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Meet coach Woodberry Forest Craig Dawson

June 26, 2012 by 1 Comment

New Woodberry Forest Head Coach Craig Dawson

“A good coach can make his players see what they can be rather than what they are.” 

This statement can be custom tailored for new Woodberry Forest Head Coach Craig Dawson. Coach Dawson has a long pedigree with his playing days at Wake Forest and his coaching days at Forsyth Country Day.

Coach Dawson graduated from Wake Forest in 2002 after a stellar career for the Demon Deacons. He became the 40th member of the Wake Forest 1,000 career point club and finished with a career 1,342 points. He tied the ACC record for the most 3 pointers in one game with 11 against Clemson University and has set a Wake Forest individual record. For his career, Coach Dawson shot an impressive 38% from the 3 point line. He enjoyed a storied career at Wake Forest, but our story today is about Craig Dawson the coach!

After graduating from Wake Forest, Coach Dawson was employed by Forsyth Country Day School as an instructor of Physical Education for grades 3-9. From 2004-2008, Coach Dawson recorded a 76-19 record in just four season as Head Junior Varsity Boys Basketball Coach. His teams enjoyed two 20 win seasons and won the 2008 PACIS Conference Championship.

From his success at the junior varsity level, Coach Dawson then became the Head Varsity Girls Basketball Coach during the 2009 season. His team finished 20-8 for the year and was the 2009 PACIS Conference Champions. In addition, Coach Dawson led the  2009 NCISAA 3A State Tournament Semi-Finals and won named 2009 PACIS Conference Coach of the Year.

The following season, Coach Dawson was named Head Varsity Boys Basketball Coach and led FCDS to an 40-22 record. In 2010, he led the boys varsity team to the NCISAA 3A State Tournament Semi-Finals which was the school first appearance since 1984. FCDS won the 2010 PACIS Conference Championship which was the first school conference championship in 20 years and was voted the 2010 PACIS Conference Coach of the Year. He was voted Coach of the Year two years in a row, one with the girls varsity and the next with the boys varsity.

Besides being the coach at FCDS, Coach Dawson established and oversaw a support structure including academic, social, and personal support for all the basketball players at the school. More importantly, he was looked up too from the students as well as the basketball players as someone who was well liked and trusted.  He was excellent in his communications and totally professional in his dealings on and off the basketball court.

One player that had a special relationship with Coach Dawson was my son Tyler. The relationship between Tyler and Coach Dawson was very special and without question Tyler looked up to Coach Dawson as his coach, friend and most important his role model. Tyler often stated, “Coach Dawson is like a second dad to me.” Tyler respected and loved Coach Dawson and enjoyed the two years under his leadership and coaching.

Outside of coaching JV boys basketball and varsity boy and girls at FCDS, Coach Dawson was always active during the off season, if there is such a thing in basketball today. Coach Dawson called with the NC Gaters, Carolina Titans and with Team Phoenix from 2003-2008 and is currently coaching the CP3 All Stars 14U team. He has volunteered his time running the NC AAU Pool Play and has worked various camps such as the Dave Odom and Skill Prosser Basketball Camps at Wake Forest, Rusty Larue Basketball Academy, FCDS Basketball Camp, Triad Hoops Academy and has worked the famous CP3 Elite Guard Camp, NC Phenom 150 Camp,  along with the Dave Telep Carolina Challenge.

Basketball has been a major part of Coach Dawson’s life. He was a high school and ACC star and came from a strong basketball family. He has been highly successful at both levels, but it is professionalism and passion that makes him special and the saying “A good coach can make  his players see what they can be rather than what they are” is a motto that bodes well for Coach Craig Dawson. His ability to communicate and maximize his team’s potential is one of his strongest attributes. That being said, Coach Dawson should do well with his new coaching position for the Woodberry Forest School in Virginia.

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Recruiting Round Table Part 3

June 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment

In today’s issue of Recruiting Round Table Part 3,  we want to introduce players that are currently “under the radar”.

Player: 6’3 Anthanee Doyle
City: Holly Springs, North Carolina
Class: Rising 2013
High School: Holly Springs
Twitter Name: @anthaneedoyle
AAU Team: Showtime All-Stars
AAU coach: James Black
Interest: Presbyterian, Elon, Radford, Virginia Tech, Carolina Central, East Carolina. Appalachian State
Evaluation:  Doyle is a long and athletic WG with a quick first step. He is excellent in using the “crow hop” to get into the teeth of the defense. While Doyle has an effective shooting touch from the perimeter, he is best at creating his own shot off the dribble. He does a nice job of mixing up his offensive moves and sports a nice floater and is one of the better mid-range jump shooters in his class.

Player: 6’6  Deojunique Flippin (DeeJay)
City: Holly Springs, North Carolina
Class: Rising 2013
High School: Holly Springs High School, Holly Springs, NC
Twitter Name: @djflipp21
AAU Team: Showtime All-Stars
AAU coach:  James Black
Interest: Presbyterian, Richmond, Jacksonville, Mercer, Florida Gulf Coast, Elon, Radford
Offer: Jacksonville
Evaluation: Flipping is a physically mature WF that possesses a nice blend of athleticism and skills. Flippin’s strongest attribute is his ability to attack the rim with aggressiveness and power.  He finishes well in traffic and his hard- nosed approach to the game is another strong attribute. Flippin has a high motor and we love his “no prisoners” attitude on the court.

