], 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2353549' first='Jordan' last='Taylor'], 2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2524394' first='Kareem' last='Smith-Bey'], 2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2194784' first='Kaiden' last='Argueta']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ireton players to Watch:</strong> 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1782690' first='Silas' last='Devonish'], 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2347772' first='Jake' last='Bahr'], 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1782685' first='Evan' last='Brown'], 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2458557' first='Jayden' last='Mills'], 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2470580' first='Elijah' last='Simpkins']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">6:15PM: No. 3 DeMatha v No. 6 Archbishop Carroll</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025-26 history: DeMatha won meeting on 1/19 90-53; Archbishop Carroll won meeting on 2/5 64-60.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DeMatha players to watch:</strong> 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1782654' first='Ashton' last='Meeks'], 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2113258' first='Jaden' last='Shoultz'], 2026 Jaylen Ortiz, 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2802627' first='Jared' last='Jeffers'], 2027 Danny Abass, 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2975255' first='Donovan' last='Wright'], 2028 Isa Camp</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Archbishop Carroll players to watch:</strong> 2026 Anthony Brown (Vanderbilt), 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1963388' first='Bryton' last='Barrett'], 2026 Ilan Najkov, 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2353541' first='Bam' last='Bolding'], 2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2610833' first='Truth' last='Kelly'], 2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2388168' first='Chima' last='Amadi'] </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->