Team 18
Coach: Dre Simmons
#44: 6’2 ’27 Noah Wilson (Lake Norman)
Starting things off, we look at a player who offered a steady, reliable presence on both ends of the floor, Noah Wilson. He’s a tough, unselfish, well-rounded guard prospect with useful ball skills and lethal shooting prowess. Wilson defends with energy, outworks opponents on the glass, and gets to his spots in transition. Next in his development process is working on getting stronger, as it would allow him to become a more physically overwhelming player. Coach Dre on Wilson: “Noah showed that he has the ability to stretch the floor and hit the three-pointer at a consistent rate. At the guard spot, he has good length and I enjoyed his basketball IQ. I could also see Noah running the point guard spot as well as being a spot-up threat. In addition to his skillset, he brought a level of grit and toughness that coaches love to see in players. I believe he has a shot to do some special things in his high school career.” Wilson enjoyed an impactful showing at camp and will be a prospect to watch emerge for Lake Norman over the coming years.
#50: 5’8 ’27 Zaveon Porter (Westover)
Next, we look at a player who set the tone through his energy and tough, scrappy nature, Zaveon Porter. He’s a skilled, dynamic guard prospect with incredible quickness and open-floor speed. Porter excels at getting downhill and touching the paint, but also does a nice job of setting up others and knocking down open jumpers. He’s a rugged on-ball defender with the ability to mirror opponents at the point of attack. Next in his development process is working to get stronger, as it would make him a better finisher through contact. Coach Dre on Porter: “Zaveon is a quick point guard that gets from end to end in a blur. He makes pretty good reads playing out of the pick-and-roll, and can control the pace of the game. He’s a scoring threat and applies plenty of pressure to the defense. Being undersized, he is crafty at getting off his shot and gets plenty of paint touches. Zaveon will be a player to monitor.” Porter made his presence felt in several ways at camp and has the tools to blossom for Westover sooner than later.
#55: 5’10 ’27 CP Perry (Carson)
Moving onto a player who simply knows how to run a team with poise and balance, CP Perry. He’s a smart, skilled, well-rounded guard prospect with polished creation skills and reliable scoring prowess from all levels. Perry is a great playmaker who breaks down defenses, locates open teammates and gets them the ball in favorable positions. He shoots the ball at a high clip and can find success in spot-up situations. Perry is a scrappy defender with nice instincts for forcing turnovers at the point of attack. Next in his development process is working to get stronger, as it would naturally enhance his rebounding presence. Coach Dre on Perry: “CP is a guy every coach would love to have. He can torch opponents from deep and has a deceptive handle to get downhill and to the cup. Among many things that pleased me about his game was his pure will and effort. Defensively, he constantly harassed his opponent and took pride in getting stops. High-motor, high-character kid. Looking forward to seeing good things from him.” Perry stood out as a leader at camp and should be a major focal point for Carson over the foreseeable future.
#63: 5’11 ’27 Braylen Hill (Hickory Ridge)
Continuing onto a player who highlighted a lot of enticing qualities as a floor general, Braylen Hill. He’s a smart, crafty point guard prospect with a tight handle and sharp first step. Hill is a lethal penetrator with the ability to finish, pull-up, or set up others. He’s also a useful shooting threat, but prioritizes getting his teammates involved. Hill plays hard defensively and forces turnovers well at the point of attack. Next in his development process is working to get stronger, as it would make him a better finisher through contact. Coach Dre on Hill: “Braylen is a creative left-handed point guard who is a problem from the opening tip. “Paint touch” is his middle name because he lives in there. The game appears effortless for him at times, therefore making it look easy. This may be a gift and a curse because I believe he can be way more productive with continued pressure. This young man has the potential to be really good. If he realizes how good he can be, then it gets scary.” Hill enjoyed a strong showing during his time at camp and will be a key piece for Hickory Ridge going forward.
#79: 6’3 ’27 RJ Moore (Corvian Community)
Next, we look at a player who possesses all the necessary tools to trend upward, RJ Moore. He’s a long, skilled, athletic guard prospect with a polished scoring arsenal and great feel on both ends of the floor. Moore is a quality creator and willing passer, but consistently takes advantage of easy opportunities from all three levels. He finishes at the basket, knocks down jumpers, and converts pull-ups off the bounce. Moore utilizes his length, toughness, and sheer motor to cause problems for opponents defensively. Next in his development process is working to get stronger, as it would make him a more physical defender. Coach Dre on Moore: “RJ is a lengthy guard that can really shoot the rock. Really liked his shot selection and the way he seemed to find openings for transition buckets. He also rebounded well and wasn’t afraid to ix it up with the trees. I am looking forward to seeing his progression.” Moore showcased a lot of ability at camp and should be a leader for Corvian Community over the coming years.
