New additions to Digital Harbor hoops team
Fresh off a string of strong performances at the Craig Cromwell Summer League at The Dome, Digital Harbor coach Johnnie Grimes received some exciting – albeit unexpected – news about his squad.
Kevin Smith, the former Baltimore Freedom Academy point guard, had enrolled at Digital Harbor for his senior year after spending his junior season at Huntington (W.Va.) Prep. Smith’s transfer home was a welcome surprise for Grimes.
“A week before school, his mom told me,” Grimes said. “We have always talked … and she had said if they ever decided to come back home, that would be the place. So it wasn’t like I recruited him or anything. She just thought it was the best school for Kevin to go to. It was a shock to me that Kevin was coming to Digital. … But that was the piece we were missing, especially in the tough division we’re playing in.”
With the addition of Smith to Digital Harbor, Grimes has a seemingly loaded roster, especially on the perimeter. Junior point guard Daquan Cook will make his Rams debut after sitting out last season following his transfer from St. Frances, while Ronald Epps, a junior guard, is also on board after transferring from City. Grimes also welcomes cousins Antonio and Nyme Manns, both junior forwards, and Dominic Barnes, a junior guard who was injured last year.
Grimes is counting on each of those players to make a significant contribution this season. He’s also looking for Smith – who is being recruited by Charlotte, Florida State, Rutgers, South Florida and UNC-Wilmington – to be the senior leader.
“It’s just the maturity level,” Grimes said. “With Freedom Academy, he never had other core players with him. He always had to do everything. And not only that, but I coached Kevin for Nike Elite last year. And he was playing with stars like Will Barton. He really developed into a true point guard. He had real good players with him, and he just looked like a real high-level DI player. And with this team that we have, I think that the core guys are just going to make that transition easy, and he’s not really having to take over the game by himself. He’s going to have a real good class with him.”
Cook was the centerpiece of Nike Baltimore Elite’s 16-and-under squad this summer, leading NBE to the Super Showcase AAU tournament championship in Orlando. Washington, Seton Hall, UNLV, Iowa State, Temple, George Washington and Virginia Tech, among others, are involved with Cook.
“He had a heck of a summer,” Grimes said. “And he did well with Nike Elite last year, too. That really put him on the map. He has a real high IQ, is very athletic and quick. He’s a very unselfish player. He has a motor and he’s just going to be good. Plus, he’s only 15, so he’s going to develop even more strength. But the main thing with him is just working on all aspects of his game and definitely getting stronger.”
Grimes called Epps – who’s hearing from Liberty and The Citadel – an under-the-radar guard with a high basketball IQ and “a real good jump shot.” Barnes, according to Grimes, is an incredibly quick, explosive guard who will likely be an offensive spark off the bench.
The Manns cousins will provide the Rams with size and strength in the frontcourt. Nyme Manns, 6-4, is a rugged rebounder who comes from Cardinal Gibbons. Antonio Manns is a 6-5 wing with handles and long-range shooting capabilities. Penn State has expressed interest in Antonio Manns, who comes to Digital Harbor after spending last year at a high school in Portland, Ore.
Two years ago, Grimes guided a Rams squad led by George Jackson, Justin Jackson and Davon Usher to the Class 1A state championship. This year’s Digital Harbor team is garnering similar hype, but Grimes will preach patience to his players.
“I know a lot of people are definitely pushing us, right behind City, but I wouldn’t put us up at that level right now,” Grimes said. “I know talent wise [we’re good], but we just have to jell. The Manns are [a big help] on paper, but at the same time, when I had Justin and George and Davon, they had to jell and you need that time. You can’t come in expecting it to just happen overnight. We did really well at the summer league down at The Dome with the guys we had. Now you put Kevin into the mix, and the sky is definitely the limit. We’re definitely pushing the ball, and I think we can definitely be one of the top contenders in the city.”
