Darius Tilghman and Gionn Swann Fresh Faces Going Places

2021- Darius Tilghman                                                                  2022 - Gionn Swann

Two players arrived at the Basketball Spotlight Future Phenom Camp with something to prove and each made a major statement by their play on the court. Competing against the best accumulation of talent in the country Darius Tilghman and Gionn Swann proved that they both belong in the conversation.  The discovery of new talent and acknowledgement through their achievement on the court has long been what the DMV is about.  Each year given the proving grounds that the DMV provides players who are battle test here step onto the national scene and immediately garner the respect of their peers and evaluators.  TIlghman and Swann are two names that took their respect recently at the Discovery Sport Center in Boyds. Md.

Darius Tilghman a 2021 talent stands 6’1 and is being groomed to the play the lead guard position.  Tilghman who finished a few votes short of completing in the recent Middle School All-American game used this as motivation for an explosive and impressive showing in the Basketball Spotlight Future Phenom Camp.  He's the owner of an athletic build and is wiry, ala Will Barton. His effectiveness is derived from the fact that he is capable of playing multiple positions.   

With improving quickness and speed – combined with excellent size for the position we like the foundation beign laid for him with respect to IQ and savvy for the game.   The jump shot looks better each time we see it and we noticed an ability to change speeds very well which we noticed kept many defenders off balance; the head and shoulder fakes also are examples of Tilghman being taught well and using the knowledge to tangibly on the court which is the ultimate test growth and development.  Keep an eye for this kid his best day are in front of him.

Gionn Swann, is new to the class of 2022 from the class of 2021 and his experience, quickness, and subtle swag have allowed him to make an instant impact right out the gate.  A sleek slashing point guard that has really good finishing ability and is an excellent bounce passer, a lost art by many players - Swann strikes a good balance between scoring, passing and leading by example on the court.  He has good quickness and speed with the ball in his hands, but can also run pick and roll and play with pace. He's an above average shooter to 19 feet with improving consistency as we have seen improvement over the course of several months. Good heady defender who plays passing lanes well will be one of the top lead guards in the area coming out of the Virginia portion of the DMV. 

Kenny Womack Is Offically In the Building - New 2020 PG Steals Show During Spotlight Camp Weekend

Point guard Kenneth Womack arrived on the scene with a bang and will immediately impact the hierarchy in the 2020 class both locally and nationally.  Womack plays with aggressiveness and is one of the more compact and stronger guards specifically in the arms and shoulders.  Womack loves to go left off the dribble and if allowed to is unstoppable in an one on one situation. He showed exceptional leadership qualities off the bat as he interacted with the top players in the country often leading by example.

 Womack was most dangerous in the open court as he probed the defense, found open targets accurately, or finished himself – working himself all the way to the glass but also showing some impressive and efficient shot-making ability in the middle game, with the floater and the pull-up.  Womack also knocked down the tray ball of the catch and we rarely saw even in a camp environment the heady guard take a bad shot.  Maturity, IQ, pace, and vision we all positive attributes we saw from Womack throughout the weekend.

Kenneth exhibited the characteristics of a top flight floor general and did a good job of running the team and being productive on a consistent basis on both days playing with a high level group – he found his spots and made the most of his opportunities. He has excellent point guard instincts and is a good decision maker.  Long arms Womack is a underrated athlete, he is a terrific ball handler and passer and is ready for the biggest and brightest stages the class of 2020 has to offer.

Brayon Freeman Remember the Name Appreciate the Game

Brayon Freeman capped off a fantastic 2014-15 season with a statement weekend; appearing and making an impact in the Middle School All-American game; then following that up with a very impressive showing at the Basketball Spotlight Future Phenom Camp.  With the best of the best in the building we watched as Freeman showed he had the propensity to score from all three levels and do so with great frequency; topping the 20-point threshold multiple times on his way to an All- Star appearance.  

Freeman who has always been a solid catch and shoot guy; has grown both physically and with respect to skillset he is doing so much more – he is handling, dishing, working the middle game, while still being a big time factor from beyond the 3-point stripe.  His ability to finish and the understanding of how to use his length effectively is quickly putting Brayon into elite company in the class.

Long, lean, versatile and athletic we watched him create in the open court with his ability to get to the rim and pass to an open teammate was evident each time he stepped onto the floor. Loved his ability to defend multiple position as well as his slashing in the halfcourt set he was a tough match up for smaller players and too crafty for bigger one, unfortunately for the competition Brayon Freeman is become a big problem.

This Is Not A Test, We Repeat This is Not a Test: The Price is now with Moore

Breaking news in the DMV and more specifically in the WCAC; Marvin Price previously committed to Poly HS has made an 11th hour change and will be attending the storied Dematha program in Hyattsville, Md. with top prospect Justin Moore.  In what very well may be the surprise of the summer the move changes the entire landscape of recruiting for the class of 2019 in the conference and reveals a growing trend that has “DC/PG” players heading north and vice-versa.

