PORTER GAUD HOLIDAY CLASSIC EVENT RECAPS
Westover vs. Seventy-First (Girls) Game Recap
The second day of our sixth annual Hoops and Dreams Showcase kicked off with a girls contest between Westover and Seventy-First. Things got started with Westover taking complete control of the action behind the high-level play of Rmani Robinson. She immediately asserted herself as the clear two-way leader and never relinquished her grasp—single-handedly outscoring the opposition in the first...
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Quick Notes from Phenom Hoops’ George Lynch Invitational
Northside Christian Hitting Their Stride There were many impressive performances throughout the event, but arguably no team on display could match Northside Christian’s two-day showing. On Friday, the Crusaders were utterly dominant in a matchup against 1 of 1 Academy. They ultimately secured a double-digit win (70-60), but the final score doesn’t accurately depict how much better they were from...
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Concord Academy vs. Davidson Day Game Recap
The third game for day two of our annual George Lynch Invitational took place between Concord Academy and Davidson Day. It didn’t take long to realize that these two squads made for an excellent matchup—both in terms of talent and stylistic approach. Both teams came out of the gate trading buckets, but neither team could gain an edge after a 13-13 first quarter. It continued to be a...
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Carmel Christian vs. Northside Christian Game Recap
The second game for day two of our annual George Lynch Invitational featured an exciting matchup between Carmel Christian and Northside Christian. Things kicked off in complete favor of Carmel Christian, as they mounted a 13-3 lead through the opening quarter. The offensive struggles quickly halted for Northside Christian during the second period, cutting the deficit to 25-20 entering halftime....
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Quality Education vs. NC GBB Game Recap
The opening game for the second day of our annual George Lynch Invitational kicked off with a non-association battle between Quality Education and NC GBB. Both squads have an abundance of talent within their respective rosters, which led to back-and-forth play for the opening minutes and resulted in a 16-10 advantage after the first quarter. The Pharaohs quickly took over and never looked back,...
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Christ School vs. Davidson Day Game Recap
The nightcap of our second annual George Lynch Invitational concluded with an exciting contest between Christ School and Davidson Day. It didn’t take long for the Greenies to get things underway and start dictating the tempo. Davidson Day struggled to knock down shots while Christ School consistently forced turnovers and converted fast-break opportunities in transition. It’s difficult to...
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Northside Christian vs. 1 of 1 Academy Game Recap
The second game of our second annual George Lynch Invitational carried onward with a highly anticipated contest between Northside Christian and 1 of 1 Academy. On one side, the Crusaders have clearly maintained their championship-level mentality during the early season. Similarly, 1 of 1 Academy turned a ton of heads throughout the last calendar year and easily possess some of the most enticing...
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North Carolina Freshman 40 Camp Evaluations: Team 18
Team 18 Coach: Dre Simmons #44: 6’2 ’27 Noah Wilson (Lake Norman) Starting things off, we look at a player who offered a steady, reliable presence on both ends of the floor, Noah Wilson. He’s a tough, unselfish, well-rounded guard prospect with useful ball skills and lethal shooting prowess. Wilson defends with energy, outworks opponents on the glass, and gets to his spots in transition. Next in...
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North Carolina Freshman 40 Camp Evaluations: Team 17
Team 17 Coach: Brandt Short #41: 5’9 ’27 Tayshawn Adams (Southeast Raleigh) Starting things off, we look at a player who consistently found ways to involve himself in the action, Tayshawn Adams. He’s a smart, tough point guard prospect with incredible quickness and a lethal penetration sense. Adams handles the ball with poise, touches the paint at a high volume, and finishes really well through...
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North Carolina Freshman 40 Camp Evaluations: Team 16
Team 16 Coach: Aaron Jones #40: 6’2 ’27 Sean Nix (Cannon School) Starting things off, we look at a player who highlighted a lot of obvious appeal, Sean Nix. He’s a smart, tough, well-rounded guard prospect who appeared comfortable running a team or applying pressure as a scoring threat. Nix is a capable penetrator but at his best when finding opportunities as a shooting threat—both from midrange...
