VICTOR OLADIPO's OFFSEASON WORKOUT SESSIONS WITH DWAYNE WADE - ALL-MET ELITE

VICTOR OLADIPO's

OFFSEASON

 WORKOUT SESSIONS

 WITH

 DWAYNE WADE 

 ALL-MET ELITE 

DEMATHA HS.

HYATTSVILLE MD.

Victor Oladipo and Dwyane Wade have been acquaintances since the former was in high school and the latter was a first-time NBA champion, and that friendship has only grown stronger through the years because they played for the same coach in college.

So it was only natural last summer, as Oladipo was coming off his first NBA season and preparing for the second with the Orlando Magic that he sought out the advice of Wade – a three-time champion and a 10-time all-star – with the Miami Heat. The two were a part of a large group of NBA players who convened at Indiana University for offseason workouts and Oladipo and Wade spent time together watching game footage and going through skills and conditioning drills.

``Most of it was just about us helping each other and working on our games,’’ Oladipo said of the sessions in Bloomington, Ind., where they drilled with coach Tom Crean – Oladipo’s coach at IU and Wade’s coach at Marquette. ``That experience of getting to talk to him was huge for me because it helped me with my confidence and my mindset.’’

Now that Oladipo is starting at shooting guard that means he will go head-to-head against Wade, something that Oladipo called an ``honor and a blessing.’’ Oladipo said he’s lucky to have the help of a superstar the quality of Wade, whom he called ``one of the greatest to ever play this game when it’s all said and done.’’


``Anything I can do to help him, I’ll do,’’ Wade said of assisting Oladipo. ``I can say that he was well-coached by Coach Crean. Knowing that we have similar styled games and he’s an attacker like me. Not only working out together, but we could see certain things just by talking to each other. He watched a lot of film with me and I’m sure he learned a lot. Whatever I can help with, I’ll do it.’’

2014 SLAM DUNK TO THE BEACH TOURNAMENT - ALL-MET ELITE

2014 

SLAM DUNK

TO 

THE BEACH TOURNAMENT 

 ALL-MET ELITE 

BRYANT CRAWFORD 

GONZAGA HS.

WASHINGTON D.C.

The Delaware Sports Commission has announced the national slate of high school teams that will participate in the return of the

renowned Slam Dunk to the Beach basketball tournament, which will be held at Cape Henlopen High School from December 27-29, 2014. The field is headlined byseveral schools who annually occupy spots in the national rankings.

 Sunrise Christian Academy (Wichita, KS), Our Savior New American School(Centereach, NY), Gonzaga College High School (Washington, D.C.) and Ss. John Neumann-Goretti High School (Philadelphia, PA) will all spend their winter break in the First State.

Fourteen teams—representing seven states and the District of Columbia—will be competing in this year's event, with a fifteenth and final team to be announced at a later date. The tournament, long a staple of the national high school basketballcalendar, is returning for the first time since 2003. 

For 13 years Slam Dunk to the Beach hosted some of the nation’s premier players, including LeBron James (’01), Dwight Howard (’03), Carmelo Anthony (’00) and J.J. Redick (‘01), all now NBA superstars. The new incarnation of the event is sure to provide a showcase for

numerous stars of tomorrow.

Other national programs scheduled to participate include St. Vincent-St. Mary High School (Akron, NJ), Roselle Catholic High School (Roselle, NJ), Christ the King High School (Middle Village, NY), Gill St. Bernard’s School (Gladstone, NJ) and Mt. St. Joseph’s High School (Baltimore, MD).

Calvin Coolidge HS. First Annual Winter Holiday Basketball Tournament - ALL-MET ELITE

 Calvin Coolidge HS.

 First Annual

 Winter Holiday Basketball 

Tournament 

 ALL-MET ELITE 

 The Coolidge Varsity Basketball Team will host a tournament this Xmas holiday, featuring four premier high school basketball programs in the Metropolitan DC region, including Coolidge HS (2 time DCIAA Champions), Wise (Defending 4A State Champions) Cesar Chavez (DC Charter School Champions) and Capitol Christian School (Beltway League Finalist). In addition, there will be a pre-event  featuring 3-on-3 game, teams composed of adults (18 years and older) in the community. 

