A new North Carolina Power has been established at Lake Norman Christian School with a bevy of in-state and out of state talent making their way to the school for what should be an incredibly exciting season. Last week Head Coach Mason Padgett was nice enough to let my stop by and check practice out. Let's take a look at this loaded roster!
6'3 2023 Mikey Williams
Mikey is one of the most famous high school basketball players from this century but in my first viewing of him he showed me the substance to the hype. He's a consensus top 5 guy nationally in the 2023 class and it's easy to see why with the tools he brings to the table. Mikey is an incredibly explosive combo guard with deep range on his jumper. He creates and makes shots with a high level of confidence and should be able to showcase that trait of his game on this team frequently. He has clearly put an emphasis on his body over the past year, adding strength in his lower and upper body which has benefited him on his drives to the basket where he uses his combination of strength and explosiveness to finish in traffic at the rim. It will be interesting to track this season for him in North Carolina as he takes on a national schedule with everyone foaming at the mouth to get a chance to play him and this team. I fully expect Mikey to respond incredibly well to the challenges thrown at him this season, his first in the HoopState.
6'10 2022 Joyful Hawkins
Hawkins might be the most gifted kid in the state in regards to physical and athletic abilities. At 6'10 with freakishly long arms, Hawkins elevates above the rim and runs the floor as good as anyone in North Carolina. He possesses some ball skills as well, showing the ability to slash from the elbow and wing with confidence, proving that he can create some offense for himself while facing up. He also possesses the ability to make the outside shot from time to time, which will make him even that more difficult to match up against. Defensively, when he's engaged, he can literally do everything on the court, possessing the kind of lateral quickness to guard smaller guys to go with his 6'10 athletic frame. Hawkins has a chance to prove himself as the top 2022 in North Carolina if he takes care of his business this season. There's a lot to be excited about with his game and continued development.
6'11 2021 Jon Kurtas
Kurtas epitomizes what teams want out of an anchor 5-man in 2020. He plays hard, can score it from every level at times, and is the kind of anchor you need on the glass and in the paint on the defensive end. You never question what you're getting from this kid from an effort standpoint, he's going to play the game the right way and always bring a certain level of intensity that is contagious throughout the lineup. He had a great summer playing with Team Curry, earning a few Division One and Two offers in the process. As he plays a major role on a team getting ready to take on a national schedule, I fully expect more schools to jump in on Kurtas due to his production and overall toughness he brings to the table for this group.
6'8 2022 Shane Fernald
Fernald is a really unique player when you look at the total package he brings as a prospect. He's a big and strong forward with touch from beyond the arc and really high level vision. He makes a lot of passes that 6'8 forwards don't typically make. He can operate from all three levels on the floor due to his blend of strength and shooting touch. He also does a great job working from the high post where he can find cutters in stride or shooters spotting up. His ability to make high level decisions with the ball in his hands is what makes him such a valuable player to this team. He can finish through contact despite not being explosive and is becoming a more versatile defender as he works on his body throughout the rest of his high school career.
6'5 2022 JP Haggarty
Haggarty is going to play a major major role on this team as a 3 & D guy who can do much more than just hit 3s and defend his position. He's got an incredible frame and is a well-rounded athlete possessing the ability to finish above the rim and guard multiple positions on the floor. He's tracking as a division one prospect and the reclassification will undoubtedly help him in the long run. JP has clearly put an emphasis on improving his ability to create offense, as he continues to make strides in that aspect of his game, I have no doubt that he'll be a guy that division one schools track really closely over the next two seasons.
6'8 2023 Riley Allenspach
Riley is a young forward prospect that is showing early signs of being a guy that college coaches need to know about. He has good hands and feet to go with the fact that he's incredibly coachable and in a position to really improve over the course of the year with the experience he'll get in practice and his time on the court this season. There's size, a nice foundational skillset, a willingness to get better, and a whole lot of upside for this young forward.
5'10 2023 Trey Green
Green didn't practice when I was in the gym due to a minor ankle injury. He's now back at practice and what we know about Trey is the fact that he's a tough as nails competitor and a high level guard on both ends of the floor. He's a passionate defender, embracing his matchup each and every game, he shoots the ball with a high rate of efficiency and knows what it takes to run high level team. He'll be an incredible asset to this roster throughout the course of the season and I wouldn't be surprised to see him gain some national recognition throughout the course of the season with the national schedule these guys will be playing. He has all of the traits you love to see out of an undersized guard, toughness, ability to make shots, and a plus defender.
6'8 2021 AJ Allenspach (Army Commit)
AJ is the older cousin of Riley and he also didn't practice due to injury. This team expects him back after the start of the season. I didn't get to see a ton of AJ this summer but in my limited viewing I saw a versatile forward that brings a great blend of skill and athleticism to the table. He's a good rebounder that can grab the ball off the rim and push the break with confidence, he can make outside shots, and is a versatile two-way guy that will provide an instant impact as soon as he's inserted back into the lineup from injury.
