USA JNT/Chipotle Nationals: Local Standouts

New readers: Use code Proia30     I attended the Team USA Minicamp and Chipotle Nationals at the Final Four last week to see the top HS talent in the country compete in two separate events. We had a DMV team compete in Chipotle Nationals in WCAC champion Paul VI and saw several standout performances from prospects born in MD/VA/DC that compete with different HS programs. In this article you'll get a mix of all of the above, let's dive in!    35p 4r 2a 1s 11/24 FG 10/13 FT    -His final game showed the development over the past 4 seasons as a dynamic athlete that has improved his handle, jumper, and scoring package around the rim. Smith knocked down 3s off the catch and off the bounce over bigs on an island, hit the brakes to pivot into a short turnaround jumper, and used his scoring gravity to kick out to shooters to force rotations. His ability to operate out of the midpost and low block really stood out as he split defenders on several occasions before finishing with floaters off of both one or two feet in the paint. Smith battled until the end as a 2-way force that willed his team to wins over his 4-year career, excited to see how he is utilized at the next level for the Razorbacks.     13p 12r 1a 2s 1b vs Bella Vista   -Bahr moved into the top 10 of our VA rankings after a breakout season as a vital piece to the puzzle for a PVI team that finished 33-3 on the season. Bahr's rebounding (6 offensive) kept the game close late for the Panthers as he turned in another selfless performance on the glass. His defensive versatility as a wing that can apply ball pressure in double teams on guards on the wings or bigs on the block generated the turnovers needed to get PVI's transition engine going. Bahr will likely be focused mainly on the diamond as a high level baseball prospect, but we expect him to be a big contributor for PVI basketball this summer and in the fall!     18p 8a 2r 4/8 FG 3/3 3P 5/6 FT   -The Baltimore native was key in Spire engineering a double digit win over Stepinac in the opening round of the tournament before an injury forced him out of the next game. Davis has become much more efficient as a downhill driver that gets off the ball quickly, flicking a live dribble pass with either hand to rollers in PnR situations or kicking the ball opposite to shift the defense. Davis hit spinning short jumpers in the paint, knocked down a 3 coming off of a drag screen, and attacked closeouts effectively from both sides of the floor. This year has been an immensely productive development experience as the head of the snake for one of the nation's top coaches who usually doesn't give young players this type of leash. I expect Davis to become a national name this summer as he chases a second straight UAA chip with [program_tooltip program_id='2077005' first='Team' last='Thrill'].     9p 10r 2b vs Prolific   -Daniels raced out in transition to collect an outlet pass over his shoulder and throw down a 2-handed dunk just before the buzzer to complete a monster comeback win for MVA over Prolific as the first step in a run to the Chipotle Nationals championship game. Daniels showed his value over the course of the week as a physical rebounding engine that made his presence known with emphatic putback dunks and tip-outs that created extra possessions for the Eagles. Liked his skill development over the course of the year as a forward that grew more comfortable turning down the handoff on a DHO to get downhill to finish at the rim. He grew to look much more comfortable in space at the defensive end of the floor within MVA's defensive schemes and should parlay a strong junior year into a productive offseason on the circuit.     11p 5r 2a 1s vs Spire   -Wadley gave Compass good minutes in his first action in over a month, showing that he can impact the game as a scoring guard while executing designed reads in the halfcourt. Wadley started things off with a movement 3 from the top of the key, knocked down both free throw attempts, scored off a putback in the key, and hit a pull-up jumper in the paint. When healthy Wadley serves as a dynamic shooter that can score from all three levels with or without a ball screen. His leaping ability allows him to finish above the rim in traffic and gives him some nice long-term upside as a help side shot-blocker that can defend multiple spots. One of the best unsigned seniors in the state and the country.     -Lyons played progressively better and better each day throughout his first USA JNT Minicamp experience as he settled into a hyper-competitive environment. Lyons got downhill and hit touch shots off of either leg, showed that he can hit shots off the bounce from beyond the arc, showed his speed and bounce in the open court as a dynamic athlete that can run the fastbreak or run the wing, and had active hands defensively to force turnovers both on and off the ball. After playing in a high school context alongside his brother in a 2-point guard offense for most of the last 3 seasons, I think scouts outside the DMV will see his play-making acumen as a cerebral point guard that uses his scoring gravity to execute designed reads. But he will still bring that ability to attack closeouts on second-side/ side PnR actions as an off-ball guard that will demand defensive attention. Excited to see how he is utilized within TTO's system at both ends of the floor, as he has untapped potential as a disruptive free safety defender off the ball that can serve as a one-man fastbreak heading the opposite direction.     -Bowman has really grinded to give himself a much more well-rounded game since my last viewing. Bowman has grown a bit, probes the defense without over-dribbling, is a confident shooter off the catch, and has packed on good weight in his upper body to absorb contact at the defensive end and dole out contact at the other end. His competitive fire really stands as a POA defender that gets under his matchup without fouling with relative ease- a difficult feat when matched up with several 5-star point guards throughout the week. Picked up an IU offer after his play this week and I expect his national stock to pick up over the course of the summer with Why Not.

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