Howard struggled a bit with his scoring efficiency on Monday but nonetheless showed his wares as one of the more skilled unsigned forwards across the region. He contributed across the board with his ability to wear multiple hats offensively thanks to his wide-ranging skillset. He’s a confident shooter out to the arc but impresses most with his ball skills and passing feel for a frontcourt player. Howard has reshaped his body over the years and is presently in outstanding condition to be able to keep his motor running at all times. His 8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block are a proper indicator of the contributions he could make sooner rather than later for a slew of D1 programs.

Howard was phenomenal around the bucket as he took home player of the game honors behind his 16-points, 5-rebound outing. As mentioned above, Wilson was dissecting the defense as a passer and the bulk of his assists came after Howard’s screen-and-roll action or quick dives to the rim as Wilson drove baseline. When Howard is engaged as a cutter and screener as he was last night, the consistent numbers are there. His presence next to fellow frontcourt mate Junior Mancho Junior Mancho 6'9" | PF Our Lady of Mount Carmel School | 2027 State MD helped alter drives around the rim or attempts in the paint.

Gage made his presence felt with hustle-driven production and timely plays throughout the game against Glenelg. He consistently found openings by cutting hard through the lane. He finished multiple layups and converted through contact for and-one opportunities. His motor never slowed and he constantly put pressure on the rim. On the glass he was active and physical while rebounding in traffic. Gage turned defense into offense by sprinting the floor and was rewarded all night for his effort. Strong showing from the big who looks to have rounded out his game well to fit the role needed for his team.

Without a true, primary point guard this Mount Carmel team can struggle and as a result, Howard has to find ways to get his looks a bit outside of the usual flow. He, along with another prospect we’ll mention in this post, led the Cougars with 12 points. A lot of Howards opportunities game in the up-tempo pace streaking the floor with purpose. Some buckets were in dump-off fashion while others took place with Howard leading the charge from inside half court and using his size and length to finish at the rim. He did step out and knock down a three with time and space, an aspect of his game that continues to trend in the right direction.

I’m a strong believer that Howard is one of the best bigs available in the DMV as a whole, not just in this event. He’s grown close to 6-foot-8 and can be used in a variety of ways offensively while remaining productive. He can operate on the block with his back to the basket, keeping a balanced approach as a scorer and passer. Howard can be utilized at the top of the key or high-post where he’s a true high-low threat or he can be involved in ball screen actions where he presents as an effective rim roller with soft hands and textbook footwork. Defensively he’s improving his movement in space, his quickness on weak side rotations and having more pride in dominating the glass even when rebounds are out of his area.

Known for his mature presence in the paint, Gage Howard Gage Howard 6'7" | PF Our Lady of Mount Carmel School | 2026 State MD combines his height with a balance of finesse/ physical play. As a forward, his rebounding ability and sharp defensive instincts set him apart, and ability to score comfortable from 15 feet and in.

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-Came way really impressed with Howard’s activity level in this one as he recovered well to fight his way back into the play and collect blocks both on and off the ball as a mobile defender. His activity extends to his work on the glass as he fights to do his work early to gain position for errant shots that he can convert into putback buckets around the basket or trips to the FT line. Love the steps he’s taken on the defensive end of the floor to thrive as the five or play alongside another big to share the responsibilities of manning the low block and providing help. If he can consistently play-make from the wings and knock down perimeter jumpers to keep the defense honest– I think he can play his way into a scholarship over the next year.

-Love what I’m hearing out of Essex as Howard is putting together a productive junior season in new threads playing for Coach Tony Martin at OLMC. His attention to detail and motor allow him to stay in the game for longer stretches of time to show his upside as a stretch-forward that can also impact the game at the rim. Although he needs to continue to improve his conditioning to give him more stamina on the glass, Howard’s hands have improved to finish putback opportunities in the paint through contact and rebound out of his area at both ends of the floor. Carving out a starting role over the course of the season for a tough OLMC team that currently sits at 22-3 overall and at a half game back of 1st in the BCL has raised his stock.

Next, we look at a player who possesses an enticing crossroads between productivity and long-term upside, Gage is a long, strong, athletic forward/post prospect who anchors the paint effectively on both ends of the floor. Howard finishes very well around the basket, displaying a nice blend of touch, footwork, and instincts. He does a great job of positioning himself to alter shots and secure rebounds defensively. Showed in the Paul VI Catholic he didn’t mind playing big on both ends of the floor.

-Howard had one of the plays of the day when he cut backdoor and collected a nice shovel pass from a teammate to throw down a 2-handed poster dunk on a defender. Howard’s defensive activity as a helper, weakside shot-blocker, and rebounder was accentuated by a great rotation and pinned block off the backboard to ignite a fastbreak. Howard already possesses the ability to knock down C+S midrange looks, finish around the basket in traffic, and hit teammates with one-handed passes– if he does the little things at a consistent level, he can really boost OLMC’s ceiling as a unit as they head into a season with heightened expectations in the BCL and MIAA.