Player: 6’1 Xavier Mills
City: Greenville, North Carolina
Class:  2013
High School: South Central High School
Twitter Name: @_TheRealXMAN_
AAU: Swish City Magic
AAU Coach: Deshannon Morris
Interest: Gardner Webb, Appalachian State, Elon, Campbell
Evaluation: Mills has been on our radar for quite some time. He is one of the better shooting PG’s in the state for the class of 2013. As a matter of fact, he is so efficient from the perimeter many teams prefer to put him at the SG position. That being said, he does a solid job at running the PG position and is good in transition and in a half court set. He is patience and rarely gets in a hurry and this is a strong attribute for a young PG. We really like his ability to shoot the 3 point shot off the dribble and his ability to penetrate in the lane by utilizing his nice arsenal of floaters and mid range pull up jumpers. Mills should be recruited hard by Southern Conference and Big South schools.

Player: 6’3 Joshua Luke Folwell
City: Burlington, North Carolina
Class: 2013
High School: Burlington Christian Academy
Twitter Name: joshf345274848
AAU Team:  Midstate Magic
Evaluation: Flowell is a fundamentally sound WG with good basketball IQ. He plays smart and is effective by doing so many little things on the court. He has good ball handling and passing skills but can fill it up nicely from the perimeter. Folwell is a high character young man and excels in the classroom.

Player: 6’3 Logan Chaucer
City: Wilmington, North Carolina
Class:2013
High School: New Hanover High School
High School Coach: Chris Angel
AAU Team: Blizzard Athletics
AAU Coach: Paul Chaucer
Evaluation: Chaucer will completely surprise you with his athleticism and his leaping ability and should be on the radar of many D2 and NAIA schools. He has a nice all around game with solid basketball fundamentals and IQ. He is a fairly accurate perimeter shooter, but can also put the ball on the floor and use his mid-range pull up jumper.

Player: 6’9 Tyler Wagner-Wilk
City: Rock Hill SC
Class: 2013
Twitter: @callmetizzle
High School: Rock Hill
Class: 2013
AAU Team: Prime Time Players
AAU Coach: Kenny Orr Twitter
Evaluation; The slender, but long 6’9 Tyler Wagner-Wilk has shown flashes of D1 potential at past performances at the NC Phenom 150 Camp. Bothered by knee problems due to growing too fast early on, Wagner-Wilk skill set is now catching up with his height. He runs the floor rather well and competes and plays hard on both ends of the court. The next step for him is to get physically stronger. Once he can get physically stronger, his recruitment will definitely pick up.

Player: 6’5 Lucius McMillan
City: Waxhaw, North Carolina
Class: 2013
High School:  Cuthbertson
Evaluation: Lucius has really good size for his age/grade and the crafty southpaw should be garnishing interest from D2-D1 schools.  He has a good basketball IQ and understands how to play the game the correct way. He has the ability to shoot from the perimeter or take his man off the dribble and his sneaky athleticism could make him an outstanding high school player. He will need to get stronger in the weight room and continue to fine tune his perimeter skills such as ball handling, passing and shooting. With dedication and effort, he could see his recruitment take off. “Crafty lefty with the ability to put together quick offensive spurts. Deceptive quickness allows him to get to the basket. As he improves his desire to defend and do the intangibles he will continue to shine on the court”.

Player: 6’5 Jordyn Propst
City: Hudson, North Carolina
Class: 2013
High School: South Caldwell
Twitter: Air_JordynP
High School Coach: Lee Swanson
AAU Team: Team Charlotte
AAU Coach: Jeff McInnis
Evaluation: Propst was Co-MVP of his conference last year and the strong undersized PF is showcasing his mid-range and perimeter skills that will make him a solid candidate at the D2 or NAIA level. Propst is a model student and sports a 3.95 weighted GPA and is currently an Honor Student at South Caldwell High School. Propst is an extremely hard worker on and off the court and has the right attribute and work ethic to be successful at the next level.

Player: 6’7 ‘Trey’ Weston
City: Burlington, North Carolina
Class:  2014
High School: Walter Williams High School
Twitter Name:  Tdubs23
AAU Team: Mid-State Magic
Evaluation: A long and athletic WF that is your classic run/jump athlete and is quite effective in slashing and attacking the rim. He plays with passion and purpose and will give you maximum effort. Weston length and athleticism should make him a key focal point for many lower tier D1 schools. He has two more years of high school basketball and has good potential.

Player: 6’2 Justice Cuthbertson
City: Thomasville, North Carolina
Class: 2014
High School: Westchester Country Day
Twitter Name: @JcubCuthbertson
High School Coach: Dagan Nelson
AAU Team: Swish City Elite
AAU Coach: Julio Evans
Interest: Clemson, Virginia Tech, Wofford, UMass, College of Charleston, And Wingate
Evaluation: We have written about Cuthbertson on several occasions and the NC Phenom 150 alum is gradually making improvements/strides in his game that will make him a solid D1 prospect. Cuthbertson has a strong frame that definitely passes the airport test and then some. Sporting a college ready frame, Cuthbertson has worked hard in all areas of his game and enjoyed a solid and production tournament at the Reebok Showdown in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He has a great disposition and attitude on the court and has developed outstanding leadership skills at the PG position.

