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Every week, across several sports, players around the DMV (D.C./Maryland/Virginia) shine in individual performance. Every Monday, I’d like to take a minute to highlight some of those performances, including what I view as the best performance and name that athlete the “DMV Star of the Week.”
This week’s DMV Star of the Week is Howard Basketball Guard Jordan Hairston.
For the first time in school history, Howard will appear in back-to-back NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournaments.
The Bison ripped off three wins in a row in last week’s MEAC Tournament to claim the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, beating Morgan State, Norfolk State, and Delaware State along the way.
Perhaps the biggest reason why Howard has advanced to its second consecutive Big Dance is the outstanding play of Senior Guard Jordan Hairston.
Hairston won the MEAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player Award, leading the Bison to a tournament title through some wonderful performances, shining the most in the final when the lights were brightest.
In the quarterfinal win over Morgan State, Hairston scored 17 points while adding 6 rebounds and 2 assists.
The next day, against the #1 seed Norfolk State, he never came out of the game while scoring 10 points to go along with 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal as Howard held on to win 80-74.
In the final, Hairston secured the Most Outstanding Player Award, scoring 18 points in 40 minutes to go along with 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal as the Bison won it over Delaware State 70-67.
Three wins in three days while resting for a total of three minutes across 120 minutes of basketball.
That’s more than enough to secure the DMV Star of the Week Award for Jordan Hairston.
The DMV saw eight teams in action this past week, including the Washington Wizards, Washington Capitals, D.C. United, Washington Spirit, and the Maryland, Georgetown, George Washington, and Howard basketball teams
Here are some honorable mention performances for DMV Star of the Week:
Washington Wizards Guard Jordan Poole scored 31 points in Sunday’s loss against Boston
D.C. United Midfielder Jared Stroud scored his first goal in MLS in Saturday’s loss against Inter Miami
Maryland Guard Jahmir Young scored 11 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 7 assists in Wednesday’s win over Rutgers
Howard Basketball Guard Bryce Harris scored 28 points and hauled in 9 rebounds in HU’s quarterfinal win over Morgan State
Howard Basketball’s Marcus Dockery, Jordan Hairston, and Bryce Harris never came off the floor and each scored in double-figures in Howard’s 80-74 semifinal win over Norfolk State on Friday
Georgetown Guard Jayden Epps scored 30 points in the Hoyas season-ending loss to Providence in the opening round of the Big East Tournament
Here’s what’s coming up this week in DMV Sports:
Washington Capitals (32-25-9, 4th in Metropolitan Division)
3/18 @ Calgary
3/20 vs. Toronto
3/22 vs. Carolina
3/24 vs. Winnipeg
Washington Wizards (11-57, 15th in Eastern Conference)
3/19 vs. Houston
3/21 vs. Sacramento
3/23 vs. Toronto
D.C. United (1-2-1, 5 points 9th in Eastern Conference)
3/23 @ St. Louis
Washington Spirit (0-0-1 overall, 0 points, 12th in NWSL)
3/23 vs. Bay FC (Home Opener)
Howard Bison Basketball (18-16 overall, 9-5, 3rd in MEAC)
3/19 vs. #16 Wagner (NCAA Tournament - First Four)
If win: 3/21 vs. #1 North Carolina (NCAA Tournament - First Round)
*Denotes games I will be covering in-person