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Elevating their Game: 2025 NC Stockrisers
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“Battle of the Lakes,” Lake Norman vs. Mooresville
“Battle of the Lakes,†Lake Norman vs. Mooresville, a matchup that promises to keep the audience on their toes. Phenom traveled to Mooresville, North Carolina, to cover the electrifying matchup between Greater Metro 4A rivals Lake Norman High School and Mooresville High School. Separated by six miles, Lake Norman entered the contest with a formidable 15-1 (4-0) record, while Mooresville sported...
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Lake Norman battles past Caldwell Academy at Phenom Lakesgiving
Phenom Hoops was in the Mooresville area over the Thanksgiving holiday for the #PhenomLakesgiving, bringing some tremendous talent to the court. It included one enticing matchup between Lake Norman and Caldwell Academy, featuring several impressive players in the Class of 2025 including Trent Steinour, Jaylen Cross, and Tre McKinnon. Check out all the highlights and make sure to...
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North Carolina Top 80 Evaluations: Team 4
Team 4 Coach: Austin Collins Game Film: Team 3 vs Team 4Team 2 vs Team 4Team 1 vs Team 4NC Top 80 Semi-Final (1/4 vs 5/8) #13: 6'1 '25 Johnniyus Sharpe (Reidsville) Starting things off, we look at a player who stood out as one of the most dynamic performers on display, Johnniyus Sharpe. He's a smart, athletic guard prospect with quickness, toughness, and polish as a creator. Offensively, Sharpe...
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POB's Eye Catchers from NC Top 80: Guards/Wings (Class of 2025)
2025 Derek Ross Jr. (Jordan): Watching Ross on the court, he was certainly in the running for Mr. Playmaker, as this guard just understands how to be that team-first type point guard but also can fill it up as well. His ability to push in transition, create and use his speed, and set up his teammates is fun to watch and there are programs that would love to have that today on the court. But he...
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POB's Thoughts: Best of the Best from Phenom Hoop State League (Wings)
The Phenom Hoop State Fall League has been tremendous, and we are heading into championship weekend. But there have been plenty of storylines and players that have grabbed my attention. Even though this list could go on a lot longer, here are the top players who have left their mark on me so far at the Fall League at the wing position. 2025 Tre McKinnon (Lake Norman): McKinnon had a strong...
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POB's Thoughts: Top Wings at Hoop State League (Through 2 Weeks)
The Hoop State League has been tremendous so far… a lot of talent, a great chance to watch these teams in action early on, and players are competing. Trust me, there are a lot of names that have been catching my eye so far, which is why I wanted to share JUST A FEW NAMES that have really stood out to me through two weeks at the Hoop State League. Check out the wings that have impressed me...
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Phenom Open Gym: Lake Norman
Phenom Hoops traveled to Mooresville, North Carolina to cover the opening day of public high school open gym/workouts. For Head Coach Grant Hodges, the future looks extremely bright. Last season, Lake Norman finished with a 19-8 record and went an impressive 11-1 in the brutally tough Greater Metro 4 Conference. While Lake Norman loses All-Conference senior Cole Callaway (Newberry), they return...
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2025 Tre McKinnon's visit to Raleigh was 'amazing'
One of the premier talents here in the state of North Carolina, 2025 Tre McKinnon was one of several players that recently made a visit to NC State to check out the facilities and talk with the staff. McKinnon, a high-flying athletic prospect from Lake Norman, was able to enjoy himself in Raleigh as he discussed with Phenom Hoops about his visit and what he was able to take away from it...
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Phenom Hoops Player Profile: Tre McKinnon
Height: 6'5 Class: 2025 School: Lake Norman Travel Team: Team Charlotte Freshman Season: 11.6 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 1.6 BPG Sophomore Season: 14.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.6 SPG What Was Recently Said: Although he still possesses a massive amount of upside, there is already a ton of intrigue with the young, bouncy McKinnon. For starters, he will bring an element and overall...
