Can Josh Nickelberry Continue at his Torrid Pace
It has been no secret how great Josh Nickelberry has been to start this season. He is the second leading scorer in North Carolina high school right now, putting up close to 30 points per game. Nickelberry has been playing like a Top 50 player in the country should, a player who has signed with Louisville (who currently has the #1 class in the country). Strap in and expect more the same here as he kicks off against Gray Collegiate at 6PM.
Josiah James is Projected as a 1st Round Draft Pick in 2020
NBADraft.net recently put out a way too early 2020 mock draft that had Josiah James slated to go in the mid first round. ESPN recently did the same. Yes, Josiah is only a senior in high school, but he is a consensus Top 15 prospect and is a slated to be the second ever one and done (after Zion) from the state of South Carolina. He is a long and explosive 6’7″ point guard, he plays the game at a pace of a 10 year NBA veteran and he is an unbelievable passer.
Defensively, Josiah fills the stat sheets with blocks, steals and deflections. Offensively he is great in the mid range and finishes high above the rim. He will face off against fellow 2019 point guard Deuce Dean at 7:30 on Friday night, one that should definitely bring some fireworks.
IMG Has Studs Across the Roster
A quick look through Rivals.com and you see Villanova signee Jeremiah Robinson Earl ranked 11th, Arizona signee Josh Green ranked 12th and UNC signee Armondo Bacot ranked 18th in the 2019 class. Then you scroll through their 2020 rankings and you see Jaden Springer ranked 10th and Noah Farrakhan ranked 57th in the class. Even in the 2021 class you have 6’9″ Brandon Huntley Hatfield ranked 20th in the country. So needless to say, this team is absolutely loaded with 5-star talent and McDonald’s All Americans.
Also, a fun storyline within the IMG group is it will be a homecoming for Jaden Springer as this will be the only this season he plays in or near the Charlotte area. The top 10 prospect is must watch basketball.
Can United Faith Break Through with Their Supremely Talented Roster
The United Faith roster is as loaded as any there is in North Carolina. They have D1 prospects littered throughout, and it is supplemented with D2 prospects. Point guard Marcus Henderson is signed with Evansville and everyone else on the team is wide open.
Looking through their line up they have a trio of 6’7 unsigned seniors who each bring a different skill set to the table. Sam Wolfe is a floor stretching big who plays gritty and scrappy on the boards. AJ Morris is a hyper-active forward who is athletic with a great motor. Jason Thompson is a wing initiator who is a grab and go candidate, sees the floor as a secondary ball handler and fills the lanes in transition.
The junior class is led by 6’7″ sky walker Anjay Cortez and 6’5″ smooth shooting guard Josh Massey. Each junior is at the top of various recruiting boards across the region. Then you add in scholarship unsigned senior guards Bryson Canty and Chris Hill. This is a good team with a lot of talent. They get out and play fast. College coaches should be at every game to watch the talent. They start with IMG Academy at 9PM on Friday, will this be the game they break through as a team'!
Gray Collegiate Looks to Defend State Title
Gray Collegiate got their state accreditation two years ago, that year they went to the SCHSA 2A State Final Four. Last year they broke through and won the state championship. This year they will look to go back to back for the 2A State title, with a roster filled with incredible talent.
They are led by their senior backcourt duo of 6’1″ Tommy Bruner and 6′ Khalil Robinson. Both are hot commodities among Division 1 coaches during the late signing period. They also have 6’4″ senior Jahlil Robinson and 6’7″ Central Florida football signee Dallaz Corbitt. When you add in 6’8″ junior transfer Jalen Deloach, this is a loaded roster and should be considered the favorite to repeat.
Their season starts on Friday against Northwood Temple, and their big time 4-star scoring guard Josh Nickelberry, at 6PM.
