The 6th Annual Phenom High School Jamboree has enjoyed a history of outstanding teams and players and this year’s jamboree was no exception. In all, we had 40 teams and a total of 60 games that were played throughout the day. Proehlific Park and Northwest Guilford High School were the venues being used. While this was a great way to kick off the 2018-19 season, the Phenom High School Jamboree provided scouts, fans and college coaches just a small glimpse of the upcoming season. Now, let’s take a closer look at the players that in my opinion are “under the radar.”
6’1 2019 Austin Inge (Greensboro Day)
There is no shortage of talent with Greensboro Day School. They have the top two players in the North Carolina 2021 class and have an abundance of depth. That being said, we strongly believe Austin Inge is this year’s glue guy. In the two games we watched at Northwest Guilford, we were impressed with Austin’s overall court leadership and control of the game. . He scored in double figures in both games, dished out assists, and demonstrated excellent poise and will be the team’s ring leader on the defensive end of the court. More importantly, Austin has bought into the “team first” approach and simply makes his teammates better, whether it is making a timely pass or knocking down perimeter jump shots. In addition, he is the perfect complimentary piece that understands the big picture. As the old saying goes, “He simply gets it,” and could be one of the state’s hidden gem and will be an instrumental piece in Greensboro Day’s success this season.
6’0 2019 Raja Milton (Independence High School)
What an outstanding day for the scoring point guard. The unsigned senior was the team’s leading scorer in the two games we watched. The southpaw was knocking down 3-pointers with consistency. He has excellent shooting mechanics and a soft feathery touch. In addition, Raja can score from all three levels and has the ability to break down the opposition with his dribble penetration where he has the ability to finish in traffic or kick out to open teammates. More importantly, we were impressed with his motor, tenacity, and relentless approach to the game on both ends of the court. In speaking with head coach Preston Davis, he stated “Raja is such a hard worker, not to mention he is a great young man. He is most deserving.” Last but not least, Raja is steady and reliable and will be the team leader as Independence will once again be one of the top teams in the state and hopes to repeat as NCHSAA state champs.
6'8 2019 Jaqwan Baylor (Bertie High School)
One thing is for certain, you can’t teach size. Jaqwan Baylor is a long arm, thick body big that has such an unique skill set. We’re talking about an intriguing big that is mobile, versatile and skilled. First of all, Jaqwan is a warrior on the boards and is a sure two-handed rebounder. Once he secures a rebound, he has the ability to push tempo with his ball handling skills, Yes, you heard me right. Jaqwan has the ability to put the ball on the floor and push the pace and tempo, not to mention the ability to get his team set up in the offense. Coach Bond has repeatedly told us about his range and ball skills and he wasn’t joking. He currently has offers from Denver University, Omaha University and LIU Brooklyn. Lower tier D1 schools should definitely take a look. There’s a lot to like!
6‘4 2019 D’Angelo Elliott (Carolina Day)
D’Angelo Elliott is a tremendous scorer from all three levels and he did just exactly that. In the one game we watched, D’Angelo had a game high 23 points connecting on three 3-pointes and numerous dribble drive pull up jumpers and straight line drives to the rim. There is no question D’Angelo is a gifted scorer and plays with a tremendous amount of energy, passion and enthusiasm. However, he doesn’t get the proper credit for being a really good defender. Utilizing his athleticism and length, D’Angelo is able to play and guard multiple positions. He’s quite a physical specimen and according to coach Glen Taylor, D’Angelo is getting attention anywhere from mid-to-low D1 schools, D2 and even D3 schools. One thing is for certain, there are things you just can’t teach and his intangibles makes him a special young player and more importantly a special young person
6’10 2021 Gabe Wiznitzer (Christ School)
We first watched Gabe Wiznitzer last year during open gym. At the time, we stated Gabe could be the sleeper player on this team. Naturally, the team has been surrounded by terrific talent and Gabe found himself playing behind Brandon Stone and Justice Ajogbor. With both players out for pre-season, Gabe stepped up big in the their absence and was the team’s leading scorer. First of all, we’re talking about a highly skilled, mobile and versatile power forward. While he has earned an offer from St. Johns, Gabe may just be one of the top bigs no one is really speaking about. What makes Gabe special is his ability to step out beyond the arch and consistently knock down 3-pointers with consistency.
Photo: Courtesy of Christ School
