Phenom Summer Finale 17U Fab Five
The inaugural Phenom Summer Finale was filled with quality teams and the Sweet 16 bracket format proved to be exciting and most of all competitive. The top non-shoe brand teams in the state participated with the New Light Disciples pulling out a thrilling 75-70 win over the Greensboro Warriors Unsigned Seniors. In today’s segment, we are going to look at the top five performers in the 17U division.
6’1 2021 Jamarii Thomas (New Light Disciples) TOURNEY MVP
6’1 2021 PG Jamarii Thomas may be a newer name to college coaches. Last season, he sat out the entire season with a torn ACL. Still playing with a knee brace, Thomas proved his worth by leading the New Light Disciples to a tremendous championship run. Thomas averaged 22.3 PPG and provided the “hungry dawg” mentality for New Light Disciples. The physically strong, explosive and athletic scoring point guard is clearly the motor of this high octane team. Playing with the “us against the world” mentality, Thomas plays with the proverbial chip on his shoulder, not to mention tremendous self-confidence. While Thomas is still not 100%, there is no question he is in the conversation as one of the better point guards in the state.
6’4 2019 Noah Dunn (Greensboro Warriors Unsigned Seniors)
Another player that was saddled with a knee injury and sat out the majority of the 2018-19 basketball season. Making a reappearance which was instrumental to Greensboro Day NCISAA State Championship title run, Dunn is still getting into basketball shape. That being said, Dunn will attend Moravian Prep and we are giving college coaches advanced notice. This young man can simply play and his game is reminiscent of Butler’s former All Big East Roosevelt Jones. Dunn is a physically strong combo guard who can score from all three levels. He has the strength/power to overwhelm smaller guards in the paint and is extremely crafty in the open court, not to mention he is a highly efficient 3-point shooter. He has terrific shooting mechanics, form and outstanding range. Watch his stock explode after playing a year at Moravian Prep. Dunn averaged 25.5 PPG and averaged four 3-pointers per game.
6’1 2020 Jajuan Carr (WBC Elite)
Winning matters and that’s exactly what Jajuan Carr does. WBC Elite finished with a 3-1 record and lost a tough semifnal game to the Greensboro Warriors Unsigned seniors. Playing on a “guard heavy” roster that lacks size, it’s truly amazing how competitive this WBC Elite team continues to be in every event they participate. We’re talking about a strong, explosive, and athletic playmaking point guard that can get into the paint with ease. He has an excellent change of pace and his first step is both quick and explosive. More importantly, Carr is a very humble young player that allows his teammates to make plays and does not dominate possession of the ball. He does have a quiet demeanor on the court, but one thing is crystal clear, he simply makes his teammates better by allowing them to showcase their individual skills which is sometimes difficult to do. Carr averaged 20.5 PPG and was probably close to averaging a triple double with assists and rebounds.
6’6 2020 Darlinstone Dubar (Charlotte Aces)
After playing high school basketball in Tennessee, Darlinstone Dubar will be returning to the Charlotte area his senior season. Playing for the Charlotte Aces, Dubar showcased a “Andrew White” type game. He has excellent length, athleticism and a matching skill set. He has above average ball handling skills for a wing, but has tremendous court vision and playmaking ability. In addition, Dubar is an outstanding 3-point shooter. Dubar averaged 22 PPG and knocked down 16 3-pointers in the four games. Dubar just picked up an Notre Dame offer and look for other high majors to get involved.
6’5 2020 Keishon Porter (Team Trezz)
Keishon Porter is an extremely long, explosive and athletic wing that excels in transition. He is both active and aggressive on both ends of the court. While he averaged 20.5 PPG, Porter’s strongest attributes may come on the defensive side of the ball. He has the ability to guard multiple positions and has superb lateral quickness accompanied by his tremendous wingspan makes him one of the toughest on ball defenders in the state.
