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NC Phenom 150 Camp Team 7 Player Evaluations

April 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Ashley-Williams

The 11th Annual NC Phenom 150 Spring Evaluation Camp took place Sunday, March 24th and the talent level was strong from top to bottom. As a matter of fact, this may have been one of the strongest fields in quite some time. Today, we will take a look at some of the players from each individual team. Each camp coach was to fill out a detailed individual player evaluation. While we try to focus on upside and potential, we also look carefully at intangibles such as attitude, cooperation, work ethic and team play. We hope to capture a thorough detailed resume for each player in attendance.

Team 7 (Coach Che Roth-former college coach) 

5’8 2016 Joseph Sykes of Cary HS in Cary, NC

Joseph is a fundamentally sound player that plays the game the right way. He has good basketball IQ and plays team basketball. He has a solid skill set equally matched by his ability to play hard and hustle at all times. Coach Che Roth stated, “ Joseph is a very solid young man with a bright future. He has a great frame for a freshman. He has a step back jumper going left that is impressive. He has a strong ability to penetrate going right. Once he learns to use his frame/body to get into defenders, he will see much more success. He has a good attitude and is very committed to becoming a better player. Joseph needs to improve his jump shot. His release is a little low at times and could improve his release time.” Overall, Joseph has the skill set to become a really good player at the HS level and with adjustments to his game, could be a potential collegiate prospect.

5’8 2015 Jack Bridgeford of Cannon School in Davidson, NC

Jack is one of those players you simply enjoy watching play. He has good fundamentals, but his work ethic and hustle on the court is appealing. You can tell he enjoys playing the game and doesn’t mind doing all the little things that are necessary to win. Coach Che Roth stated, “ Jack is an exceptional young man. He has a good frame and is very strong. He has to become more aggressive and attack the defense at time. He can score off the bounce well and can knock down he open shot. He has a great attitude, work ethic and determination. If he improves his ball handling and confidence in his jump shot, the sky is the limit for him. Jack’s best basketball is front of him.” Overall, Jack enjoyed a solid performance at camp and has the right mindset to improve and get better.

5’11 2015 Nigel Ribeiro of Western Branch HS in Chesapeake, VA

Nigel displayed toughness like no other. We enjoyed watching his full throttle approach to the game, especially on both sides of the court. He played with a high level of confidence and simply got after it on defense, which is uncommon in camp settings. Coach Che Roth stated, “ Nigel is a young man who has a very good motor. He has exceptional end-to-end speed with the ball. He is strong in the pick and roll situation. If he improves attacking left and use of his off hand, he will become even more affective as a player. Nigel’s jump shot and shooting off the dribble will need to continue to improve, as he gets stronger. He is a very tough kid and has all the tools to be a lock down defender.” Overall, Nigel has the “it” factor and once he improves his offensive skill set to match his athleticism, determination and desire, watch out for his young man. We strongly believe he has the ability to become a collegiate level prospect. 

6’0 2016 Jalen McGee of Durham Hillside in Durham, NC

Jalen displayed an uncanny ability to knock down shots during the day especially perimeter and 3 point shots. We were impressed with his ability to spot up and knock down jumpers but equally impressed with his ability to create his own shot off the dribble and bounce. Coach Che Roth stated, “ Jalen is a good player with a bright future. He can post and knock down the open J. He has thick frame with good strong hands. He does need to improve his conditioning, footwork, and hustle on both ends of the court. With his size, he could be a guy when he commits, can be a very good rebounder for his position. Currently, his strengths are knocking down 3’s! He has the capacity to be a very good shooter.” Overall, Jalen strongest attributes are on the offensive side of the ball, especially his ability to put points on the board quickly. As he develops, he could enhance his stock by transitioning into the PG position. In addition, he will need to commit to the defensive end of the court as well. He has all the components and will just need to determine the right mind set to be the best player he can be!

