By: Rick Lewis and Patrick O’Brien
Phenom Hoop Report traveled to Hudson, North Carolina to cover “Open Gym” for Moravian Prep. Starting his second season at Moravian Prep, head coach Antonio Lowe had changed the direction of the program. Less than a year ago, Moravian Prep was looking for notoriety and respect. Fast forward and now Moravian Prep has become a destination for a multitude of D1 prospects and has quickly become one of the hot teams in the state. Moravian has a tough and challenging schedule and this mentality of “playing anyone, anytime” has quickly made them a program on the rise.
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2020 6’9 Josh Hall: Everyone is now on board with Hall being one of the top recruits in his class… it is about time! Still sporting fantastic length, shot-making ability, and the ability to take over a game, Hall is continuing to work on being that leader on the court. You can also tell that he continues to hit the weight room, getting stronger and getting ready for the next level. Expect a big year from this man!
Coach Rick: What a difference a year makes! This time a year ago, Josh Hall was just gaining recognition as a solid mid-major prospect. Hall maintained his focus, worked hard and is now considered one of the top 25 prospects nationally for his class by several publications. At 6’9, Hall is now regarded as one of the premier shooters in the country for his size/position. Throughout it all, Josh has impressed us with his poise, maturity, and his overall humbleness and it’s great to see a young prospect receive all the accolades for the work put into his development.
2020 6’10 Javarzia Belton: Sometimes it is hard to believe how strong he is until you physically watch him. One can see that he continues to work on his footwork as well as continue to stretch his game out with a mid-range shot. Putting the ball on the deck for a one-dribble, get to the basket move was also noticeable. Belton is a load down low in the paint and continues to work hard this offseason; it shows and his recruitment should take a boost from it.
Coach Rick: Javarzia Belton is the team’s gentle giant. There is no question, Belton sports tremendous size that is equally matched by his work ethic and self-determination. That being said, you simply can’t teach his size and positive intangibles and attributes, not to mention he is a very mature and high character young man.
2020 6’0 Shakeel Moore: Love his ability to play on the ball and off the ball and there is no doubt about it, he is a competitor on the court. He likes to play with a physical feel, attacking the rim, and always being strong with the ball in his hands. One also has to love his feel for the offense and change of pace, as well as his defensive lockdown ability.
Coach Rick: Shakeel Moore is one of the most athletic and explosive point guards in the country. While he has is often on the giving end of tremendous highlight dunks, we are equally impressed with his toughness and tenacity on the defensive side of the ball. Simply put, Moore is one of the best “on ball” defenders in the country for his position.
2021 6’6 Terrence Johnson: Playing at the 3 position, Johnson brings length along with skill to the table. His ability to handle the ball but also find his spots to score is intriguing, as he showcased an improved jump shot. Johnson is a freak athlete on the floor and can really bring a defensive mentality to the floor as well.
Coach Rick: Terrence Johnson is blessed with tremendous length and athleticism. Johnson is terrific in the open court and excels attacking the rim.
2021 6’9 Jordan Wildy: Wildy brings incredible length in the post and is always active on the court. Not only does his wingspan allow him to be a shot-blocker on defense but also uses his quickness, handles, and length to score and run the floor on the offensive end. He also shows the capability to stretch the floor with his shot. In the end, Wildy can really be a mismatch issue for opponents and his recruitment should continue to pick up.
2020 6’8 Luke Davis: Davis is going to have an important role for this team. He brings a nice physical size to battle around the rim but also a fantastic touch with his shot to stretch the floor, especially getting his shots over big’s. Watching Davis, he plays with such a smooth feel to his game and will quietly be an important piece for Moravian.
2021 6’4 Darrius Davis: Davis is another important piece to this team. He brings that physical, looking to prove something mentality to this team. He is a difference-maker on both ends of the court. Davis’ ability to get downhill and attack, not backing down from anyone, is impressive.
Coach Rick: It’s going to be very difficult to get Darrius Davis off the floor. Listed a generous 6’4, Davis plays with a blue-collar approach to the game. The bouncy, explosive and athletic “do it all” guard gets into the lane when he wants and is vastly underrated as a passer. Davis is spectacular attacking the rim and has excellent court vision and an outstanding assist to turnover ratio. In addition, Davis is a tough as nails competitor and will make a huge impression with his positive attitude, work ethic and desire to be the best player on the court.
2020 6’5 Jahmari Harvey: A very good 2-way player, Harvey’s ability to play multiple positions is intriguing. He will play as the starting point guard as well as off the ball, which can cause issues due to his length. Harvey also gets it done on the defensive end.
2020 6’3 Tyriq Brown: Brown is a scrappy, tough guard that does a lot of the little things for this team. He is that ultimate glue type guy, as well as his leadership to the floor. He works really hard on the court and it shows. Read more about Brown from Phenom Hoops’ Frank Bennett (Click Here)
2020 5’11 Cameron Thompson is another scrappy, tough guard and keep an eye on 2022 6’6 Jayden Nervis, a prospect that coaches are excited about, especially with his skill set to be a three-level scorer.