Takeaways: Wakefield Fall League
Wakefield have reloaded and are ready to contend again
Coming off the heels of a 24-2 record where they were lead by two all-region studs in Dominique Tham and Marqua Walton, it would be reasonable to expect a dramatic decline in the basketball team at Wakefield High School’s performance as this season. It appears they will not be as weak as initially expected. Deng Nhial, a 6’3 wing, returns for his senior campaign as the key cog to the team. On Saturday against Lake Braddock, Nhial showed improvements offensively, particularly in the dribble pull up from mid range, and even beyond the arc at times. He did a good job of mixing it up. His versatility defensively will also be important to the Warriors success, as he was seen anchoring the defense. Deng’s length, athleticism, and instincts were all evident as he was seen blocking a flurry of shots and altering a host of others.
Joining Nhial next season is Eric Martin, a senior transfer from Thomas Edison. Martin, who stands about 5’9, is an absolute pest defensively. He set the tone for Wakefield at the top of the press, also showed an above average ability to rebound as a guard. Martin’s toughness and grit will be a huge addition to Wakefield’s backcourt. Another newcomer is 6’3 wing Xavier Adams. Adams is a senior who transferred from Woodbridge High School. He brings strength and more athleticism to the wings. Adams is adept at getting into the paint and finishing through contact. He’ll be an immediate contributor on the wing.
Woodbridge emerges as an early 6A favorite
The new-look Woodbridge Vikings had a lot of buzz surrounding them following their 35+ point victory over Yorktown on Saturday. They are led in the backcourt by newcomers Tayler Brletic (Christ Chapel) and Cam Robinson (Evangel Christian). Their confidence and chemistry in the backcourt permeated through the rest of their team. Brletic was particularly aggressive in this game. He did an excellent job of making his move and getting past his opponents into the paint where he would either score or create opportunities for his teammates. He and Cam Robinson also spearheaded the press in the backcourt, suffocating the Yorktown guards, making them uncomfortable, and forcing them into bad decisions. Ibrahim Kamara thrived off of the play of Brletic and Robinson as well. He caught a couple of alley-oop passes from Brletic after he was able to break down the defense. It is clear that Woodbridge is ready to make some noise in VHSL’s 6A Classification this year.
New Faces Emerge
- We talked about the senior contributors at Wakefield, but there were two sophomores who stood out and could emerge as immediate contributors this season as well. G Ben Horsford and PF Amari Cooper both made their mark against Lake Braddock. Horsford is a combo guard with a quick release, and a sweet shooting stroke. He is confident, and absolutely must be accounted for on the perimeter. Cooper is a bouncy and athletic power forward who is extremely active on the glass. He showed good ability to rebound in traffic, and also had some nice finishes at the rim.
- Noah Weaver, a 6’5 freshman power forward, has a chance to one of the top prospects in the 2019 class. He’s got big broad shoulders, soft hands, and coordination. He’s got great mobility, and can finish strong at the rim. Weaver, who will running with Boo Williams 15’s on the EYBL next summer, is a strong rebounder too. Keep an eye out for him this season.
- Simon Mulaa, a junior guard from WT Woodson, showed outstanding defensive potential on Saturday. He did an admirable job against Langston Gaither, who was having his way with all the other Woodson guards. Mulaa dug in and gave Gaither problems with his length, quickness, strength, and aggressiveness. He also showed a good slashing ability and finishing skills at the rim. Mulaa should break out for Doug Craig’s bunch during his junior campaign.
Extra Notes
- Wakefield Junior PG Alan Treakle showed a good ability to dictate tempo. He pushed it effectively in transition, utilizing hesitation moves effectively and finding teammates. He finished ambidextrously at the rim, and isn’t afraid of contact. He will be one of the leaders of the Wakefield resurgence this year.
- Osbourn PG Jeremiah Delaney needs more attention. He is a lockdown defender, and a vocal leader. Offensively, he showed an excellent ability to break down his defender off the dribble, and finish at the rim through contact. His mid range pull up game is there too. Look for Delaney to be the go-to guy for Rocky Carter’s bunch this season.
- In the absence of James Butler, Corey Pelham showed good scoring ability on the perimeter. The sharpshooting junior point guard showed good ability to create space and get his shot off. He owns a quick release and excellent shooting stroke. Even though his team was down big, Pelham never let up the intensity defensively either. With all the attention Butler will command inside, Pelham could be in store for some huge games for Brian Metress’ Lake Braddock team this season.
- Zachary Powell should emerge as a contributor for Osbourn this season. Powell will be called upon to stretch the floor as he is one of the team’s top perimeter shooters. He’s still developing, but physically, he’s gifted. He will be a name we track this season.
- We didn’t get the chance to see him Saturday, but Halil Parks, a transfer from Washington-Lee, will be a go-to type player for Tony Bentley’s Wakefield team this season. The 6’3 junior is a natural scorer who can fill it up at all three levels. He is on our must-see list for sure, and will be a player we track throughout the season.
- Mulaa did do a good job on him, but prior to that, Langston Gaither was having his way with Woodson’s defense. The Edison transfer, who will run the point for the Hawks this season, made a ton of shots from the perimeter. His form still needs some fine-tuning, but he’s a confident shooter, and when he’s making shots, he’s a tough matchup for anyone. Gaither, who holds 2 division 1 offers (High Point and Texas Rio Grande Valley) showed the potential to be a sure fire all-conference and possibly all-region type player by season’s end.
- Gabriel Gonzalez, a 6’6 forward, will bring an added dimension to Wakefield’s frontcourt this season. He’s a great athlete who does a good job of running the floor, rebounding, and defending. He’s an acrobatic finisher in transition too. The senior’s ability to provide consistent production will be important to Wakefield’s success this season.
- Freedom’s Bryan Ruffin showed improvements with his ball handling, and is doing a better job of mixing it up offensively. He did well to slash to the rim and draw contact against Langley. He’s in great form heading into his final campaign at Freedom.