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Day 1 – Standout Players

Diamond DeShields(6-2)- 2013 – GA...a woman amongst girls, has an arsenal of pro-style moves on offense
Tyshell King(5-11)- 2013 – MD…already known as a lock down perimeter defender – now she has tightened up her handle and midrange jumper – has all the tools to be a major DI 2 guard.
Tiffany Suarez(5-10) – 2013 – FL…tremendously talented combo guard..quick feet, handles the ball with confidence and changes directions moving at full speed. Deadly from beyond the arc and can get her shot off when defended closely. Extremely competitive and doesn’t back down defensively.
Lindsay Allen(5-9) – 2013 – MD…a point guard’s point guard – even in a camp setting she quickly identified her teammates strengths and set them up for easy shots.
Raigyne Moncrief(5-10) -2013 – FL…outstanding athlete – quick and shifty can create her own shot.
Mikayla Venson(5-7) – 2014 – VA…her ball handling skills are tight as a drum..she is unselfish to a fault because she can get past any defender when she wants to. Has a nice lefty floater and knows how to create space even in heavy traffic.
Paris Kea(5-7) – 2014 – NC..very light on her feet with a smooth mid-range game.

Day 2 – All Star Action

The morning started out with a college style practice, I watched Coach P lead the top players in the camp through a session at Cameron.
The Blue Devil game produced some great match ups between the top players…Even though Diamond DeShields has about 4 inches on Tiffany Suarez, Suarez never hesitated to step up on her defensively – the alpha-female battle was on! DeShields is unstoppable once she elevates – I haven’t seen a high player that can make plays at rim level like she does. My MVP for the camp was Suarez, besides having solid basketball fundamentals she is ultra-competitive, scrappy and tough – all the intangibles that make a great college player.

Lynee Belton(6-2) – 2014 – MD…was the stand out post player, at 6-2 she is great combination of strength and finesse. She can bang down low as well as score facing the basket.
Te’a Cooper(5-7) – 2015 – GA …plays with a great deal of maturity and confidence for a young player. Excellent ball handler…get into the paint and create.
Dorothy Adomako(5-10) – 2014 – VA…next to King and DeShields one of the most athletic players in the camp. She is explosive and with a quick first step..relentless rebounder and defender from the wing position.
Ashely Morrisette(5-7) – 2013 – OH…super speedy combo-guard with an excellent mid-range jumper.
Peyton Whitted(6-1)- 2013- GA…probably the most consistent player in camp…the lefty’s 15-18 foot jumper is smooth and accurate…nice timing and release on her shot…played solid defense especially in the paint.

Thanks to Coach P, Coach Trish, Coach Jackson and Coach Brown for allowing me to hang out and do a little scouting.

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Players from the 2013 and 2014 class continue to impress and seem like they are growing and learning exponentially from game to game. Nationally both classes are very strong, especially the 2014 class which has special written all over it at each position. The DMV 2010,2011,2012(to some extent) classes have not produced many  players that are in the national conversation like previous DMV classes. It is not specifically about rankings, it is about skill and heart and that is something that I have not seen on a consistent basis from the last 3 classes.  Looking at the younger classes I am seeing some impressive intangibles, obviously the players are talented but I think that parents are learning how to navigate the instant hype, media sites, blogs( guilty) and everything else that comes along with it.

2014

Ona Gilmore Point Guard (Riverdale Baptist) She is the only freshman on the RB varsity roster and she has been on the floor in some big games. She is fearless and full of energy and doesn’t the least bit fazed by all the hype of playing for a nationally ranked team.

Lynee Belton Forward (Bullis) At 6-2 she has all the physical tools to play the game.  Her footwork and athleticism give her the ability to face the basket and her wing span is unreal, something like 6-9.

Mikayla Venson Point Guard (Yorktown) She has already proven herself on the national stage with and against the best talent in the country. She is still growing and is going to get stronger but the her IQ and work ethic are what separate her from the pack. Venson along with her follow 2014 point guards Jordin Canada(Winard High,CA) and Kelsey Mitchell(Princeton High,OH) are making college coaches come to the table with real offers.