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Quick Notes from Phenom High School Jamboree
Grimsley Emerging as a Top Public-School Program in Greensboro Despite watching three of last season’s starters transfer to other programs, it doesn’t take much to see that Grimsley still has a roster worthy of attention. The additions of Richard Goods and Kareem Osman will help alleviate some of the lost production, but it also appears as if Nick Keith is ready to take another step forward as a...
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Young Names to Learn from Friday Jamborees
By: Cooper Hart On Friday, Phenom Hoops spent time at both the Veteran’s Day Jamboree at Green Hope HS and the JB3 Jamboree at SE Raleigh HS. At the events there were numerous young and relatively unknown names that are worthy of attention, here are a few of the best. 6’4” ’27 Jordan Page (Broughton) Page had a great day of scrimmages at Green Hope, making his presence felt consistently on both...
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North Carolina Freshman 40 Camp Evaluations: Team 13
Team 13 Coach: Steven Mims/Gerroid Doughty #46: 5’6 ’27 Jonathan Adams Jr. (Forsyth Country Day) Starting things off, we look at a player who simply knows how to produce alongside any collection of teammates, Jonathan Adams Jr. He’s a smart, skilled point guard prospect with a tight handle, useful vision, and the ability to create for himself and others. Adams is a quality shooting threat who...
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Caldwell Academy v. Carlisle School
On Tuesday, Phenom Hoops traveled out to Greensboro, North Carolina to kick off the high school season with an exciting battle between the Caldwell Academy Eagles and Carlisle School (VA) Chiefs. Both teams had tons of supporters packed into the intimate gym, which, per usual, led to an incredible atmosphere. The energy in the air was palpable. These squads each enter the season with high, yet...
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What to Watch for: Saturday at Carmel Tip-Off (Nov. 11)
12:00 pm – Grace Christian vs. Asheville School Grace Christian brings in talent that will be must-see and should start popping up more throughout the state. They are led by the strong senior guard duo of 2024 Quasim Oden and 2024 Steven McLeod, both of which can get downhill and be a strong presence on both ends of the court. They also have a rising star that could be in for a breakout season...
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North Carolina Sophomore 40 Camp Evaluations: Team 12
Team 12 Coach: Jim Baker #51: 5’9 ’26 Malik McCotter (Chambers) Starting things off, we look at a player who produced quite well despite being among the smallest campers on display, Malik McCotter. He’s a scrappy, high-motor point guard prospect with quickness and a solid feel for the game on both ends of the floor. McCotter excels at getting downhill, touching the paint, and finishing or...
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North Carolina Sophomore 40 Camp Evaluations: Team 11
Team 11 Coach: Rod Williams #71: 6’0 ’26 Terence Guess (Charlotte Christian) Starting things off, we look at a player who consistently found ways to make his presence felt, Terence Guess. He’s a long, scrappy guard prospect with the ability to operate with or without the ball in his hands. Guess is a capable three-point shooter, but is arguably at his best when getting downhill and attacking the...
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Kevin’s Players to Know: Chi-Town Standouts (Part 2)
By: Kevin Moses Player: Chris RiddleTwitter: @ChrisTerrell42Height: 6’5, 210Class of 2024School: Kenwood Academy and DePaul University commit Riddle was a scoring machine, crafty and creative. His high energy fueled his team. Explosive off-the-bounce with a man on a mission getting to his spots and nice elevation to rise above defenders to get those shots off in traffic. Chris was...
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What to Watch for: Friday at Carmel Tip-Off (Nov. 10)
5:00 pm – Combine Regional vs. Northside Christian A terrific and intriguing matchup to start off the event. Northside is coming off a title run and they bring back a lot of firepower once again, as 2024 Josh Bullock and 2024 Kyrell Shaw are looking to lead the charge. Two underrated seniors that can fill it up and play well off each other, they look to make a statement to start the...
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North Carolina Sophomore 40 Camp Evaluations: Team 10
Team 10 Coach: Armad Moore #61: 5’11 ’26 Nick Arnold (Lake Norman) Starting things off, we look at a player who is easily among the top two-way floor generals in the state, Nick Arnold. He’s a smart, tough point guard prospect that displays a calm demeanor and incredible leadership by example on both ends of the floor. Arnold plays at his own pace and doesn’t allow opponents to speed him up. He...
