Twitter: @PVIHoops
Instagram: @pvihoops
Team Website: pvihoops.com
Well, it's about that time again for one of my favorite occasions, being a part of the Phenom Hoops team: our annual high school preseason open gym tour. For the next couple of months leading into winter tryouts, members of our crew will take daily trips to workouts held by school programs within our respective regions of coverage. In my first year with Phenom last fall, this ‘tour' helped me extremely in learning about all of the talented players amongst Central Virginia. By now, I have a good idea of who's both departed and returned from the hoops scene but always look forward to see how teams plan to build upon their previous seasons. Stay tuned for the next incoming weeks for the release of what should be a plentiful amount of previews by myself and others conducting this year's ‘tour.' We're ready to fill up the gas tank, that's for sure.
I found myself up North on the grounds of Paul VI Catholic High School (Fairfax, VA) for my first stop. The Panthers have a noteworthy program I've become familiar with by attending their practice for an initial glance last October, interviewing their players, and covering them in a few games during 2018-19. For years now, they've kept their reputation high as one of the nation's top basketball powerhouses. It's no coincidence either, considering how hard they work on the court and in the weight room daily.
Paul VI Catholic High School
Conference: Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC)
2018-19 overall record: 27-9
2018-19 notable achievements: WCAC regular season co-champions. Finished in second place at Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament.
What We Know
- In a common case, Paul VI had a pretty strenuous schedule last year by not only participating in the renowned WCAC conference but also journeying across the country for several top-notch showcases/tournaments that feature some of the best high school competition on a yearly basis. Similar challenges should again arise this year both in and out of conference play. The Panthers finished notably well in the WCAC 2018-19 regular season with an 18-2 mark. Once the playoffs hit, they fell short of attaining championships in three different event appearances; something I'm sure the returners will firmly have in the back of their minds entering this winter.
- In my eyes, one of Paul VI's most impressive and satisfying accomplishments last season was how they relied on young and energetic players to step up. They took a big blow early on when their starting backcourt of national recruits, Jeremy Roach '20 and Anthony Harris '19, both went down in devastating fashion with season-ending knee injuries. After making adjustments and fueling off of motivation, however, it became clear the team had no plans of folding. One of the best examples of their toughness happened on Day 2 of the ARS Rescue Rooter Washington D.C. HoopFest (12/8/18). Matched against #1 nationally-ranked Montverde Academy (Montverde, FL), Paul VI had the gym electrified by their playmaking and battled all night long before finally suffering a narrow 57-50 loss.
- There's great news for not only Paul VI, the WCAC, or Northern Virginia, but for the entire country, that Roach is slotted to return for full-go as a senior. High school basketball becomes more exciting when he's playing, as multiple recruiting services ranked the 6'1' floor general as a top-three player at his national position prior to that 2018 injury. On my visit, he participated in all drills, including full-court transition ones, except for 5v5 play. A fully healthy Roach proves as one of the state's scariest sights…he posted over 15 points on a nightly average and made the WCAC All-League first team as a sophomore.
*Pictured: Roach from fall 2018. He's at the top of my list for predictions of the 2020 Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) Division I Player of the Year.
- Being more of a guard-oriented team, the use of true post players doesn't appear as one of Paul VI's main assets this season. Two bigs that frequently started last season, Josh Oduro '19 and Avery Ford '21, have both departed. Oduro now plays nearby in the area for George Mason University and Ford transferred to Centreville High School (Fairfax, VA) the other week. Even with the two key pieces gone, Tyler Coleman '21 returns at 6'6' and three other 2021 prospects have newly arrived with additional size. 6'8' Andrew Gillman '21, 6'7' Jack Jensen '21, and 6'5' Luke Triggs '21 all contain toughness and showed capabilities of producing inside during the team's Friday afternoon practice. It gave me my first look at Gillman and Jensen, while I had the chance to scout Triggs a few times this past summer when he competed for Higher Level Premier 17u.
Guess Who's Back'
Jeremy Roach '20 – Even with talent all over the roster, the veteran guard should prove as the glue that holds everything together. Since entering the program as a freshman, Roach has started every year (that he's been active) at the point guard spot and contains tools of a playmaking specialist off of the bounce. He pitches the ball ahead in transition better than any guard I've seen, finishes with his off-hand extremely well, has a nice handle, and shows great court vision. I also feel his way of drawing charges acts as an underrated part of his defense. I'm wishing the best for Roach to continue in staying healthy for a strong closing chapter to his already-decorated high school career. Trust me, the Duke University commit earned a scholarship for a reason.
Trevor Keels '21 – It's hard to think of any other 2021 Virginia player who took as big of a step up compared to the 6'4' Keels in the past year. Don't get me wrong, he definitely showed elite promise when he made the WCAC All-League third team as a freshman in 2017-18. Still, how he took over to lead the Panthers in scoring (17 ppg) and earn WCAC Co-Player of the Year honors this past winter as only a sophomore shows how special he's truly becoming. Not only does the wing have great scoring skills but his stocky build leads to opponents often bouncing off of him. He knows how to get it done on both ends and shoots fairly efficient from the field. Right now, I only see him going up in these upperclassmen years. Connecticut, Ohio State, and Maryland have been some of the latest schools to extend offers.