Rhamat Alhassan Forward (Holy Cross) Potential, potential, potential! She has come along way from the first time I saw her as a 6th grader. Most impressive so far is her understanding of the game..learning how to move on the court and how to make basketball plays.

Chania Ray Guard (St. John’s) She is fitting nicely into her roll of coming off the bench and giving the starting guards a rest. She is not only holding serve but she is making things happen on her own. She is calm under pressure, knocks down 3s and makes her foul shots.

Cydni Cole (St. Frances) In the crazy sport world of Baltimore there is so much extra-curricular activity that is almost impossible for kids to just focus on basketball. She had a rough start but has begun to show more control and court leadership. The team is young and she is under pressure  but it seems like she is finding her own voice and tuning at the noise.

Sarah Woods (Good Counsel) Terrific athlete who has moments..if she can improve her ball handling and shooting in the off-season she can be a quality shooting guard.

Dyzhanay “Da-Da” Burton (City College) She is tiny but tough as nails with tons of heart and she’s a lefty. Like a lot of young guards it is layup or nothing, she will need add a mid-range game.

Ariana Freeman(Paul IV) I haven’t seen her yet in a real high school game, only fall league. She has the size and physical strength to play on the wing in college, reminds a little of Monica Wright in that sense. Definitely a competitor on both ends of the floor.

Next up the 2013s….

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I am planning to write a book in the distant future and I am definitely naming names..so just because I don’t blog it now doesn’t mean I am paying attention.

Until next time

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Holy Cross has the most overall talent in the WCAC and they will have a seasoned WCAC veteran at the helm in Ed Simpson(former St. John’s Coach) but it will take time for all involved to get adjusted to the new situation. This is going to be one of the most intriguing seasons in the WCAC at this point if I had to pick a front runner I would go with old faithful Good Counsel, decent talent, excellent coaching and most important minimal drama. My dark horse is Paul VI, because Scott Allen’s team always get better as the season progresses. And before you St. John’s fans start getting twisted it ain’t about the talent because it is there, it is about how it will be deployed.

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This weekend Ganon Baker, brings his hyper-energetic talent to the DMV for his Select Exposure Camp. As a scout I am looking forward to the event, it is great chance to see players in a different setting after the summer evaluation period.

I have a ton of stories and observations from the road which I will be sharing over the next few weeks.

In the meantime I need y’all to ponder who looks good coming out of the gates for this coming high school season and make a case for that #1 spot?

Riverdale Baptist

St. John’s

Archbishop Spaulding

Holy Cross

St. Frances

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Wed Mar.11 4A/3A Semi Finals at UMBC.

The parking was awful, it gets worse every year..I ended up parking in a lot about a half mile from the gym, supposed to have a permit and I got a ticket from the University po-pos. I have wonder if it matters since I have VA tags..oh well.

Game 1: Arundel vs Urbana…this was a no contest, even though the Arundel coach, who is no stranger to screwing up a playoff game(remember last year’s debacle against Roosevelt) subbed his bigs to early and let Urbana get within 9.  Talen Watson,  Sherrone Vails and Brianna McKellery were in chill mode, I think in anticipation of a championship match up with Wise, who beat them badly in a holiday tournament game.

Game 2: Dr. Henry Wise vs Gaithersburg…after being up 22-4 Wise inexplicably goes falls in to a 8 min scoring drought. Wise’s Coach Clark is the Godfather of  GBB in the DMV and even with Brianna Gibson out ill, I know he had his team better prepared than they played . Gaithersburg, fresh off an upset of Paint Branch is this season’s Cinderella story and they weren’t ready to turn in their glass slippers just yet. The Marshall sisters Kara and Colleen didn’t have their best shooting performance but it was good enough to keep G’burg in the game. The real story was Wise’s star point guard Janay Bourm, who started off the game hot and subsequently pulled a disappearing act in the 2nd half, she was also 0-5 from the foul line, Tierra Smith was really the only Puma that played focused the entire game..she hit the layup to take i t into overtime.  The Wise fan club has been whining about bad calls, missing and injured players but the bottom line is that in the clutch your go-to-player didn’t get it done! Time to focus on getting all your seniors a college scholarship.  G’ burg Coach ‘Hot dog’ McDaniel may be the DMV COY.

