STAY POSITIVE CLASSIC EVENT RECAPS
July Live Period Superlatives: Part One
Although there has been a ton of excitement swirling throughout the last few months, July is finally coming to an end. Between the NCHSAA/NCISAA events in June and the consecutive live periods across July, all levels of coaches have been traveling, evaluating, and establishing relationships with these prospects. Excluding the lone period in July, we will take a closer look at a slew of players...
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POB’s Eye Catchers from Phenom Summer Havoc Session 2 (Day 1, Part 1)
2023 Gabriel Hernandez (Team Hardaway): The 5’10 guard really surprised and caught some eyes with his play on Day 1 of Session 2. Some may not expect his game but this is a young man that comes and competes, has good quickness to get by defenders, scrappy on both sides of the ball, and really shows some surprising athleticism to his game that many wouldn’t expect. He should be one...
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Brandon’s Big-Time Ballers (Summer Havoc Session 1, Day 2)
By: Brandon Blakney 6’5 2024 Rakease Passmore (NLPB)- Passmore might have had the most upside of any player I witnessed today, at 6’5 he’s a true wing and has the skill set that translates immediately at the next level. Passmore is an explosive athlete that’s capable of playing above the rim, he can make shots off the catch and shoot, and he’s capable of creating off the dribble. Passmore showed...
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Phenom Summer Havoc Team Preview: Anthony Morrow Elite
July is going to be fun, especially with Phenom Hoops. That is why we are getting just a small head-start on the teams and players that will be in attendance for the Summer Havoc. Here, we look to preview just a few names to watch for throughout the weekend in Rock Hill, with many others stepping up their game in front of college coaches. Anthony Morrow Elite Anthony Morrow Elite has...
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Player Standouts at Phenom Champion Showcase
6’7 ’22 Aidan Hadaway (Atlanta Timberwolves) It’s easy to see why Hadaway is so highly regarded amongst college coaches, given how much ability he showcased. He’s very skilled for his size, displaying a combination of IQ, vision, and inside-out scoring ability. Hadaway attacks well from the wing and finishes with craftiness around the basket—utilizing both hands effectively. He’s also a useful...
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POB’s Eye Catchers: Phenom MDC (Day 2, Part 2)
2022 Tariq Shabazz (Palmetto Elite): Shabazz had a strong Day 2 in Rock Hill, as he played with a natural feel but was excellent in transition. Getting the ball and going is where he excelled, running out in transition, getting downhill, making strong plays, and finishing around the basket. But don’t let that fool you because you have to respect his outside game as well, showing his...
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Phenom Spotlight: 2022 Umar Lawson (Massanutten)
We have had the luxury of watching 2022 Umar Lawson develop and play right in front of our eyes over the past few years. Whether it was in South Carolina or in Virginia, Lawson continues to attract eyes with his game.
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POB’s Eye Catchers from Grassroots TOC: Day 3
Umar Lawson 2022 Caden Fitzgibbons (NC Spartans Hartzell): Fitzgibbons continues to have a tremendous weekend, really filling up the boxscore, moving well without the ball, creating for himself, and simply putting points on the board. His production has been consistent all throughout the weekend and should be one to really monitor throughout this summer. 2022 Jevon Long (Next Level SC):...
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Queen City Showcase Team Preview: Anthony Morrow Elite
The Queen City Showcase in Rock Hill this weekend is going to be off the charts. With talent all on the floor, livestreams streaming the games, and a ton of coverage from Phenom Hoops, this is going to be one of the best events to start the travel ball season. That is why we wanted to get a leg up on it, as we spoke to several coaches that will be bringing their teams to South Carolina...
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Player Standouts at Day Two of Phenom’s Spring Tip-Off Classic
6’1 ’25 Hamilton Huit (Elite One) Given his nonstop production over the weekend, it should be easy to understand what made Huit an obvious standout for this Elite One group. He did a strong amount of everything, from scoring and passing to rebounding and defending, and made sure his impact was felt on nearly every possession. He set the tone offensively and regularly asserted himself as a scorer...
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Phenom Game Report: Combine Academy PG vs. Massanutten PG
Phenom Hoops tuned in to The Hoop State Network, as they were on the call for this matchup. Combine Academy PG welcomed in Massanutten Military Academy Monday afternoon in what was a tight game all throughout. Both teams traded the lead throughout, as this one came down to the end. Check out the score and players that caught our eyes.
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Special K’s Hoops Take: Best of August (Part 1)
This August was a month full of very intriguing talent and potential amongst the abundance of teams and players that attended our events. Talent everywhere from High Major Division 1 to Division 3 level players competed all month long. Of the many players I saw this August, a few players really stood out and either made a name for themselves or showed why they were already highly touted.
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Special K’s Superstars: Summer Havoc
Here are seven players that really captured the eyes of Khalil Shakir over the weekend at the Summer Havoc.
