In our May 22nd issue of the Phenom Hoop Report, we wrote about some of the top players in the 16U age division of the Reebok Showcase Challenge and two players that stood out were Taylor and Austin Hatfield of Kappa Magic. We wrote the following about them. 6’1 2014 Taylor and Austin Hatfield- Kappa Magic 16U: This was our first time watching the other set of “twins” for the tournament and we may have set a record of having three sets of twins playing at the Reebok Showdown. While the Martin twins of Davie County and Team Loaded AAU has enjoyed the most recognition and rightfully so, the Hatfield twins are definitely talented young players that are proven winners. Austin Hatfield averaged 19 PPG while his brother Austin finished with 14 PPG, but it is their approach to the game that is impressive. You have two young players that play the game the right way, they compete, guard and defend, but most of all they play HARD! They are both fundamentally sound that has a high basketball IQ and advanced knowledge of the game. They helped Kappa Magic go 3-0 in pool play and they upset SEBL 16U and the WV Wildcats 16U to make it to the championship bracket. Both players are proficient 3 point shooters and have advanced arsenal of offensive moves and scoring ability.
The great thing about the Kappa Magic 16U team is the roster is made of local players and made a name for themselves during the July “live period.” Kappa Magic 16U participated in the CP3 Invitational and won the Silver Bracket Championship as 6’1 Austin Hatfield of Davie County HS had a game high 32 points and averaged 24 PPG during the tournament. Later on, Kappa Magic traveled down to the Peach State Tournament in Aiken, South Carolina and made it to the Sweet 16. While many people may not think this is a worthy accomplishment, one has to remember this team’s roster is from local players in the Winston-Salem, North Carolina area. In one of the marquee matchups during the Peach State Tournament, Kappa Magic beat a tough and talented Upward Stars team. Leading the way for Kappa Magic was Taylor Hatfield as he went an impressive 6-6 from the three point line and 6’7 2014 PF Coye Simmons of Winston Salem Prep had a monster rebounding game with 17 boards. Be sure to check out our previous article on Simmons from the Reebok Challenge.
After Peach State, Kappa Magic traveled to Richmond, Virginia to participate in the Big Shots Tournament and lost in the championship by 3 in OT. 6’6 2014 PF Deshaunte Carelock who will be attending High Point Wesleyan averaged 20 PPG while Austin Hatfield averaged 18 PPG. Carelock is a physically mature PF that combines strength and power on the interior, but adds a game of finesse by his ability to step out and knock down the 10-15 foot jumper. He is a powerful dunker and is a serious D 1 prospect. Also having a great July showing for Kappa Magic was 6’3 2014 PG Justice Cuthbertson of High Point Westchester. Cuthbertson is a strong and powerful PG who is an outstanding on the ball defender. Cuthbertson is an alum of the NC Phenom 150 and we were impressed with his play at the Reebok Challenge. Be sure to read about him from our June 25th Recruiting Round Table. 6’4 2014 SG Nick Powell of Northwest Guilford was again big by hitting key shots down the stretch. We like the upside of Powell’s ability to stretch the defense with his accurate perimeter shooting. Powell has excellent shooting fundamentals and technique and is also an excellent student.
Coach Eric Alspaugh of Kappa Magic 16U stated the following “We were fortunate enough to have two great Point Guards leading our team this July. 6’1 Taylor Hatfield is a disciplined PG that runs our offense beautifully. He moves defenders and gets everyone involved. He is a true Combo Guard that can take over offensively if necessary. His ridiculous range earns him the nickname Jimmer. 6’3 Justice Cuthbertson is a quick PG that can penetrate and dish beautifully. This proved especially helpful since Kappa Magic is loaded with shooters. Justice’s on the ball defense was impressive and created offense for Kappa. His energy was infectious. 6’1 Austin Hatfield may have the quickest release I’ve ever seen and seems to have ice running through his veins, knocking down shots at the buzzer to put Kappa in OT and win us games. This lefty is deadly from the corner and just as deadly off the dribble. He is a scrappy player that is fun to watch. 6’6 Deshaunte Carelock joined Kappa Magic late July with an immediate impact. His athleticism is impressive. He plays above the rim, has a beautiful jump shot and a great mid-range game that is rare today. 6’4 Nick Powell has great court awareness, high IQ and comes up with big shots at critical times. He is a great teammate and very coachable. 6’7 Coye Simmons continues to improve his game. Coye battled for 17 rebounds against the Upward Stars and averaged 8 PPG & 11 RPG at Peach State. He has great length and with a size 18 shoe, appears not to be done growing. Tyriq Royal (East Forsyth HS) and Greg Howard (Winston Salem Prep) brought great energy off the bench and helped Kappa have a 14-6 record in July.”
We strongly feel the Hatfield twins, Justice Cuthbertson, Deshaunte Carelook, and Coye Simmons are definite D1 prospects with Nick Powell not far behind.