Whose Next?: PG County MS Championship Game
Whose Next?: PG County MS Championship Game Walker Mill Championship Team The brand new Fairmont Heights High School (which technically isn’t in Fairmont Heights anymore) was host to the annual PG County Middle School Championship Game. All eyes came out…
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Continue ReadingWhose Next?: PG County MS Championship Game
Walker Mill Championship TeamThe brand new Fairmont Heights High School (which technically isn’t in Fairmont Heights anymore) was host to the annual PG County Middle School Championship Game. All eyes came out to see Walker Mill’s Amaya Durrett, who has been dropping close to 30 points per game, match up against the twin towers from James Madison LaNae’ Corbett 6’1″ and Asia Hamilton 6’0″. Both teams came in undefeated Walker Mill 12-0 and James Madison 11-0. PG County has used it’s middle school league to produce many of the DMV’s top players over the years and has been the only county in Maryland to run a league until Charles County started their own a few years ago. Still for high school coaches that gather every year to recruit talent, this is the event that they gather to attend.
It didn’t take long to discover who the players were on these two teams. Walker Mill’s Durrett and her co-star Nadia Simpson started the game hot controlling the perimeter. The inside was totally dominated by James Madison’s LaNae’ Colbert who the Panthers of Walker Mill had absolutely no answer for. The game was rescheduled from it’s Saturday day due to the weather alert so the games were shortened to 6 minute quarters instead of 8 minutes because of the school night. At he half the score was tied at 20 each leading the way for Walker Mill was Durrett with 10 points and LaNae Colbert leading the game with 14 at the break.
The second half was a back and forth affair that seemed more like a 2 on 2 game between Madison’s Colbert and Makayla Johnson versus Walker Mill’s Durrett and Nadia Simpson. The breaking point came when the Panther’s threw a full double team at Colbert. Then there was the x-factor the Cougars didn’t prepare for……Aleah Rodriguez who scored 7 of her 9 points in the pivotal third quarter. In the in Walker Mill had their second straight PG County Middle School Championship trophy winning 49-39.
Standout Players:
Amaya Durrett – 5’7″ – Guard – Walker Mill – 2024
Amaya DurrettAmaya scored a game high 24 points with a terrific all around game on both ends. She showed a great ability to get to the basket and finish in traffic, she was also a lock down defender adding 4 steals.
LaNae’ Colbert – 6’1″ – Forward – James Madison – 2024
LaNae’ ColbertLaNae’ put the Cougars on her back and carried them to the tune of 22 points, 19 rebounds and 4 blocked shots. She was pretty much unstoppable forcing Walker Mill into double and triple team schemes in the second half to slow her down some.
Nadia Simpson – 5’5″ – Guard – Walker Mill – 2024
Nadia SimpsonNadia provided the Panther’s one – two punch along with Durrett. She scored 10 points in the game. Her ability to create forced James Madison to play honest defense and not double other scorers. She made plays the entire game even when she didn’t have the ball in her hands.
Makayla JohnsonMakayla and Nadia looked like twins on the court because their games were so identical. She only had 5 points in the game but her presence was felt each time she touch the ball as she was able to break down the defense off the dribble.
Aleah Rodriguez – 5’7″ – Wing – Walker Mill – 2025
Aleah RodriguezAleah baecame a fan favorite in the second half as she made play after play helping Walker Mill break open a close game turning a five point deficit into a six point lead forcing Madison into a timeout to regroup. The Cougars never recovered from Aleah’s impact period as they trailed for the remainder of the game.