The majority of the top rated players in 2020 hail from the northern part of the DMV; specifically many of them coming from the same area as Marvin Price- Baltimore; these players are is being heavily recruited by the powerful WCAC and the BCL and MIAA will have to make a hard push to keep them at home with some of the offerings being put on the table.  Having already lost a stable full of talent in the past 6-moths Baltimore schools will be working overtime to keep these players from heading down the beltway to arguably one of the best conferences in the country. 

Appearing this weekend as teammates in the Coach Francis Classic the DMV got an early look at what the future may hold; as their All-Star squad Team Downtown won in impressive fashion.
  

As these two young stars complete their formal MS careers and move onto high school what exactly did the Stags get in these two studs?

Justin Moore:  Is a true shooting guard with a terrific offensive feel and knack for scoring but watching very closely his development in recent months you are seeing a lot of improvement with respect to changing speeds, spacing, and passing reads and trajectory DO NOT BE SURPRISED to see Moore being groomed as a future lead guard.  A position where we believe he can ultimately excel at, at a very high level  – and consequently to reach the level we believe he can and wants to; those places don’t have 6’2/6’3 shooting guards. In the recent Coach Francis Classic Moore showed more explosion and quickness than we have ever seen and he likely wasn’t going full bore given the setting.  Evident by a drive to the rim, single footed, two handed dunk that had a little power behind it Moore is reshaping himself likely due to one of the best strength and conditioning programs in the country over there with the Red, White, & Blue.  Moore also showed against the best in the area that he can get to the rim on the break and on straight line drives in the half court set where he is as crafty a finisher as you will find. Moore has a smooth mid-range pull up jumper and he can also knock down the three.  He is willing defender and has excellent core strength with the added quickness he will excel on that end of the court as well.

Marvin Price: Put Price into this same institution and training environment; with Moore moving up a number is makes sense to groom the Baltimore native as a two-guard; exactly what the Price camp wants for the young man.  Price who always plays the game with an excellent motor that allows him to compete with great energy - He is an above the rim finisher now on the break and in the half-court; he attacks the glass on both ends especially offensively and his unselfish nature, IQ, and team mindset has him playing the game the right way in every setting we see him in.  Price could score 20-points every time he steps onto the floor at the 8th and 9th grade level now; but he is dedicated to making the right pass and the right play and between the two programs and coaches he has played for in the past year he has proved that he can play within structure.  We liken Price to recent Virginia Tech recruit Chris Clarke, who stands 6’5 – as Price can play the two, the small forward, as well as a undersized power forward due to this strength, rebounding ability, and athleticism in a four guard lineup.

If the performance in the Coach Francis Classic is any indicator of future performance things are looking very bright for Mike Jones and company and with both anticipated to be on the varsity immediately we may see it sooner than later; as the current Stag roster will be blowing out its fair share of teams to allow the young fellas some excellent experience immediately.

Montez McNeil The New Head of the Department of Defense

Montez McNeil has been one of most well-kept secrets in the DMV but has recently expanded his national profile to include operating as the starting big-man for Team Melo’s NYBL runner-up team and then followed that up anchoring the middle for the 13u squad that took 2nd at nationals.  He has battled against the best in the country and has grown tremendously in the last 12-months.  Just a baby in the class of 2020 McNeil arrived in DC on Friday night showed he has grown man tendencies as he ate glass, blocked shots, and impacted the game off the block and in transition.

McNeil followed that up with a stellar weekend at the Basketball Spotlight Future Phenom Camp; carrying is squad offensively for long stretches all the while manning the middle and taking on all comers. The result? With the best of best in the gym McNeil remained standing when it was all said and done finishing the weekend with an appearance in the Spotlights All-Star game that featured talent, size, and unbelievable skill.

Montez (measuring 6’4 ½) turned 13-years old less than 60 days ago will easily top 6’7 with potential for reaching the magical 6’9/6’10 range and it potentially all could happen before he reaches HS as in the 3+ years that he has been monitored he has not yet had HIS growth spurt. 

McNasty McNeil knows who he is and embraces it at the highest level, an athletic big man with a non-stop motor that turns each possession and game into a brawl around the rim. Quick off the floor, he attacks rebounds and shot attempts with both hands above the rim and sprints the floor with purpose. Showing signs of sophisticated offense prowess with excellent footwork national scouts all that know this exceptional big will tell all that has much more than a his power game to fall back on.

Another player that has waited his turn to stand in the limelight; he stands there now proudly – why? Because he earned the right to.