Player: 6’4 Nick George
City: Charleston, West Virginia
Class: 2014:
High School: Charleston (WV) Catholic
Twitter Name:  @nickgeorge30
HS coach:  Bill McClanahan
AAU Team:  WV Wildcats Select
AAU coach: Jay Cinco and Scott Long
Interest:  University of Pennsylvania; Elon; Princeton
Evaluation: George is a model student athlete and is already getting serious interest from several Ivy League schools plus Elon College. George is a solid player that is fundamentally sound and has outstanding basketball IQ. He has good size and surprisingly sneaky athleticism, but his calling card is his ability to shoot from the perimeter. He has a good shooting technique and should be a top priority for schools looking for the academic/athletic SG.

Player: 6’5 Daniel Kanadanui
City: High Point, North Carolina
Class: 2014
High School:  Ragsdale
HS Coach: Craig Shoemaker
AAU Team: NC Court Kings
AAU Coach: Eliot Brooks
Evaluation: We wrote about Kanadanui in the NC Phenom 150 recap. We really love watching the physically mature combo forward as he continues to play the game with passion and purpose. He is a fierce competitor and will give maximum effort 100% of the time. His athleticism, strength and skill combination should make him an attractive D1 prospect.

Player: Riley LaRue
City: Lewisville, North Carolina
Class: 2014
Twitter: @rlarue2
High School: East Forsyth High School
High School Coach: Mike Muse
AAU Team: NC Spartans Elite 16u
AAU Coach: Brant Short
Evaluation: The son of former Wake Forest standout Rusty LaRue and current assistant coach. Riley is an alum of the NC Phenom 150 camp and has always enjoyed a solid camp performance. He has a quick release and is very effective from his perimeter shooting, especially in a cat and shoot situation. He is fundamentally sound and has a great understanding of the game and possesses a high basketball IQ. His current AAU coach Brant Short best stated “Riley has multiple assets and abilities. He is best when playing the best. When he has the ball in his hands, he makes good things happen. He is able to make shots from deep and has the vision to set his teammates up. Riley is our glue guy for the 16U Spartans Elite.

Player: 5’11 Matt Milovic
City: Charlotte, North Carolina
Class: 2014
High School: Charlotte Catholic
High School Coach: M.D. King
AAU Team: Charlotte Royals
AAU Coach: Jody Barbe
Evaluation: Matt Milovic averaged 10.5 PPG and 5 APG as a sophomore for Charlotte Catholic. The southpaw has a solid understanding of the game and has an advanced basketball IQ for his age/grade. Milovic has a smooth shooting touch and has good accuracy from the 3 point area. Milovic should be a high priority for high academic D3 schools and will continue to garnish interest at the D2 or NAIA level. He is a hard worker and is the ultimate gym rat.

Player: 6’2  Isiah Taylor
City: Charlotte, North Carolina
Class: 2014
High School: Myers Park
Twitter Name:@Isiah_Taylor11
AAU Team: D-One Sports
Interest: Boston University
Evaluation: Taylor is a quick and athletic combo guard that is just now getting D1 interest and look for this list to grow by summer’s end. He will be running with D One Sports and Taylor should have the opportunity to display his overall game. Taylor does a lot of things well and has good fundamentals and solid understanding of the game. He has improved immensely over the past year and should see his improvement and interest continue to grow.

Player: 6’5  Kevin Williams
City: Charleston, West Virginia
Class: 2014
High School: South Charleston High School
AAU Team:WV Wildcats
Interest:  Ohio University
Evaluation:  Williams has freakish athleticism and his strongest attribute is his ability to slash to the basket. He uses his strength and athleticism well and is nearly impossible to keep out of the lane. He has excellent length and plays much taller than his 6’5 listed frame. More importantly, he plays extremely hard on both ends of the court and doesn’t back down from a challenge. His passion, desire and effort are his calling card along with an elite high level athleticism makes him a can’t miss D1 prospect.

Name: 5’9 Garrett McCarty
City: Charleston, West Virginia
Class: 2014
High School: Charleston Catholic High School
AAU Team: WV Wildcats
Evaluation:  McCarty is a heady, scrappy and quick PG that has excellent ball handling skills, but more importantly has a solid understanding of the game. He is the ultimate team facilitator and is excellent in leading his team in the half court situation. Like most young,quick and fast PG, they are best in transition and McCarty is no exception to the rule.

Player: 6’4  Harrison Brown
City: Huntington, West Virginia
Class: 2014
High School: Huntington High School
AAU Team: WV Wildcats
Evaluation: :  Brown has excellent size for the SG position and the only thing better than his size is his ability to put the ball through the basket. He simply knows how to score and score he can. A deadly perimeter shooter especially when he gets his feet set. He has a good understanding of the game and moves well without the ball. As the old shooter’s saying goes, “he does his work early” and is also effective coming off down screens and curls.

Player: 6’1 Scott Meredith
City: Pilot Mountain, North Carolina
Class: 2014
Twitter: @slmeredith3
High School: East Surry
High School Coach: Jason Anderson
AAU Team: Carolina Bearcats
AAU Coach: Marcus Wilmoth
Evaluation: Meredith enjoyed a outstanding sophomore season at East Surry. He averaged 14.6 PPG and 3.9 APG and his play earned him First Team All Conference in the Northwest 1A/2A Conference. Meredith skill set and fundamentals should make him a strong target of D2 and NAIA schools.

