Phenom Hoops hit the road to get a double-header between Independence and Porter Ridge, on both the girl’s and boys side Tuesday night.
‘Heading to the boy's side of the night, these two teams looked to come out strong and make a statement. Porter Ridge scored the first six points before Independence got on the board, but Indy didn't stop there, picking up more on defense and having players like Landon King leading the charge to take a 19-13 first-quarter lead. Indy continued to expand their lead into double digits in the second quarter, finding success inside and out. Dilen Miller played well for Porter Ridge but they found themselves down 40-24 at halftime.
Porter Ridge came out strong and slowly started to chip away at the lead, getting it down to as low as 10 points in the fourth quarter but they could never get it into single digits, as Independence had an answer each time to hold that lead, eventually taking home the 76-61 home win on senior night.
Stats:
Independence:
Landon King 17 points
Jalen Hinton 14 points
Divine Allah 11 points
Isaiah Thomas 11 points
Porter Ridge:
Dilen Miller 20 points
Tristan Stitt 9 points
Sean Rose 7 points
Isaiah Williams 6 points
Standouts:
2022 Landon King (Independence): King is a 2022 prospect that goes under the radar around the Charlotte area but he continues to produce, being one of the better all-around scoring guards for this team. King's ability to operate inside and out, handle, change direction, and gets to the rack is strong to finish. Effective scorer on the court.
2021 Isaiah Thomas (Independence): I loved his energy that this young man provided for his team on the court, especially in the second half. Thomas just seemed to be everywhere, running the floor and showcasing a ton of energy with getting on the boards, being active around the basket, and scoring around the rim at times.
2023 Dilen Miller (Porter Ridge): Miller was impressive and strong all game long for Porter Ridge. He was aggressive in getting into the lane and using his 6'3 frame to finish with touch and a good-looking shot from outside. Really strong showing for the young sophomore that made play after play for his team.
2023 Sean Rose (Porter Ridge): Rose is one to continue to monitor, as he brings a really long body at 6'5 and is one that can make a difference on both ends of the floor. He had flashes in which he helped on the defensive end with his wingspan, got on the boards, and competed in the paint.