#80: 6’0 ’27 Travien Williams (Hickory Ridge)
Moving onto a player who did a terrific job of filling in the gaps on both ends of the floor, Travien Williams. He’s a steady, well-rounded guard prospect with a high motor and unselfish approach to the game. Williams displayed a solid combination of vision, creation skills, and scoring prowess. He regularly outworked opponents defensively and made hustle plays on a regular basis. Next in his development process is working on the use of his off-hand, as it would make him a more complete player. Coach Dre on Williams: “Travien is tough. He stayed active throughout our games. Definitely has a motor and can defend well at his position. Travien ran the floor well and benefitted from that with several layups in the open floor. He is just one of the guys that knows how to play the game and adds value to the team because of his IQ.” Williams enjoyed a quality showing during his time at camp and will be a prospect to monitor for Hickory Ridge going forward.
#103: 6’3 ’27 Joel Kidane (Winston-Salem Christian)
Continuing onto a player who displayed a knack for producing within the flow of the action, Joel Kidane. He’s a long, wiry wing/forward prospect with an excellent downhill sense and the ability to operate in several different roles. Kidane can create as needed, but displayed an understanding of how to find opportunities through cutting, spotting-up, and running the floor in transition. Next in his development process is working to get stronger, as it would allow him to become a more physically imposing player. Coach Dre on Kidane: “Joel is a long, athletic wing that gets active from the opening tip. A rim-runner who can get to the cup and finish at a high level. He has the tools and physical ability to match. He is very aggressive on the offensive end and is determined to get downhill and apply pressure at the rim.” Kidane made his presence felt during his time at camp and will be a prospect to keep an eye on for Winston-Salem Christian over the coming years.
#104: 6’3 ’27 Kingston Carmichael (RJ Reynolds)
Next, we look at a player who made a lasting impression through his consistent perimeter shooting, Kingston Carmichael. He’s a long, wiry, fairly well-rounded guard prospect with great IQ, size, and skill. Carmichael already knows how to thrive as a spot-up threat and overall perimeter shooter, but can also attack closeouts, finish at the basket, and set up others. He’s a solid all-around defender. Next in his development process is working on the use of his off-hand, as it would make him a more complete player. Coach Dre on Carmichael: “Kingston is a guy who can get hot and fill it up from beyond the arc. He moves without the ball very well and seems to have a knack to evade the defense. I also liked the fact that he wasn’t just a comfortable shooter, but could also get to the rack and make plays. His handle is deceptive, which allowed him to get to his spots with consistency. I believe Kingston has a lot of potential.” Carmichael did a lot of things well at camp and should be able to carve out a meaningful role for Reynolds sooner than later.
#117: 6’4 ’27 LJ Smith (Lincolnton)
Moving onto a player who easily stood out as one of the most impressive performers in attendance, LJ Smith. He’s a smart, crafty guard prospect with excellent size and an incredibly polished offensive arsenal. Smith effortlessly creates for himself and others, and is capable of applying quality scoring pressure from anywhere on the floor. Whether in transition or the half-court, he is a dangerous threat to the opposition. Smith is also a solid defender with great instincts and the ability to force turnovers at a healthy rate. Next in his development process is working on his ability to move without the ball, as it would make him even more difficult for opponents to contain. Coach Dre on Smith: “LJ is an absolute bucket. He has a very calm demeanor and doesn’t seem to get flustered at all. He can score from all three levels and has a skillset beyond his years. I believe the ceiling is very high for this young man. He is a crafty scorer with great length at the guard spot. This man is an absolute problem and I believe he will be a name that will gain a lot of attention in the near future. Get ahead of this one coaches. Stamped and certified.” Smith proved to be an asset at camp, securing the Offense Award, and should be one of the most productive freshmen in the state.
#118: 6’4 ’27 Justin Frye (Panther Creek)
Finishing up, we look at a player who consistently made his presence felt through toughness and nonstop energy, Justin Frye. He’s a long, wiry, team-oriented forward prospect with a useful skillset and excellent nose for the ball. Frye does a little bit of everything offensively while standing out as a quality rebounder and rugged defender. He made hustle plays and ran the floor hard in transition. Next in his development process is working to get stronger, as it will only make him a more physically imposing player on both ends of the floor. Coach Dre on Frye: “Justin is a two-way specialist. This man plays defense with a passion and gets after it on every possession. He equally brings great skills and length on the offensive end. He was a pleasure to work with because he always gave maximum effort. I like his enthusiasm for the game and I’m really looking forward to his development.” Frye made a consistent impact during his time at camp and will be a prospect to watch closely over the coming years at Panther Creek.