Flint Hill vs DeMatha scrimmage: 5 Takeways
Hyattsville, MD. November 22, 2017.
DeMatha Catholic Stags HS. 4313 Madison Street Hyattsville, MD. 20781 Head Coach: Mike Jones
DeMatha’s Starting 5 & Rotation
DeMatha won all 5 quarters in their home scrimmage vs Flint Hill this Wednesday. It appears Head Coach Mike Jones has settled on a starting 5 or he is on the brink. We believe 4 players are locks to start which are: 7’0″ sophomore center Hunter Dickinson, 6’5.5″ sophomore point forward Earl Timberlake, 6’4″ junior guard Justin Moore, 6’1″ junior PG/CG Jahmir Young. 6’6″ junior Wing Carsten Kolgenik appears to be the 5th starter, but 6’2″ junior PG Josh Wallace is in the mix to start. This is a tough call for Head Coach Mike Jones & determining his rotation players is not an easy task. However, we believe 6’10” junior Jamel Melvin will be the top reserve big who can play the 3, 4 & 5 for the Stags, but at the next level will be a 3/4. Jamel & 6’9″ sophomore Paul Smith were candidates to potentially start this preseason, but Paul is sidelined with an injury. Once healthy, Paul should be in the Stag rotation. If Josh Wallace does not start he will be the 1st ball handler off the bench. 6’4″ senior guard Deven Richmond is very strong & athletic & some insiders believe he is good enough to start. 6’1″ senior CG Markanthony Fidelis has a had very strong preseason & will be in the rotation. 6’0 senior PG Justin Gielen was a key contributor last season & is committed to the University of Maryland on a full soccer scholarship. He could work his way back into the rotation, but look out for 6’1″ freshmen Brayon Freeman to get playing time. This preseason DeMatha has displayed brilliance. The Stags have potential to win the WCAC & earn a top 25 national rankings. However, the WCAC could the deepest we have ever seen with 4 teams potentiality ranked in the top 5 of the DC DMV & MD top 30 team rankings which come out Monday. The most important news is Justin Moore is on the court less than 10.5 months after receiving season ending ACL surgery last January. Justin is playing at very high level, but is still wearing a brace. He is now 6’4″ & has gained excellent strength while staying lean. Justin has range to the NBA 3 point line, & has added some new moves to his arsenal. We have watched him rehab this past year & are very happy for him. We wish Justin & all the players Prep Hoops covers a happy, successful & safe season on & off the court.
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Flint Hill Huskies HS. 3320 Jermantown Road. Oakton, VA. Head Coach: Rico Reed
Flint Hill has the talent to reverse last seasons record
Flint Hill plays in the very strong Mid Atlantic Conference. Last season the Huskies finished at 7-20 playing with very little size & guard dominated team. However, Head Coach Rico Reed added top 60 national recruit 6’10” Qudus Wahab (see a few sections below) & 6’5.5″ junior Christian Turner. He just finished playing WR on the gridiron & is making the adjustment from football to basketball conditioning & sat out this game. He gives Flint Hill a much needed physical presence & 3 level scoring to compliment 6’8″ sophomore Dowa Jioklow, pictured left. Dowar averaged 7.2 ppg last year & led the Huskies in rebounding. He has great upside, but needs to add strength & weight. 6’2″ senior Justin Taylor (pictured right) was the 2nd leading score last season & he is a athletic & powerful PG who gets in the lane & is a scholarship college player. 6’6″ senior Sean Herlihy can score outside in & was impressive. 5’7″ senior PG Isaiah Moore got inside & made some very crafty lay-ins. He can hit 3s on & off the dribble & we like his toughness & skills. 6’1″ junior PG/CG Ethan Jones played well. We will be covering Flint Hill this season in detail & be providing live game reports & player articles for their players mentioned. The additions of Qudus & Christian & the key returnees could enable the Huskies to challenge for a MAC Title.