The tournament will be held on Friday, December 26 and Saturday, December 27 at the Frank R. Williams Activity Center  Calvin Coolidge High School, 6315 5th St., NW

Tournament Details:

Friday December 26

Doors Open at 5:00 PM

Game 1 -5:30 pm

Game 2 - 7:30 pm

Saturday, December 27

Pre-tournament 3 on 3 games begins at 11:00 am

Doors Open at 5:00 PM

Championship game 5:30 pm

Tickets

Tournament Pass (Adult) - $18.00

Tournament Pass (Student) - $8.00

Provides full access to tournament events on the 26th & 27th.

1-Day Pass (Adult) - $10.00

1-Day Pass (Student) - $5.00

Tournament Contact Information:

Vaughn Jones

Boys Varsity Basketball Coach

Calvin Coolidge HS

Email: allmet92@msn.com

Phone: 202-327

Frank Jones

Calvin Coolidge High School Alumni Association President

Email: fjones@cchs-aa.org

Phone: 202-369-5644

Support of this annual event will be provided by the Calvin Coolidge Alumni Association, Inc. DT Nation,Inc., and the Frank R. Williams Scholarship Fund, Inc.

The proceeds from the tournament will be used to support local and national charities, including the National Brain Tumor Society, American Cancer Society, the Frank R. Williams Scholarship Fund, Inc. Annual Scholarships, and the Calvin Coolidge Alumni Association, Inc. Annual Scholarships/Benefits.

RUDY GAY DUNKS ON SERGE IBAKA - ALL-MET ELITE

RUDY GAY 

DUNKS ON

 SERGE IBAKA 

 ALL-MET ELITE

ARCHBISHOP SPALDING 

SEVERN MARYLAND 

GONZAGA DC CLASSIC - RECAP - ALL-MET ELITE

GONZAGA

 DC CLASSIC 

 RECAP 

 ALL-MET ELITE 

CHRIS LYKES 

GONZAGA HS.

WASHINGTON D.C.

Washington DC - Prior to the tip of the National HS Hoop Festival, the Gonzaga DC Classic featured eight teams filled with prospects of all ages. As host team Gonzaga packed a punch, they were not the only ones who performed well on the first day of the event on Friday. Here's a look at who stood out.

2016 Gonzaga (DC) shooting guard Nigel Stewart - Stewart is a slashing guard who can score the ball in a variety of ways, primarily by getting to the cup. He can shoot it a bit, but most of his points came off of fast break layups where he is quick and aggressive in the lane. Stewart is trying to transition into a combo guard where his size and improving jump shot will help him out, especially once he improves his handle. The junior is also a good rebounder and defender because of the energy level that he plays with on a consistent basis. This has led to interest from American, Maine, Mount St. Mary's, UNC Greensboro and Siena with no formal offers as of now.

2018 Capitol Christian (MD) power forward Nate Watson - Young, skilled and big, there is a lot to like about the freshman. It is early on but he has a very mature and developed post game. He has soft hands and touch to go along with good footwork and an ability to score in the post. He must assert himself all the time and run the floor with a purpose. Essentially, he still plays a bit innocent for someone who, in time, will need to get meaner and more aggressive. That being said, the skill level is high and could take him far. Old Dominion is heavily involved early on.

2016 Mount Harmel (MD) power forward David Erebor - Erebor does not have the skill yet to make much of an impact on the court, but there is a lot to like about his game. He is very active on the defensive end by communicating and moving around. He has good size with a body that has yet to fill out. He can really jump but is not the most coordinated at this point. His offensive game is raw, but with some work from the right coaching staff at the mid-major level, he could be ready to contribute to a college program by his junior year.

