Phenom Game Report: Carmel Christian 77 The Burlington School 58
The Burlington School, defending NCISAA 2A state champions, came into the contest with an impressive 21-4 record, losing only to nationally ranked Southern California (58-51), Word of God (69-65) and Link Academy (59-53), who is also ranked the No. 1 team in the country. In addition, The Burlington School also lost a close one to NCHSAA 4A power Chambers High School (83-77). On the other hand, Carmel Christian came into the contest with an equally impressive resume and record of 17-3 with loses to Georgia 7A state powerhouse Grayson High School (68-58) and Virginia state powerhouse John Marshall High School (72-68). Carmel, like The Burlington School, also lost to NCHSAA 4A power Chambers High School (67-60).
For head coach Joe Badgett, his teams will play man-to-man defense 99.99% of the time. That being said, Carmel started the game with their big lineup of 6'10 Kaleb Siler, 6'9 Luke Krawczyk, and 6'7 Cade Tyson. Carmel came out with a 2-3 zone, and created problems for The Burlington School as they struggled to find offensive rhythm. While The Burlington School went to a smaller lineup in the second half, Carmel countered and went from a 2-3 zone to a 3-2 or 1-2-2 match-up zone for the majority of the game. Now, let's take a closer look at the standout players for both teams.
6'7 '22 Cade Tyson (Carmel Christian)
While Tyson is currently ranked No. 9 in our North Carolina 2022 rankings, the Belmont signee proved once again he is in the conversation as the North Carolina 'Player of the Year' honors. Tyson has tremendous range and has improved his ability to score off the dribble/bounce. He has perfected the head fake, one-dribble midrange jumper. In addition, Tyson is active on the boards and finished with a game high 31 points, including five rebounds.
6'9 '23 Luke Krawczyk (Carmel Christian)
Luke checks in at No. 50 in our North Carolina 2022 rankings and by his play against The Burlington School, he simply outperformed his ranking. The Navy signee has good footwork and mobility in the paint. He finished with 13 points, six rebounds, and four blocked shots.
5'9 Julian Arias (Carmel Christian)
Simply put, Julian was the 'X factor' for Carmel Christian as he controlled the tempo on the offensive side of the court. We were impressed with his poise and overall game. Julian finished with seven points, nine assists and four steals.
6'2 '22 Shane Peterson (The Burlington School)
Battling the injury bug, Shane didn't start the game, but came off the bench to provide an outside scoring threat. Shane finished with 16 points, including three 3-pointers for the game. While Shane doesn't have the reputation as many of his teammates, he may just be the team's MVP.
6'3 '24 Kobe George (The Burlington School)
Kobe George enjoyed a solid all-around game. He finished with 15 points and five rebounds. The strong and athletic point guard is an excellent defender and rebounds extremely well for the point guard position. Listed as the No. 11th prospect in our North Carolina 2024 class, Kobe has a college ready frame and oozes with upside and potential.
6'10 '23 Michael Nwoko (The Burlington School)
Currently, the No. 5 prosect in the Phenom North Carolina 2023 rankings, Michael showcased touches of his elite level play. He's a tough defender and battles for loose balls and rebounds. Michael finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.