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Team Preview: Team Takeover (DC)

By D1 Circuit Staff, 07/06/18, 6:15PM EDT

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Season Recap

Team Takeover (DC) made the Peach Jam Championship last year, and followed it up with a historic regular season. Takeover rattled off a 16-0 regular season record, meshing together an absurd amount of winning talent. Head coach Keith Stevens trots out a rotation that runs 12-13 deep, and has removed the ego out of a squad that features at least seven high-major players. Eight players average between 12.0 and 6.2 points per game, easily making Takeover the most balanced team in the EYBL. If they win the Peach Jam, they could go down as the best team ever assembled since the inception of the NIKE EYBL in 2010.

The Star

This team is loaded with talent, so we’ll go with the player that stood out the most. Justin Moore is approximately one year removed from an ACL tear, and it’s starting to show why he’s a Villanova head coach Jay Wright is so in love with his 2019 commit. Moore (247 No. 54) averages 11.9 points and 4.7 rebounds, shooting 57% from inside the arc. He holds a 2.7-1.1 assist/turnover ratio, and is a capable shooter behind the arc (36%). Moore is a winner, fresh off tallying a WCAC Championship for DeMatha this past high school season. If he needs to, he’s capable of taking over a game, a weapon that Stevens and company may need in pool play.

The Backcourt

Moore is a stud in the backcourt, as is junior Virginia-commit Casey Morsell. The 6-foot-3 junior guard was on point this spring, averaging 12.0 points per game on 50 percent shooting - including 44.6 (29-for-65) from the perimeter. With his ability to make shots, Morsell (247 No. 120) arguably the biggest benefactor of being surrounded by so much talent. Sophomore guard Jeremy Roach (247 No. 13) makes a sacrifice by running in such a loaded backcourt, but he’s been highly-efficient regardless. Roach shoots it at a 55% clip from inside the arc, and is more than capable of beating you from the perimeter. He’s currently playing for the FIBA U17 team in Argentina, so he may be a bit fatigued when Peach Jam rolls around next week. Junior veteran Anthony Harris also plays huge minutes for Stevens, and the 6-foot-3 floor general holds a 3-to-1 assist/turnover ratio. Harris (247 No. 47) is a gritty defender and excels in transition. Throw in junior scoring guard Jahmir Young (247 3-star), who scored 30 points in Takeover’s finale, and you have the deepest backcourt in the country.

The Frontcourt

If you thought takeover was guard heavy, you’re wrong. Just like the guards, there isn’t enough time to explain just how good this unit is. Junior Armando Bacot joined Takeover after the first session, and his presence helped Takeover get to another level. Bacot (247 No. 21) averaged 10 and five while shooting 56% from the floor in somewhat limited minutes. Sophomore Hunter Dickinson is coming into his own as a rising junior. The 7-foot big man averaged 9.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and hot. 54% from the field. Dickinson (247 No. 17) is a huge presence down low for Takeover, and has the ability to bully defenders around the basket. Junior Gonzaga (DC) product Terrance Williams is another heavy-hitter for Stevens, offering Takeover versatility and consistency in the swingman position. Williams (247 No. 65) averaged 9 points and 4.6 rebounds, and his percentages are ridiculous; the 6-foot-7 junior shot 55.2% from downtown and 86.7% from the free throw line. The frontline is rounded out by 6-foot-7 Yale-commit EJ Jarvis (247 3-star), 6-foot-8 Josh Oduro (247 2-star) and 6-foot-7 Charles Thompson (247 2-star) - all juniors.

Prognosis

For the first time since our coverage started in 2013, we have a hands-down favorite heading into Peach Jam. Team Takeover is a deep, unselfish, highly-productive unit that can beat you in a variety of ways. They have proven the ability to win close, and have a number of players capable of stepping up in a big moment. 10 of their 16 wins came over Peach Jam contenders, making them a certified ‘must-see’ at Peach Jam. They want the championship badly, and they’d be a tremendous example of what grassroots basketball should be at the highest level.

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