In two weekends, Phenom Hoops will officially begin our annual Hoopstate Fall League. Previously, games were hosted at Cox Mill and JD Lewis Center, but Rise Indoor Sports will also be added to the mix this year. Between three separate venues, kids from several different areas will have the opportunity to compete against other notable programs as they prepare for the upcoming high school season. Leading up to the preseason contests, we will preview some of the teams registered to attend—looking at Pine Lake Prep.
Despite one down year in 2021-22, it’s been all success for Coach Tony Dunbar and Pine Lake Prep. They lost three key seniors in Rob Magner, Lucas Strickfaden, and Wes Statzer, but should still be entering this season with high expectations. Although that trio accounted for over 60% of the team’s total scoring production, this group has multiple pieces ready to step into the spotlight. Someone else will likely need to emerge for this squad to maintain their competitiveness amongst the top teams in the state, so expect their quality depth to play a factor. Ultimately, the Pride should advance several players to the next level while being a challenging matchup for all types of opponents.
Key Returners:
6’0 ’25 Joe Bruce
Junior Stats: 8.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.6 APG, 3.1 SPG with 61/50/64 splits
6’2 ’25 Ethan Morgan
Junior Stats: 7.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.8 SPG with 69/56/50 splits
5’11 ’25 Jamie Lawson
Junior Stats: 2.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG