St. James Elite Fall League - DMV C/O 2021
Dylan Collins || Virginia Academy (VA) || 6’9 C || 2021
Dylan was one of the most versatile centers to play at the tournament. He is everything a basketball team would want in a modern-day big man. He can stretch the floor due to his ability to shoot the ball from downtown and the midrange. He is also equally as effective in the paint because of his good footwork and high IQ which allow him to create his own shot as well as make the right pass at the right time. Don’t let his slim frame fool you, he has tremendous strength and will battle for every rebound.
Oluwasegun Durosinmi || Virginia Academy (VA) || 6’9 C || 2021
Oluwasegun played extremely hard on both ends of the floor throughout the tournament. Although he plays a big role on offense in the pick and roll and second chance creation through offensive rebounds, his biggest contribution comes defensively. He is a natural defensive leader who constantly communicates with his teammates. His remarkable strength makes him an excellent interior defender who is very difficult to post up or score a layup on. Also, when switched onto guards and forwards on the perimeter his tremendous quickness makes him very hard to get by and his length allows him to force difficult shots.
Xavier Long || Virginia Academy (VA) || 6’7 SF || 2021
If there was one word to describe Xavier playing in this tournament it would be "Hustle", He always gives 100% when he’s out on the court. He is usually the first player to start running the floor on a fast break which allows him to get easy buckets. Also, he can shoot the ball well, especially in the midrange, and is an excellent driver and finisher at the rim. This causes defenses to send help and break their shape which leaves his teammates wide open to cut into the lane for easy layups or stay on the perimeter for open 3’s. Xavier’s great vision, playmaking ability, and unselfishness allow him to make the right read in those situations. However, what truly gives him that extra edge is his versatility on defense. He can effectively defend all 5 positions.
Dwayne Patton || Hayfield Secondary School || 6’1 SG, SF || 2021
What stood out the most about Dwayne this tournament is how he plays the game at his own pace. He doesn’t rush anything and plays with a level of maturity you rarely see at this level. He is very difficult to guard because of his versatility on offense. He can bring the ball up the court and be the primary playmaker that sets up his teammates or create his own shot by driving to the rim. Also, he is equally effective playing off the ball on the wing due to his incredible shooting from beyond the arc. He also has tremendous shot-making ability in the midrange due to the strength and footwork he possesses. Other than that, he is a very gifted defender with quick hands who is very difficult to dribble past. When defending on the interior he does a good job of keeping his hands up and jumping vertically at the right time to force a missed layup or get a block. When his team loses the ball, he is the first one running back on defense and had a few great chases down blocks. Although he is not the tallest player on the court, he gets a ton of offensive rebounds.
TyShaun Pulley || Christ Chapel Academy || 6’2 G || 2021
Although TyShaun has the ability to shoot the ball really well, what makes him a player with a lot of potential is the fact that he does not settle. He is always trying to use his handle to break his defender down and drive into the lane for a layup. He also has excellent vision and awareness to know when he needs to dish the rock to a cutter or a wide-open teammate on the perimeter when driving to the basket. He also possesses the tremendous strength to absorb contact on the interior. Moreover, he is very vocal on the offensive end of the floor and is very skilled at directing traffic.
Jevon Wilson || Christ Chapel Academy || 6’0 G || 2021
What really stood out for Jevon during this tournament was his natural leadership both on and off the court. He constantly communicates with his teammates on both ends on the floor. Even when sitting on the bench you can see him continuously talking to those sitting next to him. He also displays leadership with all the hustle and effort in his play.
Benjamin Cunningham || Christ Chapel Academy || 6’5 SF || 2021
Benjamin’s length and wingspan along with the skillset he possesses make him an absolute nightmare to guard. He has a very good shooting stroke and can be utilized to space the floor and hit 3’s. Other than that, he can very easily shoot over defenders and make contested midrange jumpers. However, when his shot is not falling, he can be an equally as effective paint presence with his quick first step, which allows him to get the better of slower centers on the post, and his ability to make hook shots. On defense, he can stay with guards on the perimeter because of his quick feet and is very hard to score on in the paint.
Quincy Allen || Maret High School || 6’7 SF || 2021
Quincey is a very special player who has a tremendous amount of potential. He is a very athletic and electric scoring wing that has the touch of a point guard. He is a great shooter that can also put the ball on the floor and utilize his ball-handling skills to drive into the lane and get to his sweet spots. Quincey can also be used off the ball due to his ability to effectively cut into the lane and hit pull-up jumpers from almost anywhere on the floor. He can hold his own on defense and can get even better on that end of the floor once his body starts to fill out with time. His slim frame doesn’t stop him from battling hard for offensive and defensive rebounds throughout the game, he is a tenacious competitor.
Ryan Cornish || Sidwell Friends High School || 6’3 G || 2021
Ryan is an excellent spot-up shooter from beyond the arc coming off screens, he does not need much time or space to get a shot up. Also, his nifty ball handling allows him to break down his defender to create the slight separation he needs to hit a 3 or get into the midrange where he can also hit shots with ease. Due to his outstanding shooting ability, he draws a lot of defensive attention on the perimeter which he effectively exploits at times with his capability to drive into the lane and finish using his tidy footwork or make the right pass for the assist. On the defensive end off the floor, he is not afraid to put his body on the line to draw a charge. Also, his high defensive IQ allows him to read and intercept passing lanes and steal the ball.
Chad Watson || Patriot High School || 5’11 PG || 2021
What really stood out about Chad throughout this tournament aside from his outstanding ability to score was the constant energy and tenacity that he plays with. With the ball in his hands, he is constantly trying to attack his defender and always seems to be one step ahead of the play. Off the ball, he reads the game very well and does not stop moving which really unsettles defenses and either leads to him getting a good look to score or opens up space for his teammates to do so. On the other end of the ball, he utilizes that energy to recover and close out open players or driving lanes when the teams' defensive structure breaks down.
Curtis Nixon II || Maret High School || 6’5 PF || 2021
Curtis is an incredible interior presence on both ends of the floor. Defensively, he uses his tremendous strength to be a great post-up defender and to effectively box out players to let his teammates get rebounds or for him to get them himself. Offensively, the combination of his strength and athleticism allow him to be a great finisher at the rim who gets to the foul line a lot of times throughout a game. Other than that, he creates many second-chance opportunities with his offensive rebounding.
Andre Speight || South County High School || 6’4 SG || 2021
Andre was one of those players at the tournament who was able to do a little bit of everything. He is a guard with the build of a forward, the combination of his length and being left-handed gives him a tremendous advantage offensively. He is a good shooter from beyond the arc and he moves very well off the ball to get good looks. He can also create his own shot with his great ball-handling skills and ability to fearlessly attack the basket. He has great speed in transition with and without the ball which makes him a threat coming downhill. Defensively he has a lot of versatility since he can effectively contain guards and switch on forwards when need be. He also rebounds the ball pretty well.
Trenton Picott || South County High School || 6’6 F || 2021
Trenton is a very dominant and athletic wing player who is a great slasher and finisher in the lane. Once he puts his head down and commits to driving to the basket, he is very hard to stop because of his excellent strength and ball-handling ability. He has great footwork in the paint which allows him to be a post-up threat as well on offense. Trenton is also a strong interior defender who is also able to guard and stay with smaller assignments on the perimeter with ease. If he develops a consistent jump shot it will unlock a whole new dimension to his game.