This past weekend, Phenom Hoops took the opportunity to maximize our downtime and continue providing coverage throughout the region. While the event in Rock Hill drew a ton of attention, prospects could be found playing in numerous locations'including at the Triad Blue Chips East Fall League in Greensboro. We traveled out to Shining Light Academy and caught most of the action, and this article will take a closer look at some standouts and the coinciding storylines from the evening…
6'0 '22 Nasir Gibbs (Shining Light Academy)
Despite playing alongside a relatively new collection of teammates, it was pretty easy to see Gibbs emerge as a leader for Shining Light Academy. His ability to dictate the offensive action is certainly useful and even impressive at times, but more emphasis needs to be placed on turning those flashes into extended stretches. Gibbs displayed a clear knack for scoring the ball and would seize critical opportunities whenever available. He attacked the basket, knocked down perimeter jumpers, created for others, and generally made smart decisions with the ball in his hands. Additionally, Gibbs possesses a quality frame along with defensive prowess and solid rebounding instincts. He's one of many useful prospects on this team, so it'll be interesting to see how Shining Light Academy grows with Gibbs at the helm.
Shining Light Academy Starting from Ground Zero
With new programs emerging seemingly every day, Harold Cone and Shining Light Academy should be one of the more unique situations to arise. After announcing his acceptance of the head coaching position, Cone immediately worked to piece together a competitive roster for the upcoming season. Given their first victory at Triad Blue Chips Fall League, it could easily be the start of something successful if they maintain their current trajectory. Though the aforementioned Gibbs shined as a leader, this roster has numerous capable contributors (and multiple who were sidelined with injury)'which offers even more optimism about the overall situation. It truly is just the beginning for Cone and company, so expect to hear about this squad making noise going forward.
