The Blacktop Scrimmage

DMV Coaching legend and blogger James Nichols put together his first annual "Blacktop Scrimmage" on Sunday, July 26th at Bruce Monroe Park on Georgia Avenue in Northwest DC. The event was invitation only and each participant received an email from Mr. Nichols that included his credentials and what he hoped to accomplish with the session. The event did not attract the 20 prospects that were invited, falling way short at just four, but the four prospects who showed up received a good workout with excellent insights on the recruiting process. Mr. Nichols went through a series of of hands on drills and explained why and when they should use the techniques he was demonstrating. I'm all in for next year and I will personally invite 10 prospects from the Baltimore area. Kudos to the four prospects who showed up on a hot and steamy Sunday morning to get better. Let’s take a look at each one...   Isabella Tanedo Isabella Tanedo 5'4" | PG St. John's College | 2022 State MD , 2022, Guard, St. John’s, Fairfax Stars  The most spectacular player to show up was Ms.Tanedo. She is a small and quick guard with a scorer's mentality. She can scorch defenders from long range and get into the paint easily. She is an exceptional athlete and is working to refine her point guard skills which will come in handy next season in the super competitive WCAC. She handled all the drills with precision and was very attentive to the instruction.   Natalie Johnson Natalie Johnson 5'7" | CG North Point | 2022 State MD , 2022, Guard, North Point, Fairfax Stars Natalie is a tough point guard that looks like she can play off the ball as well. She easily handled all the drills at the workout and showed that she has exceptional ball handling skills.   Nia Ford, 2021, Wing, Douglas High (PG), Havoc City I'm looking forward to seeing Nia with her high school team Frederick Douglas where she has been putting up some big numbers, averaging over 20 points per game and double digit rebounds. She has good form on her shot and did well in all the drills, picking up the concepts easily and always moving at game speed.   Daria Douglas Daria Douglas 6'3" | SF National Christian A | 2020 State MD , 2021, Post, Putnam Science Academy (CT)  Ms. Douglas has legit size at 6'2" and showed off a nice soft touch while participating in the drills. She is in the process of transferring from National Christian Academy to the Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut. With her size and length she will be an immediate contributor at her new school. At National Christian she was a good presence in the paint, finishing on offense and lending shot blocking on defense.