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Quincy Taylor from unknown to Division I University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB)

Post Grad High School: Fishburne Military School (FMS) Post Graduate

College: University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB) Commit (Conference USA)

August 27, 2010 - You didn't see him on the top 150 list, you didn't see him on the summer AAU circuit, you didn't see him on a list but rest to sure you coach Mike Davis and his coaching staff at the University of Alabama-Birmingham are very happy to have the 6-1 guard from Wichita Kansas by the way of Fishburne Military School (Waynesboro, VA) post grad program on their 2010-11 basketball roster.

We were first introduced to Quincy "Q" Taylor in 2009 as we hosted the 1st Annual VA Elite Senior Basketball Camp, after several email exchanges he finally arrived on the evening on the camp ready to compete. The first thing we noticed was his quite demeanor and confidence on the court. During the first day of testing Quincy abilities stood out as he consistently scored the highest throughout the battery of speed, conditioning and basketball skill test (view results) administered by TrueAP (Strength and Conditioning Partner).

During his post graduate season at Fishburne (Coached by Ed Huckaby) Quincy not only showed he could play but displayed the talent and skill to perform at a high level. The kid from Wichita Kansas was now on the east coast and doing his thing. Not to the surprise of VA Elite Hoops.com was this crafty guard getting the job done but get the recognition he rightfully deserve. Now at the University of Alabama-Birmingham Quincy will be playing against national champion Duke, along with games against Arizona State, Georgia and Arkansas all non-conference and of course teams in conference USA.

Under the Radar no longer Treveon Graham and Zoe Beard- Fails

Treveon Graham

Class: 2011 High School: St Mary's Riken

College: Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Commit

AAU Program: Threat 220 (17 and Under)

August 26, 2010 - Standing 6"6 Treveon Graham has been a quite assassin on the hardwood. After the 2010 high basketball season Treveon participated in the 1st Annual VA Elite Elite Showcase Basketball Classic (ESBC) game that feature some of the top high school ballers from around the beltway. By the way he was selected as the games co-MVP by displaying an array of talent and skillz against very good competitors that got our attention.

Fast forward to the 2010 summer AAU Showcase tournaments. Playing for THREAT 220 (Formally Triple Threat) of Washington, D.C. Treveon continued to display high level skills and abilities against some of the top competition in the United States. After averaging an impressive 20.3 at the Bob Gibbon tournament and collecting many accolades throughout the summer season many high major schools began to take notice of Treveon and then the door opened. Treveon begin receiving scholarship offers from top schools such as VCU, Boston College, Clemson, Cincinnati, Cleveland State and Northeastern. Ultimately committing to Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). VA Elite Hoops.com will follow Treveon throughout the 2010-11 high school season and keep the fans of VCU in the loop!

The 2011 Boys High School Basketball Watch List is coming soon.

Zoe-Beard Fails

Class: 2013 High School: South Lakes High School

AAU Program: Boo Williams

August 29, 2010 - Standing 6"2 Zoe-Beard Fails has become the talk of the town in girls basketball. She is one of the hardest workers on the hardwood and it doesn't have anything to do with gender. We have witness first hand how putting time in the gym pays off as Zoe works to get better each and everyday she steps in the squared circle.

Their are many who want to achieve their goals and then their are the very few that put in the hours to get better. We met Zoe about three years ago and she immediately caught our attention, being persistent and having an attitude that make a good player better. Throughout her freshmen campaign at South Lakes High School many knew about her but many had never seen her play. But by mid season the word had travel through the halls of South Lakes and throughout the country that another special player was wearing a Seahawks uniform.

After the 2010 high basketball season Zoe participated in the 1st Annual VA Elite Elite Showcase Basketball Classic (ESBC) game that feature some of the top female high school ballers from around the Washington DC metropolitan area. Throughout the game Zoe and Merritt Hempe (Stafford H.S.) battled to claim MVP honors, both players showed their ability to play against top competition. For the many in attendance this was worth the coming out to see! In the end Zoe received MVP honors.

Now she has become not only one of the best players in the Washington, DC area but throughout the summer she has established her mark among the best players in the Class of 2013.

The 2011 Girls High School Basketball Watch List is coming soon.

2011 VA Elite will host the Elite 8 BATTLE OF THE BEST tournament is created to crown a true tournament champion and put the best teams and players to compete against each other. No Pool Play and No Consolation Games

BOYS - 8 teams 3 divisions will play each other in a round robin style basketball tournament. Players will play, coaches will coach. Many tournaments guarantees (3) games but this tournament guarantee (7) games in three fantastic days of summer basketball. Media coverage of games and players will be posted on the vaelitehoops.com website.
Read More.....

