Word of God:
6’7 ’19 Max Farthing
The long-bodied sharpshooter had another impressive showing on day two of Phenom’s National Showcase, leading the team in scoring while absolutely putting on a show from beyond the arc. He showed grittiness on defense and was arguably their most reliable all-around threat on offense. Farthing is very smart and moves exceptionally well without the ball in his hands. He has looked increasingly poised to have a breakout senior campaign, especially if he’s able to maintain his high level of play.
6’1 ’20 Kamiri Smith
The guard prospect was very intriguing throughout this contest, handling the ball, scoring effectively, and making plays on both ends of the floor. He has a long, wiry frame and utilizes his length well to cause problems on defense. Smith was able to score consistently from all three levels and create offensive opportunities for his teammates fairly often. He’s a useful two-way guard that can operate within a lot of different roles and make his impact felt on a regular basis.
Northside Christian:
6’4 ’22 Jalen Hood-Schifino
The nationally-regarded point guard prospect put the entire arsenal on display during their lone showing at Phenom’s National Showcase. At this point, his intelligence and unbelievable feel for the game shouldn’t be a surprise. Hood-Schifino possesses great size for his position and does an excellent job of utilizing his body to navigate through traffic. He’s continued to steadily improve as a perimeter shooter and now forces defenses to respect him from distance. That being said, Hood-Schifino typically looks to get downhill and attack the rim with force, but also frequently highlights his playmaking abilities.
Piedmont Classical:
6’0 ’20 Shakeel Moore
The most impressive player in this contest was easily Moore, who has continually worked to elevate his game on both sides of the ball. He was utterly dominant during this showing, getting downhill, attacking the basket, hitting perimeter shots with consistency, and taking any opponent off the dribble. He’s an elite-level athlete, especially for his size and position, and welcomes anyone to meet him at the rim. Moore is an intelligent player with natural playmaking instincts, which allows him to create for himself and others with relative ease. He is blindingly quick and has an incredibly unique ability to stop and start in an instant. Moore has somehow become even more impressive and should be a high-level Division I prospect.
6’5 ’20 Jalen King Joiner
The long, wiry, athletic wing prospect is playing with purpose and showed flashes of two-way brilliance today. He’s done an excellent job of tightening up as a ball-handler and becoming more consistent as a perimeter shooter, which essentially gives him the entire package on offense. Joiner places a lot of emphasis on taking care of the little things and impacting all facets of the game. He rebounded extremely well and really excelled in transition, frequently getting to the basket and finishing above the rim. Joiner is a definite college-level player and could be successful at a variety of different programs.
Hartsville:
6’3 ’19 Ray O’Neal
Nobody played harder throughout the second day of Phenom’s National Showcase than O’Neal, who simply looked to outwork his assignment and create havoc however possible. He sprinted from one end of the floor to the other at every opportunity and altered an abundance of shots around the basket. O’Neal has solid athleticism and is willing to operate within numerous different roles on the basketball court.
Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach:
6’2 ’19 Mike Green
The unquestioned leader of Myrtle Beach was Green, who just carried over his dominance from yesterday’s performance and continued to burden the offensive load with poise. He’s so crafty and was able to consistently control the tempo of this contest, ultimately making the final decision on most offensive possessions. Green gains space and separation with relative ease; he’s deceptively shifty and does an incredible job of breaking down opponents off the dribble. He shot the ball very well from the perimeter, but also was able to get downhill and finish through a lot of contact at the rim.
6’2 ’21 Lawton Fulford
The glue-guy for this team is definitely Fulford, who offers intelligence and a useful skillset on both ends of the floor. He plays hard, but only looks to make the smart play when creating off the dribble. Fulford is efficient with his touches and has the capability to knock down open shots from the perimeter, but rarely forces the action and focuses on maximizing his role at all times. He’s young, but should make a massive impact during the upcoming season.
Grace Christian:
6’11 ’20 Jaylon Gibson
The big man was clearly the best prospect in the final slate of Phenom’s National Showcase, given his incredible tools and ability to impact both sides of the ball. Gibson showcased a lot of intriguing offensive skills during this contest, handling the ball in transition, overwhelming opponents with his length in the post, and displaying flashes of an efficient jumper. He’s rapidly improved over the last calendar year, but still maintains a lot of the meaningful intangibles that make him a special prospect. Gibson controls the paint nicely on defense and has great timing when looking to block or alter shots around the basket. He’s a high-level prospect that will become dominant with added strength, as he possesses all the necessary tools to control a game.
6’3 ’21 Jacob Hukins
There were numerous noteworthy players in this game, but one could argue that Hukins is the most intriguing prospect on either team, given his youth and ability to contribute in all categories. He’s a long, wiry guard prospect that can toggle between either backcourt position and apply constant pressure as a scorer. Hukins possesses a nice feel for the game and defends quite well across multiple positions. He already looks like a college-level player and should be worth keeping an eye on going forward.