It's been stated before, but the high school basketball scene has transformed into something comparable to NBA free agency. On one hand, the kneejerk reaction is to pose an argument for why/how transferring or reclassifying could have a positive effect on said player. The other side of the token typically points to the lack of loyalty, structure, or overall negative effects that could potentially arise. However, the reality is somewhere in the middle. Public school coaches are never going to voluntarily offer up their players for private school programs to poach. There are various examples of players transferring from public schools to other public schools but it's certainly uncommon. Despite being largely painted out as the villains in this comparison, private school coaches are expected to perform a job, which unfortunately requires them to seek out talent from all possible avenues.
That being said, covering the greater Greensboro area (Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem) over the last four years has brought a lot of enjoyment. This upcoming season will likely be more unpredictable than ever before, as there will be an extremely unique collection of talent for public and private schools. This series will be ongoing and broken down into numerous parts, so be conscientious of that if your team doesn't appear…
North Davidson
Last Season: 25-5 (Lost in NCHSAA Third Round to Shelby)
Throughout our 'Preview of the Triad High School Basketball Landscape,' we've primarily looked at teams that are almost guaranteed to stay relevant but look likely to take a step back. Majority of these teams are losing major pieces within their roster, but not North Davidson'who actually has the chance to emerge this season as one of the top teams in the area. For starters, they are set to retain all key players and will only lose 7% of their senior production (by far the lowest of any previewed team thus far). Although the Black Knights were quite successful two seasons ago, Coach Josh Snyder came in and kept things trending in a positive direction. For a first-year coach to improve on a 24-6 record speaks volumes to his abilities on the sideline. That being said, this roster composition also has a lot to do with the impressive win total from last season. Jamarien Dalton stands out as the clear, unquestioned leader of this group and seems to make noticeable strides with each viewing. The two-sport athlete is long, smart, athletic, and understands how to manage a game as the focal point. Dalton offers strong, consistent production as a scorer, rebounder, and overall defender. His running mate, Tedric Jenkins is slightly undersized but provides toughness and knows how to maximize his role. His quickness, anticipation, and transition play allow him to stand out among the top scorers on the roster. Jenkins also shows a willingness to get involved as a rebounder and has the scrappiness to secure extra opportunities defensively or on the glass. Additionally, Ja'Mir McNeair, Darain Green, Travairus Moore, Mason Everhart, and Turner Bryant will likely make up the rest of the rotation'given their roles from last season. Green and Everhart were both named captains last season. Aside from Bryant, they are getting it done without any real semblance of size. Their style fits perfectly with their personnel and should seamlessly translate into the upcoming season. Folks might not be actively talking about North Davidson and their chances to shock the world, but the Black Knights battling for a title certainly wouldn't be far-fetched to anyone involved.
