The inaugural Carolina Middle School Showcase was loaded with talent as many of these young players are beginning to build their player resume. The stage was set and the platform provided an opportunity to showcase their abilities. Now, let’s take a closer look at the Carolina Middle School Showcase award winners.
Camp MVP: 6’2 2023 London Johnson (Charlotte, NC)
It was a spectacular day for the lengthy and athletic point guard. Already on our radar as one of the top rising freshmen in the state, Johnson cemented our belief of his longterm potential and upside. With a matching skill set that dovetails with his frame and athleticism, we expect big things for the talented young player provided he continues working. Simply put, the sky’s the limit for Johnson. He has an advanced feel for the game and has all the physical attributes and intangibles.
Mr. Playmaker: 5’0 2024 AJ Adams (Shelby, NC)
As the old saying goes, “Big things come in small packages,” and this saying is custom made for 5’0 2024 AJ Adams. Talk about a treat to watch! Adams has the ball on a string and has terrific court vision and advanced passing skills. He was making no look passes, behind the back passes and just made the difficult pass look easy. The cerebral, high IQ point guard put on a passing clinic. While he got his teammates involved early and often, Adams was also one of the camp’s leading scorers.
Mr. Hustle: 5’11 2024 Nick Garrido (Huntersville, NC)
The emphasis of the camp was defense and playing hard. Nick Garrido took it to heart and was one of the camp’s top players. He scored, rebounded, but most of all hustled on both ends of the court. In the closing minutes of the final game, Garrido still gave maximum effort hustling back on defense to contend a transition layup for the opposing team. This one play exemplified his play the entire day. Garrido didn’t take any plays off and impressed us with his relentless energy throughout the day.
Mr. Defense: 5’8 2024 Dimetrious Jones Jr. (Lumberton, NC)
Talk about a productive day of camp! Dimetrious Jones was up for every single award category at camp. He had votes for camp MVP, Mr. Hustle and Mr. Station, but one thing that stood out beyond anything else was his tough, gritty and aggressive man-to-man defense. This is saying a lot simply because Jones was one of the camp’s overall leading scorers. The southpaw also has an advanced skill set in all aspects of the game. That being said, we absolutely loved his poise and maturity for his age/grade. Definitely one to put in the early SIM card.
Mr. Station: 6’1 2023 Logan Deaver (Mooresville, NC)
There’s an old basketball saying, “You play the way you practice,” and this was the case in point for 6’1 2023 Logan Deaver. He simply played hard which was also seen during our station and skill development sessions. We were quite impressed with his blue collar work ethic throughout the day. There was no question that Deaver has a deep love for the game and uses opportunities simply to get better. Deaver is fundamentally sound and his willingness to work hard will pay huge dividends as he gets into high school basketball.