There’s a whole lot to break down from arguably the best single day of basketball of the summer, too much for one person to do in a single article so go look at the rest of the website for all of the Phenom Summer Havoc coverage.
I was on the call for a lot of games for The HoopState Network’s streaming coverage of the event https://www.phenomhoopreport.com/events/summer-havoc-details-page/ so I was able to see a ton of the action on the arena court as well as roaming around the gym during my breaks from being on the call.
Here are the nine storylines from day two!
9. Jai Smith, Treyvon Byrd, and Gabe Proctor Simply Find a Way
The Tea Marie Hoops 16u duo has been a mainstay on the Phenom Summer Event series so far and they have been simply sensational thus far. Proctor is a knockdown shooter and high level energy guy that is just the kind of guy you want on your roster, the 6’1 2022 guard will be a big piece at Apex Friendship this season. Smith is on a fast track to becoming a top 100 prospect nationally and at 6’9 he does a bevy of things well at both ends of the floor. He’s an elite athlete with a high motor that has a great understanding of the game. He’s shown some wing skills, like the ability to break his man down off the bounce facing up and being a guy you have to guard outside of the 3 point line. He’s still figuring out what the move is for high school next season, we’ll be sure to update you when he makes that decision. Treyvon Byrd has been a monster for this group, his activity and playmaking has been huge. We’ve always been a fan of his athleticism but now his game is becoming much more complete. He’s playing the best basketball of his life with this Tea Marie group, he’ll be back at Bull City Prep next season. Another guy to note from this group is 6’6 2023 Isaac Holmes out of Cary Academy. He’s working his way back from an ankle injury but I fully expect him to insert himself in that top tier 2023 guard discussion. At 6’6 with incredible vision and a smooth jumper, he’s a guy coaches need to know about now.
8. Caleb Foster is As Advertised
Team Curry/Hickory Ridge High School PG Caleb Foster is at or near the very top in the 2023 class in NC depending on who you ask. At 6’4 with a bevy of translatable skills, Foster is a steady force playing up an age group. His ability to get into the teeth of the defense and make the right read is uncanny to go with his elite 3 point shooting. Foster is the headliner on a talented Team Curry 2022 team with other high level pieces. The other kid on this team that really grabbed my attention is 6’6 2022 Cade Tyson. He’s a long and athletic wing with an incredibly pure release from beyond the arc and a great understanding of the game. He’ll be playing at Carmel Christian for Joe Badgett next season. Coaches need to be laying groundwork with this Team Curry group as soon as possible.
7. Silas Demary Jr is Raleigh’s Next Elite Point Guard
Silas Demary of Raleigh’s Finest/Millbrook High School has been nothing short of sensational all weekend long. His size at 6’3 to go with incredible pace, shooting ability, and athleticism makes him a guy that mid-majors need to prioritize now or it could become too late. There’s a scenario in which the right high major program comes in and falls in love with his game but regardless he’s worthy of division one offers at this point. He headlines this Raleigh’s finest group with 6’5 2022 Collin Tanner (South Granville) and 5’10 2022 Justin Monden (Heritage) showing out as well. Tanner is a knockdown shooter with great size and Monden is an athletic PG with shot making ability. This group is one of the top indy squads we’ve seen all summer at the Phenom Event Series.
6. Will Felton Epitomizes “Lunchpail Guy”
Garner Road 3SSB’s most productive piece has been Will Felton of Hargrave Military Academy. He is simply a horse on the glass and unguardable 1v1 on the block. These are things we’ve known about from his work at Millbrook before the transfer to Hargrave but now he’s adding elements to his game that will do nothing but help his development. Felton’s mid-range game has gone from solid, to incredibly reliable. He raises up without hesitation and with a ton of confidence. He’s also a much improved passer out of the post and that’s helped guys like Aisaiah Phillips, Lucas Taylor, and D’Marco Dunn get clean looks from the perimeter. When G Road is running everything through Big Will, they’re incredibly difficult to beat. Felton just got his first ACC offer from Miami, expect a few more high majors to come in soon. Aisaiah Phillips is a new addition to this group and he’s fit in seamlessly. His shot making and ability to initiate the offense is very integral to what they’ve done this weekend.
