Butler vs. Myers Park Game Recap
| 1st Quarter | 2nd Quarter | 3rd Quarter | 4th Quarter | |
| Butler | 12 | 23 | 28 | 59 |
| Myers Park | 14 | 27 | 39 | 49 |
Phenom Hoop Report travelled to Charlotte, North Carolina to cover the marquee NCHSAA Southwestern 4A matchup between Butler High School and Myers Park. Both teams came into the contest with identical 14-5 overall records with Myers Park having a 8-1 conference record while Butler came into the contest with an 7-2 record. Both teams have an excellent balanced scoring attack as Myers Par has three players averaging in double digit scoring while Butler has four players averaging in double digits.
The first half was a game of runs as Myers Park took a 27-23 lead into halftime and then stretched the lead to 39-28 at the end of the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Butler went on a 31-10 scoring spree and captured the important NCHSAA Southwestern 4A road win. Leading the way for Butler was 6’3 senior Raquan Brown with a game high 24 points. 5’8 sophomore Jordan McPhatter chipped in 11 points while 6’6 senior Rajuan Connor finished with 10 points. For Myers Park, it was the 1-2 scoring punch of 6’5 sophomore Drake Maye with 22 points while teammate 6’5 junior Terrence Jones finished with 10 points. Now, let’s take a closer look at the game’s standout players.
6’3 2019 Raquan Brown (Butler)
The game MVP and New Orleans signee came into the contest averaging 21.1 PPG, 7.6 RPG and 2.8 APG. Trailing 39-28 going into the fourth quarter, Raquan Brown literally took control of the game. The strong scoring guard got into the paint time after time and utilized a nifty midrange and “floater” to score repeatedly. Brown may not the be flashiest player on the court, but he brings a blue-collar workmanlike approach to the game. Never panicking, we were impressed with Brown’s maturity and poise. Brown basically willed Butler to the fourth quarter comeback.
6’5 2021 Drake Maye (Myers Park)
You may remember the name. His dad Mark is a former NFL quarterback, his older brother is Luke Maye and UNC basketball standout who was instrumental in their NCAA chammpionship run. Now, go ahead and pencil in the name of Drake Maye. The two-sport star (football and basketball) will have his options wide open for his collegiate choice. Maye finished with a team high 22 points, but we were impressed with his overall skill set, basketball IQ and outsanding basketball instincts. He can be effective on the perimter by hitting two 3-pointers or in the paint where he utlitzed a nifty jump hook shot. More importantly, he has outstanding ball handling and passing skills for his size and position.
Best of the Rest
6’6 2019 Rajuan Connor (Butler)
Connor is very explosive and is so quick off the bounce. He has excellent length and runs the floor extremely well. Connor finished wtih 11 points, rebounded both ends of the court, blocked a few shots and was a defensive presence in the paint. Connor should be a priority for D2 coaches in the region.
6’6 2021 Terrence Johnson (Myers Park)
We haven’t had an opportunity to watch Johnson much, but came away impressed with the slender, bouncy and athletic wing forward. While he finished in double digit scoring with 10 points, we were more impressed with his high motor, endless energy on both ends of the court. In addition, he worked extremely hard on defense and showcased he could easily become a scholarship level prospect.
5’8 2021 Jordan McPhatter (Butler)
The super quick and aggressive guard made big plays down the stretch. He attached the rim and finished or got fouled and make crucial free throws in the fourth quarter turn-around. McPhatter finished with 11 points, but we were most impressed with his consistency throughout the game.