National Basketball Association Development League National Tryout

June 11, 2010 (Chantilly, VA) - The fourth annual NBA D-League National Tryout (previously known as Pre-Draft Camp) offered athletes the opportunity to showcase their basketball talent in front of NBA D-League front office personnel, as well as coaches and representatives from each of the league’s 17 teams. Participants competed for the chance to sign an NBA D-League standard player contract and to be placed in the 2010 NBA D-League Draft, held in November of 2010. VA Elite was there to take all the hard work and competition between players from DIII to player who won a NCAA Division I National Championship.

Notable Players Kevin Kruger (Utah), Jonathan Wallace (Georgetown, Rio Grande Valley)

33rd Annual McDonald's High School All American Games from Columbus, Ohio

by Sean Frye and Aaron Canada, VA Elite Hoops.com Media - March 28-31, 2010

On Wednesday, March 31, 48 of the nation's top high school basketball players took the floor at Value City Arena for the 2010 McDonald's All American Games in Columbus, Ohio. The 33rd annual Boys Game and the ninth annual Girls Game had fans on their feet with two exciting victories from the West (Girls Final 84-75, Boys Final 107-104).

Day One of the McDonald's All American Game Week in Columbus, Ohio saw players and coaches participating in their first team practices, but not before taking a trip to visit kids and families at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House and the Nationwide Children's Hospital across the street. The purpose of the day's visit was to allow the players to understand the true meaning behind the McDonald's All American Games. more....

Day Two of McDonald's All American Game Week kicked off with the second full-team practices at Ohio State's Recreation and Physical Activity Center at 9am. The boys and girls teams ran through more drills and play scenarios in an effort to tighten up as a collective unit in anticipation of Wednesday's games. It's well known that many former NBA players take an interest in this week's events...more....

Day Three of McDonald's All American Game Week was just a light day to wrap up the week's events before the players take to the national stage Wednesday night for the two All American Games. The third and final practice of the week kicked off the day at 9am, with more drills and play scenarios taking place to tighten up each unit and go over any last minute adjustments that needed to be made. Once again Larry Bird made an appearance on the sidelines to view and analyze the abilities of the nation's top talent. more....

Day Four: The fourth and final day of McDonald's All American Game Week proved to be the most exciting, with the two games taking place at Ohio State University's Value City Arena. The big news coming into the two contests was the overnight development of an apparent foodborne illness in Columbus, Ohio's own Jared Sullinger. Sullinger, by his own admission, was barely able to crawl out of bed the morning of the games, and was considered a game-time decision. more....

Post Game Comment from Washington, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty

WCAC Sweeps Abe Pollin City Title Games

Seton and DeMatha Win | Game Photos.....

By Sean Frye - March 15, 2010

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- In another installment on one of the area’s most famous displays of high school athletics, the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. hosted the boys’ and girls’ Abe Pollin City Title games. The Elizabeth Seton Roadrunners defeated the H.D. Woodson Warriors 51-30 in the girls game, and Quinn Cook again gave one of his best performances of the year, scoring 28 en route to the DeMatha Stags’ 80-70 win over the Ballou Knights.

GIRLS GAME:

H.D. Woodson 30 vs. Elizabeth Seton 51

The Warriors came into Sunday night’s match-up looking to win their second straight city title, and hoped to do it by defeating the WCAC champion Roadrunners. However, McDonald’s All-American and Georgia bound guard Ronika Ransford hit the deck hard midway through the third quarter, and left the game with a concussion, and the Warriors failed to convert a field goal after her departure, allowing the Roadrunners to walk away with the City Title.

A physical tone was set early in the first quarter, with teams battling for every loose ball and attacking the rim hard. Ransford scored the all 13 of her squad’s points in the first quarter, while the Warriors’ turnovers allowed the Roadrunners to utilize their impressive fast break offense. It was much of the same in the second quarter, with both teams jocking for position. Ransford left the first half with 15 points, allowing the Warriors to hold a slim 24-22 lead going into halftime.

However, things went completely downhill for the Warriors in the second half. With 3:57 remaining in the third quarter, Ransford hit her head hard on the floor after going up for a lay-up, and was attended to by several coaches and trainers for several minutes prior to being escorted off the floor. At the end of the third quarter, she was then taken to the locker room with concussion symptoms, and failed to re-enter the game. With Ransford’s absence, the Roadrunners took advantage. Their offense began to flow nicely, while their defense held the Warriors to only six points in the entire half, including no field goals after Ransford’s departure. Game MVP Tyaunna Marshall led the way with 23 points as the Roadrunners cruised to a 51-30 victory.

