This young man is flat out wired to score. He blends a crafty handle with shiftiness that allows him to break guys down off the dribble at will.  A knockdown shooter. He can easily convert off the bounce but is basically guarantee as a spot-up threat. Kirby has a beautiful stroke to go with that! Finish the game against Paul VI with 18 points 6-14 from the field, 6-9 from the 3pt line, and 2 assists. Kirby has the potential to be a Breakout prospect this spring and summer!

McNamara has been riddled by injuries this season as looked to stop a potential seven-game skid coming into this weekend. With the fluid rotation, it has allowed others such as Duran to adjust their shot diet and for a shooter of his ilk, will benefit him in the long run. He struggled to find his mark in the first half despite remaining aggressive and that resulted in a much better second half where he went 5-of-7 and 3-of-4 from deep. 13 of his 15 points came in the final two frames and his third quarter production was a catalyst for a fourth quarter push as The St. James took their foot off the gas.

21p 3r 2a 8/13 FG 5/7 3P

-Duran put on a shooting clinic in this one, getting back to his sharp-shooting ways in this one as a threat both in transition and in the halfcourt. Duran started things off with a 1-dribble pull from the midrange off the baseline stagger, hit a C+S 3 off the hop in transition, hit a teammate in the middle of the zone to collect the hockey assist to the big, hit Woodard on the short roll for the afore-mentioned dunks at the rim with beautiful pocket passes, and ducked under closeouts to hit 1-dribble pull-ups going either direction. His ability to shoot will unlock his ability to play-make for others in the halfcourt, a necessary effect that will be crucial to help McNamara’s offense the rest of the season.

Duran is in the same club as Mahan in that whenever the ball leaves his hands, you consider it a make. For the 6-foot-1 combo guard though, everything about his shot is beautiful. When he’s in rythym and the confidence is flowing, Duran can put on performances like he did in Saturday’s win where he followed Samuels with 16 points on an efficient 6-of-9 from the field and 4-of-6 on triples in 21 minutes. He has good spatial awareness and frequently finds windows on fades or lifts when others penetrate. He has pre-catch footwork to quickly establish balance and get into his shot, which makes the window of error for his defender closing out minimal.

Previous Ranking: 4

-Unfortunately haven’t gotten to see Duran much this summer due to a shoulder injury that has kept him sidelined the past few weeks. But the rising junior flourishes as a guard that can succeed both on or off the ball, providing the Mustangs with some roster flexibility as he can run an offense or hit shots off the ball to space the floor for his team. Duran’s skill level with the ball in his hands will give McNamara a potent 3-headed monster in their backcourt to challenge for a WCAC Championship as they head into a season with heightened expectations.

Making his debut with Team Takeover after nearly winning the 15U 3SSB circuit last summer, Duran was quick to remind why he broke out on a national scale when we last saw him on the grassroots scene. Coming off a somewhat quiet season taking a back seat to a handful of high school teammates, he looks to have asserted himself already as Takeover’s go-to perimeter option and offensive initiator. Rightfully known as one of the premier jump shooters in the region regardless of class, he displayed his textbook stroke from 3 both on and off the ball while also showcasing the balanced off-the-dribble game that was largely dormant throughout the winter. Playing as a lead guard or combo rather than an undersized ‘2’, Duran made it easy to see why high-majors have already extended offers his way.

-Duran remains in our top 5 as a guard that can thrive both on and off the ball, showing his elite shooting skill (48% from 3 so far this season) in the latter role in a McNamara offense that is finding it’s way after a difficult non-conference schedule. His shot preparation and footwork on movement threes within the Mustangs’ offense continue to improve each time I see him play. With his size, handle, and passing ability Duran has the ability to create for others attacking closeouts from the wings when he gets the ball on reversals. I just want to see more consistency and assertiveness as a play-maker with the ball in his hands, because he is capable of really moving the needle for a really talented group of scorers.

Kirby Duran Kirby Duran 6'1" | PG Bishop McNamara | 2027 State #155 Nation MD was lights out shooting the ball for Bishop McNamara in their overtime win over Friendship Tech. Kirby is a very versatile offensive player who can play either guard position at a high level. Yesterday, he dominated as a catch-and-shoot threat, knocking down 6 threes and finishing with an efficient 20 points. Kirby can knock down jump shots when he’s creating for himself, and I think he will consistently improve as an overall shot-creating scorer. Kirby has a high basketball IQ, and he is a player to watch moving forward.

Lets take a look at combo guard prospect that is effortlessly fill it up in every type of setting, Duran is a smart crafty guard prospect with the ability to produce from either backcourt position. Duran can score the ball in a variety of ways and apply constant, yet efficient pressure from all levels.