On Saturday, Phenom Hoops is hosting our annual Carmel Christian MLK Showcase in Matthews, North Carolina. The schedule is set to feature six games of competitive battles, as public-school teams will face private-school opponents. Given all the open discussion surrounding the 'who's who' of North Carolina basketball, this event should be a strong indicator of what teams are beginning to hit their stride. Now, we'll go game by game through the upcoming schedule and preview some players and/or storylines we are monitoring. Looking at the final contest of the event, we have Carmel Christian versus Myers Park'
Quite possibly the top private-school team in the state, the Cougars enter this contest with a 20-3 record and only one loss coming to a North Carolina-based squad (Northwood). Regardless of the roster composition, Coach Joe Badgett seems to always find ways to form a legitimate contender'and this group is no different. Although Jaeden Mustaf transferred in and immediately became their main leader, guys like Bryce Cash and Michael Marcus also know how to set the tone. Mustaf is certainly deserving of his national reputation and only continues to showcase the two-way identity that makes him so impressive. Cash remains highly valuable to the Cougars as a smart, tough, switchable, adaptable piece. Marcus is an inside-out big man who can space the floor or score around the basket, and will take whatever the opposition gives him. Furthermore, Khamani Wertz is a lethal shooter with solid vision and a scrappy defensive nature; Boston Smith is commonly the most explosive leaper in the gym; Kaleb Siler has size, touch, and a steady game on both ends of the floor. That being said, Brett Freeman is also an x-factor who seems to get better with each viewing.
On the other side, Myers Park is arguably the top public-school team in the state. Between the likes of Sir Mohammed, Sadiq White, Elijah Strong (Wofford), Sam Walters (Florida Southern), and the addition of Bishop Boswell, it's easy to see why the Mustangs generated national buzz prior to the season. They've gotten off to a 12-3 record while frequently playing against challenging opponents from outside of the area, suffering their only loss to a North Carolina-based squad earlier in the season (Chambers). Whether through their structure, personnel, or something else, it's easy to see why folks have been oozing excitement about this group. Four of the five aforementioned players average double-digit scoring while guys like Walters, Santana Lynch, and Jacob Parasion are capable of seizing opportunities within the flow of the action. Either way, White continues to progress, Lynch is a quality shooter, Strong offers a sturdy interior presence, Walters is a natural glue-guy, Boswell is getting more and more comfortable as a focal point, and Mohammed is one of the state's most coveted prospects among college coaches. This game has been circled for both squads (in addition to spectators) since the start of the season, so it should be very exciting to watch these two compete.