We’re approximately three weeks into the high school basketball season and we have a few storylines that are well worth noting. In today’s “Early Season Observations” part 3, we will take a look at a few players that have made early statements.
Mr. Clutch
6’2 ’18 Tripp Greene (FCDS)
At the Phenom Hoops National High School Showcase, FCDS trailed Northside Christian by five with less than ten seconds to play. Tripp Greene nailed a long distance 3-pointer to pull his team within two. After an inbound turnover by Northside Christian, Tripp “Mr. Clutch” Greene knocked down yet another 3-pointer as time expired to complete the unthinkable comeback win for his Furies.
Over a year ago, Greene attended our NC Phenom 150 camp. This is what we had to say about him then.
“You won’t find many freshmen in the state more fundamentally sound than Tripp Greene. He has an excellent basketball IQ and simply knows how to play the game the right way. His poise and maturity are advanced for his age/grade. He can score from all levels on the court and has a textbook jumper. While he has a high level skill set, he is one of the more unselfish players on the court. He is the perfect teammate and rarely forces shots. Last, he is one of the more complete basketball players in his class.”
Since then Greene has been on a tear. He has been the leader for Coach Howard West and the FCDS Furies. They are now 8-1 and Greene has been putting up numbers on a persistence basis. Greene is averaging 17 PPG, 5.8 APG, 3.8 RPG, and 2.7 SPG. With Greene, you know exactly what you are getting every game. While Greene has the clutch gene, he has been a model of consistency over his young high school career. First of all, Greene may be one of the most fundamentally sound players in the state regardless of class. He has a high basketball IQ, carries a team first approach to the game and understands how to make his teammates better. Look for Tripp Greene to make a big jump in his recruitment and rankings.
Highlight from the National HS Showcase
https://twitter.com/Phenom_Hoops/status/665668761798770689
On the Breakout
6’3 ’18 Andy Pack (Northern Guilford)
We’ve been fortunate to watch Andy Pack numerous times at our NC Phenom 150 camps. As a matter of fact, we were so impressed with his play that he earned an invite to the prestigious NC Top 80. From a relative unknown, Pack made the most of his opportunity.
From the NC Top 80 event, we wrote, “Andy Pack has tremendous basketball IQ and fundamentals for a freshman. He has been well schooled/coached and has a keen understanding of the game. His strongest attribute is his ability to shoot the basketball. He has a soft shooting touch and ability to shoot efficiency from the perimeter, especially in a catch and shoot situation. Once he gains more strength and explosiveness, his stock will skyrocket. Shooters translate and Andy Pack has the making of an outstanding shooter at the appropriate next level.”
Pack has led Northern Guilford to an early 4-1 record with the lone defeat coming to the hands of Northwest Guilford who is easily one of the top 4A teams in the NCHSAA. Pack is averaging 24 PPG and 6.5 RPG. Pack has gotten stronger and looks to add a few more inches to his frame. That being said, Pack has the basketball IQ and shooting ability to make him a high priority for many mid major schools. Look for his stock to rise and he is definitely due for a breakout sophomore season. Local and regional D1 schools would be wise to get on the bandwagon early. This young man has game and a shooting touch to boot.