6’1 2017 Nicholas Grubb of West Lee MS in Sanford, NC

Nicholas played strictly in the HS division and his play was impressive for his age/grade. He didn’t back down from the challenge and more than held his own against the older players. Coach Che Roth stated, Nicholas is a super young man. He held his own (for an 8th grader). Once he gets stronger, he will see great improvements in his game. He is very aggressive and player hard and works! Nicholas can improve his lateral quickness and ball handling especially attacking the basket with his off hand. He will be fun to watch, as he gets older. His decision to compete against older players will only help in his development.” Without question, Nicholas is a young man that isn’t afraid of hard work and hustle. We really liked his attitude and mindset. With his size, he just needs to continue to work on his perimeter skill sets, which will be important as he enters into HS next year.

6’2 2014 Malik Crudup of Wake Forest Rolesville in Wake Forest, NC

Malik also made his mark with his ability to knock down jumpers and being an efficient scorer at camp. He has good size for a SG and could continue to make improvement in his ball handling and creating his own shot. He played hard and was Mr. Hustle for his team. Coach Che Roth stated, “ Malik is a great young man who is a joy to coach. He has a good motor and plays very hard. He can get to the rim going right very well, but could improve going to his left. If he has confidence using it, he will be a tough player to stop. He is a knockdown shooter with solid mechanics. He does need to improve his quickness on his release and get his base on balance. Malik will compete with the best of them and expect good things from him in the future.” Overall, Malik just needs to give getting better and improving his game as he has the ability to get to the next level!

6’2 2016 Avery Metcalf of Hickory Ridge HS in Harrisburg, NC

Avery is a young prospect to put in your SIM card. He has the length and athleticism along with the right skill set to become a solid D1 prospect. Avery combines the skill and athleticism but also displayed a work ethic that was second to none. We loved his full throttle approach and Mr. Hustle attitude the entire day! Coach Roth stated, “Avery is a super young man. He is super athletic and can get to the rim as well as anyone. He has a fantastic attitude and works very hard. The best thing about Avery is he is a team first player! He can do and will do whatever is necessary his team needs him to do. He can improve his off hand and consistently work on his form. Defensively, Avery has the length and lateral quickness to become lock down defender.” As you can easily see, his young man has all the right components in being a special player. It all starts with attitude and the right work ethic and his young man is advanced in these areas. With continued improvement in his overall skill set, he should be one to watch over the next 3 years. 

6’2 2014 Andrew Grant of Raleigh Charter HS in Raleigh, NC

Andrew has a solid skill set and good fundamentals, but more importantly displayed the right kind of attitude and work ethic. He did a lot of little things well and displayed the hustle needed to become a successful high school player. Coach Roth stated, “Andrew is a super young man and was a joy to coach. He has a great attitude and plays very hard. He just needs to keep working on his skills- ball handling, shooting, strength and quickness.” Overall, Andrew just needs to play with more confidence and that will come once he enhances his overall skill set and athleticism. Defensively, Andrew played solid defense and stayed in front of his man and understood team defensive principals. In addition, he rebounded his position well.

6’5 2014 Ashley Williams of Greenfield School in Wilson, NC (pictured above)

We have written extensively in the past and the NC Phenom 150 alum just keeps getting better and better. Ashley already has received many D1 offers and look for that list to grow this summer. We are talking about a talented young player, but even better person. Coach Roth stated, “Ashley is a super youngster. He is a long, athletic, very smooth, but most of all can really play! He is a match up problem since he can shoot the pull up J or simply beat you off the dribble/bounce. He can post up smaller defenders or take taller players to the perimeter. Ashley just needs to keep working on his ball handling and continue working in the weight room for added strength. The sky is the limit for you and with your length and athleticism, you can make a big impact at the next level.” Overall, another outstanding camp for Ashley!

6’6 2015 Marcellis Purvis of L.C. Bird HS in Chester, VA

Marcellis is another NC Phenom 150 alum that has made huge improvements in his game and these improvements will garnish him a D1 scholarship offers. He has a physically mature body and has the ability to use his strength and girth to his advantage. He is nifty and crafty around the basketball and has excellent footwork for his size/position. Coach Roth stated, “Marcellis is a big, strong, and active big. He can post up deep and can score with either hand in the box. Marcellis can also step out and shoot the 12-15 foot jump shot. He has a great touch and good hands, plus good footwork. He can improve his conditioning and ball handling skills. He uses his body well and rebounds the ball very well. With added speed and quickness, he can play at a high level in college.” Overall, Marcellis is a versatile combo forward. He has the power and strength on the interior and has several go to moves that are effective. He has soft hands which are essential for his position, but more importantly he is a two handed rebounder. He has good form on his jumper and a soft shooting touch. The biggest challenge for Marcellis is to enhance his athleticism by becoming quicker and more explosive. These improvements will help determine the appropriate college level.