2017 Capitol Christian (MD) shooting guard Chris Orlina - Formerly of the 2016 class, Orlina put on a show with his scoring ability. He has a long, wiry frame that is filling out and ideal for a shooting guard. Unlike most scoring guards, he isn't afraid to get dirty and play in the post in order to grab a rebound or loose ball. Orlina has good form and release to his shot. He can shoot the mid-range or outside jumper, as well as get to the hole. His handle is still developing but he was pretty effective in the open floor. Old Dominion, NC State, Radford, Air Force, Virginia, Virginia Tech and others are involved, but look for his stock to rise in near time. He has roots in Philadelphia, as well, so Big Five schools could get involved, too.

2017 Gonzaga (DC) point guard Chris Lykes - Lykes put on a show, despite being the smallest player in the event. Only 5-foot-7, he commands and runs an offense like former Xavier point Drew Lavender. He is quick, can create his own shot and is always playing harder than his opponents. He has quick hands and timing when it comes to picking the ball from the ball handler. From there, he gains possession and sprints to the finish line for a basket. What Lykes needs is a consistent jumper as he already has the ability and speed to create his own shot. If he can do this, he will be a serious threat. That being said, the sophomore already holds scholarship offers from Hofstra, Old Dominion and Richmond with interest from Miami, Stanford, Virginia, Towson, Maryland and others.

2018 Mount Carmel (MD) shooting guard Montez Mathis - West Virginia and Virginia are on him early, and rightfully so. Mathis is a big, developed scoring guard who does a really good job of facilitating the offense. He plays at the top of the key and finds open teammates, or cuts to the basket. A talented slasher, he can get into the lane and get off his own shot with ease. Only a freshman, Mathis needs to be a consistent finisher at the basket.

TEAM TAKEOVER - NATIONAL HS. HOOPS FESTIVAL RECAP - ALL-MET ELITE

TEAM TAKEOVER 

 NATIONAL HOOPS FESTIVAL 

RECAP 

 ALL-MET ELITE 

MARKELLE FULTZ

DEMATHA HS.

HYATTSVILLE MD.

Hyattsville, MD - Now in its eighth year, the National High School Hoop Festival run by Keith Stevens and Team Takeover was filled with tremendous matchups that paired local DMV powers against some of the top high school programs in the nation for one very exciting day of hoops.

2016 St. John's (DC) point guard Anthony Cowan - Cowan had a strong all-around performance on both the offensive and defensive end. He got into the lanes using his speed and distributed to his teammates. But when he needed to, he scored in the lane or shot the long ball. Cowan's timely shooting not only led to one, but two, buzzer beaters from deep. He plays hard on defense and forces turnovers with his pestering size and speed. Scheduled to visit Louisville unofficially next weekend, he is also looking at Florida State, Xavier, Maryland, Georgetown, Penn State and others.

2016 DeMatha (MD) shooting guard Markelle Fultz - A fall stock riser, Fultz has really improved his game by utilizing a pull-up jumper as his biggest strength. This goes along with his aggressive nature off the dribble where he can get to the cup and use his body to make contact and score. Fultz plays hard on both ends and has a really good motor and ability to find the right shots. This has led to a major boost in his recruitment with new offers in the past few months from Wake Forest, South Carolina, Memphis, Georgetown, Cincinnati, George Mason, Maryland, Miami and Washington with several others who offered 

2015 Montrose Christian (MD) guard Kyle DePollar - After transferring to Montrose for his senior year, the combo guard has picked up some low D1 college interest. He proved his value by showing a lot of heart on the court despite being a bit undersized. DePollar drew contact when attacking the basket, shot the ball well from outside and ran some of the offense. He wasn't afraid to get knocked around and hustle despite being outmatched physically. Several schools are showing interest, such as Fairleigh Dickinson and numerous Ivy League programs, in the guard.

