Winston Churchill Open Gym Notebook

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>POTOMAC, MD </em>-- Even without two-sport star [player_tooltip player_id='1364988' first='Ezekiel' last='Avit'] in attendance, the talent on the floor was abundant at Winston Churchill High School for Tuesday's open run. Here are some notes from our observations. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1413497' first='Isaiah' last='Mbeng']</strong> looks poised for a productive senior campaign. The 2023 lead guard was consistently zipping passes around the gym to get others easy looks. Mbeng also took chances to be aggressive and put the ball in the hole. It was a truly impressive all-around performance for the unsigned senior. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1280965' first='Tre' last='Stott']</strong> looks like he will be one of the top scorers again for this team. The senior lefty operated comfortably on the ball whether in isolation or from ball screens. If Stott is on his A-game, this team will be tough to beat. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wyatt Dunn</strong> is currently unranked in 2023, but that will change when it comes time to release our next update. He is a clear leader for this team, both verbally and by example. Dunn's experience should come in handy when this team hits adversity. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1416564' first='Nick' last='Goldberg']</strong> is a newcomer from QO who was thoroughly impressive during the runs. He shot the lights out but also mixed it up nicely off the bounce. One thing Goldberg does at a high level is relocating for open looks. Steve Ndingue</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ben Ash</strong> is a new name that is now on our radar for the 2024 class. He is a skilled point guard who can shoot the trey, get to his spots from the in-between areas, and make sound reads on the ball. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coach Blumenthal was raving about <strong>Steve Ndingue</strong> before the players arrived, and it didn't take long to see why. He is a class of 2024 forward plays with a relentless motor. Ndingue also provided positive energy and encouragement which was contagious throughout his team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024 <strong>Clement Baba</strong> is a two-sport athlete who features on the gridiron but had a solid outing on the hardwood. One thing he did well was hit shots from the perimeter. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Melchi Jonah</strong> is an interesting long-term 2024 prospect to monitor. He is shifty with the ball, has burst, and is unselfish. Jonah is also capable of getting off a shot from anywhere on the floor. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It remains to be seen whether or not 2026 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1588148' first='Chuma' last='Achufusi']</strong> will have a significant role in this year's squad, but his future is looking bright. The lefty made shots and competed defensively. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coach Blumenthal spoke highly of 2025 guard <strong>Miles Zoll</strong>, who had some nice moments in the runs. He is a basketball lifer who is known for his shooting. Zoll will be on our watch list for the future. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->