Player: 5’7 Daryl Antwan Myers
Class: 2016
High School: Oak Hill Academy
Twitter Name: daryl3jr
AAU Team: VA Assault & Spotsylvania Knights
Evaluation: Myers is a speedy PG with “jet like” quickness. While he is only in the class of 2016, he is already receiving interest from mid majors and above. Myers is an alum of the NC Phenom 150 camp and his impressive performance was evident by his quickness, speed and athleticism for his age/grade, but more importantly he has a solid understanding of the game. He has the ability to make a difference on both ends of the court and he takes as much pride in his defense as his offensive game.

Player: 5’9 Billy Thomas
Class: 2016
High School: Academy of the Sacred Heart
AAU Team: Judges Court
AAU Coach: Antoine Joubert
Evaluation: Billy Thomas is a promising young prospect in the 2016 class. Thomas will be an incoming freshman in high school and already has left his mark in middle school and AAU basketball. He has been a proficient scorer and is already getting D1 interest. Be sure to check out his link to his you tube:

Player: 5’6 Chandler Murray
City: Charlotte, North Carolina
Class: 2016
AAU team: Charlotte Nets 15U
AAU Coach: Cortez Brown
Evaluation: Murray is an alum of the NC Phenom 150 Camp. The talented young PG has excellent speed and quickness that dovetails with his basketball knowledge and IQ. His AAU Coach Cortez Brown stated “ Chandler Murray is a one of a kind basketball player. His skills are more advanced than the kids at his age. He has the uncanny ability to create offense off the dribble and break down any defense. He is definitely a true competitor with the hunger to be the best. Not only is he an offensive threat, but a defensive stopper as well. With his intangibles the future is bright.”

Player: 5’6 Michael Melvin
City: Fayetteville, North Carolina
Class: 2016
High School: Freedom Christian Academy
Twitter Name: @iSnatch_Ankles
AAU Team: Freedom Flyers
Evaluation: Melvin is another young PG to put into your SIM CARD. The speedy PG does an excellent job of creating for his teammates as well as himself. He has advanced ball handling and passing skills and plays with passion and desire.

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Do-It-All Douglas Leads Elite past Magic in 17U Showdown

June 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment

The 2012 Raleigh Invitational Tournament, hosted this past weekend by the Swish City Magic, may have been overshadowed nationally by recent high profile events like the Nike Elite 100 in St. Louis or the U18 National Team Trials in Colorado Springs, but nonetheless showcased some local talented players that are in the mix for college scholarships as well.  Many of the event’s most promising prospects squared off on Saturday downtown at Emery Gym on the campus of Saint Augustine’s College.

In the day’s most competitive and entertaining game, a 17U bracket tilt between the Swish City Elite and the Swish City Magic, a handful of guys made compelling cases as to why they belong on college rosters.  The game’s top performer without question was 2013 G/SF JJ Douglas, a versatile 6’5 wing player who impacted the game in a variety of ways.  Douglas skied for rebounds on both ends and pushed it in transition – putting pressure on a defense that was undoubtedly tired (both teams had played previously that day).  His spider-like length gave the Magic’s guards fits in space because he always seemed to have the angle.  Finished with guys on his hip and created necessary space in traffic by way of masterful body control.

Douglas carved up the defense in the halfcourt by cutting hard and with a purpose from the weakside and converting from within 5 ft. when his teammates found him.  The athletic wing finished with his left hand throughout the day, including a blowout win for the Elite 17s that afternoon, which is an often neglected piece of a player’s fundamental skillset, sadly.  Most impressive about Douglas’ floor-game was his awareness and ability to take advantage of mismatches or chinks in the opponent’s strategy.  Early on vs. the Magic he posted up a much smaller defender on two straight possessions, scoring four easy points.  He demanded the ball and forced the Magic to switch gears defensively.

Unfortunately for the Magic, their defensive adjustment – sinking back into a 2-3 zone – presented little problem for the cerebral Douglas.  Starting from either short corner in half-court possessions against the zone, Douglas would flash to the open high post area on ball reversals.  When he was rewarded with entry passes from his backcourt mates, namely Camden Scott and Julius Washington, he kept the ball high to thwart swipes from perimeter defenders and got great lift on a handful of elbow jumpers that arced over the outstretched arms of the Magic backline.  He’ll need to be an acreage-type wing in college off the bounce – meaning he’ll need to get somewhere with the basketball in no more than two dribbles in the half-court (kill spots, baseline, etc.) – because his handle, although solid, lulls a bit and is susceptible to quick on-ball defenders as is.

Douglas put his team on his back in the fourth quarter of their back and forth shootout with the Swish City Magic.  In a game ultimately decided by a Hamilton FT with less than 2 seconds to play, giving the Elite the victory, he scored on 7 straight possessions down the stretch.  Tallying a game-high 32 points (18 in the 4th quarter), Douglas solidified his place atop the respectable list of college prospects at the event.

The dynamic talent has the size and athleticism to possibly guard three positions at the D1 level, although I doubt he ends up checking many PGs.  His frame looks a little stiff, a la Jalen Rose at the same age, but it’s yet to be seen if his lateral quickness is affected by it.  His smarts on the offensive end give me no indication he’ll have trouble picking up defensive concepts in a college program.

His academic record is holding him back from playing Division 1 basketball right now.  According to Swish City coach Walt Clement, Douglas will most likely end up in the JUCO ranks this year and they are in the process of finding a good fit for him.