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More impact players from the Spring NC Phenom 150 camp

April 5, 2013 by Leave a Comment

The 11th Annual NC Phenom 150 Spring Evaluation Camp took place Sunday, March 24th and the talent level was strong from top to bottom. As a matter of fact, this may have been one of the strongest fields in quite some time. Today, we will take a look at some of the players that made a strong impact. We will have more reports in the next several weeks, so stay tuned.

Part II

 6’7 2014 Zane Waterman of Fayetteville Academy in Fayetteville, NC

ZaneWatermanWaterman is simply a workhorse on the basketball court. He plays with a high motor and his intensity on both ends of the court are refreshing. He enjoys the game and his full throttle approach is noticeable once the ball is tipped in the air. He has a solid skill set and good/not great athleticism, but his desire to compete will overcome any doubts about this young man. He can step out and knock down perimeter jumpers or make strong powerful moves to the rim where he threw down a beautiful reverse jam on a baseline move. For the day, he made many strong moves and finished consistently with a power dunk. He should be a hot prospect for mid major schools and is one to put in your SIM card for the spring/summer evaluation period. With Waterman, you know what your getting every time on the court. (Check out our previous write up from October).

6’11 2015 Tyler Creammer of South View HS in Fayetteville, NC

CreammerCreammer is the definite of a true “student athlete” as he sports an impressive 4.5 GPA. Creammer knows his position and doesn’t venture far from the paint as he continues to battle for low post position. It’s nice to see a big man want to play the “big man” position down low. The strongest attribute for Creammer is his work ethic and willingness to get better. As alum of the NC Phenom 150 camp, he has constantly had a great attitude on and off the court. He plays with passion and purpose and he plays as hard the last minute of the game as the first minute. The next step for Creammer is to add muscle and bulk to his frame, which will come over time and develop a few “go to” low post, moves. The sky is the limit for this young man and mid to high majors will want to monitor this progress over the next two years.

6’5 2014 Ashley Williams of Greenfield School in Wilson, NC

Ashley-WilliamsWilliams is a nifty and crafty wing player with good athleticism and skill. He has good length and has the ability to beat you off the dribble or consistently knock down perimeter jumpers. Offensively, he is always on attack mode and his various offensive skill sets makes him hard to defend. Williams is a willing rebounder and has the ability to start and finish a fast break with his ball handling and passing skills. Williams is an outstanding young man with a great attitude and is one of those camp players that are piers enjoyed playing with. He plays within the structure of the game and takes advantage of his size/skill set but is also a great teammate. Williams already sports D1 offers and watch for that list to grow over the summer.

6’4 2015 JuWuan Wright of Jack Britt HS in Fayetteville, NC

JuwanWrightWright is oozing with athleticism and potential. He has a physically mature body with great length and he used his attributes well throughout the day. He is an above the rim player and finished extremely well in traffic. He is always in attack mode and his ability to get to the rim effortlessly was impressive. The next step for Wright is to continue his work ethic and make improvements to his offensive arsenal. He has the body, length and athleticism and once his skill package matches that, watch out!

6’1 2014 Colton Bishop of Forsyth Country Day School in Lewisville, NC

Bishop is the ultimate team player even in camp settings. He has the ability to stretch the defense with his textbook jumper from the perimeter or use his ball handling and passing ability to set up teammates. He has long arms and plays aggressively on the defensive end of the court. He has a high basketball IQ and his fundamentals are spot on. The next step for Bishop is to become more vocal and demand the ball more. His decision-making is excellent and usually good things happen when he has the ball in his hands. Once he develops that extra “mean streak” on the court, he could take his game to the next level. He has all the components and skills mid major schools are looking for. He will surprise you with his athleticism and doesn’t mind throwing it down in transition. More importantly, Bishop is outstanding young man who is very coachable, which are great attributes to have these days.

