Clash of Titans Sunday Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>New readers: Use code Proia30</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I drove up to Baltimore to check out the Sunday action from a great Clash of Titans event held at the Park School. I got to see teams from Washington DC, Maryland, and even Texas as the boys competed at a pretty high level. Let's break down a few of my top standouts from the day!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2926352"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a1354b902cea"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">11p 3r 1a 4s&nbsp;vs District BC</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Saw Wood play twice and I wish that I had statted the second game, as he was up to his usual tricks as a dynamic 2-way athlete that also showed some continued skill development. Wood joined a short-handed PSB Baltimore group to serve as a lightning rod in transition that switched ends of the floor quickly off of steals or defensive rebounds to push the pace for his team. I liked seeing the development in his perimeter jumper off the bounce as he knocked down a 3 from either wing off the bounce with a much smoother dribble pickup that results in a more fluid stroke with a quicker release. If he can utilize that improved handle to harness his quickness and create for others more effectively in the halfcourt, his recruiting profile should raise as a bonafide D1 athlete with tools and a phenomenal motor. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":3652332,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Jahlil Route","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'7u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77247","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"DC International ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":" [program_tooltip program_id='2076976' first='District' last='Basketball Club']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a161df8d0b9a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">10p 15r 2a 1b 2s </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-The unsigned senior buoyed a short-handed DBC group to B2B wins on Sunday. Route started things off with a face cut layup, rotated well from the baseline to block a shot at the elbow to ignite the fastbreak, read the passer's eyes to jump a passing lane and spin between two defenders to score the AND1 layup, and was a force on the glass for his team. Studying at a very high-academic school in DC, I think Route has a chance to play his way into a scholarship after a year of seasoning at a PG or Juco.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3579514"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a161f675b13b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">-Wilson should step into a bigger role this season with OLMC and definitely looks the part to thrive in that system. Wilson is a very quick, stocky guard that understands how to leverage his size and athletic gifts to disrupt cutters and force ballhandlers to pick the ball up in the paint. Wilson was pesky defensively both on and off the ball with active hands, has a good nose for the basketball on the offensive glass to time dives into the rim to grab offensive rebounds over taller players, and played hard regardless of the score as he served as a mercenary for two different teams competing the day before the holiday. His best play came on a double crossover drive straight down the middle of the defense to score the AND1 layup at the rim over the helping big with the inside hand.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3352193"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":3652341,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a16242a1b8ad"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">-McLain really stood out as a shot-making guard prospect that understands when he needs to score or create for his team. McClain used hesitation dribble drives to play with good pace in the middle PnR, moved well off the ball to serve as a floor-spacing deadeye shooter, made the right read in transition, and saw the floor well to direct traffic for his team even when the ball wasn't in his hands. McClain drew a foul on a late 3 after hitting two tough contested triples after he got going from the FT line and at the rim. Intriguing prospect to track in the 2028 class and should be a riser in our next rankings update.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2397813"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a16242a1b915"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">10p 4a 1r 1b </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Mason functions well as a connective wing that brings a diverse skillset to the floor as a shoot, pass, dribble wing that maximizes his touches. Mason attacked closeouts on ball reversals well from the wing as a good decision-maker that gets into gaps to force the defense to leave his shooters open. Mason started off the game with 3 straight assists in transition to build the early lead, timed a baseline rotation well to save a bucket in transition with an emphatic block, and showed good touch around the basket with short floaters. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2608471"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a16242a1b96a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>10p 1a 1b 3s</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Bates was very effective for this DBC team until an injury sidelined him early in the 2H. Bates continues to prove adept at attacking his man off the bounce as a primary creator but has also improved his feel as an off-ball mover to step into movement 3s from either wing and knocked down two in a row with confidence. Bates quickly turned steals into points or fouls drawn at the other end, almost lost his dribble in a middle ball screen before he threw a beautiful one-handed diagonal dot to a big on the opposite block for an easy score, and has improved his footwork on jumpers both on or off the bounce. His creativity as a ball-handler and scorer in the paint always stands out as a quick smaller guard that uses a balanced center of gravity to size up then beat his matchup off the bounce. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->