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The Lake Show: Lake Norman Absolutely Loaded
This past weekend, Phenom Hoops traveled out to Rise in Advance, North Carolina for our annual Team Camp. This event always serves as a kickstart to June, as players go back to their respective high schools and prepare for the upcoming Live periods. There's usually a fair number of takeaways but it's also easy to get carried away or overexcited by the sheer change of pace from travel ball....
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POB’s Eye Catchers: Day 2 at Phenom MDC (Part 1)
2024 Jozohn Price (Charlotte Aces): It was good to see Price back in action, as it has been a while since seeing him in action. But when you watch his game, you have to like the intrigue of what he brings to the court. He has the size, he moves well, shows strong flashes of being a strong presence in the paint, and can make plays in a variety of other areas. He will be interesting to watch more...
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Dawkins’ Standouts from Phenom Grassroots TOC
By: DeAjai Dawkins 2025 Tre McKinnon (Team Charlotte 16U) Tre McKinnon boasts a level of athleticism that I have, quite literally, only seen in eventual collegiate athletes. McKinnon plays with a very rare blend of athleticism and discipline that allows him to contribute in every contest, despite his scoring output. I was most impressed today with how he challenged shots at the rim, especially...
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POB’s Eye Catchers from Day 2 at Phenom Grassroots TOC (Part 1)
2025 KJ Younger (Team HOPE): Younger has been a name that continues to pop up for me and I'm eager to see what his summer could be like; he could be in for a breakout-type season. Younger though continues to showcase what he has always done, being that physical presence in scoring through defenders but also showing a well-rounded skillset. He is able to really impact the game in a variety of...
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Battle of the Lake
The Battle of the Lake is one of the best kept secrets in the state. Once a sleepy little mill town, the city of Mooresville has grown in part due to the growth of Lake Norman. Mooresville, a city school vs. Lake Norman has become a rivalry and the capacity crowd on Tuesday night showcased the interest the game has to the student bodies of each perspective school. In the girls game,...
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Top Performances from the Tyler Lewis Hoop Fest
Here is a list of the top performances from the Tyler Lewis Hoop Fest presented by Fit for Life 24. Calvary DayJaydin Spillman – 12 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block and 4 steals on Saturday. Isaiah Ramazani – 12 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists on Saturday. Carmel ChristianKaleb Siler – 20 points and 6 rebounds on Friday. Jaeden Mustaf – 18 points, 7 rebounds, 5...
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Stockrisers from Phenom Lakesgiving (Part 2)
The first-ever Phenom Lakesgiving was a huge success, as teams came out and really showcased their talent, and several players should see their stock rise after their performances at the event. Here are four players that college coaches should take a look at more with what they have shown early on. 2025 Tre McKinnon (Lake Norman): It may be the start of things turning for the 6'5 sophomore, as...
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POB’s Eye Catchers from Phenom Lakesgiving (Day 1, Part 2)
2023 Kirsten Lewis-Williams (Lake Norman): Lewis-Williams was off the charts on Day 1 and she really filled it up in all areas of the court. Whether it was her defensive presence, racking up seven steals which eventually helped lead to points. But she also was tremendous in creating for herself, weaving through defenders and finishing with touch as well as through contact. That doesn't...
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North Carolina Top 80 Camp Evaluations: Team 2
Team 2 Coach: Chris Goodman #2: 5'10 '23 Justin Monden (Word of God) Starting things off, we look at a player who offers a very steady, reliable two-way presence, regardless of setting, Justin Monden. He's a smart, unselfish, well-rounded point guard prospect with excellent balance between playmaking and three-level scoring. Monden displays pace, patience, and great vision when initiating...
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Stepping Up More: Class of 2025 from #HoopStateLeague (Week 1)
2025 Miles Leaks (Piedmont): Leaks is a name that we have mentioned quite a few times after this and we are going to continue to mention more. We have spoken plenty about his game and if you missed it, you can check out our article earlier this week here (Click Here). But Leaks showed poise in running the show, showed flashes of his vision and playmaking ability, and looks to clearly be the...
