Phenom Hoops traveled to Greensboro, North Carolina for our third and final session of the High School Jam Fest. Through the various locations, we've seen a ton of talent, but this field might've been the strongest between the three. Some of North Carolina's top teams took the hardwood on Saturday and it made for a competitive day of basketball.
6'8 '20 Cameron Stitt (United Faith)
The top overall prospect on the day came from the team with the strongest combination of depth and talent, Cameron Stitt of United Faith. At 6-foot-8, he possesses the necessary size to thrive at either forward position at the next level. Stitt scores on all three levels whenever he wants and displays a high level of intelligence on the basketball floor. He's steadily improved over the last year or so and looks more like a high-level Division I prospect with each passing day. Stitt should continue to add strength going forward, as it'll certainly help his transition to the college game. Defensively, he is mobile enough to defend perimeter, yet displays exceptional instincts when protecting the rim. Though all the tools are present with Stitt, college coaches haven't realized how special he could become. Those schools need to start making notes now, because he won't be available if he continues to improve at such a rapid rate.
6'2 '19 Marcus Henderson (United Faith)
Alongside Stitt on the loaded United Faith roster was their most recent transfer, Marcus Henderson, from Statesville Christian. For one reason or another, Henderson hasn't received proper respect in terms of recruitment, but that should start to change within the next few months. He's always been somewhat of a combo-guard, however, Henderson is starting to unlock his potential as a point guard and overall creator for others. Offensively, he is an incredibly efficient three-level scorer with great toughness and IQ. Throughout the day, Henderson created opportunities for himself and others, but also stayed aggressive on the defensive end and caused multiple turnovers. His well-rounded skillset could coexist seamlessly next to a variety of different guards at the college level. Henderson will be seen in July with PSB Elite and should begin to accrue more offers at that time, but Vermont is the lone Division I program to make the 6-foot-2 guard a priority thus far.
6'6 '21 Ja'Dun Michael (The Burlington School)
In terms of versatility, it would be impossible to overlook the sheer consistency of Ja'Dun Michael, who is in the process of emerging into a star. At this point, everyone knows about The Burlington School and their reputation as one of the most disciplined programs in North Carolina. That being said, there are still so many people that don't know how polished and talented the rising sophomore has become. Michael is a special, unique prospect with incredible upside. In his first game at our Jam Fest, he was absolutely brilliant, hitting nearly everything in his sights, including numerous three-pointers. The sky is truly the limit for Michael if he can continue to shoot this well from distance and showcase his perimeter skills going forward. He is a very difficult assignment for opponents on either end of the floor, especially given his quality frame and athleticism. Few players have been able to match Michael's steady improvement, and there's a chance that he is among the most valuable North Carolina prospects in the Class of 2021.
6'3 '19 Tyler Dearman (Southern Guilford)
There were various players on display that acted as the sole leader for their respective teams today, but no one burdened a heavier load than Tyler Dearman. The wing prospect did everything for this Southern Guilford team, especially on the offensive end. Dearman is a cold-blooded scorer on all three levels and, despite his unorthodox shot form, he's pretty efficient when hunting for points. That being said, Dearman isn't a selfish player at all; he understands the value in playing through the team concept and getting baskets within the appropriate flow of the game. Without his offense, Southern Guilford would've struggled mightily to compete, but his presence was felt and they were competitive in every game. There are a variety of Division I programs that would benefit from adding Dearman to their roster, especially if he continues to score at such a high level going forward.
6'0 '22 Daylen Pritchard (Lincoln Charter)
There were a variety of high-level programs in the gym for the third session of Phenom's High School Jam Fest, but very few with the recent success to match Lincoln Charter. With Kody Shubert now gone, the torch will gradually get passed to their new point guard, Daylen Pritchard. It wouldn't be fair to compare the rising freshman to a Lincoln Charter legend, but the upside is certainly there for Pritchard to become an incredibly gifted prospect. His feel for the game is exceptional; he reads the floor very well and already understands how to manipulate defenses. Pritchard plays unselfishly and with an excellent IQ. He scores efficiently on all three levels, but doesn't hunt for his own shot too often. This team will remain competitive with this current roster, but expect them to return to full strength once the season starts and all of their guys are back in action. Until then, it would be wise to start tracking Pritchard's progress, because he is poised to break out over these next few years.