by: Ethan Reece
2023 Brayden Blue (Concord)
Brayden is a guy who continually provides good basketball to a number of degrees. College coaches looking for someone who can adaptively lead and successfully carry the offense, this is your guy. He exhibits fundamental basics with his skillset and IQ that is admirable these days, as he makes the game as simple as possible to value production over pizazz. He's a sound decision maker that looks for the team's best shot, is capable of efficiently filling it up with an unselfish manner, and is one of those guys that will unknowingly dominate a game simply because he was taking care of business.
2023 Isaiah Ramanazi (Calvary Day)
Isaiah coming to Calvary is starting to look like one of the biggest and most valuable moves in the Triad this summer. He's providing a dynamic playmaking ability to deliver a 1-2 punch with Spillman, and should be laying down a great example for the stellar young guars he has playing with him. He's balancing the show with a swift gear getting downhill and finishing acrobatically in the air while also posing a deep ball threat, and he can handle the pressure or supply it himself with lateral quickness that comes with his quick twitch motor. I've already said I think this is a sleeper team to watch out for, and Ramanazi is going to be a big factor in proving that.
2025 Owen Calvert (Calvary Day)
Moving to one of his younger backcourt partners, Owen may just be the most unassuming hooper you'll come across. And I think he actually plays his smaller size and stature to his advantage. I value skillset and IQ over anything, and those are Owen's best attributes. He sits back waiting for his moments and picks them perfectly. He's a knockdown shooter, smooth ball handler, and capable of breaking out moves that catch guys off guard and make them regret taking their defensive assignment for granted.
2023 Ashton Troutman (Burlington School)
I personally enjoy when big guys know their role and play within their game much more than if they played like most bigs today that think they're a guard. Ashton gives that 'old school' big man vibe that plays on fundamental footwork, multiple scoring looks out of the post, and a low maintenance profile where he can do his job well without needing to be the central focus of the offense. He knows how to post up and claim his positioning, score over his shoulder, and be ready for dish offs with soft hands as he steps in off their drives. Look for him to give optimal production and shine in his newly found spotlight.
2024 Jucqarie Love (Southern Guilford)
A lot of guys will look at the games Jucqarie played and be worried about whether he can shoot or not. I don't think it matters because he's that elite at getting to the basket. It's a constant relay of power moves with strength, balance, and control for him, and even though the defenses know what's coming they can't stop it, particularly when so few guys nowadays want to take charges. He also showed he's fearless in attacking anyone at the rim and throwing it down on them. Ir will need to be a team effort to keep him out of the lane, because there's not many guys that can match up one on one with what he brings to the table.
2024 Harold Lee (Northwood Temple)
Although there's still a lot of development to see out of the big, one can certainly see the instant appeal with his frame and flashes he's shown. Specifically this weekend, I saw how he could be useful right now in a high paced up and down game. He has a knack for following drivers to the rim to provide dish off options and consistently runs the floor. He definitely has the natural mobility that should allow him to be successful in this manner, along with the fact that he has the right mindset in trying to dunk everything. With reps and practice timing with his guards, it could be lob city for him.
