At the beginning of each new year, Phenom Hoops works to assemble a series of articles centered around unsigned senior prospects. Last season, over one hundred 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 Noah Woods-Clay of Western Alamance.
There are a ton of factors that go into a player's identity but work ethic and desire to improve are two of the most significant traits to Woods-Clay. He's a big, strong-bodied forward/post prospect with touch, blossoming versatility, and the ability to exploit mismatches fairly well. Woods-Clay is quicker than most post players and able to dominate smaller opponents down low, which gives him a variety of options on the offensive end. He utilizes his body very well to create space, get position, and rebound the ball. Woods-Clay displays touch, runs the floor hard in transition, and displays a pretty strong motor on either side of the ball.
We've seen Woods-Clay multiple times, including at our High School Team Camp, where we stated: 'Woods-Clay has great basketball IQ and he can make nice reads of opposing teams' defense tocreate easy scoring opportunities for himself and others. Woods-Clay has made tremendousstrides on improving his footwork in the post and extending his range to beyond the free throw line.Woods-Clay has the ability to become a force if he continues to improve his offensiveskillset.'
Since then, Woods-Clay has only continued to develop all facets of his game and maximize his on-court presence. He posted nightly averages of 9 PPG and 10 RPG while chalking up numerous double-doubles and seamlessly switching between the post and perimeter. Woods-Clay was an all-tourney selection at the Holiday Hoopla, Mid State 2A/3A All-Conference honorable mention, and named to Times-News Honorable All-Region Team. He's done a lot of developing over the years and looks more than likely to continue progressing over the next few years, which could make him a prospect worth looking at for various college coaches.