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What We Learned from Phenom Tip-Off (Saturday)
2025 Jaylen Cross and 2026 Yohance Connor shine in Day 2 thriller What a game it was between Combine Academy and Caldwell Academy, as if you like an offensive game, you got that with this one. Combine was able to secure the impressive 90-76 victory, with both teams trading blows. But 2025 Jaylen Cross and 2026 Yohance Connor may have had the best two performances of the day, with Cross finishing...
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2026 Yohance Connor has the intangibles that college coaches would love to have
Player: Yohance ConnorClass: 2026Height: 6’3Position: GuardSchool: 1of1 Academy The season is here, and Phenom Hoops is out and about throughout the country checking out the talent. We started our first adventure in downtown Charlotte as of late, getting a chance to watch one of the top guards in the state for his class, but also should be recognized more on the national level. But I...
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Phenom Game Report: 1of1 Academy vs. Lab University Prep
It was the start of the season for Phenom Hoops and high school basketball, and our first stop on the season was downtown Charlotte. 1of1 Academy, a team loaded with talent, traveled to Laby City to take on Lab U, a rising program looking to make noise this year with a tough schedule. The atmosphere was electric to start the season, and both teams came out strong. 1of1 was able to secure...
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Breaking Down Phenom Hoops’ 2026 Rankings
Each year, we reach the brief transitioning point between the travel ball and high school seasons. This small window typically falls around mid-August, allowing ample time to update rankings, go to open gyms, and mentally reset before things get revamped. Now that we’ve finalized our rankings for North Carolina’s Classes of 2024, 2025, and 2026, it feels like no better time to go through and...
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National Prospects Emerging in North Carolina’s Class of 2026
Each year, national scouting services work to find and evaluate the next wave of young, up-and-coming high school prospects. Ranking kids as freshmen usually has no real basis, since there’s no conclusive way to determine all the variables that go into the process. Between mentality, work ethic, physical growth, and countless other dynamics, plenty of factors should be considered. That being...
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Yohance Connor Proving Himself as a Top Player in North Carolina’s Class of 2026
It goes without saying, but 1 of 1 Academy is as loaded as any program within the state of North Carolina—especially as far as talented underclassmen are concerned. The grouping of Nick Diaz, Isaiah Denis, Jeremiah Jackson, LJ Rush, Kobe Broome, Gevonte Ware, Tayeshaun Smith, Christian Wilkins, Isaiah Williams, and Yohance Connor far exceeds that of any other team’s blend of freshmen and...
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Stock risers from Phenom Prep Showcase
2024 6’6 Jacob Brandly (Combine Regional): Brandly is one that continues to come to events, and catches our eye each time. Why' This is a 6’6 forward that creates so much havoc when he is on the court. Brandly does a great job in being able to attack the defense in an array of ways, whether it is in pick-and-pop situations and hurting them with his perimeter shooting, or his ability to use his...
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POB’s Day 2 Standouts (Phenom Prep Showcase)
2024 Chicale Ward (Bull City Prep): Ward has put together back-to-back outstanding games to help lead his team to two wins. The 6’5 prospect has been an extremely effective scorer on the floor and is a tough matchup with his skill set, his versatility, and his ability to score in a variety of ways. He is coming off a 30-point showing and ended today with 20 points in the win on Day 2. Opening a...
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A Closer Look: North Carolina’s Class of 2026
6’6 Cole Cloer (Orange) Between the team’s success and his individual production, it’s easy to see why Cole Cloer is already one of the top players in North Carolina’s Class of 2026. At 6-foot-6, he already has the IQ, size, and skillset to legitimately dominate a game. Cloer is a smooth all-around player who comfortably dictates the offensive action with the ball in his hands,...
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POB’s Eye Catchers from Day 1 at Phenom New Year’s Bash
2024 Miles Beard (Hickory Ridge): Beard was at it again in leading his team, finishing with 19 points and five rebounds. Beard continues to be a force offensively with his ability to knock down shots from outside and his pull-up game, but also excels in penetrating and getting to the basket. Beard just has a natural ability to find ways to score and does so consistently. 2023 Luke Brigman...