TEAM TAKEOVER - NATIONAL HS. HOOPS FESTIVAL DAY ONE - ALL-MET ELITE

TEAM TAKEOVER 

 NATIONAL HS. HOOPS FESTIVAL

 DAY ONE 

 ALL-MET ELITE

 
BY
 EVAN DANIELS
 

HYATTSVILLE, Md. -- Keith Stevens has turned the National HS Hoops Festival into a must attend event. The loaded field hit the court on Saturday in front of a sold out crowd at DeMatha Catholic. The nation's top junior -- Jayson Tatum -- showed off his tremendous skill set, while Anthony Cowan made multiple buzzer beaters and Virginia Tech signee Justin Robinson showed significant improvement.

 

Justin Robinson, PG, Saint James – Robinson seems to flourish when he plays at DeMatha Catholic. He broke out at the National High School Hoops Festival last year. This time around, Robinson played an impressive floor game, made multiple mid and long-range jumpers and showed his competitiveness on both ends of the floor. Robinson seems a tad faster with the ball and was able to break down defenders and get into the paint. He’s a good pass and has a good feel for the point guard position. Robinson finished with 31 points on 12-for-20 shooting. He also tossed out five assists. 

 

Markelle Fultz, SG, DeMatha – In the fall, Fultz, a 6-foot-4 guard, began to pick up some steam as a player. In front of a big crowd against DeMatha, Fultz raised his game. Fultz scored a team high 16 points on 6-for-12 shooting. Fultz is comfortable pulling up from mid-range, as four of his six field goals came from that area. Fultz was aggressive off the bounce, went to the glass and played hard on both ends. 

Joe Hampton, C/PF, Oak Hill – Hampton must have enjoyed returning home to play at his former school – DeMatha – and against one of his former rivals – Paul VI. Hampton played with some fire and was assertive when he had chances to score on offense. Hampton, a southpaw, hit a pair of jump shots, including one three-pointer. His other four field goals came off strong finishes inside or off face up drives. Hampton scored 13 points on 6-for-10 shooting in the win over Paul VI.

Anthony Cowan, PG, St. John’s College – Cowan, a 5-foot-11 lead guard, had as good of a day as anyone at the National High School Hoops Festival. Cowan hit a pair of buzzer beaters in the win over Largo. Cowan’s first was a pull-up three to force overtime. Then once in the extra frame, Cowan drove the lane and finished at the rim as the final buzzer sounded. A quick and aggressive guard, Cowan found ways into the paint, was a pest on defense and looked to push the ball when he had opportunities. Cowan scored 27 points, tossed out eight assists and recorded seven steals. 

2014 GONZAGA DC CLASSIC - ALL-MET ELITE

2014

GONZAGA

 DC CLASSIC 

ALL-MET ELITE 

BRYANT CRAWFORD
GONZAGA HS.

WASHINGTON D.C.

26TH GONZAGA DC CLASSIC

 TIPS-OFF 

FRIDAY, DECMEBER 12

Strong DC – Maryland Field Joined by Teams from Philadelphia, New York City

 The 26th Annual Gonzaga DC Classic basketball tournament begins Friday afternoon, December 12, 2014 at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, DC. Games continue Saturday and Sunday at Bender Arena at American University.

Ranked #4 in the area by the Washington Post as the season begins, Gonzaga will be joined in this advancing tournament by seven teams from the Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York City regions.

Teams appearing this year are Gonzaga, Calvert Hall College High School (Baltimore, MD), Capitol Christian Academy (Landover, MD), Cardinal Hayes High School (Bronx, NY), Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (Baltimore, MD), Riverdale Baptist School (Upper Marlboro, MD), Roman Catholic High School (Philadelphia, PA), and Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School (Washington, DC).

All proceeds from program sponsors, ticket and merchandise sales go to support Gonzaga’s far-reaching service programs here in the Washington region and across the U.S. and Latin America. The tournament’s slogan is “Great Basketball Supporting Good Works”.

