This past weekend, Phenom Hoops returned to Rock Hill, South Carolina for an absolutely loaded event. We featured some of the biggest teams in the region, from Upward Stars to Team Charlotte to TMP and PSB, which made for some high-level competition across the two days. This article will take a closer look at the five players that stood out the most…
6'0 '20 Myles Tate (Upward Stars)
There are so many high-level players on Upward Stars, which made it difficult to choose just one for this article, but Myles Tate is the heart and soul of this team. We've monitored him closely since the beginning of his journey, but he's really taken his game to an entirely different level over these last few months. Tate has always been a sharp, quick-twitch killer with high IQ and the ability to make his presence felt on either end of the floor. However, his consistency as a scorer made a pretty lasting impression. Tate established his foundation as a shooter/scorer and has expanded mightily since then. He genuinely applies pressure from all three levels while getting others involved at a solid rate. Tate displayed intensity on defense and made multiple plays as an on-ball defender, which led to constant transition play. It's no surprise that he's getting all types of high-major offers, seeing as how Upward Stars faced off against three of the top North Carolina teams and Tate was often the best player on the floor.
6'5 '20 Jackson Threadgill (PSB)
Despite being short-handed without Garrett Hien, this PSB team was quite impressive, largely thanks to the incredibly consistent play from Jackson Threadgill. In terms of sheer game-to-game consistency, Threadgill never wavers and always seems to assert his will in a calm, steady manner within the flow of the offense. He's long, skilled, and scores the ball extremely well from all three levels. Threadgill can work as a cutter, spot-up threat, on-ball creator, or in transition…if he's on the floor, Threadgill is scoring the ball. That being said, he impacted the game in various other ways throughout the weekend. Threadgill actively defended, pursued rebounds, and set the tone with his all-around offensive approach. It's easy to see why every mid-major in the region is salivating, as he'll be a perfect fit in a wide variety of situations at the next level.
6'4 '21 Christian Cornish (CC Elite)
Over the past three weeks, we've been fortunate enough to see Christian Cornish perform in multiple different settings. He's built like a tank, yet moves and plays like a guard, which makes him a big-time matchup problem for anyone in his path. However, Cornish is more than just a strong body. He's a legitimate two-way force that can score from anywhere on the floor and overwhelm his assignment on the other end. Cornish is efficient with his offensive touches, able to spot-up, create off the bounce, or attack the basket and finish through contact. He has no real weaknesses on offense and displays a quality feel for the game, both with and without the ball in his hands. Defensively, Cornish is quite versatile and possesses such an incredible blend of strength and agility. It's somewhat surprising that more coaches aren't already talking about him, as Cornish has all the makings of a full-scholarship type of player.
6'8 '20 Nick Pringle (TMP)
In terms of guys that college coaches should pursuing, Nick Pringle is definitely a name that should be towards the top of that list. He's long, athletic, and truly just beginning to scratch the surface of his upside. Pringle typically sets up on the block, where he displays consistently meticulous footwork and a quality feel for the game. He has the ability to score in a variety of ways, given his poise down low, smooth shooting stroke from the perimeter, or ability to run the floor and finish above the rim. Pringle is a dunking, shot-blocking machine, but it's his attention to detail that separates him from similar prospects. He possesses great timing as a rebounder and rim-protector, and could be among the top shot-blockers in South Carolina during the upcoming season. For a guy that stands at 6-foot-8, demands a double-team on the block, shoots the ball like a guard, and protects the rim, he's under-recruited. It would be wise for scholarship coaches to follow him closely going forward, as Pringle has all the tools to be successful at the Division I level.
6'3 '22 Kheni Briggs (Team CP3)
There were so many high-level leaders on display at Phenom Champion Showcase, but Kheni Briggs deserves to mentioned with the best of them. He's such a special type of player, given the way he approaches the game and showcases constant flashes of two-way dominance. At this point, it's fair to say that Briggs has no real weaknesses. He's strong, smart, athletic, reliably creates for himself and others while setting the tone with his defense and rebounding. Briggs has scored the ball with phenomenal efficiency from all three levels while consistently standing out as a leader in all other statistical categories. This guy is a leader, winner, and all-around great person to have in a locker room. He truly makes others better on both ends of the floor. It's probably a little early for most colleges to extend offers to guys in the Class of 2022, but it won't be long before they start heavily pursuing Briggs.