Filed Under: Featured, NC Phenom 150, Phenom Reports Tagged With: , , , ,

A closer look at 2014 guard Ashley Williams

March 11, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Ashley-Williams

Today, we want to take a closer look at the Williams twins of the Greenfield School in Wilson, NC. We first reported on them last year when we watched them in June, 2012. We liked their potential and upside on the basketball court, but Ashely and Aaron are model citizens as well. They are leaders on and off the court and sport a 3.3 GPA average taking Honor Classes. In addition, both belong to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. They come from an athletic family as their father, Dexter played at Hampton University and continues to hold the three point shooting record at Hampton. Dexter was also the twins high school coach at Croatan High School until they transferred to the Greenfield School. Their mother, Shannon, played volleyball at East Carolina University.
Like Ashley and Aaron are received D1 interest and offers, they have a little brother Jason who is waiting in the wings to follow in “big brother’s” footsteps. Jason is a fifth grader at Morehead Elementary School and is also a honor roll student. He has also received the Good Citizen Award the past 3 years. While the Williams family is passionate about basketball, they are a model family that teaches high character on and off the court. They have placed character and good citizenship above everything else and should be commended for doing things the right way. College coaches looking for a true “student athlete” with high moral character should look no further than Aaron and Ashley Williams.
Below are articles from the Phenom Hoop Report Archive

Player: 6’5 165 G Ashley Williams
Class: 2014
High School: Greenfield School
City: Wilson
State: North Carolina

Academic Honors:

Ashley maintains a 3.3 GPA taking Honors Courses. Ashley belongs to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  He has served as a FCA Leader for the last 4 years.

Basketball Statistics:

PPG: 14.6
RPG: 6
APG: 3
SPG:3

Team Honors: This year, Ashley was named to the NCISAA 1-A All-State Team.  He was also named to the CPIC All Conference Team and the CPIC All-Tournament Team. He has been a varsity starter for the last three years. He helped to lead the Greenfield Knights this year to a final four appearance and a 22-10 record. In last year’s season at Croatan High School, Ashley was named East Central Conference Player of the Year, Conference Tournament MVP. He was named to the NCBC 2-A All-State team and the NC Preps 2A All State Team. Ashley was named Carteret News Times Player of the Year and Jacksonville Daily News Player of the Year. He was named Carteret News Times Student Athlete of the Week and WITN 7 Student Athlete of the Week. As a sophomore at Croatan High School, he was named to the ECC All Conference Team. Ashley has played AAU Basketball since the 6th grade.  He will be playing with the Garner Road U17 team this year.

You Tube:

http://recruit-match.ncsasports.org/fasttrack/client/RecruitingProfile.do?method=getRecruitingProfile&clientID=435661

Personal

Ashley has always been known for his passion for the game of basketball and his work ethic.  He is a very coachable player that can take criticism and apply it to his game. Ashley is a very athletic and versatile player.  Ashley has great leadership qualities on and off the court.  Ashley is very close with his twin brother, Aaron and younger brothers Jason and Josh.

Filed Under: Featured, Phenom Reports Tagged With:

11th Annual MLK Day North Carolina Scholastic Classic

January 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment

The Phenom Hoop Report was on hand to cover the 11th Annual MLK Day North Carolina Scholastic Classic at the Greensboro Coliseum. Six games were played and we will recap the team scores along with the top individual performances by the perspective players.

Greenfield 69, Charlotte Christian 62

Greenfield played without 2014 PG Xavier Mills and 6’7 2014 WF Logan McClane, but they were led by the 1-2 scoring punch of 6’5 2014 WG Ashley Williams with 18 points and 2014 SG Jaime Johnson tallied 21 points knocking down seven 3 pointers for the game. 6’3 Clemson signee Patrick Rooks finished with 23 points while 6’4 2014 WG Matthew Fisher-Davis scored 13 points for the losing team. Ashley Williams continues to have a solid all around year and has been instrumental in the team’s overcall success. We have seen Williams countless times in evaluation camps and through AAU basketball and he is the perfect team player. He plays the game the right way and has an outstanding understanding of the game and high basketball IQ. Williams is averaging 15 PPG and 6 RPG and already sports several D1 offers.