Game 3:  Seneca Valley vs Largo…2 words KELSEY WOLFE. Plain and simple she was the best player in the gym and proved why she is the Gatorade POY. Her and her running buddy sharp shooting Audrey Cunningham are a killer 1-2 punch. Largo is a very good shooting team, they  had 4 players in double figures with Cierra Johnson leading them with 17 pts. Jess Lyons Largo’s point guard had 13 but Sasha Orr did a great job of keeping her from dropping a 30 piece like she did to Wise in the PG County Championship. Wolfe drops 32 and Seneca hits their foul shots in the 4th quarter.

Game 4: Western vs Centennial…potentiallyone of the worst games I have attended all year…I don’t even know where to begin so I won’t.  Coach Silver and Coach Burley have my respect for what they have done with the Western program.

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Sun Mar 7th: The week started with the WCAC Final 4…this league has been so competitive during the season that every team has lost to another top team at least once.

Bishop McNamara vs. St John’s: This game was nip n’ tuck all the way,  Sr. Cierra Strickland was shooting the lights out in the first half from B-Mac.  Sr. Nicola Zimmer played a tough game and Fr. Lindsay Allen did a great job penetrating and creating score opportunities for herself and her teammates. Coach Rod Hairston has done a great job with B-Mac in his 1st year but I can sense that he is still struggling with coaching around not having a shot clock, especially in close games when the other team just plays  keep away. In the end that is what St. John’s did.

Paul IV vs Elizabeth Seton: PVI had just come from playing in the VA Independent Championship game, which went to double OT and they didn’t get back to school until 2 AM, so their legs were dead.  Seton as able to execute in the half court as well as push the ball in transition. PVI girls fought hard but they were clearly gassed..I really love 6-0 Fr. Maya Singelton from PVI, the girl is a physical specimen, the best way to describe her is “country strong”.

Mon Mar 8: WCAC Finals Seton vs  St. John’s…it was the Ty Marshall show from start to finish, the Georgia Tech signee was able to penetrate St. John’s defense at will, Sr, forward Alexis Martin did a great job controlling the boards.  From a coaching perspective, Coach Perizac had her Seton team well prepared and I think Coach Scribner stayed in M2M too long, especially with no real post presence.

Wed Mar 10: Virginia AAA Semi-Finals at VCU..it was a Beach vs Beltway showdown with teams from the Tidewater going against squads from Fairfax County.

Princess Anne vs. Oakton: The gym was packed with college coaches from the top programs in the NCAA who came to see “Queen” Elizabeth Williams the #1 recruit in the country…of course Pat and Geno were on opposite sides of the gym.  Geno is Geno, he was wearing  $500 Italian loafers and some nice designer jeans, no need to rock the UConn polo. Pat Summit and her assistant Dean Lockwood were both sporting that bright Rocky Top orange, it is impossible not to see them.  Coach Summit was being bombarded with autograph and picture request, which she of course handled with her usual style and grace. No one seemed to approach Coach Auriemma, I think they were intimated..Geno rolls hard .

Honestly that game was a little boring, it was clear that Princess Anne was running in cruise control, they could have beaten Oakton by 30 if they really stepped on the gas. Williams had close to a triple double and barely broke a sweat, Georgetown signee Samisha Powell had an awful game offensively but the story was Norfolk St signee Coutrny Braxton, who was on fire from the 3-point line 4-4.  Oakton is known for their 3 point shooting could never really get going, they had spurts but it seemed more like PA taking it easy on defense then them executing offensively. When PA played real defense and denied the next pass, Oakton couldn’t run their stuff..if there was a shot clock they probably would have had 6 or 7 violations.  Jr. Zora Stephenson played the best game I have seen her play, mainly because she didn’t just hang out in the corner trying to drop 3s..she worked hard trying to get to the basket, she rebounded and defended and really showed a competitive spark.