By Ryan Mattocks
Talent Evaluator/Writer
Phenom Hoop Report
coachmattocks@gmail.com
@coachmattocks

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Recruiting Round Table Part 2

June 12, 2012 by 1 Comment

In today’s issue of Recruiting Round Table Part 2,  we want to introduce players that are currently “under the radar”.

Player: 6’1 PG Colton Bishop
Class: 2014
City: Lewisville, North Carolina
High School: Forsyth Country Day
Twitter Name: @bishizzo1
High School Coach: Jack McHale
AAU Team: NC Spartans
AAU Coach: Brant Short
Interest: Western Carolina, Davidson, Gardner-Webb, NC Central
Evaluation: Bishop is a long and slender PG that is rapidly improving into a solid D1 prospect. He is a tireless worker and is the ultimate gym rat. He will surprise you with his athleticism and has the ability to be a scoring PG or a true facilitator in running his team effectively. Bishop is fundamentally sound player with an outstanding basketball IQ. Last season for FCDS, we was used more as a scoring guard especially with his ability to know down 3 point shots. He is a super young man with high character and any college that secures his commitment will have a great young man/player.

Player: 6’3 Darius Williams
Class: 2014
City: Hemingway, South Carolina
High School: Carvers Bay
High School Coach: J. Mezzatesta
AAU Team: Manzer
AAU Coach: Coach Manzer
Interest: UNC, Louisville, NC State
Evaluation: Williams is an superb athlete that can shine on the football field or on the basketball court. He has a strong frame and his ability to compete, defend, and play with an aggressive fashion is impressive. He is a run/jump athletic WG and with a refined skill set, should see his recruitment explode.

Player: 6’3 John Elmore
Class:2014
City: Charleston, West Virginia
High School: Christ School, Arden NC
Twitter Name: @elmore33
High School Coach: David Gaines
AAU Team: WV Wildcats
Interest:  Alabama, WVU, Wake Forest, Notre Dame, Ohio University, VMI
Evaluation: A strong and heady PG that can simply do a little bit of everything on the court. While Elmore has a solid offensive skill set, the extremely athletic PG strongest attribute may be his ability to defend with his excellent on the ball defense. Elmore has been well coached and has a high basketball IQ and strong fundamentals that accompany his skill set and athleticism.

Name: 6’0 RJ Hunt
Class 2014
City: Raleigh, North Carolina
High School: Neuse Christian Academy
Twitter Name: @RJ_Hunt_21
High School Coach: Coach Scottie Richardson
AAU Coach:  Bob Harris
Interest: Tennessee,  VCU, George Mason, UGA.
Evaluation: Hunt is a hard working young man that is entirely focused on athletics and academics, plus has his priorities in order. A high character young man that plays the game the right way. A solid lead guard that is capable of running a team effectively in transition and in the half court. He has good court vision and basketball IQ and has different levels of college interest. His strongest attribute is his understanding of the game and once he gains more strength and power, his recruitment will expand even further.

Name: 6’8 Parker Jones
Class: 2014
City: Mooresville, North Carolina
High School: Lake Norman High School
High School Coach: Brandon Jolly
AAU Team: Carolina Warriors
AAU  Coach:  Thomas Mack
Evaluation: Jones is a solid 6’8 player that is continuing to make strides on the basketball court. He has a soft shooting touch up to 12-15 feet and once he develops more strength and athleticism, his recruitment should pick up. Currently, a D3/D2 prospect, Jones is a strong a student in the classroom and a model citizen that could see more interest with a strong showing during the live July period.

Player: 6’4 SG Nick Powell
Class: 2014
City: Greensboro, North Carolina
High School: Northwest Guilford
Twitter Name: @Nicky_P_
High School Coach:   Lee Reavis
AAU Team: Kappa Magic 16U
AAU coach: Eric Alspaugh
Interest: Western Carolina, Wingate, UNC-G
Evaluation: Powell is a strong SG that has excellent range on his jumper. He is an efficient 3 point shooter with outstanding shooting fundamentals, technique, extension and follow through. While his ability to shoot accurately from the perimeter is his strongest attribute, he will surprise you with his movement without the ball. He is solid in coming off screens and is constantly moving to get open. He has good ball handling skills for his size/position and is able to use either hand while finishing in the lane. The next step for Powell is continued improvement on the defensive end of the floor with increased lateral speed.

You Tube: (Start at 1:30 min)  Nick Powell #21 AAU – Kappa Magic 16U – Boo Williams Nike Invitational 2012

Nick Powell #3 from 2011-2012 Northwest Guilford season.

Player: 5’9  Emmanuel Maree
Class: 2014
City: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
High School: North Forsyth High School
Twitter Name: @EmmanMaree_12
AAU Team: Winston-Salem Warriors
AAU coach: Terrence Petree
Interest: Invited to Wake Forest and UNC-G Elite Camps UNC-G, Winthrop.
Evaluation: Maree is a quick PG that is able to push the ball up the court in an impressive fashion. He has jet like speed and has the ability to penetrate into the lane with ease. He has the ability to finish in the lane, but is quite effective in dishing out to teammates for open shots. He is a true lead guard that makes his teammates better. Currently, a borderline D2/D1 prospect and a strong summer and junior year will help determine his appropriate level.

Player: 5’10  Christian Sexton
Class: 2014
City: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
High School: Bishop McGuiness Catholic
Twitter Name: @shwingo4
High School  Coach: Josh Thompson
AAU Team: NC Spartans Elite
AAU coach: Brant Short
Evaluation: Sexton is a smart and heady PG that has a solid skill set. His strongest attributes are his high basketball IQ and fundamentals. He is an efficient scorer and has excellent range on his perimeter shooting. He is strong academically so D3 should be a proper fit for this young man.