“We came into this game focused and ready to play. Ransford is an amazing player, but our defense throughout the whole game got it done,” Roadrunners’ head coach Jazz Perazic said.

BOYS GAME:
DeMatha 80 vs. Ballou 70

After tying his career high on Monday in the WCAC title game with 30 points, Stags’ junior guard Quinn Cook put on another dazzling show in front of a record 7,500 at the Verizon Center, scoring 28 points on 52% shooting, giving the Stags enough support to advance past the Ballou Knights for the second straight year to win their 21^st City Title, including their fifth in the last six years.

Both teams started out the game by attacking the basket. The Knights opened up with a 7-point run that was capped off by an alley-oop dunk from Marquis Gentry. However, the Stags didn’t stay down for long, an a lay-up by Mikael Hopkins off an offensive rebound put his team up 10-9. On the ensuing Knights’ possession though, Donte Thomas threw down a vicious two-handed dunk in traffic over Hopkins that send the record crowd into a frenzy. The Stags nonetheless persevered, and held a 20-17 lead.

In the second quarter, the pace slowed down just a little bit. It picked back up in the final three minutes though after Victor Oladipo scored off his own alley-oop dunk off the inbounds pass from James Robinson, putting the Stags up 28-20. The Knights then went on a 6-point run that was finished off with a reverse dunk from Thomas. Cook then went right back and nailed a 3-pointer to end the first half, putting his squad up 37-30.

In the third quarter, both teams continued to go to war with each other. Both teams also began to shoot more jump shots, slowing the pace of the game down. Jerian Grant, who only scored two points in the first half, erupted in the second half with 15, giving the Stags a breath of fresh air. After a late run by the Knights in the third quarter, Cook again nailed a late field goal, this time a lay-up with 3.1 seconds left to put the Stags up 55-49 going into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Cook began to take the game into his own hands. With four minutes to go, he went on his own 6-point run to put the score at 71-57 in the Stags favor. As the game winded down, it came down to free throws, and the Stags were deadly from the line. When it was all said and done, behind Cook’s 28 points the Stags won their second consecutive City Title with an 80-70 win over the Knights.

“I just came out focused. That’s what we wanted to do, we came out aggressive against a great team and we won,” said Cook.

FINALS: 2010 Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) Semi Finals | Read More..... | Game Photos.....

By Sean Frye - March 8, 2010

WCAC Finals: Elizabeth Seton and DeMatha Claim Titles

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- Just a day removed from a hectic day of semifinals match-ups, the boys’ and girls’ WCAC titles were decided Monday night at Bender Arena, home to American University. In the girls match-up, the Elizabeth Seton Roadrunners upended the St. John’s Cadets. And then in the boys’ game, the top-seeded DeMatha Stags manhandled the Gonzaga Eagles to claim the most coveted conference title arguably in the country.

GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP: Elizabeth Seton (74) vs. St. John’s (63)

The girls’ championship game between the Roadrunners and the Cadets opened up the evening. The Cadets played well, but the Roadrunners’ offense was simply too much, and they fulfilled their destiny, winning both the regular season title and the conference championship, culminating in the fans storming the court.

Both squads started out evenly in the first quarter, with both teams getting good looks offensively. However, halfway through the quarter, the Roadrunners went on a 12-2 run to put the score at 23-12 going into the second quarter.

BOYS GAME: DeMatha (71) vs. Gonzaga (52)

In one of the most highly built-up games in the entire season, a game that was written in stone from day one finally happened, as the DeMatha Stags took on the Gonzaga Eagles for the WCAC crown. While the previous two meetings between these two teams were decided by a total of six points, the Stags took an early lead and never looked back in this one, and behind a career-high 30 points from Quinn Cook, the Stags cruised to a 71-52 win.

The game started with both squads seemingly testing each other out. However, Cook and Jerian Grant hit consecutive 3-pointers to help them begin to pull away from the Eagles, who trailed 18-9 after the first quarter.

Cook went off in the second quarter, hitting three 3-pointers and scoring 13 points. BeeJay Anya and Mikael Hopkins, each with two points in the quarter, were the only other Stags to even find the basket in the quarter. Nevertheless, despite eight points from Tyler Thornton in the quarter, the Eagles still trailed going into halftime by a score of 35-23.

SEMI FINALS: 2010 Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) Semi Finals | Read More..... | Game Photos.....

By Sean Frye - March 7, 2010

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- In one of the most highly touted conference playoffs in the nation, the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference girls’ and boys’ semifinals took place Sunday.

