Phenom High School Jamboree Team Preview
North Mecklenburg High School
Coach Duane Lewis
By Rick Lewis
Head Coach Duane Lewis is what North Mecklenburg High School basketball is all about. Lewis played there and wouldn't coach anywhere else. You see, for Coach Duane Lewis, he eats, sleeps, and lives North Mecklenburg basketball. Last season, the Viking finished 24-4 in the NCHSAA 4A classification and went 10-2 in the Mecka 4A conference. Expectations are always high for the Vikings, but the masterful Lewis will continue to downplay the overall talent. Year after year, North Mecklenburg has an abundance of talent and this year is no exception. North Mecklenburg will start the season off at the Phenom High School Jamboree Saturday, November 4th at Proehlific Park in Greensboro, North Carolina. Now, let's take a closer look at the impact players on the roster.
Senior Leadership
6'2 '18 Vaud Worthy
While 6'9 '19 Jae'lyn Withers and 6'2 '20 Tristan Maxwell are the big names among the national recruiting gurus, not to mention high major offers, it will be 6'2 senior Vaud Worthy that will carry the Viking's success squarely on his shoulders. Vaud Worthy is the consummate point guard. He is a passer friendly PG and he takes pride in making timely passes. Vaud would rather get an assist as scoring. As we have stated many time,''Vaud Worthy thinks like a point, acts like a point guard, and plays like a point guard.''In our open gym tour in September, we stated,''One thing is for certain, if you're open, Worthy will find you with timely and precise passes. While he is superb in transition, Worthy has all the intangibles in running the team's offense in the half court. We have always been impressed with his quickness and ability to change pace with the dribble. Without question, Vaud'Worthy is the engine that will make this team go.'
Stars on the Horizon
6'9 '19 Jae'lyn Withers
Jae'lyn Withers already sports offers from NC State, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and Virginia from the ACC. We're talking about an agile, mobile, fluid and athletic hybrid forward that has tremendous range on his 3-point shooting. Jae'lyn has tremendous length and still hasn't reached his long-term potential and has an unlimited ceiling. In addition, Jae'lyn has the length and athleticism to be the ultimate rim protector at the high school level. He does have good timing on his shot blocking ability. His play sometimes dovetails with his soft spoken and mild-mannered personality. Once he develops that 'killer mentality' on the court, watch out!
6'2 '20 Tristan Maxwell
Tristan Maxwell is one of the premier shooters in the state for his class and will be in the national conversation as well. We're talking about a young man that plays with maturity and poise. Like his teammates Jae'lyn Withers, he too sports ACC offers from the likes of NC State, Clemson, and Virginia along with Florida of the SEC. We have often stated 'shooters translate at every level' and Tristan's game is custom made for the collegiate game. Like most elite level shooters, Tristan doesn't have to be a ball dominant guard. He moves well without the ball and is exceptional off the catch. In addition, Tristan can create his own shot off the dribble.