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North Carolina Sophomore 40 Camp Evaluations: Team 9
Team 9 Coach: Evan Neisler #47: 5’7 ’26 Dionte Neal (Reidsville) Starting things off, we look at a player who is easily among the most dynamic guards in the state, regardless of class, Dionte Neal. He’s an undersized, incredibly smart, skilled floor general with lethal quickness and open-floor speed. Neal is a high-level creator and overall playmaker who utilizes his craftiness to effortlessly...
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Kevin’s Players to Know: Chi-Town Standouts (Part 1)
Lathan SommervilleTwitter: @LathanSommervi2Height: 6’10, 240Class of 2024School: Richwood High School Summerville was a man among boys and displayed incredible talent. He flexes his dominant inside post play to wow us with his strength to overpower everyone and impose his will, getting easy buckets and gobbling up boards and putbacks. Old school style. But then he dazzled us with...
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North Carolina Top 80 Evaluations: Team 8
Team 8 Coach: Glenn Bynum #24: 6’2 ’25 Viktor Alao (Moravian Prep) Starting things off, we look at a player who is rapidly trending upward, Viktor Alao. He’s a smart, highly unselfish point guard prospect with an excellent combination of poise, playmaking instincts, and three-level scoring prowess. Alao knows how to control the action while picking his spots and getting others involved. He...
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North Carolina Top 80 Evaluations: Team 7
Team 7 Coach: Blan Hodges #7: 6’0 ’24 Armani Henderson (Bull City Prep) Starting things off, we look at a player who showcased a dynamic identity at camp, Armani Henderson. He’s an incredibly quick, heady guard prospect who thrives as a penetrator and overall transition threat. Henderson possesses a tight handle and sharp first step, which he utilizes to effortlessly break down opponents, touch...
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North Carolina Top 80 Evaluations: Team 6
Team 6 Coach: Jared Grady #6: 5’11 ’25 Rodmik Allen (New Hanover) Starting things off, we look at a player who quietly stood out as one of the top floor generals on display, Rodmik Allen. He’s a smart, tough point guard prospect with excellent quickness and playmaking instincts. Allen scored the ball at a healthy rate from all levels but consistently looked to get downhill, touch the paint, and...
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Kevin’s Names to Know (Oct. 31)
By: Kevin Moses Player: Tyler JonesTwitter: @tylerjones116Height: 6’2, 155Class of 2026School: Spring Mills High School Jones is a nice combo guard that can catch fire in a flash. I’d say Tyler is a triple-threat scoring machine. Defenders aren’t safe when Tyler has the ball anywhere on the court as he can flat-out shoot that rock. Pick your poison as a defender but Tyler is...
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North Carolina Top 80 Evaluations: Team 5
Team 5 Coach: Travis Holcomb-Faye #5: 5’11 ’24 Makel Smith (Morehead) Starting things off, we look at a player who simply knows how to provide a steady, adaptable presence to a team, Makel Smith. He’s a smart, skilled floor general with nice balance between playmaking and three-level scoring. Smith plays with pace and understands how to control the tempo with the ball in his hands. He creates...
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Player Standouts at Underrated Athletes Middle School Exposure Camp
#38- 5’0 ’28 Canyon Keilman Although small, Keilman was easily among the most impressive floor generals on display. He’s a knockdown shooter with sharp vision and a tight, crafty handle. Keilman utilizes his quickness to get wherever he wants off the bounce, but understands how to get others involved and make correct decisions with the ball in his hands. He also displays nice defensive instincts...
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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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North Carolina Top 80 Evaluations: Team 3
Team 3 Coach: CB McGrath Game FIlm: Team 3 vs Team 4Team 1 vs Team 3Team 2 vs Team 3NC Top 80 Semi-Final (2v3 vs 6/8) #1: 5’9 ’25 Darnarian Gibson (Winston-Salem Christian) Starting things off, we look at a player who consistently produced despite being the smallest camper in attendance, Darnarian Gibson. He’s a smart, skilled lead guard prospect with an understanding of how to get others...
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