Team 2
Coach: Grayson Pierce
#2: 5’10 ’18 Jordan Campbell of Mallard Creek (Charlotte)
Starting things off, we look at a player with big-time explosiveness and the ability to get to the rim at will, Jordan Campbell. He’s a lead guard with heady instincts, able to knife his way into the lane followed by a thunderous dunk or an easy assist. Offensively, Campbell displays a great IQ and can get going from all three levels, though he does prefer penetrating and finishing in the paint. On the other end, he is a solid defender that stays in front of opponents will with his blinding quickness; he’s able to recover much faster than the average player. Next in his development process is continuing to work on his rebounding ability, as he could easily be the recipient of second chance points. Coach Pierce on Campbell: “Jordan is a great player than can jump out of the gym. He has a great feel for the game and his ability to get into the paint is terrific. He has a nice jump shot as well and can really punish opponents when he’s hitting on all three levels. Jordan was a good teammate throughout camp and honed team basketball.” Campbell is already a really intriguing prospect and be one to keep an eye on as he heads into a critical summer season.
#27: 6’1 ’19 JC Tharrington of Charlotte Christian (Charlotte)
Next, we look at a player whose sky-high IQ is evident in every second he’s on the floor, JC Tharrington. He’s a true point guard with the ability to run a team on both sides of the ball extremely well. Offensively, Tharrington is a three-level scorer that rarely makes mistakes or has judgment lapses; he distributes the ball incredibly well and simply must be accounted for at all times. On the other end, he’s a really intelligent defender that has a knack for getting on-ball steals and doesn’t shy away from contact against bigger opponents. Next in his development process is continuing to work on his ability to shoot off the dribble, as it would cause a definite uptick in his scoring totals. Coach Pierce on Tharrington: “JC is the definition of a true point guard; he has the ball on a string. He knows how to make the right pass for his teammates as well as knocking down the open shots. JC’s basketball IQ is as high as I have seen.” Tharrington is underrated, but college coaches will continue to need a player as well-rounded as he is; few players can match his IQ and poise, especially at his age. Keep your eye on him, as he should begin turning heads this summer season.
#37: 6’5 ’19 DeAngelo Epps of Charlotte Country Day (Charlotte)
Moving onto a player that made his presence known with constant athleticism on both sides of the ball, DeAngelo Epps. He’s a wing that does the little things that every team needs and does them with hyper-athleticism through leaping and great speed. Offensively, Epps is terrific at slicing into the lane and finishing with authority, whether by a dunk or layup. On the other end of the floor, he is a quality all-around defender, especially off-ball where he captures plenty of steals. Next in his development process is continuing to work on the consistency of his outside shot, as it would make him a really difficult player to contain. Coach Pierce on Epps: “DeAngelo is a really interesting player. He is a man-child and a supreme athlete that can fly wherever he wants on the floor. DeAngelo hit the glass aggressively and proved to be a plus defender for us. The sky is truly the limit for him, especially if he continues to add to his game.” Epps is already years ahead of players his age; his feel for the game is already above average and he will only continue to get better as time passes.
#40: 6’2 ’18 Josiah Jeffers of Burlington School (Burlington)
Continuing onto a player that affects the game on both sides of the ball and all areas in-between, Josiah Jeffers. He’s a wing that is so disciplined when on the floor; he’s a feisty ball-hawk that maintains a calm mind. Offensively, he’s a three-level scorer that is extremely quick off the dribble, able to blow by defenders with great frequency. Jeffers has a tight handle and a strong ability to create for teammates. Defensively, he sticks to his assignment like glue, never allowing them an inch of airspace to operate with. Next in his development process is working on his finishing ability after beating opponents off the dribble, as it would make him simply uncontainable. Coach Pierce on Jeffers: “Josiah has a chance to be a really good player, as he shows countless glimpses of a terrific prospect. Josiah shot and passed the ball really well during camp, not to mention his ability to shut down opponents on the defensive end.” Jeffers was a key cog on his high school team (The Burlington School) that won a state championship this year and it’s easy to see why. He makes his presence felt with and without the ball, an underrated quality. Jeffers is one to watch for going forward, as he has the potential to be special sooner than later.
#47: 6’3 ’19 Quest Aldridge of Mount Tabor (Pfafftown)
Next, we look at a player that thrives when using his size and vision to fluster opponents, Quest Aldridge. He’s a guard that can play with or without the ball, though his strengths are heightened with the ball. Offensively, Aldridge has a quick first step that he frequently uses to get by defenders and into the paint, where he chooses between a smooth pull-up and an easy pass. He sees the floor well and does a nice job finding teammates, especially in transition. On the other end, Aldridge is a decent defender that primarily relies on his size and quickness; he will be better defensively once his positioning improves. Next in his development process is improving the consistent of his jumper, as it would make him a tougher all-around offensive player to contain. Coach Pierce on Aldridge: “Quest had a good performance at camp; he showed the ability to pass the ball in the open court and a sharp first step that allowed him to get by defenders and make a play. Quest was a great teammate and showed good leadership skills on and off the court.” Aldridge is worth keeping your eye on; he should become a popular name in recruiting as he continues to polish his game.