GAME #1 (GIRLS): St. John’s 71 vs. Bishop McNamara 65

In the first game of the day, the St. John’s Cadets girls’ squad faced off against the Bishop McNamara Mustangs. It was a back and forth game throughout, but the Cadets came through in the fourth quarter to walk away with the victory and advance to the WCAC finals on Monday.

GAME #3 (BOYS): DeMatha 53 vs. St. John’s 47

In the first boys match-up of the evening, the top seeded DeMatha Stags returned to Bender Arena to face the St. John’s Cadets. It was a battle the whole way, but a fourth quarter run by the Stags put the game out of reach, and they moved on to earn a place in the title game.

GAME #2 (GIRLS): Paul VI 34 vs. Elizabeth Seton 61

In the second girls’ semifinal, the Elizabeth Seton Roadrunners played host to the Paul VI Panthers. In a lopsided game, the Roadrunners dominated all aspects of the game to walk away with a convincing victory, thus setting a Monday date with the St. John’s Cadets for the WCAC title.

GAME #4 (BOYS): Gonzaga 63 vs. Bishop O’Connell 61

The day couldn’t have ended better, as the Gonzaga Eagles defeated the Bishop O’Connell Knights on a buzzer-beating lay-up from Malcolm Lemmons in the last semifinal match-up of the day.

The game started with a 7-point run from the Eagles, whose tight defense kept the Knights from finding the lane. The Knights also struggled with turnovers, allowing the Eagles to take a 17-11 lead after the first quarter.

2010Virginia State Quarterfinals Features Four Local Matchups

By Sean Frye - March 6, 2010

GAME #1 (GIRLS): George Mason 70 vs. North Hampton 19

The George Mason Mustangs girls’ squad dominated the Northampton Yellow Jackets in the first game, beating them 70-19.

GAME #2 (GIRLS): Oakton 74 vs. Stonewall Jackson 58

In the second girls’ match-up of the evening, the Oakton Cougars took on the Stonewall Jackson Lady Raiders. The Cougars shot the lights out all game, which allowed them to prevail over the Raiders, who were led by highly touted Kyani White.

The Cougars immediately began the game by establishing their offense, attacking the basket as well as getting open jump shots from behind the arc. After the first quarter, the Cougars held a 22-11 lead thanks in part to two 3-pointers by Danielle Davis. In the second quarter, it was more of the same from the Cougars, as their offense continued to play unconsciously. Katherine Coyer scored seven points for the Cougars in the quarter, giving her squad a 40-26 lead at halftime.

A fast pace was set at the get-go as both teams were flying up and down the floor. The Yellow Jackets utilized their fast break offense, and Destiny Shearin scored five points in the first quarter to give her team a 13-11 lead over the Spartans. The pace slowed down in the second quarter, as both teams got more involved in their half court offense. The Spartans were unable to score until 4:51was left in the half, nonetheless, their defense kept them in the game. A late run by the Spartans put them within one point, as the Yellow Jackets led 24-23 at halftime.

GAME #4 (BOYS): Chantilly 50 vs. Gar-Field 40

In the final game of the night as well as the lone boys’ matchup, the Chantilly Chargers played host to the Gar-Field Indians. The Indians stayed close the whole game, but the Chargers inside game was too much to handle, and they earned the right to compete at VCU next weekend in the state semifinals.

In the first quarter, the Chargers opened up their offense by attacking inside. Adam Fridy also provided a spark by nailing two 3-pointers on two consecutive possessions for the Chargers, who held a 17-12 lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter, John Manning proved to be a huge presence inside on the boards. The Chargers shot well, but a late run by the Indians fueled by seven points from Randell Smith put his team within two points, with the Chargers leading 25-23 at halftime.

GAME #3 (GIRLS): Osbourn Park 49 vs. West Springfield 54

For the third game of the evening, as well as the final girls’ match-up of the night, the Osbourn Park Yellow Jackets took on the West Springfield Spartans. The Yellow Jackets dominated the first half, but the Spartans’ offense in the second kicked into overdrive, giving them the right to move onto the semifinals.

Henry Wise Shocks Bowie on 3-Pointer With 6.2 Seconds Left | Game Photos.....

By Sean Frye - March 3, 2010

(BOWIE, MD) -- In a Prince George’s County quarterfinal match-up, the Bowie Bulldogs played host to the Henry Wise Pumas Monday night. In one of the most thrilling and high intensity games the county has seen all year, the Pumas walked away with the 72-70 win thanks to a courageous 3-pointer by Keith Shivers with just 6.3 seconds left in the game.

The tone was set early in the game, with both teams attacking the rim hard. The Bulldogs started the game off with the first seven points, but the Pumas converted on numerous close opportunities to eventually take the lead. Titus Till scored eight points in the first quarter to give the Pumas a 21-17 advantage.