Games begin Friday at 3:15 when Cardinal Hayes takes on Capitol Christian; Gonzaga v. Mt. Carmel follows at 5:00; Roman Catholic v. Theodore Roosevelt is at 6:45; Friday’s opening round concludes with Calvert Hall v. Riverdale Baptist at 8:30 PM. All Friday games will be played in the Carmody Center gym at Gonzaga College High School. Second round games begin at 3:15 on Saturday at Bender Arena at American University; Final round consolation and championship games begin at 1:30 on Sunday at A.U. Tickets are $10.00 per day for adults, $5.00 for students.

The entire tournament will be webcast and can be viewed at the tournament website, www.gonzagadcclassic.org. The official tournament twitter feed can be found at @gonzagaclassic.

KEVIN DURANT DESTROYS DETROIT PISTON's JONAS JEREBKO - ALL- MET ELITE

KEVIN DURANT 

DESTROYS 

DETROIT PISTON's

 JONAS JEREBKO 

ALL- MET ELITE 

The Washington Post Boys’ Basketball Preseason Top 20 rankings - ALL-MET ELITE

The Washington Post 

Boys’ Basketball 

Preseason 

Top 20 rankings 

 ALL-MET ELITE

AKO ADAMS

BISHOP O'CONNELL HS.

ARLINGTON VA.

 

1. Paul VI (Final 2013-14 record: 31-6)

The defending WCAC champs had five of their top players transfer but welcome back Frank Howard (Syracuse), who missed last year with a knee injury, and added highly touted junior transfer V.J. King.

2. DeMatha (29-6)

The Stags boast one of the area’s most balanced teams, led by athletic sophomore D.J. Harvey, forwards Thomas Bruce and Markelle Fultz and point guard Terrell Allen.

3. Clinton Christian (22-9)

The Eagles are bursting with talent, from returning starters in long forward Develle Phillips and Ahsante Shivers to notable transfers in Kevin Dorsey and Melo Eggleston.

4. Gonzaga (12-17)

A year after being hampered by injuries, the Eagles look to return to their winning ways as guard Bryant Crawford (Wake Forest) is surrounded by weapons in Sam Miller and Chris Lykes.

5. Potomac (Md.) (23-5)

The defending Maryland 2A state champion Wolverines are reloaded, as high-scoring transfer Kaine Wilson joins one of the area’s best players, Randall Broddie (Memphis), in a potent backcourt.

6. Bullis (25-4)

The three-time defending IAC champions lost their top four scorers but restocked with talented transfers in swingman Chyree Walker and guard Mickey Bell.

7. Riverdale Baptist (30-9)

The Crusaders feature a sound backcourt combo in Dequan Abrom, who can score in bunches, and Kenny Wormley, who is one of area’s top lockdown defenders.

8. Montrose Christian (20-5)

Despite graduating five seniors and losing All-Met guard Allonzo Trier to transfer, the Mustangs welcomed six of their own transfers, led by Alani Moore and Taron Oliver.

9. Wise (24-2)

Last year’s Maryland 4A state champions lost their four leading scorers, but the Pumas return a strong group of young talent ready to contend in Prince George’s County.

10. O’Connell (20-12)

The Knights will look to fill the void left by All-Met Player of the Year Melo Trimble with a handful of emerging players in Jamaal King, Oumar Barry, Ako Adams and Lewis Djonkam.

11. National Christian (18-11)

The Eagles have an effective inside-outside combination in swingman Christian Matthews and forward Sylvester Obonga (Georgia Tech).

12. Capitol Christian (22-11)

The Warriors lost all five of their starters but remain contenders in the Capital Beltway Athletic Association behind guards Malik Norfleet and Kwame Camon.

13. W.T. Woodson (21-9)

The two-time defending Virginia 6A North region champs will again be led by four-year starter Eric Bowles, along with sharpshooter Matt Ayoub and slasher Trey Johnson.

14. Coolidge (18-14)

The Colts lost their top three scorers from last year’s team, but bring back junior guard Justin Route, who is poised for a breakout season.