Player: 6’1 Brian Thornton
Class: 2015
City: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
High School Coach: Tom Morgan
AAU Team: SEBL 15U
Interest: Davidson College, Wingate, Seton Hall
Evaluation: Thornton is a strong PG that competes, defends and plays hard. He is one of the better PG’s in the 2015 class in North Carolina. He has good size, strength and power for his age/grade that is matched with good fundamentals and IQ. He has a nice blend of athleticism and skills that should make him a priority in the 2015 class for players in the Old North State.

Player: 6’2  Anthony Bilas
Class: 2015
City: Charlotte, North Carolina
High School:  Charlotte Latin
Twitter Name:  @AnthonyBilas
High School Coach: Chris Berger
AAU Team: Upward Stars
Evaluation: Anthony Bilas comes from excellent stock and is the son of former Duke star Jay Bilas. Anthony Bilas is a hard working young man with outstanding fundamentals and basketball IQ. He has strong perimeter skills and possesses an excellent shooting touch and can consistently knock down the 3 point shot. One of his strongest attributes is his work ethic and desire to get better. He has solid ball handling skills for his size/position and is an good team player. While his strength is shooting the ball, he is unselfish in making the extra pass. While only 6’2 currently, he is long and lanky and looks like he has a lot more growing to do.

Player: 5’8  Chandler Peraldo
Class: 2015
City: Greensboro, North Carolina
High School: Bishop McGuiness Catholic
High School Coach: Josh Thompson
AAU Team: Team Phoenix
Evaluation: Peraldo is a quick/heady “pass first” PG. He is an ultimate gym rat and has excellent handles along with good perimeter skills. He is effective shooting 3 pointers and has the speed/quickness to be an effective PG at the HS level and beyond. His biggest attribute is his desire to get better since he is a strong will competitor. As he gets older, he will gain strength and power which will help determine his appropriate level.

Player: 6’0  Timmy Walker, Jr.
Class: 2016
City: Charlotte, North Carolina
High School: Christ School
Twitter Name: @TimmyWlk11
High School Coach: David Gaines
AAU Team: Karolina Diamonds
AAU coach:  Kevin Graves
Evaluation: Go ahead and put his young man in your SIM CARD. He is one of the better players in the talented 2016 class in North Carolina. He is strong, powerful and possesses excellent speed/quickness. Walker will be transferring to The Christ School in Arden, North Carolina and Coach David Gaines truly has a gifted young prospect in the 2016 class. His athleticism (strength, speed, and quickness) are beyond his years for his age/grade and has the ability to get into the lane with so much ease, even against bigger and older players. The next step for Walker is to develop a consistent perimeter jumper extending to the 3 point line.

Player: 5’8 Caron Corpening
Class: 2016
City: Lenoir, North Carolina
High School: Saint Stephens high
Twitter Name: @CaronCorpening
AAU Team: E.A. Prep All Stars
Evaluation: Corpening is another player on the rise in the 2016 class. His speed/quickness along with his ability to handle and pass the rock are exceptional for his age/grade. More importantly, he excels on the defensive on the floor and may be one of the best on the ball defenders we have seen in quite some time. This young man takes tremendous pride in his defense which is not found often today. He can be a change changer by his defensive pressure on the ball. He is a true competitor that gives 100% effort 100% of the time. Add him to your SIM CARD as a solid D1 prospect.

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Recruiting Round Table Part 1

June 11, 2012 by 1 Comment

In today’s issue, we want to introduce players that are currently “under the radar” and with summer elite camps coming up, you may want to personally invite many of these prospects to summer camp. We have included pertinent information such as their high school and AAU coaches email that will be important in communicating with the appropriate people.

Player: 6’8 Mark Pollack
Class:   2013
City: Charlotte, North Carolina
High School:  Charlotte Catholic
Twitter Name:  @Mpollack33
High School Coach: Mike King
AAU/Club Team:  Team Charlotte
Club Team Coach:  Jeff McInnis
Evaluation: Mark Pollack has been a regular of the NC Phenom 150 Camp and our Fall Drills and Skills Camp. We have written about Pollack on past occasions and it has been fun watching the growth, development and improvement of this young man. Pollack averaged 14.8 PPG as a junior and shot 47% from the 3 point line. He earned a spot on the Mega & All Conference team and for the first time in 15 years, Charlotte Catholic won over 20 games. Pollack is a proficient shooter and has a high release point and a rather quick release. He is an exceptional student and outstanding citizen that dovetails with his overall basketball skill set. He is a legitimate D1 prospect and should find a home in the Southern Conference, Big South or a high academic institution such as the Ivy League. Without question, one of the better perimeter shooters in North Carolina for the 2013 class, plus he has grown to 6’8!

Player: 6’7 Brian J. White
Class: 2013
City: Chesterfield, Virginia
High School: Sports Quest Academy
Twitter Name: @brianwhite32
AAU Team: Team Loaded
Offers:  Appalachian State, UNC-G
Interest:  Florida State, Iowa, Marymount University, Furman, University of Richmond, UVA
Evaluation: Brian White already sports offers from Appalachian State and UNC-G and look for that list to grow. The NC Phenom 150 Alum has developed a mid range game that will make him an important recruit along with his long 6’7 frame. White is a “blue collar” young man with a tremendous work ethic and has been an important member of the “loaded” Team Loaded squad from Virginia. White will attend Sports Quest Academy for his senior season and look for his stock to continue to rise. Be sure to check out the write up from the NC Phenom 150 Camp this past March.

