This past weekend, Phenom Hoops traveled out to various different locations for the June Live Period. Between the talent in Advance and Greensboro, there was plenty of buzz about the NCHSAA and NCISAA competition throughout the weekend. Although the public-school event was at capacity for most of the weekend, Greensboro Day School (as expected) hosted an extremely entertaining three-day slate of games for the private school sector. These events typically serve as tune-up periods more than anything else. There were plenty of notable takeaways, but no team has ever been handed a state championship trophy in June. Numerous individuals stood out—like Ian Bailey of Asheville Christian.
It should come as no surprise for those who have been paying close attention, but Bailey has rapidly asserted himself as one of the more notable freshmen in North Carolina (especially in the western part of the state). He’s a smart, skilled, athletic guard with size, toughness, and a polished identity. Bailey is a useful creator with the ability to generate clean looks for himself and others, or find ways to make an impact without the ball in his hands. He’s a great open-floor threat with the speed, poise, and decision-making to consistently access quality looks or make the right play. Bailey scores the ball at a healthy rate from all levels and mixes it up whenever possible. He utilizes his size well to overwhelm smaller defenders, but also does a great job of attacking big men on switches. Bailey provides useful rebounding ability and a reliable defensive presence. He’s showcased versatility on both ends of the floor throughout the travel ball season, and it only continued during this past weekend. Given everything he’s shown, Division I programs would be wise to monitor closely over the coming years.