Jaime Johnson is a name to remember, as he is a prolific marksman from the 3-point line. He finished with 21 points knocking down seven 3 pointers. Johnson is averaging 14 PPG and is shooting 45% from the 3-point line. Coming into the game, Johnson had connected on 65 3 pointers and added seven to his total against Charlotte Christian.

6’3 senior WG Patrick Rooks should be an instant impact at Clemson next season. Rooks is a scorer’s deluxe and has a beautiful shooting stroke from the perimeter. Rooks is averaging 20 PPG for Charlotte Christian. He has improved on his ball handling and passing skills and should be a perfect fit for Clemson. Matthew Fisher-Davis is a mult-dimensional player and can play both the guard and forward position. He is averaging 17 PPG and has the skill set and fundamentals to be a legitimate D1 prospect.

Oxford Webb 64, Mt. Tabor 63

The Oxford Webb/Mt. Tabor game was clearly the best game of the day. Oxford Webb featured consensus All American and UNC signee 6’8 Isaiah Hicks. Hicks came into the contest with impressive stats and looks to be a lock as a McDonald All American. He averages 20 PPG and 11 RPG. In addition, he is one of the country’s best-shot blockers as he has impeccable timing. He is quick off his feet and will be an important member of the 2013 UNC recruiting haul. Hicks finished with 18 point and 12 rebounds. The backcourt duo of Tyrek Beverly and Stefan Cates played well and finished with 13 and 14 points respectively.

Mt. Tabor was 15-0 coming into the contest and is coached by Andy Muse, who we consider one of the top high school coaches in North Carolina. He has a veteran squad and unfortunately they dug themselves a deep hole by trailing Oxford Webb by 20 points in the first half. That being said, Coach Muse installed confidence in his team and you knew a comeback was eminent. He starts five seniors and every one of the starters averages in double figures. Mt. Tabor was led by 6’3 Matthew Madigan with 16 points while 6’3 Lepreece Lynch tallied 15 points, 6’5 Nate Long with 12 points, 6’4 Deion Robinson with 10 points. 6’7 Tquan Biting only chipped in 6 points, but did an admirable job of the boards and battled hard against Isaiah Hicks. Madigan has signed with Brown University, but the remaining four seniors for Mt. Tabor remain unsigned. We personally like the upside and potential of 6’7 Tyquan Biting and feel like he can be a quality player in the Big South and Southern Conference. Lynch, Long and Robinson should continue to garnish lower tier D1 interest. They are well coached and play the game the right way. All three had good athleticism and proper skills and fundamentals.

High Point Christian 68, Greensboro Page 49

High Point Christian came into the contest with a 15-3 record and the talented group of seniors proved too much for the youthful Greensboro Page Pirates. 6’0 PG Diante Baldwin ( UNC-G signee) led the way with 15 points while 6’6 Jackson Kent (James Madison) and 6’8 Mike Kobani (Appalachian State) scored 12 and 10 points respectively. Greensboro Page was led by 5’11 2016 PG Ty Graves with 17 points knocking down four 3 pointers for the game. Graves is a solid D1 prospect and if he continues to grow and develop will have many high major programs knocking on his door. He has a great feel for the game and played with poise and purpose. He has a beautiful shooting touch and his fundamentals and basketball IQ are advanced for his grade/age. 6’0 2014 Anthony Eaves also played well and finished in double figures with 13 points.

