AAU Profiles-District Basketball Club

Aaron Jasper 6’3 Point Guard (St. Mary’s Ryken HS): Jasper is a floor general with nice size who balanced scoring and facilitating very well with this squad. He has a smooth pull-up in the mid-range in addition finishing efficiently at the rim with both hands. Is also a good playmaker who uses his height to see over the top of opponents. Finds teammates rolling to the basket effectively on ball screens, as well as in the lane for easy buckets on drop-offs. Defensively, Jasper is quick laterally making it difficult for opponents to get dribble penetration on him. Also does a nice job of plucking the ball away from opponents when they are weak with their handle. D2 schools in leagues like the CIAA and PSAC should be keeping an eye on Jasper.

Ryan Cornish 6’3 Combo Guard (Sidwell Friends School): One of the best shooters in the DMV area is Cornish. He needs very little time and space to get his shot off in addition to having deep range. Makes treys just as effectively off the bounce as he does spotting up. Complements his potent shooting ability with a consistent mid-range pull-up as well as a soft touch off the glass for layups. Cornish can also be counted on as a secondary playmaker in an offense. He does a good job finding teammates spotting up for three-pointers beyond the arc in addition to hitting them on cuts to the hoop for easy layups. Gives just as good an effort on the defensive side of the ball. Works very hard to contest opponents shots to force them into a lower percentage attempt. Also is willing to put his body on the line to take charges. Does a nice job of getting set before an opponent gets to the spot to avoid a blocking call. Cornish is committed to D1 Dartmouth College of the Ivy league where he should fit well.

Dylan Edwards 6’1 Point Guard (St. Andrews School): Another player at the lead guard spot from this program is Edwards. Has good vision as a playmaker. Creates open shots for his teammates in a variety of ways. These include drive and kicks for open treys, drop-offs in the lane for easy layups, and hitting the pop man on ball screens for good looks from beyond the arc. Still can score the ball at a good rate as well with his stout mid-range game and explosive first step getting to the rim. If opponents go under ball screens against him he can also hit the open three. Defensively, he loves to play aggressive physical defense using his strong body to make it difficult for opposing point guards to get into their offense. Also shows a good understanding of being in the right spots for help defense if a teammate gets beat off the dribble. D1 schools in leagues like the Patriot and NEC should be tracking Edwards.

Will Scherer 6’10 Center (Gonzaga College HS): Bringing size in the frontcourt from this program is Scherer. Makes a nice impact on the glass using his height and ability to get position on opponents to rebound at a good rate. Also makes his presence felt on the defensive end, forcing opponents into lower percentage shots at the rim by keeping his hands up straight. Offensively, he is a good screener making sure to make contact with opponents so they cannot easily get through. Scherer is a reliable finisher at the rim with either hands. Also scores effectively on screen and rolls or drop-offs in the paint. Has solid vision for a player of his size as well. Does a good job finding teammates cutting to the basket for layups. Scherer is committed to D3 Amherst College of the NESCAC where his long term upside should pay dividends down the road for the Mammoths.

Mohammed Toure 6’6 Wing (Sandy Spring Friends School): An intriguing wing player from this program is Toure. He has very good form on his shot keeping his elbow in. Makes three-pointers at a good rate when spotting up. Attacks closeouts well from the wings with his quickness. Is an effective finisher at the rim with his soft touch and athleticism. Also moves very well without the ball specifically on backdoor cuts leading to easy layups for himself. Defensively, Toure uses his length jumping into passing lanes to cause steals and deflections. Rebounds effectively for his position as well using his leaping ability and nose for the ball to make an impact in this area. Averaged six rebounds per game this past high school season. D1 schools in leagues like the Patriot and NEC should be keeping tabs on Toure.

Ben Williams 6’0 Point Guard (St. Mary’s Ryken HS): Williams is a scrappy point guard from this program who takes a lot of pride on the defensive end. He loves to play aggressive on ball defense against opposing point guards forcing them to throw an errant pass or cough the ball up. Williams also has no problem diving on the floor for loose balls to ensure his team gets possession. Offensively, he is a pass first player who looks to get his teammates involved before scoring opportunities for himself. Is effective finding teammates with his good vision out of ball screens and in transition. Forces opponents to respect his shot as well. Williams has the ability to hit open threes when spotting up and also finish at the rim with crafty layups. D3 schools in leagues like the MAC and ODAC should be checking out Williams.

Ryan Prather 6’4 Shooting Guard (Bishop Walsh HS): One of the top scorers in the state of Maryland this past high school season was Prather. He is difficult for opponents to defend with his multifaceted shotmaking abilities. Prather can make three-pointers at a good rate spotting up or on the move, smooth pull-ups in the mid-range, and layups through contact with his strength. Also does a good job taking advantage of smaller defenders in various situations by taking them into the post. Defensively, he rebounds the ball very well for position with his sturdy build and intense desire for the ball. Averaged 10 rebounds per game this past high school season. Also shows his understanding of where to be on defensive rotations. He is rarely out of position when being one pass away or for help defense if a teammate gets beat off the dribble. D2 schools in leagues like the CIAA and PSAC should be keeping an eye on Prather.

Thomas Whitley 6’6 Wing (Eleanor Roosevelt HS): Another athletic wing from this program is Whitley. He is a reliable shooter on three-pointers who has a high release on his shot, making it difficult for opponents to contest his attempts. Excels on catch and shoot attempts from long range. Uses strong drives to get to the rim and finishes proficiently with both hands. Whitley is also an unselfish player who has no problem passing up a good shot for himself to give it to a teammate for a better one. Defensively, he has the ability to guard both wing spots with his length and lateral quickness. He does a nice job as well of challenging opponents shots both from deep and at the rim to force them into lower percentage shots. D1 schools in leagues like the Patriot and NEC should be following Whitley.

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