Last season was a weird one for just about everybody. It was especially difficult for public schools with their limited schedule and for Louisburg High School essentially nothing went right and a lot of it was beyond their control. This group struggled but you take into account players being quarantined and the fact that Head Coach Michael Sheldon was only able to coach in 3 of his teams 13 games. It's pretty easy to see why this was an extra difficult year for the Warriors, but the good news is that this group returns a lot of talent that will lead the charge in a major way. Let's take a closer look at this group!
The Guy: 6'4' 2023 Jordan Durham
Durham has displayed steady progression over the last few years and it seems like he's now truly ready to be the centerpiece of this team in every way. He's gotten stronger in almost every way with a clear emphasis on improving his body to get himself ready to carry a major load on both ends of the floor. He's confident pulling up off the bounce over smaller guys with great explosion when attacking off one or two feet. He finds a way to balance looking for his offense while not forcing the issue and is clearly a lead by example type guy that his teammates look to when it comes to setting the tone. The combination of dribble moves, elevation, and high release point on the jumper makes him the kind of guy that can get to his spots and raise up basically whenever he wants. I fully expect Durham to stake his claim as a bonafide division one prospect over the course of this season.
The Bruiser: 6'5' 2023 Marcus Portis
Portis will be a walking double double threat every single night with his combination of size, strength and nose for the basketball. He has a no frills game that is essential to any lineup with his no nonsense production. He's going to punish the opposition with his physicality and make life easier for his teammates by setting great screens, cleaning things up, and being a guy they can dump it down to on the block if he gets a mismatch. There's no doubt that he has a chance to continue to expand his game even further before his high school career is over, but don't get it twisted, Portis will help this team win games this year and be a huge reason why with his production.
Mr.Steady: 6'2' 2024 Tymar Kearney
Kearney is another backcourt piece that will emerge this year at Louisburg alongside Jordan Durham. Kearney is a great fit alongside of Durham due to his ability to be another ball handler/initiator of offense. He's a guy that I feel will get a whole lot better throughout the season with experience as he has a great foundational skillset when you look at his size and ability. He's the perfect utility backcourt guy for this group and will undoubtedly be a major contributor as a sophomore on a team with serious playoff aspirations.
Other Key Contributors:
5'7' 2022 Jeremiah Eddie
Eddie will be that senior leader that every team needs. He brings a ton of energy on the defensive end with his athleticism and mentality. He's a coaches favorite with his low ego approach and someone that will be a key piece to this team in every way imaginable
6'2' 2024 Anthony Carter
Known as 'Amp' the sophomore will bring a physical edge to the lineup as he's a big time defensive lineman on the football team. He has nice touch around the rim to go with his size and athleticism and should be another key guy in this rotation whether he's starting or coming off the bench. He's a guy that could help put this team over the edge as he continues to develop his game.
5'11' 2025 Zy'marin Blacknall
Another freshman that Coach Sheldon expects to contribute to the varsity lineup right away as a freshman which is usually a good sign when you look at guys like Elijah Jamison and Jordan Durham in recent years. He has a quick first step to get by the initial defender and has a ton of potential as a quick twitch athletic guard that will be a tough check at the 2A level.
