6'6 2020 De'Andre Downing: Washington County
Downing is a really interesting unsigned senior that's undoubtedly deserving of attention from scholarship coaches. He's a unique player considering his size and skillset. He can shoot the ball from way beyond the arc, handle the ball, and defend 3-4 positions on the court at the high school level. If the outside shot is falling with consistency he's insanely difficult to guard at this level. As he continues to add strength and confidence when attacking the rack in traffic, Downing could end up being a steal for the right program. He'll continue to get scholarship attention as the season progresses, hopefully taking Washington County on another deep playoff run in the process.
6'5 2021 Drake Maye: Myers Park
He stole the show last night, everyone left the gym talking about the Alabama Football commit because of the crazy poster dunk he almost threw down at the end of Myers Park win against Trinity Episcopal. Maye is a strong bodied, athletic combo forward that can kill you in a multitude of ways. He's an explosive athlete with shooting touch way beyond the arc and he plays the game like a quarterback, constantly making the right reads and passes that only a kid like that can see. He's an incredibly enjoyable player to watch and he gained the respect of a lot of people in the outer banks with his performance last night. He's all set to go to Alabama after he graduates but if he were to ever decide to flip the switch and play basketball, he has the chance to be a high major kid.
6'6 2020 Henry Coleman: Trinity Episcopal (Duke Signee)
Coleman was the only truly reliable offensive option for Trinity in their loss against Myers Park. He finished with 34 points and did it in a multitude of ways. He is a grown man physically and plays the game with a ton of passion, a super nice kid off the court that has a switch that flips when the ball is tipped and plays with a mean streak. Along with that he has legitimate skill, touch out to the 3 point line, shoots in the mid-range really well, slashes from the wing, and can post up on the block. He does all of those things incredibly well at 6'6' 230 lb which should make him a fan favorite among duke fans in the years he's on campus.
6'1 2022 Khalil Marshall: Word of God
When the game was close early on it was Khalil Marshall setting the tone for Word of God and leaving them in position to pull away once the barrage of First Flight 3s slowed down. He showed that he can be a pure point guard and play the game at an incredibly efficient level. When he's shooting with confidence he is tough to stop and as he continues to shine in big moments for this Word of God team that confidence will only continue to rise. He's doing a great job in a complimentary role this year, that should continue to expand as the year goes along. If he can become one of the more trusted pieces on this Word of God team, expect Marshall to shine even brighter than he already is.
6'2 2020 JaJuan Carr: Pender High School
Everyone on the Phenom staff has written about Carr at length over the past year but his offer list still doesn't reflect the level of talent he brings to the table each and every night. At this point USC Upstate, Presbyterian, and Rider are the only three schools to give Carr a committable offer and the list should be 3-4x times as large. He's a strong bodied guard with no holes in his game. He's incredibly well rounded and he plays the game with a ton of passion. As he continues to produce and hopefully take Pender on a deep playoff run in the NCHSAA 1A bracket, expect some more schools to come calling in the near future. To the school that pulled his offer, and you know who you are, have fun living with this one.
