High School ball has officially begun for everyone here in North Carolina, and we are learning about several teams early on and their potential. Last week, Phenom Hoops was on deck with the Hoops & Dreams 910, as plenty of teams around the area came to compete in a great atmosphere. One of the best games of the event was Southern Durham vs. Berean Baptist, as the Spartans were able to squeak by with a 64-63 victory.  That game gave us a little in-depth look at what Southern Durham has to offer this year and after that, we were asking just how far could this team go.

Our very own Jeff Bendel said this after the event:

“There are so many potential contenders in the public school ranks, and Southern Durham is certainly among the teams worth noting. Between their coaching, depth, and sheer talent, it’s difficult to envision a scenario where this group doesn’t compete for a championship. Outside of their special freshman, AJ Morman, this roster is loaded with battle-tested veterans. Naturally, Jackson Keith is the star and undisputed leader of this group. He showcased the full arsenal on Saturday and should have Butler fans extremely excited for his pending arrival. However, there are plenty of other pieces worth noting. Guys like Kejon Hughes, Devin Perkins, Dwight Vincent, Zaquan Bowling, and Jai’den Davis each provide quality minutes for the Spartans. This is a highly competitive, recruitable group who should continue to turn heads throughout the high school season.”

They now sit undefeated in the early season and coming off a strong win vs. Berean Baptist.  This is a team that has a clear leader once again in Butler commit 2025 Jackson Keith, who has been regarded as one of the top players in his class and a Top-150 player nationally. With his commitment behind him, Keith looks to be locked in with his team in showing how effective he can be scoring inside and out, competing on the boards, and being the go-to guy for this squad. 

But this is also a team that has players around him. 2028 AJ Morman is a talent of his own and will be a name you hear a lot more about. He showed at the Hoops and Dreams that he isn’t afraid of the bright lights, being an effective scoring option with 12 points, rebounding, facilitating, and being active in other areas.  Those two are the clear guys early on, but they also have valuable players in 2025 Dwight Vincent, 2025 Jai’den Davis, 2025 Zaquan Bowling, and others who showed they can help out.

Do they have enough pieces in the long run to make a run at a title? We shall see as the season continues to move along, but they gave us an early glimpse that this is a team to truly watch out for.

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