On Wednesday, Phenom Hoops traveled out to Bishop McGuinness for another noteworthy open gym session. The Villains have been led by Coach Josh Thompson since 2004. Regardless of roster composition, they’ve found consistent success and regularly competed for state championships throughout his tenure. Although they had some struggles last season, the Villains seem guaranteed to bounce back with their new-look roster. Between the multiple additions and shift to a different conference, Bishop McGuinness will definitely surprise folks. Let’s take a closer look…
6’5 ’22 Dawson McAlhany
From starting as a freshman to leading in the years thereafter, Dawson McAlhany has been a staple of this Villains program throughout his high school career. He’s their undisputed captain, and it’s evident in the way he carries himself amongst this group. McAlhany exudes confidence, as should any player who has produced at his level over the recent months. After a lengthy travel ball season with the Spartans, he’s immediately tasked with transitioning into another leadership role. Fortunately, this is nothing new for McAlhany. His blend of IQ, athleticism, and well-rounded skillset should lead to natural production across the board. The southpaw is terrific at attacking the basket and finishing through contact or above the rim. He’s crafty and loves utilizing spin moves when getting into the paint. McAlhany has maintained his improved consistency as a perimeter shooter while still actively mixing up his scoring approach from all levels. He also displays vision, toughness, and an understanding of how to involve himself as a defender and rebounder. McAlhany has largely been overlooked by scholarship-level coaches over last year or so, but that should change throughout the upcoming high school season.
5’9 ’23 Riggs Handy
Despite being their newest addition, Riggs Handy already brings obvious value to this squad. He’s slightly undersized but actually understands how to utilize the lack of size to his advantage, able to slip through tiny gaps, make shifty moves, and knock down shots at an incredibly high percentage from beyond the arc. Handy has visibly developed his game over the years, transforming from a standstill shooting threat to a fairly dynamic offensive threat. He handles the ball effectively, makes intelligent passes, and moves exceptionally well as a cutter. Handy displays sharp defensive instincts and forces turnovers at a strong rate, especially for his size. His knockdown shooting, general feel for the game, and scrappy all-around presence will make Handy an asset to the Villains. As a current junior, he should be a consistent producer over the next two seasons.
6’6 ’23 Rio O’Hale
Arguably the most improved player on the roster, Rio O’Hale is going to be a legitimately vital piece for the Villains. He was already going to return as their primary interior prospect, but his newfound confidence and assertiveness should bring a lot of optimism going forward. O’Hale plays hard yet under control, able to make his presence felt as a defender or two-way rebounder. He’s a capable finisher but arguably better at stepping out and knocking down midrange jumpers. O’Hale also showed the ability to take opponents off the bounce and emerge as a leader when his team needed. His low-maintenance identity will fit perfectly amongst their pieces.
6’1 ’23 Andrew Schrage
Similar to Handy, Andrew Schrage will start his junior season with Bishop McGuinness and immediately become a useful rotation guy. He provides quality energy and shows capabilities of being able to apply scoring pressure from multiple levels within the flow of the action. Schrage works hard defensively, fights for rebounds, and understands how to operate within his role on both ends of the floor. Expect him to find opportunities with this squad.
6’2 ’24 John Campbell
Despite being one of the younger players on the roster, folks should start taking note of John Campbell. Since he played within the homeschool ranks last season, people likely don’t know that much about him. Campbell is a smart, crafty, well-rounded floor general with an excellent balance between playmaking and three-level scoring. He displays creative vision when attacking the basket, but instinctively understands how to make the proper read whenever available. Campbell scores the ball well from all levels, defends his position with toughness, and regularly outperforms his assignment in all facets of the game. He has the chance to be a very noteworthy prospect, and will certainly be a prospect for college coaches to monitor over the coming years.
6’6 ’24 Cal Barrett
There’s a considerable amount of intrigue within this roster, including Cal Barrett, who should steadily trend upward over the coming months. After growing six inches in the last calendar year, the long, wiry forward prospect has taken his game to another level. Barrett has maintained his guard skills despite the physical maturation, which will make him somewhat of a matchup problem for opposing forwards. At 6-foot-6, he can pass, dribble, and shoot very well for his position. Barrett will be one to watch over the coming years.
6’3 ’22 Kevin Chase
Likely to fill a similar role as last season, Kevin Chase should provide some quality energy off the bench. He’s long, wiry, and shows a willingness to do the little things on either end of the floor. Chase doesn’t require a ton of touches to make an impact, which is a massive part of his value with this team.