In the second quarter, the Bulldogs again started off with a 7-point run. The Bulldogs had the hot hand all quarter seemingly, while the Pumas struggled to hit anything outside. A dunk by Jeff James to end the half for the Bulldogs gave his squad a slim 35-33 lead at halftime.

Both squads continued attacking the rim hard in the second half. The Pumas were able to spread their offense around, making them a threat everywhere on the floor.

The Pumas controlled the tempo in the second quarter, but the Bulldogs stayed close nonetheless, and with just one quarter remaining, the Pumas led 49-48.

The Bulldogs began forcing plenty of turnovers in the fourth quarter, allowing them to utilize their fast break offense to take a 65-59 lead with just 2:40 to play. The Pumas battled back though, and Shivers nailed a 3-pointer with 1:30 left to tie the game at 67-67. Both teams scored again before Jared Carithers of the Bulldogs stole an inbounds pass and converted on the lay-up to give his squad a 70-69 lead.

The Bulldogs had a chance to take the lead up to three points with a pair of foul shots by Randall Castleberry, but he missed both of them. The Pumas then went down the court, and with 6.3 seconds left, Shivers knocked down a 3-pointer from the top of the key. A tip-in attempt by Jason Amos as time expired rimmed out, and the Pumas walked away with the win.

Shivers and Amos led the way for their squads, scoring 25 and 18 points respectively.

AAA Northern Region Chantilly Survives Comeback, Defeats Langley for Northern Regional Title

By Sean Frye - March 1, 2010

(FAIRFAX, VA) -- In one of the most highly anticipated basketball games in all of Northern Virginia, the Chantilly Chargers took on the Langley Saxons for the AAA Northern Region title Monday night at Robinson Secondary School. Behind John Manning’s 16 points and the stellar play of Kethan Savage, the Chargers held off a late fourth quarter rally by the Saxons to claim a 50-43 win.

The Chargers opened up the game with two 3-pointers from Adam Fridy, allowing them to open up their offense. Meanwhile, the Saxons simply had nothing going on the offensive end, and the Chargers dominated the boards to take a 20-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.

It was nearly all Saxons in the second quarter though. The Saxons went on a 5-point run to start the quarter, which was stopped with a dunk by Manning. That dunk was all the Chargers produced offensively in the second quarter, as the Saxons slowly climbed their way back into the game. Despite being held to just one field goal, the Chargers still led 22-20 at halftime.

The Chargers recovered from their disastrous second quarter and began to find their niche again offensively. Fridy nailed two more 3-pointers, while the Saxons went ice cold from the field. With just one quarter to play, the Chargers led 35-26.

It was off to the races for the Chargers to start the fourth quarter. With 4:56 left to play, Manning threw down a dunk to put the Chargers up 41-28. Savage came up limp after a lay-up attempt, and had to leave the game. However, he was able to return a the 3:00 mark.

The Chargers began to struggle with turnovers, which allowed the Saxons back into the game. With 1:17 to play, a bucket by David Adams put the score at 43-41 in favor of the Chargers. The Saxons were forced to foul the Chargers though, and they hit all but one of their foul shots for the rest of the game, which all but iced the game. In the end, the Chargers escaped with a 50-43 win.

“This just feels incredible, I can’t hardly believe it,” Savage, who scored 14 points, said. Both teams will move onto the AAA state tournament, which starts March 6 for both squads.

Gonzaga Defeats St. John’s to End WCAC Regular Season

By Sean Frye - March 1, 2010

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- In the WCAC regular season finale for both teams, the Gonzaga Eagles traveled on Sunday to face the St. John’s Cadets. The streaky offense of the Cadets kept them in the game in the first half, but the Eagles’ defense tightened up which allowed them to pull away for a 58-44 win.

In the first half, the Cadets were simply hitting shots from everywhere on the floor. Chris Martin had 14 points in the first half alone for the Cadets. However, Cedrick Lindsay provided 13 points of his own for the Eagles to keep his squad in the game. Despite the streakiness of the Cadets, the Eagles continued to battle, and the game was tied at 23-23 after the first half.

After an impressive first half, the Cadets went ice cold from the field in the second half. Meanwhile, the Eagles began to find the holes in the Cadets’ defense, allowing them to slowly pull away. Nate Britt and Kris Jenkins both came alive in the second half for the Eagles, scoring all of their nine and 11 respective points in the half. The Cadets only scored nine points in the fourth quarter, allowing the Eagles to come away with a 58-44 victory over their rival to end the regular season.

