The second game for day three of Phenom’s Holiday Classic took place between two club teams in Team Eli and Charlotte Red Storm. Despite a sluggish start for both squads, things picked up about halfway through the quarter and it quickly became a shootout. Charlotte Red Storm was excellent at sharing the ball and executing their offensive sets with poise, allowing them to gain a 14-13 lead through the first eight minutes of play. The second quarter allowed for Team Eli to get out in transition and push the pace with more regularity, which led to their 28-29 advantage going into halftime. Charlotte Red Storm came out of the break with a newfound intensity and began pulling away behind an extremely balanced, methodical approach and closed out the third quarter with a 53-46 lead. Although Team Eli reasserted themselves and took things down to the wire, they ultimately fell to Charlotte Red Storm by a score of 71-67.
Team Eli:
6’3 ’21 Javonte Waverly
It would be impossible to discuss Team Eli without mentioning their undisputed leader in Waverly. He’s smart, tough, and consistently sets the tone on both ends of the floor. Waverly is an incredible playmaker with vision, unselfishness, and excellent timing on his passes. That being said, he also knocked down jumpers and continues to show flashes of improvements in that area. Waverly is such a strong, instinctual defender with quick hands, great anticipation, and the ability to force turnovers at a consistent rate. He rebounds well for his position and makes great decisions with the ball in his hands.
6’4 ’21 AK Holden
As expected, Holden emerged as one of Team Eli’s top two-way players throughout this contest. He’s long, athletic, and plays much bigger than his size would imply, especially as a defender and rebounder. Holden is great in the open floor, especially without the ball, and causes a ton of problems for opponents when filling the lane. He utilizes his length extremely well to alter and block shots, and has the ability to accumulate multiple blocks on a given possession. Holden will carve out a productive role wherever he should end up.
Charlotte Red Storm:
5’11 ’21 Colin Thomas
Within the first few possessions, Thomas’ presence as a leader was glaringly obvious. He set the tone with his IQ, unselfishness, and decision-making, showcasing a terrific balance between scoring and playmaking. Thomas is a reliable shooter and penetrator with toughness, vision, and the ability to draw fouls (and convert) at an impressive rate. He’s a quality defender and simply competes in all facets of the game. One would be hard-pressed to find much negative within this showing from Thomas.
6’0 ’21 Kevin Dumser
Although they were a fairly balanced group, Dumser was a major part of their overall success as a team. His toughness and nonstop motor are what make him such a menace for opponents. However, Dumser is also more than capable of attacking the basket and finishing, setting up others, or utilizing his perimeter jumper. His activity and positioning allow him to make defensive contributions despite not possessing a ton of size or athleticism.