National Hoop Fest: 2028 Standouts

The 18th annual National High School Hoops Festival took place at it's usual stomping grounds on campus at DeMatha Catholic (DC). It was another event loaded with the top high school talent from around the country and a great opportunity to get a look at the future with prospects belonging to the 2028 class.    Harris took home game MVP honors with Father Judge's win over Bullis (MD) on Saturday thanks to his productivity off the bench. He scored 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field and knocked down three triples in the effort. He also had an impact on the glass, pulling down eight total. Harris is a lenghty wing with skill and fluidity who poses as one of the more promising long-term prospects in the state on Pennsylvania.     Touray's activity as a defender is what shined brightest in their win on Saturday against Bishop McNamara (MD). His ability to cover ground with the combination of his strides and wingspan makes for the closing of passing or windows for finishes around the rim to close quickly. His time on the floor was limited to 10 minutes, but he made the most with a nice stat line of six points, six rebounds and four blocks to attest for his active approach.     Rose's ability to generate offense as a lead guard was key in Faith Family's win over Oak Hill (VA) on Saturday. The 6-foot-3 guard comes with explosive athleticism and improved dynamism in creating for both himself and others that was evident in this showing. Rose finished with 22 points including four three's while hauling in three boards and handing out two assists in the game MVP effort. Certainly a guard to keep an eye on as he looked to make a push as a national name.     You'd be hard pressed to find a guard in this class that lives to defend the way that Washington does. He has one of the most accurate, active hands that I've seen when it comes to guarding the ball. While possessing impressive lateral quickness and elite instincts, Washington harassed the O'Connell (VA) guards from start to finish on Sunday. Despite coming up short on the scoreboard, the 6-foot lead guard reminded folks of his promise as a long-term name to watch in the DMV. He scored six points, recorded 10 assists, and was responsible for seven steals.     It wouldn't shock me in the least if Smith-Bey ends up being the top-ranked prospect in this local 2028 pool. His combination of size, athleticism, and dominant two-way presence are all initial indicators that have you optimistic about what's to come. Pair that with the continued progressions that have shown in his offensive game this season in a bigger role and it leads to you believe that the 6-foot-5 swiss army knife has an exceptional ceiling. St. John's (DC) would beat Father Judge (PA) but 20 on Sunday while Smith-Bey finished with 10 points,     Spalding faced a Paul VI (VA) team coming off a double-overtime war on Saturday night against Prolific Prep (FL), but weary legs wouldn't play a factor for the Panthers as they'd defeat the BCL program by 13. Avery left his fingerprints on the game and led the Spalding effort with 19 points and six rebounds. He made his routine, above the rim finishes attacked closeouts or sprinting the floor. Six of his 19 came from beyond the arc, a layer of his game that continues to progress in the right direction. Avery also grabbed six rebounds.     With [player_tooltip player_id='1782592' first='Kam' last='Carter'] in a boot and on crutches, Middleton's number got called once again this season to jump in as the starting point guard in arguably their biggest game of the season. I was impressed with how poised he was against a one of the better backcourt duos in the region. He did a nice job of handling pressure, establishing paint touches, and making good reads that resulted in seven assists in his 17 minutes of play     While Smith-Bey has a real chance of eventually making a push for the top spot, Skipworth has a strong grip and is showing no signs of letting up. The 6-foot-5 guard continues to progress as a primary playmaker who can consistently create offense for himself and take advantage of mismatches as he went for 26 points in a win over Redondo Union (CA) on Friday in a 70-62 win. Bullis came up short against Father Judge (PA) on Sunday, but it was Skipworth who led the charge once again with 15 points and four rebounds while maintaining efficient shooting numbers.

The 18th annual National High School Hoops Festival took place at it's usual stomping grounds on campus at DeMatha Catholic (DC). It was another event loaded with the top high school talent from around the country and a great opportunity to get a look at the future with prospects belonging to the 2028 class.