Greensboro Day School 67, Fayetteville Northwood 42

This game was a TKO early in the 1st quarter as GDS roared out of the gates and never let up. Without question, Coach Freddy Johnson is the best high school coach in the state of North Carolina. GDS was led by 6’7 2013 point forward Christian Hairston (Furman) with 18 points and his size/skill/athleticism is advanced and we have a hard time understanding how so many teams in North Carolina missed out on this young man. He was clearly one of the better players at the MLK event on Monday. He can shoot the 3 pointer and has the ability to dribble drive and penetrate, but he is also an outstanding teammate. He is unselfish and knows how to play the game the right way. All I can say is “shame on you schools in NC for letting this young man slip away.” 6’3 Reggie Dillard (Presbyterian) chipped in 15 points and was solid all game. He has a physically mature body and is tremendous on the defensive side of the ball. 6’3 Reed Lucas (West Point) did what he does best. He is an excellent perimeter shooter and is under-valued for what he brings to the team. Lucas is a high basketball IQ and fundamentally sound player. Another player we liked was 6’3 senior Montel Goldston who finished with 8 points. While his offensive stats will not blow you away, but his young man flat gets after it on the defensive end of the court. He has superb athleticism and clearly should be recruited by schools in the Big South or equivalent. Greensboro Day now moves to 26-0 and did not have any leftover effects from their impressive win over High Point Wesleyan.

Many ACC coaches were in attendance to watch 6’10 Sidy Mohamed Djitte of Northwood. He came into the contest with impressive outing of 25 point/rebound games, but one has to question the level of competition. Djitte finished with 13 points, but the majority of points came later in the game when the outcome had already been decided. While high major schools because of his size, length and athleticism will recruit Djitte, he is missing a “go to” move on the interior. He does have a strong upside and potential and should be considered a top 150 recruit nationally.

Christ School 83, Ravenscroft 47

We expected this game to be a little more competitive, but Ravenscroft simply had a bad day at the office. That being said, 6’8 2013 PF Shannon Hale (Alabama) was simply fantastic for the Greenies of Christ School. Hale has improved tremendously since last year and especially from the perimeter. Hale consistently knocked down 15-foot jumpers and will be a valuable member of the Crimson Tide next season. Hale finished with 23 points and showed great maturity on the court. Another player to definitely put in your SIM card is 6’5 2017 D.J. Harvey. Harvey is a physically mature 8th grader that played like a seasoned veteran. He finished with 12 points and could be special if he continued to develop. 6’3 2013 SG Jaylen Allen chipped in 10 points for Greenfield.

Leading the way for Ravenscroft is 6’8 Marcus “Double Double” Bryan. Bryan came into the contest averaging 17 PPG and 15 RPG and is the only player in the school’s history to record a 1000 career points and rebounds. Bryant finished with 18 points and proved he is going to be a priority for many mid major schools. 6’0 2014 PG Chris Corchiani is the team’s second leading scorer with 8.6 PPG and 4.7 APG. He enjoyed a solid game, but unfortunately Ravenscroft was simply outmanned as a team.

High Point Wesleyan 65, Greensboro Dudley 56

Greensboro Dudley led the majority of the game, but the superior size and length of HP Wesleyan was simply too much for the underdogs. That being said, the star of the game was 6’2 Sam Hunt (Jacksonville) Hunt tallied 27 points and was scoring from all areas on the court. He was knocking down jumpers and driving beautifully to the basket with nifty and crafty moves. Clearly, HPW simply had no answers for him. Again, we are left scratching our heads on how this young talented PG was not heavily recruited by schools within the immediate area. I will simply say no more! On the other hand, High Point Wesleyan has a who’s who list of the nation’s top prospects in 6’5 2014 Theo Pinson, 6’0 2014 PG JaQuel Richmond and 6’8 2016 Harry Giles, who may be one of the best players in the state regardless of class. Then you throw in 6’7 man-child Donovan Gilmore and this game should have been a no contest! Leading the way for HPW was Gilmore with 18 points while Theo Pinson chipped in 13 points. JaQuel Richmond and Harry Giles both tallied 11 points each. Gilmore play was impressive and he reminds me of a stronger version of Davidson College 6’8 Brooks. Gilmore is a relentless warrior in the paint and will battle you tooth and nail for rebounds. Much has already been written about Pinson and Richmond who are both ACC targets. That be being said, one of the most gifted freshman players we have seen in a long time is 6’8 Harry Giles. Giles has tremendous length and skill set and sports a size 17 shoe so there is plenty of room for growth. He has advanced ball handling and passing skills and we really believe he could be a Kevin Durant clone by the time he is a senior in high school. Yes, he is that good!