The second game had a little bit more flavor, Lake Taylor is an extremely athletic and fast team but West Springfield has a couple of athletes of their own.  Jr. guard Linda Stephney is the engine that makes LT run, she pushes tempo and is a terrific passer.  Coach Billy Gibson has been at WS for 25 years and has coached some great teams and players including Kara Lawson..he knows his Xs and Os.  WS for the most part was able to handle LT’s zone press..So. PG April Robinson didn’t get rattled and was able to make the right pass. Even though WS has getting to the basket they missed a tremendous amount of bunnies and Robinson didn’t shoot the ball well.  Logan Battle did have a double-double but when LT’s Jr. Toia Gidgetts and Jr. Crystal Leary were in the game she had a tough time scoring.  Gidgetts is a tweener post that is the glue player for LT and 6’2″ Leary is long and athletic and can defend all 5 positions.  Soph SG Jordan Miller is a terrific clutch shooter, she knocked down some big shots for WS and lead them in scoring. Once LT had a 10 pt lead with 2 mins left, with out a shot clock the game was over.

Once again the Beach teams dominate..it must be the ocean air!

Next up MD State Finals at UMBC

A message to my man F.H.F.T don’t start no you know what today in the gym.

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Let’s be honest there is no formal training or licensing program to be come a basketball scout and honestly in this day of  social networking and internet media anyone sitting in the bleachers with a Twitter app on their phone can become a basketball scout in their own cyber-realm.

For me becoming a scout was the natural progression of a true gym rat..from player, to coach, to event operator, to scout.  I have always been fascinated with the technical side of all sports, I was extremely fortunate to have grown in the family that I did..my grandfather Dr. Roscoe C. Brown was a prominent educator and has a little girl I would spend time in his office at NYU reading books about sports history, philosophy and physiology. Even as a little kid, I would head back to Queens to try out my new technical knowledge on the playground against because even then I hated to lose.

Over the course of my coaching career I have been able to get to know and work with many of the top scouts in girls basketball, I am always open to hear  opinions of people that a respect on professional level.  We all have unique perspectives and I enjoy exchanging information with them on a regular basis.I know I have a preference for athletic wing/post players that defend(actually any player that plays real defense) they catch my eye immediately when I hit the gym.

I do not evaluate high school players, I evaluate college prospects, meaning that I looking for how a player’s  skill set can fit into the college game, at whatever level. With this in mind it is easier to evaluate players in the club season than it is in high school…in high school most players are not playing their college position i.e. a 5-11 post player is a wing guard in major DI.

High school stats mean nothing to me, all though I can appreciate a great performance, it must be kept in perspective when evaluating a player. Recently, I received a phone call about a kid that needed to see since it came from someone I respect I decided to check it out.  I did some research and saw that she had a been putting up numbers, high double-doubles. After evaluating the player it was very evident that her double-doubles were a result of standing under the basket and making layups or getting put backs from her teammates missed jumpers. In the open court, she could not dribble or display any speed or athleticism..her overall game lacked fundamentals, triple threat, passing, shooting and basic position defense.  So when I called and cussed my contact out for sending me to see this player, I was shocked to hear that her parents thought they would be waiting for calls from Debbie Ryan or Pat Summit…WHOAAAAA!!! I told him that if they were interested I would speak to them and give them a detailed scouting report, because I am all about keeping it real and trying to help players find the right fit.

As the high school season comes to a close,  I am really looking forward to following players in to the club season this spring and summer.  I have talked to a ton of players and their parents during the season, I hoping some have taken my advice to heart about what they need to work on for the club season, you know I’ll be watching.

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