Players & Teams That Are Trending Upward

A lot has happened from late November up to the end of January! As conference play starts to heat up, there are some teams and players that are making big strides and heading into the next portion of the season motivated. I'm here to break down my 5 teams and makeup of players who have been trending up with their play recently!   Mount Carmel (Baltimore, MD)   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/mario-tatum-2025-rotated-crop-3015x1980-1738018135.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/mario-tatum-2025-rotated-crop-3015x1980-1738018135.jpeg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-2754487" style="width:192px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   OLMC had a couple tough conference losses early, but have dominated this season nonetheless. Currently sitting at 21-3 and 9 wins straight, they have caught the eyes of many fans around the DMV. Ranked #1 in Baltimore over the likes of St. Frances and other notable schools. They are team-driven and play better together rather then playing behind one star. Everyone on the team has made their respective contributions.   ‘27 Junior Mancho is the anchor of the defense Carmel presents. He holds down the backline well and communicates out to his team through the screens cuts. He is integral to the train that keeps Mt. Carmel going. The offensive versatility is often too much for the opposition to handle most nights. The trio of new 1000 pt scorer ‘25 [player_tooltip player_id='1370512' first='Mario' last='Tatum'], ‘26 [player_tooltip player_id='1782668' first='Tristen' last='Wilson'], and ‘26 Ralph Rudasans on the wing is both explosive and patient. They look for each other but remain aggressive in seeking their shots, while ‘25 Rod Scott and ‘27 Samartine Hill hold down the point position interchangeably.   South River (Edgewater, MD)   The South River Seahawks hold only 1 loss to their 13 wins to start the season. Like the other teams on this list, this team has deep contributions from all over the roster. South River's starting 5 is very important to the success of the team. Their chemistry and cohesiveness translates to many wins.   Dual-sport athlete ‘26 [player_tooltip player_id='2343207' first='Jaden' last='McDuffie'] is the leader of the Seahawk pack, leading the team in scoring and putting up 20 with ease most nights. He has big help from fellow juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2453729' first='Jonah' last='Hall'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2575608' first='Jamie' last='Finn'], who are coming off of an electric 35 point (Jonah) and 29 point (Jamie) performances in. The young players compliment each other well on this roster. It speaks volumes as the Seahawks are chasing another County Championship.   John F. Kennedy (Silver Spring, MD)   The Cavs have played a great season up to this point, 9-4 after taking a couple of tough losses. There is a lot to like about Kennedy and the future of the program as well. They have a lot of contributors night-in and night-out and the team competes hard for each other   Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2722690' first='Yannis' last='Kiki'] is the driving force behind the Cavs attack. Leads the team in scoring and consistently provides defense and offense to the team while on the floor. ‘26 Mike Wright and ‘26 ‘[player_tooltip player_id='2540467' first='Bryce' last='Freeman'] contribute well, adding in multiple double figure games this year. ‘26 [player_tooltip player_id='2893759' first='Yafet' last='Kebede'] has been on a tear recently, putting up 15+ points in two recent games. New ‘27 addition [player_tooltip player_id='2639997' first='Gabe' last='Colston'] does it all on the floor, balancing his points/assists/rebounds well in his minutes behind the veterans. There is a lot to see from this balanced squad out in MoCo!   Lanham Christian (Lanham, MD)   The senior influence is transforming Lanham Christian into a special team this year. They currently enjoy a 14-4 record with an undefeated 5-0 conference play start. There is clear leadership that shows through the poise and maturity of their play. They have taken down some teams this year who appeared better on paper, and continue to push through their schedule of games with wins most nights.    <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/naz-joy-lanhamchristian-25-rotated-crop-3015x1980-1738018320.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/naz-joy-lanhamchristian-25-rotated-crop-3015x1980-1738018320.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-2754489" style="width:209px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   ‘25 [player_tooltip player_id='2722695' first='Trey' last='Ray'] and ‘25 Nas Joy lead the team each time they step on the floor. They do a very good job of establishing their presence in the game right from the beginning as players who will leave a lasting effect. They have a great connection on the court and can get into their own 2-man rhythm that's fun to see. Their playmaking is gravitational as their teammates can pick up quickly. ‘25 Jamar Payan and ‘25 [player_tooltip player_id='2242065' first='Dominic' last='Carr'] benefit tremendously from this, as they find spots within the offense to leave their impact on the game. Jamar hits his shots and pops off for big games when he gets hot, which is not rare to see. Carr is a true force inside and effects the game positively with his minutes.   Bishop McNamara (Forestville, MD)   B-Mac got off to a very rocky 1-9 start to the season, but they have rebounded extremely well with 8 straight wins. ‘27 [player_tooltip player_id='2353528' first='Kirby' last='Duran'] and ‘26 [player_tooltip player_id='1782660' first='Qayden' last='Samuels'] have been pure difference-makers for McNamara during their winning stretch. They've totaled multiple 20-point games through the month of January and providing a true spark for the team. ‘27 [player_tooltip player_id='2458557' first='Jayden' last='Mills'] has been putting together solid games recently for the Mustangs as well, earning some well-deserved recognition in the process. All-around forward/wing that can pass and finish plays at a high level when in rhythm.    ‘27 [player_tooltip player_id='2353549' first='Jordan' last='Taylor'] has logged some very meaningful minutes for McNamara. He always defends hard and keeping plays alive with his incredible rebounding instinct and timing. Been giving teams problems on the glass recently. '26 [player_tooltip player_id='1782655' first='Prince' last='Moody'] is starting to discover his playmaking ability a bit more as the season progresses, and has made some clutch baskets for the team as of late. The young Mustang group is starting to realize their potential quickly as conference play takes over the season. Gaining momentum at the perfect time to build on their impressive 4-2 WCAC record.

A lot has happened from late November up to the end of January! As conference play starts to heat up, there are some teams and players that are making big strides and heading into the next portion of the season motivated. I'm here to break down my 5 teams and makeup of players who have been trending up with their play recently!