“It’s always nice to win against them,” senior Eagles’ guard Tyler Thornton said. “They played us really physical but we stayed with them.” Lindsay led the way for the Eagles with 15 points, while Martin led the Cadets with a game-high 16 points. Game Photos.....

Talking girls high school hoops with National Girls Basketball Scout Lisa Bodine. Click to keep up with her latest blog and discussions. Click | Blog Page: Girl's Hoops

One to Watch: Tykera Carter | Christ Chapel Academy | Class of 2014

by Thomas Gadson - February 20, 2010

(Woodbridge, VA) – Several months ago I had the opportunity to see Tykera play for the first time and that's all it took for me to know that I was looking at a future star of the hardwood. Just as with Zoe Beard-Fail Tykera possess something very special. Only in the 8th grade her abilities are far beyond her young age, coach Jason Christensen of Christ Chapel told me that me has seen many good players throughout his basketball career and Tykera abilities are right up there among some of the best. Just as impressive is her game between the lines Tykera mannerisms are just as impressive. We look forward to seeing Tykera compete this summer on the AAU circuit and whatever team she plays for they are getting one heck of a player!

Tykera will be the only 8th grader invited to play in the Elite Showcase Basketball Classic on March 12, 2010.

DeMatha Gets Revenge on Gonzaga; Oladipo Pours in 24

by Sean Frye - February 22, 2010

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- Another chapter in arguably the greatest rivalry in all of DC sports was written Monday night, as the DeMatha Stags played host to the Gonzaga Eagles at Trinity University. The Stags led by 14 at the end of the first quarter, but the Eagles slowly clawed their way back into the game. After taking the lead in the third quarter, the Eagles were poised to pull off another comeback reminiscent of the one they did in January. However, the Stags held strong, and persevered to pull off an amazing 73-69 victory.

Both squads came out firing right off the bat. After a 4-4 start, the Stags went on an 8-point run, highlighted by a vicious two-handed slam by Victor Oladipo. In total, the Stags got four dunks in the first quarter alone. They also were seemingly hitting every shot from the field, giving them a 25-11 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Eagles though refused to quit. With 5:35 left in the second quarter, Eagles’ guard Cedrick Lindsay nailed a 3-pointer to cut the lead down to single digits. Lindsay scored 10 points in the quarter to keep his team in the game. The Stags though continued to show off their high powered offense, with Quinn Cook finding his stroke in the quarter. As the half was coming to a close, the Stags recovered a loose ball, and found Oladipo streaking to the basket, who then threw down a tomahawk dunk to close out the half, with the Stags leading 42-31. Read more..... | Game Photos.....

Loudoun County and Potomac Falls Claim Dulles District Titles - Dulles District Finals Game Photos.....

by Sean Frye - February 20, 2010

(SOUTH RIDING, VA) -- Saturday night marked yet another edition of the Dulles District championships. The girls’ game featured the top seeded Freedom Eagles against the Loudoun County Raiders. As for the boys, the Potomac Falls Panthers hosted the Broad Run Spartans. Ironically enough, both games ended with the same scores, as the Raiders and the Panthers claimed their respective titles.

GIRLS: Loudoun County (69) vs. Freedom (58)

To open the night at Freedom High School, the Lady Eagles played the Loudoun County Raiders for the girls’ district title. It was a fierce game throughout, but it came down to foul shooting in the end. 41 foul shots were taken by both teams combined in the fourth quarter alone, and the Raiders hit the majority of their shots to allow them to claim a 69-58 victory.

The Raiders jumped out to a 16-9 lead at the end of the first quarter behind seven points from Alissa Kain. Both squads went toe to toe for the second quarter, but the Raiders nonetheless extended their lead to 10 points, and took a 32-22 advantage into the locker room at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Raiders continued their offensive dominance. Brittany Batts scored eight points on the quarter to push the Raiders’ advantage to 55-36 at the end of the third quarter. The Eagles refused to quit though, and began chipping slowly away at the lead in the fourth quarter.

The quarter, which featured 41 foul shots, took a half hour, but in the end, the Raiders held off the Eagles to claim the Dulles District title.

Kain led the way for the Raiders with 19 points. She was followed closely by Kendra Holmes, who scored 18 on the night.

BOYS: Potomac Falls (69) vs. Broad Run (58)

Another high intensity match-up on the night provided a riveting game for the boys’ Dulles District championship. It took two and a half minutes just for the first points to be scored, and the Panthers held a massive lead on the Spartans at halftime. But just as the Raiders did in the girls’ game, the Panthers held off a second half rally by the Spartans to win by a score of 69-58.

