In continuing our coverage of Charlotte Skill Factory, on Tuesday night we covered their sixth and seventh grade boys’ teams. Let’s take a closer look at some of the standouts from each age group.
Sixth Grade
2030 Xander Goodwin stood out as immediately during drills with his smooth, effortless shooting form. As the practice progressed, you were able to see his full skillset. He displayed a well-rounded offensive arsenal with his ball handling, change of pace, ability to finish with either hand, and his passing.
2030 Everett Kerr also made an impression with his toughness and competitiveness. He competes on both ends of the floor. In addition, the lefty excelled attacking the basket and finishing strong at the end of drives.
2030 Cooper Crowder is a smart, high IQ floor general. He did a great job of getting others involved with his passing ability. He was constantly playing with his head up and looking for the open teammate.
2030 Ayson Whitmire showcased his ability to create paint touches with his speed and quickness. He put constant pressure on opponents by getting to the rim, where he was able to use his off-hand well, and find teammates in drive and kick situations.
2030 Walker Sammons made an impression from his contributions in a lot of different areas. He has good anticipation skills and seemed to win a lot of 50/50 balls and rebounded the ball. Sammons also showcased a well-rounded with good handles, court vision, and is a willing passer.
Seventh Grade
2029 Kai McKnight immediately made an impression and will be one to keep an eye on. For that age, he has a good mix of size, skill and athleticism. He has a well-rounded skillset which was on display as he knocked down several jumpers with good form, as well as making plays off the bounce and finishing with either hand. For someone who was scoring when he wanted, he did a nice job of balancing scoring with making plays for others. He played unselfishly, whether it was driving and kicking to the open man or making the ball ahead pass in transition.
2029 Landon Schaaf is a versatile wing who brought a sense of toughness and physicality to the floor. He made plays on both ends of the court. He won 50/50 balls and seemed to always be involved in the play, whether it was creating second chance opportunities on the glass or anticipating the passing lanes defensively. On the offensive end, he attacked the basket strong and also showcased the ability to knock down the perimeter jumper.
2029 Jacob Warren immediately stood out early on with his work ethic during the drills segment of practice. You could tell he wanted to get better as he gave max effort on each rep and everything he did was deliberate and with purpose. Warren is skilled with a quick handle. He is able to create off the bounce and use each hand effectively. During the game segment, he played unselfishly and made the right decisions.
2029 Huntley Zimmern showcased his shooting ability. He had one of the nicest shots in the building over the past two days. He has a smooth release off the catch and the bounce, which was evident as he knocked down multiple perimeter jumpers. In addition, he also was able to show that he’s more than just a shooter as he is more than capable off the bounce and plays with his head up.
2029 Antonio Cureton helped run the show at the point guard position. He is a smart, crafty guard who knows how to get to his spots and make plays for himself and others. He showcased nice footwork and also utilized shot fakes and ball fakes well to beat his defender. On the defensive end, he is a gritty on-ball defender.
2029 Reagan Andrews was intriguing. At 6’3, he was a long, athletic forward who was active on the glass and utilized his length to alter shots. He runs the floor well. What you see now is not the finished product.