Player: 6’7 Daniel Bridges
Class: 2013
City: Spartanburg, South Carolina
High School: Landrum High School
AAU Team: Upward Stars
Interest: USC- Upstate, Gardner-Webb, WestPoint, Presbyterian, Furman, Anderson, Citadel, Davidson, East Carolina University, Elon, High Point University, Appalachian State
Evaluation: Daniel Bridges is a solid fundamentally sound “combo forward” and has the ability to step and knock down the mid-range jumper. He is garnishing a lot of D1 interest and with added physical strength, Bridges could obtain that cherished D1 offer.

Player: 6’4 Reed Lucas
Class:  2013
City: Greensboro, North Carolina
High School:  Greensboro Day School
Twitter Name:  @Reed_Lucas11
AAU Team:  Team Cobras
Email for AAU coach: TBD
Interest:  Liberty, Elon, Furman, UNC-G, Appalachian State, Bucknell
Evaluation: Reed Lucas plays for Coach Freddie Johnson of tradition rich Greensboro Day School and that alone should be enough for D1 schools to aggressively recruit this young gunslinger. Lucas is a fundamentally sound player with a tremendously high basketball IQ. He is sneaky athletic and will surprise you with his quick first step and leaping ability. More importantly, he is a textbook shooter that can quickly shoot the opposing team out of the ball game. With the growing shortage of quality shooters, Lucas should be a player schools in the Big South and Southern Conference should monitor carefully over the July live period.

Player: 6’5 Ashley Williams
Class: 2013
City: Wilson, North Carolina
High School: Greenfield School
Twitter Name: @ashwill20
AAU Team: SEBL
Interest:  Davidson, Richmond, UNC-W, Coastal Carolina, Western Carolina, East Carolina, Presbyterian, Lafayette, Marist, Fairfield
Evaluation: We have been impressed with the consistent play of the long and athletic WG from Morehead City. He plays much bigger than his 6’5 frame and has a nice arsenal of offensive moves that makes him effective on the perimeter or attacking the basket. We wrote about Ashley from the SEBL and this is what we had to say.

Player: 6’3  Aaron Williams
Class: 2013
City: Wilson, North Carolina
High School: Greenfield School
Twitter Name: @aaronw15
AAU Team:  SEBL
Interest: Davidson, Coastal Carolina, Lafayette,
Evaluation: Aaron is more of a “combo guard” with outstanding skill sets. We like his ability to handle and pass the ball for his size. He plays within the structure of the team and is a “glue guy” that is needed on so many teams. We like the way he plays within himself and has the ability to showcase his strengths while minimizing his weaknesses on the court. He is advanced in his understanding of the game and rarely makes mistakes.

Name:  6’3 Ot Elmore
Class: 2013
City: Charleston, West Virginia
High School: South Charleston High School: Will transfer to FUMA
Twitter Name: @ogeiii
AAU Team: WV Wildcats
Interest:  William & Mary, VMI, Ohio University
Evaluation: Ot Elmore is an outstanding perimeter shooter especially in a “catch and shoot” situation, but is improving in his ability to shoot off the dribble and create his own shot. Elmore has excellent basketball IQ and “under-estimated athleticism.” Unfortunately, too many people view him only as a 6’3 white kid that can only shoot, which is far from the obvious. Elmore is a tough young player that plays with a lot of passion and determination. His skill sets shout D1 and once more schools have a chance to watch him this summer, they too will agree that his sneaky athleticism and shooting ability from the perimeter will garnish him his first D1 offer.

Player: 6’8 Jacob Nabatoff
Class: 2013
City: Charlotte, North Carolina
High School: Charlotte Latin School
Twitter Name: @JacobNabatoff
AAU Team: Charlotte Reign
Evaluation: Jacob Nabatoff is the epidimy of the term student-athlete. Nabatoff has grown tremendously and his skill set is starting to match his size. He is an hard working young man that has improved over the course of his high school career. Currently, a borderline D2/D1 prospect and the July live period will help gauge his appropriate level of collegiate basketball. That being said, a rapidly improving player that hasn’t played organized basketball for a long period of time. He has caught on quickly and what you see currently is far from the finished product.

Player: 6’1 Kevin Weckworth
Class: 2013
High School: Bishop McGuiness Catholic
Twitter Name: @kweck21
AAU Team: NC Spartans Elite
Offers: Belmont Abbey
Interest: Pfeiffer, Radford, will attend Colgate Elite Camp and Columbia Elite Camp
Evaluation: Kevin Weckworth is an academically grounded player that may just find himself playing in the prestigious Ivy League. Naturally, Weckworth is a fundamentally sound player with outstanding basketball IQ and has a great understanding of the game. His ability to run the PG position and his efficient perimeter shooting will make him a priority of a high academic program. He is a low risk player that works equally in the classroom as the basketball court.

Player: 5’9 Hunter Caldwell
Class: 2013
High School: North Lincoln High School
Evaluation:  Hunter Caldwell is a solid young PG that could play at a D2 or NAIA level. He has a blend of athleticism and skills that accompany his understanding of the game. He plays under control and has the ability to run a team efficiently in transition or in the half court.

