Boys’ Latin picked up a great win in a close game over Bullis, and their defense was a huge reason why. They were able to turn Bullis over a lot and get some easy buckets off them. A lot of that starts with Elliot Hopes. Elliot is an elite on-ball defender who rarely allows any penetration. He also excels as a defensive playmaker, capable of disrupting an entire team’s offense. Elliot is a good driver who uses his athleticism to finish. He is a solid three-point shooter, and he hit a big three in this game, along with a few other long ones. Elliot had 22 points and 5 steals.

-Hopes serves as a tenacious on-ball defender on every team that he runs with, providing his squad with phenomenal POA defense that generates turnovers and disrupts opponent’s offensive flow. Hopes is picking his spots to make timely, aggressive drives to the rim before the help can arrive to open up space for his shooters. He’s worked hard to make the outside jumper more consistent and converts well from the line. It’s hard to find guards that can flourish without the ball in their hands and Hopes fits that bill to a tee.

A lanky and athletic wing guard, Hopes was the main complement to Davis throughout the game for the Lakers. He started out hot as a jump shooter, showcasing consistent (albeit slightly unorthodox) mechanics off the catch. Hopes did a good job of using his length, athleticism, and instincts to routinely pop up around the ball in the floor game. He should attract scholarship-level interest over the next year, with D1 potential as his frame matures and he polishes his skillset.

Previous Ranking: 76

-Utility guard has had several standout performances this season as a sneaky athlete that comes up with big steals, blocks, and buckets at the basket for a Boy’s Latin team that I expect will finish the season strong down the stretch. Hopes’ anticipation off the ball leads to a ton of steals or deflections for the Lakers but he is equally good on the ball, forcing his matchup to uncomfortable zones on the floor and taking away easy paths to the rim. Hopes also has improved his floor game and IQ in transition to be successful both running the break or running the wings in transition to get his team the best available look before the defense can get set. Expect him to continue to rise in our rankings as he carves out a prominent role with this scrappy Lakers team.

-Hopes played assertively in a win over Virginia Academy, leaving an impact on the game at both ends of the floor as an aggressive defender that looked to turn steals into points at the opposite end. Hopes does a great job of not allowing middle and didn’t fall for pump fakes, jumping passing lanes twice and swatting a shot attempt after forcing his matchup baseline. Offensively, he was aggressive cutting to the rim off the ball and driving at the rim when he was on the ball– using his size and frame to bully his matchup to spots. A reliable C+S target on the perimeter, Hopes should pop onto some radars this season with an upstart BL team in the MIAA A Conference.