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Player Standouts at George Lynch Invitational
6’5 ’24 Austin Swartz (Cannon) There were numerous impressive contributors for the Cougars in this contest, but Swartz stood out through his leadership and dominant offensive showing. Referring to him as anything other than an elite shot-creator with an incredible blend of vision, craftiness, and perimeter shooting would be unfair. Swartz still applied his usual amount of pressure off the bounce...
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POB’s Eye Catchers from George Lynch Invitational (Day 1)
2024 Sean Birmingham (Cannon): Getting another chance to view the 6’8 forward and it has now been two games that he has impressed with his ability to be useful in stepping out and showcasing his fluid shot-making ability from the perimeter, but also making plays on the boards, creating and making good decisions/passes, and using his size to his advantage. He can really be a big matchup though...
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Phenom Hoops Freshman Forty Evaluations: Team 12
Team 12 Coach: Jordan Parris #54: 5’8 Darnarius Gibson (Winston-Salem Christian) Starting things off, we look at a player who offers a pretty balanced approach as a floor general, Danarius Gibson. He’s a smart, wiry point guard prospect with quickness and the ability to create for himself and others. Gibson handles the ball well against pressure, touches the paint at a solid rate, and can...
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POB’s Eye Catchers from NC Freshman 40 (Part 1)
2026 6’5 Kohi Strickland (Greensboro Day): Strickland is an intriguing young prospect with his game and size. From what we saw on the court, Strickland had his hand in a bit of everything on the court, whether it was making plays for others, helping on the boards, finding his teammates well, and scoring in a variety of ways. He has a well-rounded feel to his game and believe that he is a name...
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Phenom Open Gym: 1 of 1 Academy
Phenom Open Gym: 1 of 1 Academy Phenom Hoops travelled to Charlotte, North Carolina to cover 1 of 1 Academy. Practicing in historic Second Ward Gymnasium, it was a treat to watch the coaching of Head Coach Jermaine Jackson. Talk about attention to detail and heavy emphasis on defense and proper close outs, the players were being coached at an extremely high level. The former Detroit-Mercy and...
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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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POB’s Eye Catchers from Rare Fall League
2025 Gevonte Ware (1of1): After not getting a chance to play much of the summer, it was great to see the young big man back in action and he looked strong. Ware was a dominant fixture down in the paint, back to where we saw him before. He was strong in the post and with his back to the basket, has strong hands and touch around the basket, and is an absolute monster on the boards. Ware was all...
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Bendel’s Best: Underclassmen at Summer Havoc
Over the last five days, Phenom Hoops was stationed in Fort Mill, South Carolina for our annual Summer Havoc Live. There were two sessions, both loaded with talent and noteworthy matchups, which made for a highly entertaining week of basketball. College coaches were constantly filtering throughout the multiple venues, and numerous offers were extended to players. We’ve already taken a closer...
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POB’s Eye Catchers from Lamelo Ball Invitational (Day 1)
2025 Yohance Connor (1of1 Elite): Team 1 of 1 is loaded with talent but on Day 1, Connor was assertive and showcased his presence on both ends of the court. He displayed tremendous activity on the defensive end, getting after it, playing scrappy, and also understands how to create and capitalize on his own opportunities, scoring-wise. Continues to get downhill and finish. 2025 LJ Britt...
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POB’s Eye Catchers from Phenom Queen City (Part 1)
2024 Jacob Brandly (Combine Academy): Brandly continues to play at a high level for his team, as he showed his ability to score in a variety of ways. He filled it up all throughout the event, knocking down shots, showing his pull-up game, a little of his inside feel, and helping on the boards. His blend of IQ and ability to knock down shots was strong all day long. 2024 Zyan Hager...
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Bishop McGuinness v. Winston-Salem Prep
On Monday, Phenom Hoops traveled out to Kernersville, North Carolina for a highly competitive, inner-conference battle between the Villains of Bishop McGuinness and the visiting Winston-Salem Prep Phoenix. Given their respective records and the head-to-head matchup, this was an absolutely must-win contest for the Villains. On the other side, Coach Abdul Pittman has done a truly incredible job at...
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Catching some attention: Winston-Salem Prep
Phenom Hoops wants to share the successes of all players and teams around the state of North Carolina because there is just a ton of talent all throughout. We continue to shed light on players but fans need to take notice of teams that are also finding success this season.
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