H.D. Woodson football All-Met Parnell Motley stood along the baseline watching the Warriors’ boys’ basketball team beat Bishop Ireton in overtime Saturday afternoon at Wilson and felt a twinge of frustration. A starter when Woodson won its first DCIAA championship in basketball last season, he wanted to be on the court to help his teammates on the hardwood eke out another win.
Motley, though, chose to focus only on football this year, and there were plenty of good reasons why it was the right move. Last month, the wide receiver/defensive back changed his college commitment to Oklahoma, just a few days after officially de-committing from Maryland.
Motley called it “a personal decision” that developed after news spread that former Terrapins interim head coach Mike Locksley might not return on new Coach D.J. Durkin’s staff. He is one of three Maryland football recruits to decommit since former Coach Randy Edsall was fired back in October.
“It was best for me just to really get out the city and look at other things in life,” Motley said. “Coach Locksley wanted me to stay. He was trying to convince me to stay and I felt as though Coach Locksley isn’t there and it’s a better chance for me to get out the city, so I took my shot in Oklahoma.”
Sooners defensive backs Coach Kerry Cooks had been recruiting Motley since last spring and the two continued to build a relationship even while Motley was committed to Maryland. Oklahoma also recently received an oral commitment from former Wilson running back Abdul Adams. Motley then decided to take an official visit to Norman, Okla., last month after Woodson finished its football season with a loss to Gonzaga in the D.C. State Athletic Association Class AA championship game.
He quickly came to the conclusion that Oklahoma was a better fit and elected to go to the Big 12, where former Woodson All-Met De’Andre Payne (Iowa State) also landed. Motley, slated to be a defensive back with the Sooners initially, could redshirt in order to add more weight to his 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame.
Which is why he will be in the weight room and on the track the rest of the school year, even if the basketball court comes calling from time to time. Though boys’ basketball Coach Trey Mines could have used him this season, “he thought I should stick to football, too,” Motley said.
NUMBER CRUNCH: 4
Players that finished in double figures in scoring for the Riverdale Baptist boys’ basketball team when it beat Middleburg Academy, 72-61, Monday night. Middleburg upset the Crusaders last month when the two teams faced just before the holiday break.
BREAKFAST LINKS
- Paul VI All-Met V.J. King used to be compared to LeBron James. Now, the Louisville recruit is blazing his own path in Fairfax.
- Check out our latest boys’ basketball rankings: Gonzaga ascends to No. 1 and Westfield rejoins the top 10.
- Here’s the newest set of girls’ basketball rankings: St. John’s, Forestville and Fairfax all make big leaps.
- WCAC girls’ basketball notebook: O’Connell finally arrives as a contender and Paul VI keeps rolling.
- Prince George’s basketball notebook: The boys’ basketball teams at Fairmont Heights and Central are off to surprisingly starts and they face one another tonight.
- Montgomery basketball notebook: New Coach Dondrell Whitmore brings his winning ways to the Blake boys’ team and the B-CC girls’ are off to a fast start thanks to a couple transfers.
- Loudoun basketball notebook: The Rock Ridge boys’ team aims high, while Emily Thompson returns from injury to lead the Loudoun Valley girls.
- Led by Darrus Maddox, the Patuxent boys’ basketball team is enjoying its wake-up call this winter.
- Senior Keaton Simmons has Stonewall Jackson off to a 9-1 start in boys’ basketball.
- The Atholton girls’ basketball team is ready to make a deep playoff run after a successful holiday tournament.
- Paul VI sophomore Brandon Slater picks up offers from Maryland, Miami and Louisville.
VIDEO OF THE DAY
Here’s Episode 4 of AllMetSports Top Basketball Plays
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: No. 1 Gonzaga at No. 2 St. John’s in boys’ basketball, 7:30
The action in the WCAC heats up in a big way Tuesday night when the top-ranked Eagles visit St. John’s in a battle between No. 1 and No. 2 in the latest Washington Post boys’ basketball poll. It’s also a rematch of last year’s D.C. State Athletic Association championship game, which St. John’s won. Follow Brandon Parker on Twitter (@brandoncparker) for all the updates you desire.
