DMV Tip-Off Classic: Douglass vs. Riverdale Baptist
This weekend marks the fifth annual DMV Tip-Off Classic. Always one of the best early season high school showcases in the DC-Washington-Virginia area, the Tip-Off Classic regularly pits teams that would not otherwise play.
For general information, see the graphic at article's end. Immediately below is an analysis of the December 17th, 2016 event's 2p EST, game.
Douglass (MD)
Having a fourth year star point guard Donald Curry, an active 6’7” 185 pound forward in Zion Cousins and Savon Word, the Eagle’s bucket getting, 5’8” senior shooting guard, Tyrone Massenburg’s Frederick Douglass Eagles could make serious PG 2A noise, in addition to making a state championship run. He’s happy where his program is.
“I would say we are experienced” said the coach, a “very close knit group that enjoy working in practice, are great students”, with “high character” being used to describe his roster. His crew also functions “very well with one another”.
All of that was on display recently during a close defeat to DMV Tip-Off Classic participant Bladensburg. Though the Eagles lost, Massenburg’s guys competed until the end, pretty much ran their stuff and had a chance at victory.
Massenburg’s previous statement of exploiting “the mismatch if we have any” offensively was proven by Douglass versus Bladensburg; they routinely searched for advantages. The key thing hampering them were a number of key, missed, late game shots.
The Eagles also pressed when advantaged to do so. Man to man was their base half court defensive set, one that was solid, and will only improve.
Cousins, a senior, is headed to Howard, while the 6’5”, 175 pound Curry uses smarts, craftiness and size to attack defenses. Howard and James Madison have offered the latter a scholarship, with the latter being present to watch him play against Bladensburg.
Douglass will be reckoned with this season.
VS.
Riverdale Baptist
Over the years, Lou Wilson has consistently put together one of the DMV’s must successful programs, despite typically welcoming a number of transfers. Wilson knows how to not only recruit, but pull a team together. It’s what he does.
The 2016-17 season is no different.
"I think we are very young, but very talented” noted Wilson of his team, a claim proven accurate by the Crusader’s early 10-1 record at the time of this writing. Multiple guys have been counted on.
Deion Hammond, the 6’4”, senior 180 pound shooting guard headed to Monmouth is a prime Crusader, a guy who slashes and finishes, while also shooting in streaks from the outside. This season against dangerous McNamara, he had 20 points.
Senior forward Cyril Ogdaugu, a 6’6”, 215 pound glass cleaner has had four games this season of double digit rebounds. Gannon and other Division II institutions are all over Ogdaugu, while Towson is starting to investigate him.
Transfer junior point guard Donavann Toatley is a new Crusader who is paying significant dividends. Standing 5’8”, 140 pounds, Toatley combines the ability to find and score.
Previously Wilson identified himself as a “mano-mano” coach, meaning he loves to teach and deploy man to man defenses. On offense the Crusaders love to run yet desire to “be balanced…execute certain plays in the half court”. So far Riverdale Baptist has done all of that.
It looks like the Crusaders and Wilson are doing their thing.