*Pictured: Keels from fall 2018. One of the nation's top juniors as a four-star prospect.
Josiah Freeman '20 – Another talented wing who made a big jump last season, Freeman brings some of the best outside perimeter shooting back to the Panthers. I feel like the majority of Washington D.C. saw this in that aforementioned game against Montverde Academy. The 6'4' senior exploded for five triples and a team-high 24 points. He's mainly known for being able to shoot it but undoubtedly can get to the rim at times also. A notable body transformation should result in Freeman making more athletic plays when he's not spotting up around the arc. Defensively, he focuses on that end very well and can guard different positions, if needed. Coming off of a 2019 WCAC All-League second team selection and solid summer with District WAWG 17u, he's picked up offers from UNC-Greensboro, Radford, Saint Peters, Quinnipiac, and Sienna ever since mid-July.
*Pictured: Freeman from fall 2018. Holds over a dozen Division I scholarship offers.
Will Paige '20 – Alongside Freeman and Keels, I'd deem the 5'11' Paige as another one of Paul VI's best three-point shooters coming back into the mix. The lefty gets his release off quickly and shot the ball really well during all of Friday, both in drills and competition. Additionally, he stands out by taking it upon himself to create a consistent vocal presence. That's something I'm quite sure the coaching staff appreciates from a senior. I see a nice ‘edge' in Paige's game and members of the WCAC took note of the spark he gives his team whenever checking onto the floor. That recognition led to an All-League honorable mention nod last year. If he can push the ball and finish with his right hand in a likewise way to how he looks going left, it should help expand Paige's recruitment further.
Tyler Coleman '21 – I have to be honest…I didn't even recognize Coleman initially when I first stepped into the gym. That's a good thing, however, as it became obvious he's spent the offseason putting on noticeable muscle mass. The forward already plays physically inside and this added-on strength should make him one of the team's top frontcourt options now as a junior. Offensive rebounding and patient finishing works the best for him in paint points. One also shouldn't be surprised to see Coleman step out to beyond the arc for outside shot attempts, as he's capable of netting a few. Defending on-ball looked like a weaker point of his last year but I'm seeing some progress on that end. He has a year of experience under his belt and more than likely learned a lot under Oduro last season. I can recall Oduro teaching Coleman some specific things back when I made my 2018 visit.
Knasir ‘Dug' McDaniel '22 – Most know all about the savvy point guard and the excitement he brings to the floor. I had the pleasure of witnessing his ‘breakout party' during the Montverde contest; he got the packed crowd into a frenzy by displaying sensational ball-handling and facilitating. ‘Dug,' as they call him, does so many things one cannot teach at that youthful age. He competes with a high IQ, makes the unselfish play, defends, and simply embraces the big moments. If anything appeared as his Achilles heel last season, I'd say he could've shot the ball better from three-point range. However, on Friday, he looked more confident in that area and from deep range. The 5'9' guard has a big heart and a lot of swagger, which makes him an instant fan favorite. He averaged 10.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg, and 2.6 apg on his way to the WCAC All-League first team (the only freshman selected) after taking on a greater role than expected.
Where You Can Find Them:
- ‘ARS Rescue Rooter National HoopFest' (Washington, D.C.); December 2019
- ‘Slam Dunk to the Beach' (Lewes, DE); December 27-19, 2019
- ‘Charm City Challenge/BCL vs. WCAC Showcase' (Loyola, MD); December 2019
- ‘Cancer Research Classic' (Wheeler, WV); January 3-4, 2020
- ’36th Annual Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions' (Springfield, MO); Jan. 16-18, 2020
- 2020 ‘Spalding Hoophall Classic' (Springfield, MA); Dates TBA
A Word from the Head Honcho
'So, we have some guys that have obviously been through ‘the fire' and we're expecting them to lead the charge this year. Expectations are definitely high. We're always trying to compete for a WCAC championship and I think this group is very capable. Obviously, with our national non-conference schedule, we just want to take the opportunity of making a name for ourselves. We've established some recognition over the last few years in our league; landing three regular-season championships in a row that we've either won or shared. We just want to build towards that, we're more than happy to have Jeremy (Roach) back out there and excited about the prospect of bringing it all together and charging hard.'
– Head coach Glenn Farello (13th year)
Outlook
Roach is back, many non-seniors have gained a plethora of experience, and there's a clear focus for daily improvement in the gym. All three notions served as optimism in the Panthers taking off for another strong year on the big-time high school hoops scene. They're one of the best fast-break teams around and do well in practice to make sure everyone's on the same page of how that's their first option. Chemistry has never looked like an issue, even with multiple next-level targets on the court. It's easy to see how well the players respect/like each other and the coaching staff. That gets a team farther ahead than just talent and Paul VI's perseverance is one of many reasons why I have them as a potential favorite to win the VISAA Division I state title next March.
Hoping to stumble across more teams this week!