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Breaking Down Phenom Hoops' Rankings for North Carolina's Class of 2025
(1) 6'8 Zymicah Wilkins (R-S Central) There are numerous guys who were in the mix for the top spot in our updated rankings, but Zymicah Wilkins ultimately walked away with the honor. His blend of IQ, size, skill, and polish makes him extremely difficult for most opponents to try and contain. Wilkins can dominate from the block, space the floor, or consistently make plays with the ball in his...
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Phenom Open Gym Tour: “Lake Norman, the future looks bright.”
Phenom Open Gym Tour: 'Lake Norman, the future looks bright' Phenom Hoops travelled to Lake Norman High School to kick start the 2022-23 basketball season to cover open gym. To put it mildly, Coach Grant Hodges has plenty to be excited about, and the 'The Lake Show' should be one of the favorites in the Greater Metro 4A Conference. Last season, Lake Norman finished 17-11 overall, 5-7 in...
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Top July Performers in North Carolina's Class of 2025 (Part Two)
The month of July is finally concluding, which should provide these young players with an opportunity to take a well-deserved break from days of nonstop basketball. Given the significance of the actual month, we decided to take a closer look at some of the top standouts from each class. Obviously, we can only speak on what we have seen, so the names listed will be based on their performances at...
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POB’s Eye Catchers from Day 2 from Phenom Summer Havoc (Catawba Ridge, Part 3)
2023 Cole Callaway (Carolina Riptide): Callaway continues to be one of the leaders for his team, being an effective scorer from deep but also adding more depth to his game, especially with his ability to create more for himself and get to the basket. Callaway also impressed with how he battled on the boards, not being afraid to mix it up and securing 11 boards in the win on Day 2.2025 Tre...
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A Closer Look: Phenom Hoops' Rankings for North Carolina's Class of 2025 (6-10)
(6) 6'4 Zion Collins (Word of God) Although his previous high school season was somewhat lost due to injury, Zion Collins has come back and continued to show flashes of high-level ability. In terms of tools, he pretty much possesses them all. His blend of athleticism, positional size, and overall feel for the game make his appeal quite obvious. Collins can reliably handle the ball, create his...
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Phenom Game Report: Lake Norman wins thrilling 61-59 win over Cox Mill
In the nightcap of the inaugural Greater Metro 4A conference tournament semifinal, it was the No.1 seed, Cox Mill (18-6; 11-1) vs. the No. 4 seed, Lake Norman (15-10; 5-7). For Cox Mill, coached by Ty Cox, they have already secured the No. 1 seed from the Greater Metro 4A conference. As for Lake Norman, coached by Grant Hodges, it's win or go home scenario. Lake Norman must win the conference...
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Freshman Duo Making Noise at Lake Norman
The last few years have resulted in unchartered territory within the high school basketball landscape, due to both Covid and the increased amount of player movement. While this definitely poses some challenging obstacles for public school programs, many schools have shown adaptability to the current times. Think about how many freshmen play significant minutes in comparison to three, five, or...
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Phenom Game Report: Cox Mill vs. Lake Norman
Phenom Hoops travelled to Mooresville, North Carolina to cover the NCHSAA 4A Conference 57 match-up between Lake Norman and Cox Mill High School. Lake Norman entered the contest with a 11-2 record while Cox Mill sported an 8-5 record. With the new conference realignment, Cox Mill was the pre-season favorite while Lake Norman is an up and coming program. Cox Mill came out hot knocking down six...
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Lake Norman High School Open Gym Report
On Wednesday, Phenom Hoops also traveled to Mooresville to watch Lake Norman High School practice. Coach Grant Hodges has done an impressive job of building teams with an identity. They are fundamentally sound. They play together with one another. Although they lose several key contributors in Clay Hodges, Seth Aeschliman, Camden Kepley, and Christian Taylor, the Wildcats have added quality new...
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'Getting to Know' 6'4 2025 Tre McKinnon
We've seen a lot of players come through our doors over the years, varying in appearance, skill level, and everything in between. We decided to put forth a 'Getting to Know' series on some players who have attended events but still remain on the lesser-known side of things. Each of these prospects embody being a student-athlete and getting it done in the classroom as well as on the basketball...
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