Hunter Dickinson can not be stopped
We have seen Hunter make huge strides in his game, but last December we knew he was going to be special. Hunter has developed a tremendous low post game with an assortment of superb in the paint moves. His jump hook & 2 to 3 off dribble sky hook shot is a weapon & looks unguardable. He can shoot it with either hand with a maximum release point & perfect form. Hunter is one of the most fundamentally sound low post Bigs we have seen in a quite some time. His footwork, preparation & mechanics are super. Hunter is an expert at going into his defender body to create space & over power them His arsenal includes, drop steps, spins, up & under, power up, jump hooks, baby hooks & more. All his moves are going towards the rim with no fading. While Hunter is known for his power game, he has finesse or power-finesse dimensions. Hunter is very smooth & can step outside to drain a 3 pointer to pull the defense out or create high post passing options for DeNatha. Hunter has shown he can make a move from 18 feet out off the dribble to score or facilitate. If teams double or triple Hunter in the post, he can still score, but most likely he will hit the open man in great position. He has a very high IQ, court vision & is a superb facilitator & ball mover. In every aspect of his game, Hunter keeps the ball high, which allows him to see over the defense & make quick reads or scores. In the video below @ the 2:1 mark, Hunter grabbed a rebound with his arms high & went right up for 2 points without dropping them. If Hunter gets doubled or tripled he will locate Jhamir Young or Justin Moore who are knock down shooters & can score very well at all 3 levels. Hunter & Earl Timberlake have great chemistry. Carsten Kolgenik is an excellent sniper & passer. Whichever way Hunter facilitates, the receiving player will make the defense pay. Hunter is an excellent rim protector, very good re-bounder & fantastic outlet passer. Last season Hunter played heavy footed at times, but in our opinion he is on the brink of tossing that image out the window. He is a very hard worker who has a great family, Coaches, teammates & Trainers around him. This fall Hunter is running the court very well & is keeping his body & weight in excellent condition. In the last 2 DeMatha scrimmages Hunter played against 6’10” 2018 5 star Jalen Smith & last night vs 6’10” top 2019 center Qudus Wahab & was a huge factor in helping DeMatha winning both contests. It the biggest games against the best opposition, Hunter shines. He plays with an edge, is a winner, great teammate & has the coveted It Factor. Hunter could face his stiffest competition of the season on 1-14-18 in the Hoop Hall Classic in Springfield, MA. DeMatha will take on Archbishop Molloy of New York City & 2018 5 star 7’1″ center Moses Brown & top five 6’1″ 2019 guard Cole Anthony.
Qudus Wahab is a legitimate top 55 player in the Nation for 2019.
This was my 1st look at Qudus in a live game scenario & he is a fantastic high major player who is ranked in the top 60 nationally. In my opinion he is better than advertised. He has great length, runs the court like a guard & passes the look test test by miles.Last season Qudus was a high level rim protector, & put back scorer. He has begun to scratch the surface of his huge upside. Last night Qudus displayed an array of low post moves, & a very high release mid range jumper. He ran up down the court all night long & was tireless exhibiting superb conditioning. Qudus is receiving excellent coaching & train & he plays with a great understanding & high IQ. He converted a drop step up an under & opposite hand (left) FG. He can spin from sides & with either hand & his jump hook is fantastic. Qudus shows he is a great teammate who puts winning 1st. He is a 1st Team all DMV I-495 candidate this off season & we look forward to watching him play the next seasons. Qudus is special.
Earl Timblerlake can play & guard 5 positions & will be a 5 Star.
Earl is already ranked in the top 50 nationally, but but in the near future will move into the nations top 25. What position does he play? The answer is anywhere you need him. He is dynamic, skilled, very athletic, explosive, very high IQ with great court vision, superb conciliator, ball handler, scorer, defender, re-bounder with one the highest motors in the nation. Earl has a PG handle & is one of the best rim attackers in the MD/DC, DC DMV. He could have the best spin move in traffic we have seen & is one of the most crafty players in the paint. He is fierce, can rebound, protect the rim & defend.With his diversity Earl will fit any lineup DeMatha puts on the floor. On Wednesday night he made superb passes on & off the dribble in which Earl saw plays before they developed. Almost everything he did impacted the game in a positive manner. He can score from all 3 levels, but his 3 pointer is a tad flat, needs some squaring up, but is not broken. Earl is one of the toughest, hard nosed players in the DMV & winner. The trio of Hunter Dickinson, Justin Moore & Earl Timberlake form the deadly DeMatha triangle. Very few teams this season will escape, if they enter it.
Our thanks to our friend Marc Stern of Capitol Hoops.