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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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NC Phenom 150 Camp Recap, part 5

April 11, 2012 by Leave a Comment

In today’s issue we will take a close look at Part 4 of the NC Phenom 150 Evaluation Camp. Over 30 division I prospects attended this event and wanted to give a thorough and detailed look at the below players.

Player: 5’9 Daryl Myers
Hometown: Fredericksburg, VA
School: Oak Hill Academy
Class: 2015
Evaluation: Daryl Myers is an ultra-quick PG with advanced ball handling skills. He had one of the best attitudes at camp with a personality that was quite infectious. Myers strongest attribute is his ability to penetrate the gap of the defense with his speed and quickness. While Myers was able to dribble penetrate the lane at ease, he was very unselfish in his overall team play. He was always willing to make the extra pass to open teammates. Myers is definitely a young prospect to put in your SIM CARD for continued evaluations.

Player: 6’5 Daniel Kanakanui
Hometown: Greensboro, NC
School: Jamestown Ragsdale
Class: 2014
Evaluation: Daniel Kanakanui is a strong and powerful built young prospect that has a unique blend of power yet finesse. Kanakanui used his strength and power on the interior, but also showcased his finesse and grace by stepping out and consistently knocking down mid-range jumpers. He played extremely hard and ran the passing lanes well and understands how to find the kill spots in the defense. Kanakanui can become a solid D1 prospect with improved ball handling skills. That being said, Kanakanui is an intriguing prospect with good upside and potential.

Player: 6’5 Ashley Williams
Hometown: Morehead City, NC
School: Croaton
Class: 2013
Evaluation: We first watched Ashley Williams at the Inaugural SEBL combine and he followed up with another nice camp performance and he and his twin brother Aaron will be names you will continue to read about more during the spring/summer AAU travel circuit. In the SEBL combine report, we wrote Ashley is “an extremely long 6’5 and plays much bigger than his listed height. He has a soft shooting touch from the 3 point line and is comfortable shooting off the dribble. He is especially effective on the defensive end of the court and can use his length to guard taller defenders and is athletic enough to guard smaller and quicker guards.” Williams has a nice blend of athleticism and high basketball IQ that will make him a solid D1 prospect. He is an explosive jumper and is quick to the basket. Again, Williams showcased the willingness and ability to play tough man to man defense which is not often seen in camp setting.

Player: 6’3 Aaron Williams
Hometown: Morehead City, NC
School: Croaton
Class: 2013
Evaluation: Aaron Williams is one of the more fundamentally sound players in his class for the talent rich state of North Carolina. He has excellent basketball IQ and solid basketball skills. At the SEBL, we stated “Aaron doesn’t demand the ball and plays within the game by allowing the game come to him. His unselfish play was impressive and tries to make his presence known on both ends of the court.” That being said, Aaron’s play at the NC Phenom 150 was almost a carbon copy of his play earlier this month. Aaron is definitely a consistent young player that takes as much pride in his defense as his offense. He is an excellent rebounder for his size/position and anticipates miss shots and passing lanes with uncanny ability.

Player: 6’2 Brian Thornton
Hometown: Chapel Hill, NC
School: Chapel Hill
Class: 2015
Evaluation: We first watched Brian Thornton at the Fall NC Phenom 150 Camp last October and were impressed with his play and upside and not much has changed in our opinion. Thornton is a strong and heady floor general with outstanding fundamentals and high basketball IQ. While many young PG’s concentrate on making the fancy play, Thornton is about making the winning play. His understanding of the PG position is impressive for his age/grade and is as concerned about making his teammates better as he is making himself look better. Thornton is a true PG that has tremendous upside and potential and will definitely be a name D1 coaches will be monitoring over the next 3 years.  

