At the beginning of each new year, Phenom Hoops works to assemble a series of articles centered around unsigned senior prospects. Last season, hundreds of players from North Carolina went on to play at the Division I, II, III or NAIA levels, and that number looks likely to continue increasing with the current senior class. Typically, we take a closer look at guys who are overlooked and underrated, and today’s edition will highlight Isaiah Sanders of High Point Christian Academy.
We’ve watched Sanders blossom since his days a young, middle-school prospect, recently stating, “Starting things off, we look at a player who provided this team with a polished, balanced identity, Isaiah Sanders. He’s a smart, crafty guard prospect with an adaptable approach and the ability to produce from either backcourt spot. Sanders is comfortable initiating the offense, creating for others, and seizing opportunities as needed. However, he’s also a reliable three-level scorer with the combination of quickness and creation skills to consistently generate clean looks off the bounce. Sanders is a scrappy, high-motor defender who knows how to set the tone at the point of attack and force turnovers at a strong rate. Next in his development process is working on his ability to move without the ball, as it would allow him to find more opportunities as a spot-up threat. Coach Kuhn on Sanders: “Isaiah is a primary ball-handler that is also comfortable off the ball. His tenacious on-ball defense makes a difference on the court. Meanwhile, his off-ball work in passing lanes is high-level.” Sanders did a lot of things well during his time at camp and should be a target for various college coaches over the coming months.”
After basically being a model of success and consistency over the years, it’s disappointing to see the lack of programs involved with Sanders. His original foundation was predicated on being a pure scorer, which makes his transition into a legitimate floor general even more impressive. Sanders still maintains his polished scoring prowess from all levels but simply displays a heightened playmaking sense and level of unselfishness. He’s a crafty ball-handler and quality passer who utilizes his quick first step and sharp change of direction to consistently generate clean looks off the bounce. On the other end, Sanders offers a pesky defensive presence at the point of attack. He contains his assignment well and forces turnovers at a solid rate. There are a slew of notable programs who would benefit from adding Sanders to their roster.