Player: 6’3  Jeremy Wallace
Class: 2013
High School: Walnut Grove Christian School
AAU Team: EA Prep Stars
Interest: Lafayette University, Jacksonville University, Bridgewater, University of New England, Gardner Webb, College of Charleston
Evaluation: Jeremy Wallace is a strong and athletic WG and is best at attacking the basket. He has excellent length with his 6’3 frame and plays equally hard on the defensive end of the floor as the offensive end. He has a high motor and plays hard. He values the ball and doesn’t mind getting into the chest of the imposing offensive player. He is already gaining a lot of D1 interest and look for his offer list to match his interest list by the end of the summer.

Player: 6’1 Austin Hatfield
Class: 2014
High School: Davie County HS
Twitter Name: @austinhatfield4
AAU Team: Kappa Magic (16u)
Interest: BYU, Stanford, Western Carolina, Elon, Liberty
Evaluation: Austin Hatfield had an outstanding performance at the Inaugural Reebok Showdown and his interest and offer list will only continue to grow this summer. A hard working guard that competes, defends, and plays with an aggressive style of ball that is refreshing today. His twin brother Taylor will team up with the Martin twins at Davie County next season and watch their recruitment gain traction and momentum. They are fun to watch and they know how to play the game the correct way. Here is our observations from the Reebok tournament   Austin averaged 19 PPG for Kappa Magic and no one outplayed/outworked this young man.

Player: 6’1 Taylor Hatfield
Class: 2014
High School: Davie County HS
AAU Team: Kappa Magic (16u)
Interest: BYU, Stanford, Western Carolina, Elon, Liberty
Evaluation: Like this twin brother Austin, a hard-nosed young player that give maximum effort 100% of the time. Knows how to run a team efficiently and effectively and does all the little things/intangibles on the court that enable his team to be successful.

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Hoop Scoop All-American camp

June 1, 2012 by 2 Comments

It promises to be the premier middle school event in the nation and will be the place where the up-and-coming star of tomorrow can get a head start on the future while playing against the top competition in the country.  We’re talking about The HOOP SCOOP All-American Camp, which is being officially announced today in a variety of different venues.  The camp will be held at HOOPS in Louisville, KY on July 2nd-4th, 2012 and will feature players in the Class of 2016, Class of 2017, Class of 2018, and Class of 2019.  That’s current 5th, 6th, 7th, & 8th Graders, who, at the time of the camp, will be rising 6th, 7th, 8th, & 9th Graders.  The Camp Executive Director is yours truly (HOOP SCOOP Editor & Publisher Clark Francis) and I have been the one national scout that has paid attention to these age groups in recent years.  Van Coleman will be the Camp Operations Director and he has plenty of experience in this department dating back to the days when he was running the Future Stars Basketball Camps like a well oiled machine.  The Camp Director of Scouting will be Brick Oettinger, who not only is the guy who discovered Michael Jordan, but also has been second to none as a talent evaluator dating back to when he broke into the business in 1977 as a recruiting analyst and columnist for the ACC Sports Journal.  And this is important, because the three of us have been in this business for a combined total of over 100 years.  We also each have a vote for the McDonald’s All-American Team and have an incredible amount of insight and perspective with regards to recruiting, grassroots basketball, and evaluating and ranking players.  I also have lined up three more of my favorite people in the business to help recruit players and be the head coach for three of the four above mentioned age groups.  We’re talking about Rick Lewis, who runs the North Carolina Phenom 150 Camp and now is making a name for himself in the business with his Phenom Hoop Report; Rick Bolus, who has been in the business for 33 years with the Blue Chip Basketball Camp and for 39 years with the High Potential Scouting Service; and Horace Neysmith, who is the co-owner of AllMetroSports.com,the head coach of the Atlanta Celtics 15-Under Team, a valuable contributor to the HOOP SCOOP, and the brains behind all of the Elite Hoops Showcases throughout the South.  We’re also are excited about the fact that our own Ron Naclerio will be one of the instructors and will provide the campers with top individual development drills (i.e. ball handling, dribbling, passing, & shooting).  Patrick Stanwood also is on board and his vast array of contacts in the business and great gift for public relations should be invaluable.  We also have a number of other surprises that we plan to announce as time goes on.  In other words, we’re going to take middle school basketball and getting a head start on the future to a whole new level, as this promise to be “The Camp to End All Camps – For the Superstars of Tomorrow.”  Obviously the talent level at this camp will be at a very high level and, as a result, it is by “invitation only.”  However, we also have made it easy to apply for an invitation with an application that can be found by going to our new HOOP SCOOP All-American Camp web site.  We also want to stress the importance of signing up early, as the criteria necessary to get an invitation will become much more stringent as time goes on and spots fill up.  And, this too is important, because getting a head start on the future at a camp like this will provide those in attendance with a huge advantage as they make the transition from middle school to enter high school and, soon thereafter, really start the recruiting process.  Van Coleman also adds some important perspective”  “In my over 30 years of evaluating talent and 20 years of running basketball camps and events, I have found three areas that can maximize a player’s improvement both individually and as a team player.  These areas are ball handling, shooting and physical development.  These are the areas that we’ll concentrate on at Hoop Scoop All-American Camp.  We will teach players how these skills affect their game, what it takes to improve, and then provide them with a workout program to continue that improvement once they leave camp.”

Click here for the camp brochure

Filed Under: Phenom Reports