Caldwell Academy: 26-35-29-7: 97
Freedom Christian: 13-15-17-25: 70
Caldwell Academy: Neal Swindell 24pts, Cole Cloer 20pts, Jaylen Cross 15pts, Ayden Johnson 14pts, King Kendrick 13pts
Freedom: Karsen Swinney 31pts, Cristian Sias 19pts
2026 Cole Cloer fitting right in with his new team
Ranked as the top prospect in the Class of 2026, Cloer suited up for the first time with his new team at Caldwell Academy and though shots didn’t quite fall early on, he started to get going. Cloer was able to showcase his ability to score at the rim on multiple occasions, catching a few lobs and attacking downhill but also showing his capability of stepping out and looking for his shot from behind the arc. He brings size and skill to the table for this team, and it seemed like he fit right into the balanced offense at Caldwell.
2026 Neal Swindell is going to be a key piece for Caldwell Academy
Swindell is a 6’4 physical prospect who was able to lead the charge in this game and expect him to be a huge piece to this team’s success. He continues to excel in his ability to get downhill, attack and finish at the rim, and embrace contact but he continues to expand his game with his ability to score off the dribble, knock down shots from outside, and be a strong force defensively. With Swindell doing what he can do, it really makes this team overall tough to beat.
Liked what I saw from 2027 King Kendrick… pay attention to him
This was my first viewing of Kendrick in action, a new name here in North Carolina playing at Caldwell Academy and one that holds multiple D1 offers already. He is a 6’0 guard who was able to really excel in his ability to be a playmaker, creating off the dribble, getting paint touches consistently, keeping defenders off-balanced, getting to his spots for his pull-up game, and really flashing his vision and court awareness out in transition. Crafty, quick guard that should have plenty of attention from college coaches.
2026 Karsten Swinney (Freedom) put up a strong performance
A smaller guard at 5’8, Swinney was the go-to guy in this one as he put his team on his back and ultimately finished with 31 points. He is a crafty guard, finding ways to get around defenders, creating and looking for his shot, has the ability to hurt you from the perimeter, and just finds ways to create scoring opportunities his way. He is coming off a season in which he averaged 27 points per game, and looks to be off to a big start once again. A name to check out more for sure.