DMV Tip-Off Classic: HD Woodson vs. Eleanor Roosevelt
One of the most anticipated tilts of the DMV's 2016-17 season will occur this Saturday in DMV Tip-Off Classic action; HD Woodson and Eleanor Roosevelt take the floor at 715p EST. It's DC vs. PG County for bragging rights.
For more on this match up, see below. Scroll to the page's bottom for general event information.
H.D. Woodson (DC)
Last winter was a heady time for H.D. Woodson Basketball, as the team finished a historic 33-0 run, garnering not only DCIAA but DCSAA crowns. A great season had tremendous results.
After losing four seniors who played regularly, the Warriors expected to reload for 2016-17, with residual players improving and two transfers buttressing them. The latter didn’t happen – those school switches have been denied to date – leaving head coach Trey Mines and his crew in a bit of a bind.
“We are just so jacked up in practice because of the numbers” confided Mines which includes having to manage fatigue. Having only seven guys has also impacted games, including playing in a recent game with just five players available, and finishing another with four. Interestingly enough, those two contests were Warrior wins. As Mines put it “We just have to play. We’re going to take whatever we have and win”.
Leading the way despite these odds on the court is Kiyon Boyd. Standing 6’6” and weighing 210 pounds, Boyd, a junior who plays virtually every position drives, passes, finishes and shoots. A good rebounder and solid defender, he’s on the short list for best players in the DMV. The short, short list.
A total of 24 schools have offered him scholarships, including Georgetown, Cincinnati, Maryland, Virginia Union, Penn State, Xavier, Providence and Louisville. He’s a force on the hardwood who thinks the game.
If Boyd is 1A, Derquan Washington is 1B for H.D. Woodson. A 6’0”, 165 pound shooting guard, Washington excels at stretching the floor, and according to Mines “might be averaging 30 points right now”, after a 41 point outburst. If Washington gets a clean look, the ball likely is going in from beyond the arc. He’s also worked at driving and kicking/finishing.
Mines indicated Washington has an offer from Virginia Union, while “James Madison, Towson, Manhattan and Morgan State” are showing interest.
How about an x-factor? Mines identified two.
“Really tough nosed on defense. Big time shot maker. When he’s making shots, it elevates us to another level” said Mines of Yancy Bynum, a 6’0”, 155 pound sophomore guard. “He’s not afraid to stick his nose in there. If he makes mistakes it’s because he’s going hard”
Tiger Simms is the other; A 6’3”, 185 pound freshman forward, Simms “is probably the next big thing to come through” opined Mines. “He’s a really good, crafty finisher…he’s making his way, fitting in. Is a really good rebounder. When he’s on, he’s good. They call him Baby Kio (alluding to Boyd)”.
The fact Mines noted two x-factors points to his team’s youth, inexperience and lack of depth. That predicament understandably impacts what the Warriors do schematically on the floor. Offensively they excel at “five out and go” per their coach, while defensively “We are always going to be a tough on man, play man team, but because of the numbers have been playing zone”.
Being underhanded is not an excuse for Woodson.
“We’re young Warriors in every sense of the word. We’re really young and inexperienced” said Mines. “But they’re battling…for the most part still being competitive and winning basketball games. We’re getting better and better each time out”.
His crew is “Playing with a chip on our shoulder…it's just like one of those things where people put us in a position where we’re going to defeat teams regardless” continued the coach, who admitted “I feel for the kids being denied an opportunity. Right now, the team has to move forward. And nobody is feeling sorry for us…Our kids are embracing the challenge”.
Could more championships be produced? Quite possibly.
VS.
Eleanor Roosevelt
Coming off a Maryland 4A Championship, the Eleanor Roosevelt Raiders might be excused for having a down 2016-17 season. Losing one of the best players in Maryland, Naji Marshall, only intensifies such a thought.
That idea, based on early returns, would be premature.
“Right now, young and inexperienced. But we have a lot of potential” said head coach Brendan O’Connell prior to his team’s recent donnybrook with DeMatha Catholic. “We have three sophomores on varsity who all are going to play a lot. We’ve got a lot of depth”. Additionally, the Raiders “have a chance to be a really good shooting team, some of the best shooters we’ve had here in a while”.
O’Connell also noted “Hopefully we’ll have that same level of defense and toughness”, both being on display in the team’s recent 73-65 loss to DeMatha Catholic. The Raiders were a factor throughout, battled back from a 15-1, second half starting Stag run to get within four. Roosevelt had their chances, pretty much out-toughed DeMatha, and were a couple of plays from victory.
Before the contest, O’Connell shared his team, lacking their recently trademark pivot scorer, will offensively deploy “a little more four out on the perimeter” which also frees up his bigs to shoot outside the paint. Defensively the coach noted “We plan on playing our trademark half court, man defense”, but would add some pressure. All the above were witnessed against the Stags.
Jaden Faulkner was the catalyst for what ER did when facing DM; Standing 6’3” and weighing around 180 pounds, the two sport star Faulkner (he’s also a quarterback) triggered what ER did, driving, dishing and scoring.
“He’s just got a level of toughness and maturity, is basketball smart” said O’Connell of his lead guy, who ultimately believes of Faulkner “He’s just a player”.
Having just migrated from the gridiron, where he shared “East Carolina, Towson” and another school are recruiting him as a signal caller, there is an adjustment period, to which Faulkner opined “It’s kind of hard because you have to get in shape. You have to get your skills back down, your timing is impacted”.
A plus of playing football is “Nothing really fazes me, for real” he said. That competitive ability and his skill set has the likes of Hampton, Stonybrook and Mount St. Mary’s showing roundball interest.
Cameron Brown, a 6’3”, 170 pound sophomore shooting guard is another Raider to watch, given his shooting ability – past the three point line – and willingness to make plays.
An x-factor for O’Connell Gus Okafor “is going to be one of the best players in the league (PG 4A) this year” as the coach added this 6’6”, 210 pound senior forward “can dribble, shoot and pass. I’m hoping he has a breakout year for us”.
The Raiders as a whole may have one also.