Both teams set a high pace right off the bat, with both teams using the full court press. The Panthers held a slim 16-15 lead at the end of the first quarter behind six points from Michael Wagenhoffer. In the second quarter though, the Spartans simply couldn’t get anything going offensively, and the Panthers took advantage. Lukas Mihailovich scored nine points for the Panthers in the second quarter to give them a 34-20 lead at halftime.

The Spartans recovered offensively in the third quarter though, with Taylor Johnson finding his stroke. His 10 points in the quarter put the Spartans within ten points going into the fourth quarter. At one point in the fourth quarter, the Spartans had cut the lead down to five points. However, the Panthers continued to shoot the lights out on offense to prevent the Spartans from gaining anymore ground. The Panthers sank their foul shots to send them home with a Dulles District title.

Mihailovich led the way with 21 points and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player (MVP).

MOUNT VERNON CELEBRATES WIN IN PINK!!

by Bernaldo Ormond-February 18, 2010

(Mount Vernon, VA) – The Boys High School Varsity Basketball game between the Mount Vernon (MV) Majors (15-3) and the Edison High School (EHS) Eagles (9-10) was a tough competition for EHS, turnovers and costly mistakes keep the game out of their reach for the contest. The MV team led by their trio of athletes pictured; Jesse Konadu (#30), Skylar Jones (#22) Niagara University commit, and Robert Smith (#1) wore “PINK” apparel to support Breast Cancer awareness, education, and empowerment. MV celebrated the 25^th anniversary of the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and honored the graduating seniors of both teams by allowing the players and their families and friends to walk to half-court for “SENIOR NIGHT”.

Mount Head Coach Alfonso Smith with a much better team record than EHS Head Coach Kevin Quinlan seemed poised to let his team, draped in “PINK” apparel (head bands, socks, and undershirts) gave EHS several defensive schemes to try to adapt to during the match. Of course, the most impressive was double-team defense on EHS primary ball handler which forced several turnovers throughout the entire game. Read more.....

Bishop O’Connell Grabs 4^th Straight Against St. Mary’s Ryken

by Sean Frye - February 18, 2010

(ARLINGTON, VA) -- It seems as though the break the blizzard brought to DC Metro area basketball created a sleeping giant, as the Bishop O’Connell Knights won their second game in just two days on Wednesday. After beating Don Bosco on Tuesday, the Knights beat up on the St. Mary’s Ryken Knights 82-60, giving them their fourth straight win heading into Friday’s big match up against DeMatha.

It was also senior night for Bishop O’Connell, so emotions were running high all evening. “Kendall [Marshall] and the rest of the seniors have been our guys for four years. They get it done everyday,” Bishop O’Connell head coach Joe Wooten said.

After the pre-game festivities honoring the seniors, the game got underway. Immediately out of the gate, Bishop O’Connell began hounding St. Mary’s Ryken on defense, forcing plenty of turnovers. Marshall established his place as a McDonald’s All-American early as well, scoring 10 points in the first quarter alone. At the end of the quarter, Bishop O’Connell led 20-7. Read more..... | Game Photos.....

Myles Tate leads Briar Woods with 32 points over the Freedom High Eagles!!

by Bernaldo Ormond-February 4, 2010

(South Riding, VA) – The Boys High School Varsity Basketball game between the Freedom High School Eagles (4-14) and the Briar Woods Falcons (7-9) was a hard fought battle between two equally matched competitors. The celebration continued for both teams in support of the fight against cancer and was admirably displayed by Freedom High School Coach Derrek Gaunt and Briar Woods Head Coach Michael Benson, who wore athletic shoes in support the event.

The Briar Woods Falcons must have mentally transformed the words written on the back of the “Coaches vs. Cancer” t-shirts into tonight’s game. The words “Don’t Give up- Don’t Ever Give Up” was obliviously apparent in the athleticism and competitive spirit that the Briar Woods Falcons displayed during tonight’s competition. Briar Woods was led by sophomore point guard Myles Tate (#5), with his perimeter and interior moves to the basket kept the game within reach for the first three periods of the game.

Freedom High School (FHS) Eagles lead the first three periods with interior scoring from Brain Orr (#20) who seemed to have unmatched physical presence for Briar Woods to contain his scoring. It was obvious that Freedom had a scouting report on Myles Tate (#5) who was limited to only 2pts in the 1^st period, but fought to heat up his offense in the remaining three periods. Read more.....

Gonzaga Rallies to Defeat DeMatha in Overtime

by Sean Frye - January 29, 2010

(WASHINGTON, DC) -- In the headliner game of The Metro Rivalry series at Bender Arena, the Gonzaga Eagles took on the DeMatha Stags. Both teams put on one of the most memorable high school games the area has ever seen, but in the end, the Eagles came back from being down at halftime to defeat the Stags in overtime 67-65.

