After a slow start in the first half, McLaughlin finished the game with 32 points to lead Riverdale Baptist to a win over Minnesota Prep. The dynamic guard caught fire in the second, hitting a barrage of pullup and catch and shoot threes with the utmost confidence. McLaughlin’s big scoring performance came on an efficient 11-20 FGA and 7-12 3PA. His impact was felt on the defensive end as he swiped seven steals showcasing his quick hands and anticipation skills. McLaughlin proved to be one of the top players at the event amongst a deep and illustrious talent pool.

Returning for Riverdale under new head coach Rob Garner, McLaughlin is fulfilling an important role as a senior leader and one of the sole holdovers in the program from a year ago. He’s answered the bell so far this season, proving himself as one of the tougher guards around with a translatable plug-and-play skillset in the backcourt. Spending time at both guard spots, McLaughlin has a steady handle getting into the offense with a smooth and repeatable release that allows him to heat up in a hurry from beyond the arc whether off the dribble or catch. He’s a tough-nosed defender at the point of attack who sets a competitive tone whenever he’s on the floor. While not the sexiest, McLaughlin is full of winning traits and feels like a safe bet to contribute at the scholarship level before too long.

All of these guard mentioned above, along with McLaughlin, remain on the market. This lead guard embodies many traits that could be coveted at the college level with the way he can dictate tempo, create opportunities for those around him with consistency and come through when his own number is called to score. McLaughlin is a two-way point guard who makes life for the opposition miserable with his impactful ball pressure and active hands. He’s one of those players that you know exactly what you’re going to get whenever he steps on the floor and for a point guard, that’s essential in today’s game. In our most recent viewing, he led Riverdale to a 2OT win over Friendship Tech (DC) as he packed the stat sheet for 20 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 steals.

Ean showed again why his stock has continued to rise during this major senior campaign. Finished off a championship run at the Gov with a team-high 18 points along with 5 steals/assists/rebounds each. Had a complete showing, stepping up big in a 4th quarter/OT comeback victory. Ean was all over the floor defensively, but really showed he can lock-in and take a high-volume scorer out of rhythm while still positively contributing efficiently on the offensive end. One of Ean’s better performances of the season.

Ean came out with another strong performance at the 1 for the Crusaders in their win Saturday. His game-management and pace is something I’ve watched grow rapidly in a short period of time. The growth in his game is coming at the perfect time as his recruitment window will close soon after this senior season. Ean’s on-ball defense this game was tremendous, showing everyone in the gym why the 5’10” point guard came away with DPOY honors last season. His pace offensively seemed to be at a different level then his peers most times through the game. Was able to calmly drive the ball through the defense and make short floaters or controlled finishes at the rim around defenders. Knocked down a couple 3’s as the usual part of his performance. Very impressed with the rhythm Ean plays with each time out, this weekend being another prime example in a home win.

McLaughlin remains one of the more underrated point guards in the DMV. When you consider the amount of games he has under his belt against high-level competition and his ability to not only perform, but create the thrive playing under pressure, it’s something that any coach needs from their floor general. He prides himself with his tenacious defense where his lightning quick lateral movement combined with active hands and anticipation skills make it a nightmare for his matchups throughout the course of a 32-minute game. Offensively he’s looking to make the right read in various scenarios. In ball screens, he has patience to await response from the backline of the defense dissect the floor based off those movements as a passer, but also keeps the coverage honest with his ability to finish floaters with soft touch. McLaughlin will be the lifeline for Riverdale this season and The Challenge will be a good event to establish that.

-Really dynamic guard that has sharpened his skillset even over the past few months since Spring AAU. McLaughlin did a great job of pitching ahead to teammates in transition after collecting loose balls, defensive rebounds, or steals at his own basket. McLaughlin understands how to change gears well on his drives to the rim and uses hesi dribbles/manipulates the defense with his eyes before getting downhill to make a play. He’s especially dynamic in transition as he is a constant threat to both score and facilitate in the open floor and is really quick with his decisions.

-McLaughlin might be the scrappiest player in the area, just an absolute junkyard dog at the point guard position that wins his team a lot of games by handling the tasks that no one wants to do. He’ll pick up his matchup 94 feet, generate paint touches for floaters or kickouts to shooters, and is REALLY good operating in chaos. His brain moves a beat faster than everyone on the floor, his processing for loose balls or long rebounds allows him to beat his matchup to the spot. McLaughlin also does a great job of finding opportunities to make plays that swing close games: a tipped inbound pass that he bats to a teammate for a layup, a last-second wrap-around pass to his big in traffic, poking out a steal when his matchup is busy setting up the offense. His ability to read defenses and make the right play before the passing window closes makes him a valuable piece for a Riverdale roster that will be rolling out a ton of new faces with the coaching change.

While McLaughlin had his way throughout the game, he saved his best for last with a cold-blooded stepback 3 in the waning seconds to break a tie and secure the win. He was dynamic as a shot maker all game, showing increased fluidity to his pullup stroke while knocking down four 3s. McLaughlin also showed an advanced ability to use his strength and leverage to outmuscle opponents en route to the rim, despite being nominally undersized. As always, he was a pest defending the ball while regularly forcing turnovers to spark transition offense. While he won’t catch the eye with his physical or athletic measurables, McLaughlin’s spirited 3-and-D contributions have a chance to land him on D1 radars over the next year.