West Potomac sweeps All-Gunston District top honors

The West Potomac boys basketball team enters this week’s Gunston District tournament on a quite a roll. The Wolverines have a 12-game winning streak — they haven’t lost since the calendar still read 2018 — and boast a perfect record both in conference and on their home court.

The run of excellence has earned West Potomac a sweep of the Gunston District’s top honors, which are voted on by coaches in the district. The Wolverines (18-3, 8-0) also own home-court advantage in the district tournament and — if they can keep winning — home court advantage in the region.

“That was the goal of the team,” said head coach David Houston III. “We feel like we have a pretty good advantage at home.”

Player of Year: Daryl Mackey Jr., West Potomac

One of the most explosive guards in the area, Mackey became West Potomac’s all-time leading scorer last week, breaking 1991 graduate Leon Blakeney’s previous record of 1,763 points. A four-year starter, Mackey leads the Wolverines with 22 points, seven rebounds and three steals per game.

Mackey’s season — and the Wolverines’ season as a whole — is even more impressive considering the star suffered a high ankle sprain in December. Mackey missed three holiday tournament games before returning to the lineup and working his way back to full strength. Even with the injury, Mackey still managed to score in double figures every game.

Coach of The Year: David Houston III, West Potomac

This is the third consecutive COY honor for Houston, who has helmed the Wolverines for 15 years. During that time he’s built West Potomac into one of the region’s most consistent winners, and has the Wolverines in good position to compete for their third district title in four years.

Houston is quick to spread the credit around for West Potomac’s success, noting that his two longtime assistant coaches — Tyrone Strother and Houston’s father David Houston Jr. — have been with Houston since he started in 2004.

“It’s not an individual award, it’s a staff award,” Houston said. “Those guys have been instrumental.”

Defensive Player of the Year: Jonas Munson, West Potomac

The 7-foot center has matured into a force in the paint for the Wolverines, averaging four blocks per game and doubling his numbers in shots, scoring and rebounding from last season. Munson, who has committed to play collegiality at Central Arkansas, finished district play averaging 10.4 and eight rebounds per game.

“He has really picked it up for us,” Houston said.

This year’s full All-Gunston teams:

1st Team All Gunston District:

Shannon Harrigan, West Potomac (10.8 ppg, 8 rpg)
Jaquan Johnson-Terry, T.C. Williams (19.3 ppg, 5 rpg, 3 apg, 2 spg)
Michael Joiner, Hayfield (15 ppg, 7 rpg, 3.5 apg, 2 spg)
Junior Lotongo, Annandale
Jonas Munson, West Potomac (10.4 ppg, 8 rpg, 4 bpg)
Daniel Peterson, Hayfield (14 ppg, 10 rpg)
Jalon Lipford, Annandale

2nd Team All Gunston District:

Kyree Jones, Mount Vernon
Jack Fricka, West Potomac
Hutchinson, Hayfield
Maxwell Lanham, Annandale
Jaden Thrash, T.C. Williams
Bradley Harden, West Potomac
Takeo Carpenter, T.C. Williams

Honorable Mention All Gunston District :

Anthony Daniels, Mount Vernon
Jacqui Bailey, Hayfield
Sean Walsh, T.C. Williams
Di’Meatri Hill, Mount Vernon
Michael Lee, Hayfield
Jordan Adams, Annandale

All-Defensive Team:

Jahvon Hutchinson,Hayfield
Jalon Lipford, Annandale
Daryl Mackey Jr., West Potomac
Shannon Harrigan, West Potomac
Jaden Thrash, T.C. Williams