Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School (Dumfries, VA)
Classification: VISAA Division I
Colleges in Attendance: Marymount University
Familiar Territory
Oh yes, I definitely knew how to make my way up to the school grounds of Saint John Paul the Great (JP) last week. While I didn't attend the high school, JP's basketball program feels like family to me ever since I met head varsity coach, Angelo Hunt, his assistants, players, and alums back in the summer of 2016. I was in the middle of my own college playing days back then and frequently worked out up in Northern parts of the state, just looking for anywhere that provided gym access. It wasn't long until I came across JP, who held skill/open gym sessions several times throughout the week for their own members and invited other college hoopers as well. I quickly connected with everybody and truly respected how well the players and coaches interacted. The Wolves contained a bunch of gym rats who knew how to come in and focus on the necessary things to push each other to the limit. Hunt and his assistants played their own role of using techniques of skill development, both full and half-court drills, and scrimmaging in each session to challenge the players in various ways daily. I could see myself and everyone else continue to develop after each workout. JP knew how to infuse teaching, competitive energy, and having fun all into their gym time to make the most of every day. Arriving back to the school gymnasium last week, now as a scout/journalist, I still see those same ingredients.
No Friends on the Court
The Wolves will have more of a younger team this year, as only three seniors return. During their off-season and preseason grind, the coaches welcome all high school ages to participate in daily workouts. This summer, going into the early school year, has especially shown a number of young faces stepping into the gym.
'We obviously have a couple of seniors, couple of juniors, and sophomores make their way up here to get some work in. But man, this is the most freshmen we've had shown up in about… ten years. Without question,' Hunt explained.
Eager for tryouts to soon take place, the coaching staff has their group mainly competing against one another now. After warming up with five-man full court passing into transition layups, the coaches used both sides of the court to start up live 4v4 shell play. One can easily see how much the players enjoy going at each other more than anything else on the court. Even with their reliable skills and IQ, I see the biggest strength of the Wolves coming in the form of their overall competitive spirit. A famous quote states 'it's hard to beat a person who never gives up.' This rings true for JP, as their coaches have done well in ingraining the mindset of 'go after any and everybody' once stepping foot on the court; doesn't matter if it's a simple preseason workout.
After battling it out in the 4v4 action, they went into half-court 5v5 play and ended with some full-court. While watching the young fellas challenge each team for close to an hour, I noticed one particular detail that should play as a big role for the Wolves' future success: how well they can space the floor. A majority of the players have effective games from the perimeter and can penetrate toward the rim to find open looks. Certain lineups will ultimately depend on which tactic the coaching staff chooses to use, but I can see the 5-out motion offense working best for the type of talent they have returning. Chemistry appears strong already, which doesn't really surprise me considering that these guys stay in the gym together all throughout the summer.
Strenuous Schedule (as usual)
Playing in the VISAA Division I classification, JP acknowledges how every new season will bring a challenging schedule. After tipping things off with their home-opener against Trinity Episcopal School on November 28th, the Wolves will go on to spend the weekend in McLean, VA participating in the Potomac School Tip-Off Tournament. Once mid-December arrives, the squad then travels to Potomac, MD for the annual Bullis Holiday Classic. To finish off 2018, JP only has to go a short distance for the Mt. Vernon Holiday Tournament. The New Year will open up the start of competition between familiar VISAA D1 foes.
Who to Look For:
Jared Perry ’19
I've seen Perry in the gym dating back to the first summer I met the Wolves and could tell right from the start how much he enjoyed being in the gym. Now, as a senior presence, the growth of his skill jumps out in a vast way. Also, he's put on a couple of inches, now standing at 6'2.' The combo guard has a complete game in his offensive package in how he uses patience to create his own shot, relocate off the ball to find space for jumpers, and use hesitation moves to beat defenders off the dribble. His handle looks better than I've ever seen it, along with his defense. After leading the team in steals last season, I expect him to serve as one of the main defensive anchors in the Wolves' attack. Perry should continue to keep improving his footwork and quickness so it never becomes an issue trying to blow by an elite defender, which I'm sure he'll come across at some point. Having earned interest from quite a few college programs following a big summer with New World VA AAU, I'm confident more coaches will take notice of his play throughout these upcoming months.
Jayden Hibbett ’19
Another senior veteran for the varsity squad, Hibbett has a very similar story to Perry as another guy who has grown a few inches and improved his all-around game at an impressive rate during the last few years. A 6'6' forward who can do a bit of everything on the court, I see him having one of the biggest roles for JP due to his size and versatility. Hibbett can really hurt opponents by using his frame to back down and shoot over smaller defenders. When a bigger, slower players rushes out to contest him, he can put it on the floor and finish at the rim with either hand. His touch around the rim arguably stands as the most impressive facet of his game. While not an excellent three-pointer shooter, the lanky senior also showed confidence and willingness to step out and seek spot-up shots during my visit. He can really become a handful for opposing teams once he gets into a good rhythm. On-ball defense and crashing the glass a bit harder should serve as main focal points for him to have a dominant senior year. Several college programs have inquired.
DJ Slaughter ’20
The talented 6'0' guard couldn't make it to last week's workout. Still, Slaughter will again play a heavy role in conducting the Wolves' offense, while also returning as the team's leading scorer after averaging 14.7 ppg during his sophomore campaign. If defenses primarily key in on him, he has the natural ability to find others around the perimeter. Definitely a 2020 prospect that college coaches should keep in mind; who knows what he may have up his sleeve for this winter.
Latief Mustafaa ’20
One of the more impactful pound-for-pound players coming back in the mix, the aggressive combo guard truly exemplifies what I stated earlier about the Wolves' mindset of 'going at everybody.' When Mustafaa decides to put his head down and go, it takes a lot to try and stop him; he had one of the best showings of getting to the rim in a straight-line during my arrival. This attacking mindset results in him drawing fouls at will and tiring out those who try to get back in transition defense. He mainly excels the best at initiating his own fast break. No one ever questions his toughness when taking note of how he shows no hesitation of sticking his nose in the paint to make a defensive play or go after rebounds. The high-motor junior should definitely give the Wolves a great spark whenever he takes the court. A next step for him involves a focus of transitioning more into a pure point guard. Mustafaa has a nose for scoring, which obviously proves beneficial, but, at his 5'9' size, he must recognize that he most likely will play as a primary ball-handler at the collegiate level. Improving in this aspect, along with his shooting touch, will help him make a bigger jump.
Max Mitchell ’20
A good athlete with solid strength and quick feet, Mitchell showed a lot of potential as a guy who can come on board and contribute both ways this season. His explosive first step stood out better than anybody else's; once he gets past you, it's a wrap. He has a nice/easy shooting touch that stretches out to long range and should complement him in emerging as a spot-up threat for the Wolves. Defensively, he has the frame and quickness to defend several positions; I could see him taking on the role of guarding other teams' best player during stretches frequently throughout the season. At 6'2,' Mitchell will need to keep improving his separation game and handle to become more of a playmaking threat.
Outlook
Every year, you can count on the Wolves entering the high school season with great enthusiasm. Honestly, this enthusiasm never lessens… no matter what time of the year it may be. While the graduation of one Northern VA's top shooters, Ryan Wheatley '18 (16.6 ppg/89 total three-pointers last season) will undoubtedly serve as a big loss, JP returns plenty of firepower and other youthful talent that can all amalgamate to make this team one to reckon with. No easy nights will ever come with competing in VISAA D1 but motivation and challenges both fuel up the Wolves more than anything else. No feelings of doubt ever appear in their hearts; you can trust me on that one.
November is upon us… can you hear the Wolves growling'