15. Westfield (11-14)

The Bulldogs will vie for their second region title in the last four years, thanks to the addition of junior transfer forward Tyler Scanlon (Paul VI) and emerging guard Brandon Francis.

16. Maret (22-8)

Gone are the Frogs’ trio of senior guards, but Austin Vereen and Luka Garza form an effective one-two punch for the defending MAC champs.

17. Wakefield (24-5)

The defending Virginia 5A North region champs look to repeat behind the play of standout forward Dominique Tham and three-point specialist Marqua Walton.

18. Theodore Roosevelt (25-6)

The Rough Riders lost the hero of their DCIAA championship season, Johnnie Shuler, but return wingman Anthony Whitney, who should help them re-emerge near the top of their league.

19. Oakland Mills (20-5)

The Scorpions already boasted one of Howard County’s best talents in forward Mamadou Ndiaye, and they added senior transfer Will Robinson (St. Frances) to an athletic core.

20. Eleanor Roosevelt (16-7)

Leading scorer Andre Fox is gone, but the addition of Takoma Academy transfer Oladoyin Fadojutimi to a strong group of returners should ease the blow.

On the bubble: Magruder, Potomac (Va.), River Hill, Springbrook, Westlake

JUSTIN ROBINSON LEADS ST. JAMES PAST WAKEFIELD - ALL-MET ELITE

JUSTIN ROBINSON

 LEADS 

ST. JAMES 

PAST 

WAKEFIELD 

ALL-MET ELITE 

ST. JAMES HS.

ST. JAMES MD.

BY 

BILLY KOONTZ

ST. JAMES — Coming off Thanksgiving 

break, young Saint James could have been excused for coming out flat at home against Wakefield School in its season opener on Monday.

The Saints would have nothing of the sort, though, jumping out to a sizeable lead and cruising to a 75-54 win.

“Being a boarding school, these kids go home for Thanksgiving, so there is no practice or anything,” coach Dan Prete said. “That isn’t easy, but the guys came out and played well for the most part.”

Senior Justin Robinson led the way with 27 points, and he attributed the team’s fast start to improvements in practice.

“In our scrimmages thus far, we’ve started slow,” said Robinson, who has committed to Virginia Tech. “Tonight, we wanted to assert ourselves in the game and play from the jump.”

The Owls attempted to keep it close early, trailing 11-8. But a run to end the quarter put the Saints up 23-11 at the end of the first.

The lead swelled in the second quarter as Robinson, Grant Golden and Craig Lecesne did most of the damage for the home team. That trio accounted for 38 of the Saints’ 47 first-half points.

“We shot well, and that helped us a lot,” Prete said. “We knocked down some shots early and that opened things up on the offensive end.”

Robinson extended the lead early in the third, draining back-to-back 3-pointers before hitting a driving layup to make it 55-27. Wakefield countered, going on a 10-1 run to cut the lead to 19 nearing the end of the quarter. That’s when Prete rallied his troops.

“I called the timeout, laid into them a little bit,” he said. “They just had to refocus. And being a young team, that happens sometimes.”

Five quick points from Saint James halted the run of the Owls, and the deficit would never slip under 20 for the remainder of the night. Another fine play from Robinson, this one a drive and dish to Golden for a slam, made it 69-45 and the rout was complete.

“We still need to learn, as a young team, how to finish a game,” Robinson said. “We can’t take breaks. Overall though, to open with a 20-point win, it feels pretty good.”

Prete knows that growing pains will occur with this group, but he also knows they will continue to grow and improve.

“We took some possessions off, and they know that can’t happen,” Prete said. “They are realizing now what they can do. Once we learn how to finish, we can play much better than this.”

Golden finished with 18 points and Lecesne added 13 for the Saints. Deandre Clark led Wakefield with 20 points and Andre Ahiagbede added 19 for the Owls.

DC ASSAULT STAR - DerMarr Johnson talks DC hoops - ALL-MET ELITE

DC ASSAULT STAR

 DerMarr Johnson 

talks DC hoops 

ALL-MET ELITE

NEWPORT PREP HS.