5. Team Charlotte 16u is the best 2022 group in NC
I think it’s safe to say now after wins over CP3 and Team Curry that this Team CLT 16u squad is the best in their age group in the HoopState. The thing that makes them so special is that it can be anyone on the roster that carries the load in the win. Jeremy Gregory is the most consistent of the bunch, he has a handful of go to moves on the block to go with excellent hands and rebounding ability. Daniel Sanford is an inside/out threat and just a grown man in every way. He’s a serious stock riser in the 2022 class. Mekhi Grant is probably the teams top long term prospect. The 6’8 2023 forward is an elite rim protector with the ability to score from all three levels. Trey Green and Kennard Davis are two 2023s playing up on this team in the backcourt and they both balance scoring and playmaking at a high level. Those two are in sync at all times on the floor and they’re really the straw that stirs the drink for this team. Davion Cunningham and Jordan Crawford come into the game and provide a ton of energy and production from the backcourt, they will both be at North Meck next season. Glue guys like Logan Blair, Bralen Hamrick, and Chancellor Morrow all do a great job playing the game with a ton of energy and momentum shifting plays at both ends of the floor. What this coaching staff and group of players have done so far is super special, I can’t wait to see this guys get after it over the next couple of years.
4. Good Luck Guarding Robert Dillingham and Aden Holloway
I mean… this isn’t news, both of these guys are unguardable themselves so imagine what it’s like when they’re playing together. They combined for 86 points yesterday in a win over Charlotte Supreme’s and Dillinghams 56 was the talk of the event for a good chunk of the day. Dillingham is a high volume scorer and will be tasked to be a true point guard at Combine Academy this upcoming season. He’s one of the most exciting players to watch in the entire country so pairing him with Aden Holloway who is already showing that he can be a true PG is something that is really special to watch. Dillingham is a legitimate top 40 prospect in 2023 with Holloway looking to insert himself in the same discussion. Aden will be at Covenant Day again next season after a remarkable freshman year where he saw Syracuse extend a scholarship offer.
3. Thomas Carr Simply gets it Done
One of the discussions we were having this week was about what this Tea Marie team would look like after most of their roster went back to CP3. Despite only returning one guy from last week (Noah Ross) Carr was able to assemble some elite talent on short notice and got them to play at a high level together. It does help that 6’7 2022 Noah Ross is the perfect guy to play with any group of players because he’s so productive without having the ball in his hands a whole lot. He’s a lethal spot up threat and someone that should be being recruited at a high major level. 6’1 2021 Tyler Beard (Hargrave) has been a shotmaking dream to watch so far this weekend. He’s been an elite heat check guy and simply unguardable 1v1. Leland Walker is incredibly exciting above the rim guard that has had multiple jaw dropping moments for this group. Carr can assemble some elite talent and this group has been a whole lot of fun to watch.
2. Huntley Hatfield and Brantley Starting to Gel
Obviously when you put two high level players together there’s going to be some time for them to figure one another out and it looks like that Brandon Huntley Hatfield and Khalil Brantley are doing just that. They’ve improved every single game together all weekend long and when they run the two man game they’re essentially unguardable. Brantley is known as a volume scorer but he’s showing considerable strides in his ability to run a team with high level talent around him. Huntley Hatfield is a 6’10 3 level scorer with a college ready frame. He’s a top 10 prospect in the 2022 class. Other standouts for this group have been the shooter Presley Patterson and the big fella down low Handje Tamba. Both of those guys are in the 2022 class at Knoxville Catholic, expect them to make noise in Tennessee this season.
- Team Charlotte Vs Team CP3 Lives up to the Hype Yet Again
Every single time these two teams meet you can expect fireworks and that’s exactly what we had in last night’s iteration. A buzzer beating layup from Jalen Hood Schifino for Team CP3 was the difference in a game that likely would’ve gone to whoever had the ball last. There were layers to this game, Hood-Schifino who used to play for Jeff McInnis with Team Charlotte and Combine Academy is now with CP3 and it was clear that game was personal for him. Jacobi Wright of Team Charlotte had the same and of thing going on, his 31 point performance against his former team was super impressive, he gave Team Charlotte an incredible chance to win, he was the best player on either side in the 2nd half. Kris Robinson also had it rolling for Team Charlotte, his 3 point shooting kept them in the game in the first half and that kid continues to show up when it matters most for whatever team he’s playing for. For CP3 they got it done by committee but UNC commit Dontrez Styles is on another level athletically. His skillset is versatile and his physical gifts at undeniable, I have zero doubt he has an incredible career in Chapel Hill. Bobby Pettiford fought through injury and Breon Pass continued his steady play with this CP3 squad as well. Team CP3 is the more talented team on paper, but every single time Team CLT goes to battle you know you’re getting toughness and energy on the defensive end. I don’t know if these two will match up again this summer, but hats off to both of these squads for embracing the challenge and playing an incredibly memorable basketball game.