It was the first weekend for fans to see Lyons with his new grassroots team in Team Takeover and there will certainly be an adjustment period for the top-ranked 2027 prospect. The structure and flow that Takeover has prided themselves in over the years is new for Lyons, but if he’s able to blend in while allowing his elite tools to flash and impact winning, his value will rise even more. After a rough three quarters in Friday’s game against Melo, he was key down the stretch in fueling the double-digit comeback victory. When Lyons is aggressively looking to get downhill, his unique athleticism comes to light. His length and twitch at the point of attack makes it tough for defenders to keep him in front for consecutive possessions. When things weren’t going well for him this weekend, it was because he’d settle for three’s. While he’s not incapable of hitting them whatsoever, when he’s off, it can result in a rough percentage and letting the defense off the hook.

I expect Lyons to turn the corner with this group and unlock another layer of instincts and reading the game at a high level. The first concern will be cutting down his turnover margin, which should come with time as he adjusts to the level that EYBL offers.

He boasted averages of 10.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 4.7 APG.

-Lyons played progressively better and better each day throughout his first USA JNT Minicamp experience as he settled into a hyper-competitive environment. Lyons got downhill and hit touch shots off of either leg, showed that he can hit shots off the bounce from beyond the arc, showed his speed and bounce in the open court as a dynamic athlete that can run the fastbreak or run the wing, and had active hands defensively to force turnovers both on and off the ball. After playing in a high school context alongside his brother in a 2-point guard offense for most of the last 3 seasons, I think scouts outside the DMV will see his play-making acumen as a cerebral point guard that uses his scoring gravity to execute designed reads. But he will still bring that ability to attack closeouts on second-side/ side PnR actions as an off-ball guard that will demand defensive attention. Excited to see how he is utilized within TTO’s system at both ends of the floor, as he has untapped potential as a disruptive free safety defender off the ball that can serve as a one-man fastbreak heading the opposite direction.

Lyons was one of a couple 18-year-old prospects at the minicamp, so I expected those players to stand out against a younger group of prospects. Lyons did exactly that as one of the top guard scorers I saw all weekend with his ability to change pace and direction on the ball. A microwave scorer, it seemed like once Lyons made one shot, he was going to make a second shortly afterwards. Able to knock down pull-up jumpers against other elite athletes, Lyons has a lot of on ball juice. One of the top lead guards in the 2027 class, Lyons seems like a prospect who could continue to rise this summer.

-Lyons parlayed a strong close to the season into claiming the top spot in our 2027 rankings as we put a bow on the high school season and turn our sights towards AAU. Lyons piloted his team to the title game of the MDPSSBT after winning an MPSC title despite starting off the conference season in the middle of the pack. Lyons showed his capabilities as a dynamic point guard that can put pressure on the rim, knock down perimeter jumpers, and distribute the basketball to a slew of offensive weapons. If he can continue to prove his value as a 2-way point guard that impacts winning, his profile will rise on a national level during the spring and summer in new threads on the EYBL Circuit with Team Takeover .

Considered among the top junior lead guards in the country, Lyons left no doubt as to why he’s so highly touted in a dominant 28-point, 8-assist performance to move on to the title game. Lyons was incredibly efficient, needing just 14 shot attempts on the night despite some uncharacteristic struggles at the foul line. He was effective using his wicked handle and blazing quickness to work to his spots off the bounce, showing off his dexterity and athleticism as a finisher near the rim. He was active on the defensive end looking to spark the Eagles’ transition attack and got going as a pullup shooter as the game went on. With the game on the line in the fourth quarter, he made a series of key plays as both a scorer and facilitator to push ahead for good. Lyons had the team on his back and demonstrated why he’s being pursued by some of the nation’s best.

Coming into this one, the anticipated matchup was between Green and Lyons, two of the best point guards in the DMV area for their respective class. Lyons showed off his high upside throughout the tournament and did what he could to keep his team in position in last night’s contest. The 6-foot-3 dynamic junior matched Green’s 20, but also added nine rebounds, five steals and four assists to round out an active stat line. There’s no question that Lyons’ ceiling allows him to be a legitimate HM prospect and continues to warrant P5 programs’ attention as Maryland was in attendance for him once again. He dazzled the crowd with explosive, crafty finishes around the rim. He created separation with his twitchy, long crossover that makes him a tough check for any smaller guard defending him. His ability to adjust on the fly and dissect rotating defense off the live bounce will be a foundational skill that allows him to fulfill his potential in the long term.

Highland delivered the first punch in this one to gain control for much of the first three quarters. As a team, it seemed like Clinton Grace was more interested in feeling out the first half before ramping up their energy and effort in the second half and particularly in the final frame where they closed in on striking distance 10 of Lyons’ game-high 17 points came in the final eight minutes as he began showing the skill that makes him one of the best prospects in the 2027 DMV class, which is using his quick-twitch ability off the bounce combined with his length to make tough-angled lay-ups or draw fouls and convert at the line. When he was at his best, he was pushing the tempo or being aggressive in attacking driving lanes. Lyons also grabbed four boards and dished out three assists in the loss.

Putting together a dynamic individual effort despite a narrow loss to St. John’s (DC), Lyons was electric on both ends throughout the contest. Lyons picked his spots, coming out as a facilitator and letting things come to him in a perfect shooting first half. He went into takeover mode during multiple second half stretches, using his speed, potent handle, and emerging shotmaking ability to score a game-high 24 points on 9-for-13 shooting. Even while sharing lead ballhandling duties, Lyons stands out with his feel as a playmaker (6 assists) and ability to keep the offense on schedule. He also played tenacious on-ball defense while serving as a ballhawk in the open floor en route to 5 steals, including a pair of pick-six dunks. Lyons continues to make a case as the top prospect in his class across the DMV.

Lyons has lived up to his billing as the class’s top guard prospect and although Clinton Grace has struggled to compile the amount of expected wins, it hasn’t been due to the lack of overall production from their floor general. One of his recent standout performances came in a loss to Dream City Christian (AZ) where he put forth an impressive 30-point performance against top-100 guards in the 2026 and 2027 classes respectively. A lot of the Clinton Grace struggles have rested on their lack of consistent three-point shooting, but it’s Lyons’ ability to touch the paint, break his man down consistently off the bounce and demand the gravity that opens up those shots, which he delivers on target off the live dribble. With improved efficiency in his own right from beyond the arc and proving he can engineer Clinton Grace to a league title and beyond, he’d make a strong push for potentially the No. 1 spot come spring.

Lyons’ surge the first month of this season has him in strong consideration for the No. 1 spot in the next update. An eventful month of December remains, so he’ll have plenty of opportunities remaining to force our hand as the dynamic lead guard put forth another strong performance last night despite coming up short against DeMatha. With VCU on the sidelines as the Rams prioritize Lyons, he put up 17 points while converting all four of his shots from three. He also registered six rebounds and dished out five assists.