Three of the best public school prospects in Maryland were in attendance at The Challenge and will be highlighted in the next three evals. We start with Brooks, who is the biggest mismatch in the MPSSAA due to his size, skill and strength that he can impose in the paint. He isn’t just a bruiser when a smaller player is matched up on him, he can force opposing bigs to step out and guard him on the perimeter with the way that he can convert from beyond the arc. He’s an anchor defensively who gathers rebounds in bulk and was good enough for 14PPG in Flowers’ two dominant victories on Saturday.

As stated earlier in the Lyons write-up, Cam Ward was the last player to win back-to-back years and him being able to do so from the public school landscape made it even more impressive. In fact, you’d have to go all the way back to 2016 to find the last public school player (Isaiah Miles- Milford Mill) who was awarded prior to Ward. Brooks enters this season as my favorite as far as public school prospects go coming off a junior season where he led Flowers to a 24-1 record behind 25.9PPG, 11.2 RPG and 5.4APG. The 6-6 forward is a mismatch nightmare who can mix up his approach from the block, mid-range or out beyond the arc where he’s capable of knocking down three’s. It’s clear that Brooks is able to put up the necessary numbers to truly stand out among the others. If Flowers can earn a few marquee wins against other top teams in the area, that argument for him being crowned only strengthens.

Brooks is set to be a dominant force in the Maryland Public School landscape as he was throughout his junior campaign last winter leading CH Flowers to the Class 4A Final Four, which happened to be their only loss of the season. A mismatch nightmare in the mid-post, Brooks uses his thick frame to bully smaller defenders, but can bring opposing bigs out on the perimeter where he’s capable from three. This past weekend he had a little bit of everything on display, but when he couldn’t get by his defender he put them on his back and used his footwork to create angles for his soft touch with either hand.

Brooks was a mismatch nightmare and if you caught him in action this winter, it comes as no surprise. The 6-foot-6 forward uses his burly frame to establish commanding position in the mid-post where he can operate with his back to the basket or in face-ups and pose as a playmaking threat. On countless occasions, he used a couple of dribbles to set up his patented fadeaway jumper over his left shoulder. As his defender adjusted, he used shot fakes to get them in the air before stepping through to the rim for finishes with either hand. He played well out of short rolls and can process quickly as a scorer, but also made some nice skip passes to shooters in the corner spotting up for three’s. His best performance came in Premier’s lone win of the weekend where he logged a double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds.

If you had to name another prospect in the public school sector closing in on Scott’s lead as top player, Brooks is your guy. The 6-foot-6 forward is a walking mismatch thanks to his blend of size, strength and skill. He’s able to operate in the mid-post and bully his defender under the rim for scores or pivot into face-up scenarios where he’s capable of knocking down shots or getting his defender off balance with an array of moves before drawing a foul on his way to the bucket. Brooks is also a threat when trailing in transition or in pick-and-pop scenarios where he can confidently step into three’s with supreme confidence. The reigning PG County Player of the Year put together a dominant 36-points outing in Flowers’ commanding win over Wise in the regional championship.

Brandon has been one of the most complete forwards in the DMV this season, and he impacts the game in multiple areas. He’s a true playmaker and versatile scorer that can get a basket from anywhere on the floor. Rebounds and facilitates well enough to be a triple double threat each and every game for Flowers. Brandon plays with an unwavering confidence that propels him to keep performing at a high level each night. He’s at his best when he can back down defenders and create plays from the post. He also has the skill to face up and attack when the defense plays him straight up. Brandon uses his unique size and skillset well and is only getting a better feel for the game as his experience increases. His all around game is why his season has been so impressive.

Last week when our 2027 rankings were updated, Brooks received a worthy bump thanks to his steady production and the perfect season that Flowers had been off to. Their record remains unblemished after a massive win at Wise last night and Brooks was the key ingredient after a shaky first quarter. The 6-foot-6 forward uses his burley frame as a mismatch nightmare for those in the public school sector and blended with skill, shot making and vision as a passer, has Flowers off to a 12-0 start and firmly in first place through the midway point. He’s rebounding as a high rate on both ends. Even on his own misses around the rim, he’s active in pursuing the ball at its peak, regaining balance and finishing through contact if needed. While he isn’t the quickest, Brooks has some shake to his game off the bounce and the confidence to pull-up off the dribble with good results.

Brooks has blossomed into one of the best prospects in the PG Public School sector and it won’t be long until he barges himself into the conversation for one of the most productive players in the state. Through seven games, the 6-foot-6 offensive hub averaged 25.4 points, 11.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. For what he lacks in vertical athleticism, Brooks makes up for with his big-bodied frame that he knows how to use in order to expose mismatches against smaller guards/forwards. For more physical, slow-footed forwards, Brooks can play out on the perimeter or in the mid-range on face-ups and use his craft off the bounce to create the necessary angles or space to get his shot off. When the ball is airborne on either end, Brooks does a nice job of establishing leverage deep in the paint to position himself for boards. He’s a verbal leader and it doesn’t take long to see that this Flowers team runs off his intensity and energy.