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Brandon’s Big-Time Ballers: Names coaches need to know
6’3 2021 Umar Lawson (Upward Stars Pee Dee) Lawson should be one of the breakout names after this weekend. First off if you haven’t seen the viral clip of him going Eastbay mid-game, then proceeding to land a backflip, check it out! Aside from that, he’s a prospect that’s continued to improve, Lawson is an elite level athlete at this stage which allows him to explode past defenders and finish in...
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Evening Standouts at Phenom Summer Havoc
6’6 ’22 Jalen Hood-Schifino (Team CP3) This Team CP3 roster is arguably the most loaded group of prospects on display, and Hood-Schifino was as impressive as anyone in attendance. He’s already established himself as a high-level player over the years, but has really started to vault himself into elite territory over the last six months. Hood-Schifino is an incredible playmaker and game manager...
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Special K’s Hoops Take: Late Day 1 Standouts
6’1 Cole Sinclair of Durham Hurricanes 17U was impressive today. Really scored the ball and showed that he could do so effectively from all three levels. Shot the ball very well and uses his handle and quickness to get to his spots. Gets to the basket and really creates contact, got to the free-throw line all game. Very quick guard with great change of pace which allows him to be hard to stay in...
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RANKINGS REPORT Early Standouts from Summer Havoc (Day 1)
Luke Bracey 2021 5’10” Jalen Hinton (Charlotte Nets) is a really shifty & explosive point guard from Independence High School. He’s a clutch shot maker that wants to change the game in key moments. He knows how to draw contact & get to the foul line. Good decision maker and play maker. 2022 6’2” Sam Cogan (Team Together) always finds away to get the ball in the basket....
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Special K’s Hoops Take: Special K’s Superstars
Khalil Shakir brings us his top 10 players that he saw throughout the weekend in Rock Hill for the Phenom Challenge.
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Umar Lawson: Undeniably Explosive
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 series on some players who have attended events over the past few years 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...
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Special K’s Hoops Take: SC Hidden Talent (Part I)
South Carolina is loaded with hidden gems around the state and one of our new knowledgable scouts brings you Part 1 of players that have gone under the radar but should be attracting some eyes from the state. Check out a few names below.
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2021 6’3 Umar Lawson earns first offer
South Carolina has been getting a lot of attention lately in multiple classes. Several prospects are securing offers from schools around the country and you can add another prospect to that list, as 2021 6’3 Umar Lawson earned his first offer.
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South Carolina Phenom Top 80 Camp Evaluations: Team 1
Team 1 Coach: Josh Staley #1: 5’7 ’22 Kristopher Wallace (Gray Collegiate) Starting things off, we look at a player that simply knows how to run a team while doing all the dirty work, Kristopher Wallace. He’s a smart, team-first lead guard with great quickness, which allows him to touch the paint quite regularly while mirroring his assignment on defense. Wallace handles the ball well,...
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South Carolina Top 80 All Tournament Team “Class of 2021”
Class Height No. Name City State High School 2021 6′4″ 80 Russell Felton Jr Aiken SC Aiken High School 2021 6′1″ 44 Daveon Thomas Elgin SC Lee Central High School 2021 6′3″ 72 Cohen Gaskins Summerville SC Pinewood Preparatory School 2021 6′4″ 82 Korey Richardson Columbia Sc SC Lower Richland High School 2021 6′4″ 96 Malachy McGuirt Rock Hill SC Rock Hill High School 2021 6′7″ 112 AJ Allenspach...
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Phenom All-American Camp Award Winners
The Phenom All-American Camp brought some fantastic talent under one building and players went away with some hardware from the event.
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Phenom All-American Camp Evaluations: Team 3
Team 3 Coach: Andre Simmons #4: 5’0 ’24 AJ Adams (Crest Middle School of Technology) Starting things off, we look at a player that stood out for his advanced feel and playmaking sense for his age, AJ Adams. He’s a young point guard with an excellent blend of vision and scoring. Adams handles the ball well and looked extremely comfortable when going against opponents of his own age. Next...
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Players without offers (yet) showcase talent at Phenom All-American Camp
The players really came out, and for a few hours of skills and drills (over the 2 day period) and 5 games played, they left it all on the floor.
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Brandon’s Big Time Ballers #PhenomAllAmerican
The inaugural Phenom All American camp came into the weekend as some what of an enigma. Greensboro, North Carolina- The Triad played host to the first ever Phenom All American Camp, our brand and product are recognizable, but until Saturday we hadn’t conducted a true All American Camp. This was another prime opportunity for prospects in the classes of 2020-2024, to get better and boost...
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South Carolina Top 80: Evaluation Team 4
South Carolina Top 80 Evaluations Team 4 Coach: Kenneth Hunter #4: 5’9 ’21 AJ Thompson (Rock Hill, SC) Starting things off, we look at a player with a lot of craftiness and natural ability to run a team, AJ Thompson. He’s a sharp-minded point guard with an excellent IQ and overall feel for the game, which allows him to frequently manipulate opposing defenses and make plays within...
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