On Wednesday, Phenom Hoops (Jeff Bendel, Tyler Lewis, and Colby Lewis) traveled out to Bishop McGuinness High School for the NC Spartans Media Day. The Spartans should be well-known as one of the better independent programs across the Carolinas, and their current group is no exception. Josh Thompson is the director, but Herb Liles, Kerry Graves, Curtis Patton, Ryan Haidinger, Michael Bowers, and Alex Bell each play integral roles as the head coaches for these groups. The practice session consisted of three 16U teams and three 17U teams, and each offered their own respective takeaways. We will take a closer look at them all, starting with the Graves roster…
Although this roster might be the deepest and most talented within the entire program, folks should still expect 6’2 John Campbell (Bishop McGuinness) and 6’3 Camden Edmonds (West Stokes) to stand out as leaders. Campbell really began to surface as a name worth noting last summer, where he played up and shined among the top prospects within the Spartans’ program. Fast-forward to now, and he’s only gotten better. He’s a smart, wiry floor general with nice athleticism, toughness, and overall feel for the game. Campbell prefers to attack the basket and finish or set up others, but can also hit jumpers at a respectable clip from midrange or beyond the arc. He’s unselfish and consistently looks to make the right play. Campbell also stands out as an above-average defender and rebounder, especially for his position, and forces turnovers at a high volume. He could be poised for a breakout summer. Meanwhile, Edmonds is a polished wing prospect with size, feel, and three-level scoring chops. He’s a confident shooter with range and quality mechanics. Edmonds is a useful passer and looks to make the unselfish play whenever possible, but will actively take advantage of scoring opportunities whenever available. He’s a solid all-around athlete with the ability to push in transition. Edmonds should be a vital contributor.
The grouping of 5’10 David Hronich (Homeschool), 6’1 ’25 Miller Aho (Bishop McGuinness), and 6’5 Whit Denny (Ledford) will each fill meaningful roles for this group. Hronich plays bigger than his size and showed the ability to consistently make hustle plays. He’s well-rounded enough to capitalize on offensive opportunities within the flow of the action, but doesn’t look to do too much with the ball in his hands. Hronich defends, displays a high motor, and looks to fill in the gaps however possible. Next, Aho is the first freshman to appear in this breakdown. He offered a pretty adaptable presence throughout the practice session, impacting the game through his motor and ability to make the right play on a regular basis. Aho produced well within his role on both ends of the floor. While this roster doesn’t necessarily have a true big man, Denny looks capable of filling that void. He’s slightly undersized in terms of height, but plays hard and understands how to affect the action as a tough, blue-collar guy on both ends of the floor. Denny rebounds well, alters shots through positioning and activity level, and excels at doing the dirty work whenever possible. He can finish, rebound, and run the floor hard in transition.
Though we’ve seen him for a while, there is plenty of intrigue with 6’6 Cal Barrett (Bishop McGuinness) as his ability as a floor-spacing forward/post. He’s well-documented as a useful midrange and three-point shooter, but also showed clear improvement in terms of toughness and overall ability around the basket. Barrett excels at screening, popping, and hitting shots, but his long-term upside lies directly within his progression as an interior piece. He moves pretty well and utilizes his length to disrupt opponents, but can continue to get stronger and more physically imposing. Barrett possesses great tools and plenty of upside remaining, definitely making him one to monitor.
Fortunately, they weren’t dressed the same, because the twin pairing of 6’0 ’25 Nicholas Graves (Bishop McGuinness) and 6’0 ’25 Patrick Graves (Bishop McGuinness) each highlighted a very well-rounded skillset. Both guys can assume playmaking duties or create for themselves off the bounce. They display feel, unselfishness, and the necessary blend of skill and adaptability to naturally affect all facets of the game. Nicholas hit a few more shots during the scrimmage, but Patrick is also a reliable shooter. Both guys stand out as capable passers, defenders, and quality all-around players. Given their status as freshmen, they will certainly be names worth noting.
Rounding out the roster, 5’10 ’25 Cayden Long (Bishop McGuinness) is another freshman who will provide quality minutes as a floor general. He’s steady and unselfish, but can knock down jumpers at a solid clip. Long looks to make the unselfish play and consistently provides great effort on both ends of the floor.