With the new college basketball season upon us, it's time to shine light on college prospects who either have local ties and/or play for a local college program, that fans should follow closely headed into the season. Some players, you may know, others, may be on your radar after you've finished reading this article. Nonetheless, these are some of the brightest players the area has to offer at the college level. These select players, will have a LOT to say regarding the success of their respective teams. Lets start with some special freshman to keep a close eye on.
Darren Buchanan Jr/ George Washington/ 6’7/ F:
Redshirt freshman forward who is a transfer from Virginia Tech comes to GW with big expectations after not playing during the 22-23 season for the Hokies. Buchanan Jr is a former D.C. Gatorade, All Met and two time DCIAA Player of the Year after leading Woodrow Wilson High School (now named Jackson-Reed High School) to a pair of DCIAA titles. Buchanan Jr averaged 17 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals over his career at Wilson. Now it should be more clear why there are lofty expectations for the homegrown product. A few traits that the talented forward brings to the table that should help the Colonials immediately is his versatility, athleticism, toughness and how hard he competes. Buchanan Jr has the skill and agility to play on the perimeter as a wing, where he can break down opponents and get to the basket and knock down outside shots, yet, he can make an impact as a four, due to his size and toughness. If Buchanan Jr can duplicate half of what he did in high school, George Washington will be much improved this upcoming season and beyond.
Carlton Carrington/ Pittsburgh/ 6’5/ G: (#7 in Blue)
Versatile guard, with that Baltimore grit that helps Charm City area players stand out, who can play both guard spots seamlessly. Carrington, can thrive off the ball as a scorer, he scored over 2,000 points in his high school career, which includes scoring over 1,000 points in one season, while, being able to defend bigger wings effectively. However, he’s a more than a proficient playmaker, which allows him to be a quality floor general. There was early footage of him shining, playing both on and off the ball during Pittsburgh’s summer tour in Spain. He showed flashes of being a triple double threat right away. Expect the former Baltimore Catholic League first team selection to make an immediate impact for the Panthers this upcoming season.
Amani Hansberry/ Illinois/ 6’8/ F:
Hansberry is a unique talent in that he’s a throwback and present day forward rolled into one. He’s a technician on either block, yet, he’s able to step out and knock down mid-range jumpers, as well as break down opposing bigs off the bounce. Add in his excellent rebounding ability and you have a dangerous big that can do a lot of damage inside and out. Hansberry led Mount St Josephs to a 38-4 overall record and the Baltimore Catholic League regular season and tournament titles, averaging 15.3 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists during his senior season.
DeShawn Harris-Smith/ Maryland/ 6’5/ G-F:
One of the best all around and TOUGHEST freshman, physically AND mentally, in college hoops. Harris-Smith is a relentless do every guard who can also play a little forward depending on the match-up. He’s a stat sheet stuffer that can impact the game in a lot of ways, many of which, won’t show up in the boxscore. Harris-Smith can run the team as a point guard, lock in on being a primary scorer as a shooting guard and do it all as a small forward. Playing in the Big Ten, throughout a game as well as throughout the season, it's likely that he will be required to impact the game from all three positions at different points to help the Terps be successful. Virginia’s Gatorade Player of the Year, averaged 17.8 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 2.6 steals as a senior for WCAC and national powerhouse Paul VI.
Tyler Perkins/ Pennsylvania/ 6’4/ G: (#14 in Purple)
Perkins has had a meteoric rise over the last year and a half, emerging from a player completely off the recruiting radar after his junior season of high school, to becoming one of the more coveted recruits in the DMV as a senior. The smooth shooting lefty averaged 24.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.5 steals per game over his senior season at the Landon School, earning Interstate Athletic Conference Player of the Year and All Met first team honors. Perkins rode that momentum into the summer playing in the historic Kenner League (DC Nike Pro City) where he nearly tied Allen Iverson’s scoring record for a Kenner League debut (40 points) with 37 points. Perkins, has all of the tools offensively and intangibles as a player to make a big impact right away for Pennsylvania. Improvement defensively and staying consistent game to game are the question marks as the season fast approaches. Although, for incoming freshman, that’s usually the case. Sky is the limit for Perkins.
Honorable Mention:
Jahnathan Lamothe/ Maryland, Jamie Kaiser Jr/ Maryland, Jeannot Basima/ Yale, Malik Mack/ Harvard, Thomas Batties II/ Harvard, Jacoi Hutchinson/ George Washington, Greg Jones/ American, Shawn Simmons II/ St Joseph’s, Anthony “Ace” Valentine/ UMBC, Dylan Williamson/ Towson