Player: 6’4 Reed Lucas
Hometown: Greensboro, NC
School: Greensboro Day School
Class: 2013
Evaluation: It has been fun watching the improvement and development in Reed Lucas over the past few years. Lucas has been known as a 3 point assassin with his dialed in approach. Lucas can simply shoot the cover off the ball. There’s an old saying about good shooters, “do your work early” and this approach comes easy to Lucas. Lucas is excellent in finding the kill zones in the teeth of the defense and once he gets his feet squared up to the basket, it is an automatic 3 points. In addition, he has improved his ability to come off screens and is effective and efficient. More importantly, Lucas has improved his athleticism and is a “sneaky jumper” has he has developed some surprising hops/bounce to his game. D1 schools that are looking for an excellent shooter with a tremendous work ethic and understanding of the game should look no further than the GDS standout.

Player: 6’4 Nick George
Hometown: South Charleston, WV
School: Charleston Catholic
Class: 2014
Evaluation: Nick George is a strong and rugged SG that combines a high basketball IQ, solid fundamentals and the unique ability to put the ball in the basket. George is a young player that simply knows how to play the game and play the game the right way! He is excellent in coming off ball screens and getting his shot off, but more importantly he only takes good shots. Unlike most shooters, he also sports the mind of a PG by getting his teammates involved with his advanced passing skills. Besides being an outstanding player on the court, George is an excellent student and great teammate and has all the ingredients for garnishing D1 interest from schools in the Big South and Southern Conference.

Player: 6’2 Aaron Peele
Hometown: Statesville, NC
School: Statesville HS
Class: 2015
Evaluation: Aaron Peele is a promising young freshman that already sports good size and strength for the PG position. Peele is athletic and sports good open court speed while pushing the ball in transition. His strongest attribute is his overall athleticism. While he sports the physical intangibles for a potential D1 PG, he has a solid understanding of the game. He does an adequate job of getting to the rim and finishing with consistency, the next step for Peele is to develop a mid-range pull up jumper and floater to his arsenal.  He has a tremendous attitude on the court and his willingness to improve and develop will be the difference in his continued collegiate interest in the next few years.

Player: 5’5 Tripp Greene
Hometown: Wilkesboro, NC
School: Forsyth Country Day
Class: 2018
Evaluation: We rarely mention middle school players in the high school write ups, but Tripp Greene is not your ordinary middle school player. Greene is a young player that is advanced beyond his peers for his grade and talent level. We are talking about a fundamentally sound young player that possesses a high basketball IQ and knows how to play the game the correct way. In several situations, he found himself playing against older and bigger players, but felt completely comfortable and at ease. I guess when you know how to play the game, it doesn’t matter how old/young you are. Greene has advanced ball handling, passing and shooting skills and utilizes a steady diet of offensive skills that made him one of the favorites of all the scouts in attendance. He was able to manipulate and get his shot off against the older players and changes speeds effectively in the open court. While Greene was one of the youngest players in attendance, his play was equal to that of his older counterparts. Simply stated, it is refreshing to watch a young player that has worked hard on his fundamentals and skills sets and use him efficiently in a game setting. I’m sure we will hear a lot more about his young prospect in many years to come.

Player: 5’11 Cameron Kirkman
Hometown: Granite Falls, NC
School: Heritage Christian
Class: 2013
Evaluation: Cameron Kirkman has the fundamentals and skill sets to be an effective player at a D2 or D3 level. He has a great attitude and understanding of the game and is efficient in creating his own shot off the dribble. Without question, one can sense the level of enjoyment he has playing the game. He plays hard and loves to compete and maximizes his abilities to the fullest. His skill sets allow him to be an outstanding high school player and with increased work ethic in terms of athleticism could easily find himself playing for a D2 school.

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N.C. prospects shine at SEBL Combine

March 21, 2012 by 1 Comment

We traveled to Fayetteville, North Carolina this past Sunday to cover the Inaugural SEBL (Southeastern Basketball League) Combine. Event organizer and SEBL President Dwight Miller had over 100 players from eastern North Carolina in attendance that was held at the Freedom Court Sports Complex. The first part of the day, players went through stations to work on their fundamentals and skill development with the second half of the day dedicated to team competition. We will take a look at some of the top players from the event.  [Read more...]

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