#51: 6’3 ’18 Adrian Delph of Kings Mountain (Kings Mountain)
Moving onto a player whose hard-nosed approach on both ends of the floor immediately stood out, Adrian Delph. He’s a strong guard that is able to dominate his opponent in all facets of the game, especially when he’s rolling. Offensively, Delph is a monster. Opposing guards struggle to hang with him, as he is a proven three-level scorer that can also take opponents off the dribble and to the rim with ease. On the other end, he’s a relentless defender, able to stay attached to his assignment at all times. Delph makes the hustle plays and is a terrific player on both sides of the ball. Next in his development process is continuing to work on his shot off the dribble, as it would allow him to be an even more dangerous floor spacer. Coach Pierce on Delph: “Adrian is a player. He knows how to share the ball and make players around him better, was a terrific teammate throughout camp. Adrian is really hard to guard, as he can score on three levels whenever he wants.” Delph averaged 13 PPG during camp. He is already a commonly known name around Phenom and he will only continue to gain traction going into a critical summer season.
#70: 6’4 ’20 Jordan Williams of Greensboro Smith (Greensboro)
Continuing onto a player whose constant high motor got him noticed throughout camp, Jordan Williams. He’s a long wing that disrupted the opponents’ operation on both ends of the floor, especially with his effort on the glass, where he often outworked his assignment. Offensively, he moves well without the ball and finds space between the defenders to make plays around the basket. On the other end, Williams is a pretty decent defender, though he could be better avoiding overplaying assignments from closeouts. Next in his development process is continuing to refine his offensive game, as a reliable jumpshot would certainly raise his ceiling. Coach Pierce on Williams: “Jordan showed he has a chance to be a really good player, especially as he continues to improve. He is not afraid of anyone and plays with a really high motor at all times. Jordan works his butt off on the glass and secured plenty of rebounds for the team.” Williams is already a really intriguing player; he’s one to keep on your radar, as he will definitely be a relevant name in the coming years.
#74: 6’5 ’18 Stephen Edoka of Concord First Assembly (Concord)
Next, we look at a player that can play on the perimeter or bang down low whenever necessary, Stephen Edoka. He’s a forward that is really athletic and made his presence known on both ends of the floor among multiple positions. Offensively, he moves well without the ball and does a terrific job posting up smaller players. Edoka’s high motor and hard-nosed approach on the glass was very noticeable; he crashed the glass on both ends of the ball and had great success. On the defensive end, he is a plus and showed his ability to span across multiple positions, an incredibly valuable tool. Next in his development process is continuing to polish his jumper, as it would make him a really well-rounded offensive player. Coach Pierce on Edoka: “Stephen is a really good athlete that can jump out of the gym. In transition, he tries to rip the rim off the backboard. Stephen rebounded the ball quite well on both sides of the ball. Once he improves his shooting and post moves, he will be a really good player.” Edoka averaged 14 PPG during camp. He established himself as a key cog on his high school team last season and should be one to watch heading into the summer season.
#97: 6’7 ’18 Jayden Gardner of Heritage (Wake Forest)
Moving onto a player that simply dominates everyone and everything in the paint, Jayden Gardner. He’s a big man that is simply immovable; opponents cannot contain him when it comes to rebounding or interior scoring. Offensively, Gardner is looking to post-up whenever possible, which he has great success with. He can set up on either block and has an array of moves in his bag of tricks; he’s nearly a guaranteed bucket down low. On the other end, he does not shy away from contact, is a great post-defender and does a good job protecting the paint. Gardner is an exceptional two-way rebounder that has been a double-double machine for some time now. Next in his development process is to improve his passing out of the post, as it would make him even more unguardable since double-teams couldn’t cheat. Coach Pierce on Gardner: “Jayden is a MAN! He knows how to play his position phenomenally well, uses his body as well as I’ve ever seen. Jayden can take the contact and still finish against anybody. When he touches the ball in the paint, you can go ahead and count it.” Gardner is a brute force that gets whatever he wants on the court; he averaged the third highest scoring total at camp with 23.5 PPG (this is after he left and returned to camp from getting six stiches due to an elbow to the eye). His name has started gaining traction lately but should only continue as he heads into summer play.
#108: 6’8 ’19 BJ Mack of Charlotte Christian (Charlotte)
Finishing up with a player that has made incredible strides over the last year and only continues to look better with time, BJ Mack. He’s a power forward with the ability to play out of the high and low-post very easily. Offensively, Mack is extremely difficult to contain; he can score at will from the elbows-in and has even shown glimpses of a quality three-point shot. His post-up game is really nice; the lefty knows how to finish everything around the basket, with either hand. Mack is a proven rebounder that knows how to properly use his body on both ends to get excellent position. Defensively, he is solid at guarding the post but can improve his ability to step out towards the perimeter and recover. Next in his development process is continuing to work on the consistency of his three-point shot, as its addition would really make him impossible to stop. Coach Pierce on Mack: “BJ is a man among boys, simply put. He knows how to use his body and footwork very well, combine that with his great hands and you have a scoring monster. BJ showed the ability to step out and make shots as well as putting the ball on the floor and attack the basket.” The Virginia Tech commit was fourth in scoring average with 22.5 and put the full arsenal on display. Mack has already established his place towards the top of his class in North Carolina and watching his constant improvement will continue to be a joyride.