KENSINGTON MD.

 

Courtesy of 

4thnsports.sportsblog.com

TB: You are from the Washington DC area tell me how that impacted the way you play the game of basketball?

DJ: When I was young just being about to cross guys up was cool, I worked a lot on dribble moves. I always played against older bigger guys , so when I got tall I was naturally a guard. I didn't grow up in a gym played outside, no foul calls makes u tough.

TB: Growing up who were guys that you looked up to? The DMV has turned out some impressive players before and after you. What would you say is unique about the DMV style of play?

DJ: I looked up to Curt Smith, Greg Jones, Moochie Norris, Lonnie Harrell, Walt Williams, Lawrence Moten. After me the list is very long. What's unique about DC players is our cross over. But we got just a lot of good players who do a lot of different things.

TB: You were rated as high as the number 1 player in the country coming out of high school. How was the everyday hassle of being considered one of the nations elite players? In a time where rumors and breaking news are reported every second on these guys, how do you think your era would have handled this coming up?

DJ: I went from just a around the way young kid, lucky to play with older guys to a pro prospect very fast. And life changed quick, I didn't even know how AAU was. That they had all these camps and rankings I just played because it was fun. All the traveling and meeting important people, and NBA never crossed my mind. Now it's diff parents treat their kid like a business very early.It's all kind of AAU teams now everybody trying to get payed off kids, back then it was only a few teams we played to get out the hood.

Maryland Freshmen Dion Wiley Keys Terps against VMI - ALL-MET ELITE

Maryland Freshmen 

Dion Wiley

Keys 

Terps victory against

 VMI 

 ALL-MET ELITE

POTOMAC HS.

OXON HILL MD.

Write up courtesy 

Josh Stirn

maryland.247sports.com

Photo courtesy

Diamondbackonline.com

Maryland freshman Dion Wiley was inserted into the starting lineup for the first time in his young career and he scored the first basket of the game on a layup, but it wasn't until the second half when he scored his next field goal. In between, he missed his final three shots of the first half and turned the ball over two times.

But for Wiley and the Terps, who struggled against VMI in the first half Sunday night against VMI, the second half was a far different story. he scored 17 of his 19 points after halftime, sparking the Terps to a 95-77 win.

With Maryland hilding a tenuous 49-45 lead at the break, coach Mark Turgeon sat Wiley down, calmed him and told him to go to the basket with more conviction.

“He wasn’t very good in the first half and I just set him down and talked to him,” Turgeon said. “I thought he made good decisions in the second half and his first bucket in the second half he didn’t just go up soft. He went up really hard, took the blow and went to the foul line. He missed the free throw, but then that kind of got him going. He had some great finishes.”

Wiley’s first basket of the half increased Maryland’s lead to five, 55-50, just outside of the first TV timeout. The Keydets answered with a three pointer, but Wiley then went on an individual 6-0 run to extend the lead to eight, 61-53, in a stretch lasting just over a minute. Wiley went on to make seven of his eight shots in the half, all of them on layups.

Whoever was on the wing running the lane -- it just happened to be me a lot of times tonight -- but whoever caught it on the wing, coach Turgeon told them to be aggressive and to attack the press and finish so that’s what I had to do," Wiley said.

The eight-point lead sparked by Wiley was extended to double-digits on the next possession, courtesy of a Michal Cekovsky offensive rebound and jumper. The Terps didn’t allow the Keydets to shave the lead to less than 10 points for the rest of the game, which served as a tuneup for Wednesday's showdown against No. 8 Virginia in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

“We’ve been looking for Dion to step up the scoring since Dez [Wells]is out,” fellow freshman Melo Trimble said. “He showed today that he can be aggressive.

“He can do a lot of things off the bounce ... I think he has one of the tightest handles on the team and a lot of teams don’t know that because he can shoot. So far he’s just been catching and shooting but he can do it all.”