Over the past few weekends, Phenom Hoops had the opportunity to travel out to the NCISAA Live Period and get a closer look at the private school landscape. The gym was filled with countless notable teams and individuals at every turn. College coaches were in attendance and extending offers to deserving prospects. While there were various standouts, storylines, and takeaways, few topics are more intriguing than the collection of talent assembled by Coach Cooper at High Point Christian. Given their relevance over the years, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see this group already rebuilt and back in a position to contend for a title. Let’s take a closer look…
Although this roster has a slew of useful pieces, their success will ultimately be determined by 5’10 ’24 Isaiah Sanders and his leadership. He’s a polished scorer and overall shot-creator that has visibly improved as a playmaker over the last calendar year. Sanders is smart, quick, and crafty, which causes a variety of problems for opponents. He’s able to reliably dictate the offense and get others involved while actively picking his spots and applying scoring pressure from all levels. Sanders is a solid defender with the necessary anticipation to force turnovers at a healthy rate. Expect scholarship-level programs to get involved over the coming months.
Having young talent is important to developing the foundation of a roster, and the trio of 6’6 ’26 Toot Clay, 6’4 ’27 Adam Grier, and 5’10 ’26 Max Van Weerdhuizen provide this group with a ton of long-term appeal. Clay is an incredible utility player with the combination of size, motor, athleticism, and toughness to simply wreak havoc. He’s the type of guy that produces in every possible setting or matchup. Clay is a quality rebounder and versatile defender. Meanwhile, Grier is someone who will likely be atop most ranking lists for North Carolina’s Class of 2027 after making the decision to reclassify. He’s a smart, heady point guard prospect with great size, playmaking instincts, and two-way ability. Grier is a quality defender, rebounder, penetrator, and finisher. Rounding out this group, Weerdhuizen should provide a useful blend of playmaking and perimeter shooting. He’s a crafty, skilled guard with the ability to run the team or make an impact without the ball in his hands. Expect each of these three to be difference-makers over the foreseeable future.
After seeing both 6’4 ’24 Elijah Cathcart and 5’10 ’25 Chris Mitchell emerge from their previous high school, they certainly have the tools to be valuable members of this roster. It’s surprising that Cathcart hasn’t already begun to collect offers, especially as a knockdown shooter with size and cutting ability. He moves well without the ball, plays within the framework of the offense, and displays range on his jumper. Cathcart also provides nice energy as a defender. On the other hand, Mitchell immediately provides this group with another quick, heady playmaker. He’s a sharp ball-handler and penetrator with a reliable midrange pull-up and three-point jumper. Mitchell does a great job of probing the paint and finishing or making the corresponding pass to an open teammate.
In terms of interior pieces, 6’6 ’25 Whit Denny and 6’6 ’26 Tobius Baker will likely absorb most of the minutes. Denny is a long, wiry forward/post prospect with solid touch, athleticism, and floor-spacing ability. He plays with a high motor, makes hustle plays, and consistently battles on the glass for rebounds. Meanwhile, Baker fits right in line with the young core mentioned above. He’s a long, low-maintenance forward/post with a nice blend of skill, athleticism, and energy on both ends of the floor. Baker can also knock down shots, finish around the basket, or make plays in transition. Both guys are consistently adaptable to team needs.
Rounding out this roster, the duo of 6’0 ’24 Grayson Cathey and 5’10 ’24 Benny Limbacher bring plenty of respective value. Cathey continues to steadily improve as a fairly well-rounded guard with the ability to pass, shoot, and handle the ball. Different from the rest of this group, Limbacher provides a tough, scrappy, high-motor presence and plays with a massive chip on his shoulder at all times. Both guys serve as impact pieces for the Cougars.