Quinn Cook and Victor Oladipo opened up the game with a 3-pointer apiece for the Stags, which allowed them to jump off to a quick start against the Eagles. The Stags at one point led 12-1 in the first quarter, but the Eagles defense began to force turnovers, which gave plenty of fast break opportunities at the other end. Malcolm Lemmons scored seven points for the Eagles, but the Stags led 14-11 after the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the pace remained the same, as both teams continued to trade off buckets. A 3-pointer by Cahli Thomas with 6:22 remaining tied the game up at 18-18. Both teams found way to get inside on offense, but the Stags struggled from the foul line on the night, which prevented them from opening up a big lead on the Eagles. Despite their foul shooting woes, the Stags led 28-27 at halftime. Read more..... | Game Photos.....

Good Counsel Survives Comeback, Defeats O’Connell in Metro Rivalr y

by Sean Frye - January 29, 2010

(WASHINGTON, DC) -- In the first game of the Metro Rivalry series held at Bender Arena on the campus of American University, the Good Counsel Falcons squared off against the Bishop O’Connell Knights for the second time this year. After coming back for the win in the first meeting, it was the Falcons who had to survive a comeback this time. A late fourth quarter run by the Knights was not enough though, as the Falcons won 63-59.

The Knights jumped out early to a 7-2 lead after Joe Cabrera hit a 3-pointer with 5:36 left. However, the Falcons recovered, and with 2:29 remaining in the quarter, Ben Hazel gave the Falcons the lead on two foul shots. The Falcons held a 20-14 advantage after the first quarter ended.

In the second quarter, the Knights’ offense could simply not find a rhythm. A 3-pointer by Matt McCarthy put the Falcons up 25-14 with 5:41 left in the quarter. The two teams went back and forth for the rest of the quarter, with the Falcons going into halftime with a 33-21 lead. Read more..... | Game Photos.....

Riverdale Baptist Outlasts Northwestern, Wins 70-56

by Sean Frye - January 28, 2010

(HYATTSVILLE, MD) -- The youthful yet promising Riverdale Baptist Crusaders traveled Thursday for a duel against the Northwestern Wildcats. Both teams were flying up and down the court all game, and both squads put up high numbers offensively, but the Crusaders converted on 80% of their foul shots to help them outlast the Wildcats on the night.

The high octane tempo of both offenses was set early in the first quarter by both teams. While the Wildcats hit more jump shots, the Crusaders were able to crash the basket harder. Justin Drummond of the Crusaders went off for 12 points in the quarter to put his squad up 24-22 at the end of the first.

To start the second quarter, both squads began trading off buckets. Obie Oleka scored eight points in the quarter for the Wildcats, while the Crusaders were simply unconscious from the field. They led by the slimmest of margins, 37-36, at halftime. Read more..... | Game Photos.....

Eleanor Roosevelt Tops Bladensburg Behind Miller’s 17

by Sean Frye - January 26, 2010

(GREENBELT, MD) -- Despite missing two starters, the Eleanor Roosevelt Raiders were able to defend their home court Tuesday night against the Bladensburg Mustangs. The Mustangs led by one at halftime, but the Raiders’ offense found its niche in the second half to pull away for a 62-51 victory.

It was a slow offensive start for both teams to start the game. The refs were also quick to their whistle in the first quarter, calling a total of 12 fouls. The thrilling moment came from Dajuan Pierre of the Mustangs as the buzzer sounded, when he hit a 3-pointer to put his squad up 11-10.

The tempo picked up offensive in the second quarter for both teams. Alex Bates, normally in the starting lineup but was struggling with flu-like symptoms, came off the bench to score six points in the quarter for the Raiders, including a fast break dunk that came off a blocked shot from the other end. The Mustangs got the last laugh in the quarter though, as Khalil Fletcher hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer, the Mustangs’ second one of the night, to put his team up 29-28 at halftime. Read more..... | Game Photos.....

Mount Vernon Runs Over Washington-Lee in Fourth Quarter

by Sean Frye - January 22, 2010

(ALEXANDRIA, VA) -- Friday night marked another meeting between National District rivals, as the Mount Vernon Majors played host to the Washington-Lee Generals. The Generals, who have struggled throughout the year, kept the game close for the first three quarters, but the Majors ran away with the game in the final quarter to prevail 81-58.

The Majors set the tempo of the game early, causing a lot of turnovers on defense, as well penetrating with much success on the offensive end. The Generals were able to find a small offensive spark, keeping the Majors from opening up a big lead on them. Nevertheless, the Majors, who received 10 points from Jesse Konadu, led 19-11 after the first quarter.