2017-18 Record: 17-11 ( 8-6 in conference), Lost in 2nd round of NCHSAA 4A Playoffs
West Charlotte looks to be one of the top public school teams in the HoopState and after attending one practice it was easy to see why. Despite missing a handful of contributors that are still playing football it was clear that West Charlotte with Florida State Commit and consensus top 40 player Patrick Williams at the helm is poised to make some serious noise for all hoop heads to hear. Let’s take a look at the makeup of this group featuring a bevy of next level talent.
The Face of the Program
Pat Williams has established himself as one of the most sought after recruits in the entire country over the course of his high school career due to his unique blend of size, skill, athleticism, IQ, and leadership abilities. He is simply the definition of the complete package, bringing an ability to dominate the opposition in so many different ways at both ends of the court. The two things that Williams did at an exceptional level during open gym was shoot the ball with deep range at a high rate of efficiency and run his team as a primary ball handler. Cartier Jernigan wasn’t there so he had to take on some of the ball handling and did it extremely well, getting his teammates involved even though he possesses the ability to score on just about anyone, it speaks to the kind of leader he is that he wants to instill confidence into some of the younger guys, knowing it helps his teams chances long term as they look to win their first state title since the Kennedy Meeks era. Williams fits the 2018 “Position-less” basketball mold that is rapidly growing with popularity among college coaches, therefore making his game incredibly translatable to the next level. He’s certainly a walking mismatch on the high school floor that the opposition will have serious trouble containing it what should be a special senior season for Pat.
Big Impact Pieces
6’3 2019 Cartier Jernigan:
As I mentioned previously Jernigan did not work out last Wednesday when I attended open gym, but we’ve seen enough of him to know that he’s the kind of kid that will bring total effort on every single possession with excellent ball skills and defensive versatility. At the high school level he’s more than capable of guarding 3 positions with his instincts, lateral quickness, and discipline at that end of the court. He also shot over 36% from deep on the EYBL last season with Team United to go with his quick twitch abilities on the offensive end. He holds offers from Hampton and Mercer, expect that list to grow as he and his West Charlotte teammates will play in a multitude of major events including, but not limited to The John Wall Holiday Invitational.
6’4 2019 Quinten Thomas
We saw a lot of Thomas this summer with his Upward Stars Charlotte team where he established himself as one of the best athletes in the 2019 Class in NC and as a bonafide scholarship level player, receiving interest from some higher end D2 and Low Major D1s. One of the biggest questions surrounding Quinten’s game was the consistency on his perimeter shot and that question was answered last week when it felt like he didn’t miss one shot. His form is smoother, release quicker, elevation better, and his confidence is through the roof with his new teammates at West Charlotte after transferring from nearby Harding High School. Expect Thomas to become a breakout player with his new squad, garnering serious attention from D1s throughout the region. The next step for Thomas is completing his in-between game, if he can do that, he’s the epitome of a diamond in the rough.
6’0 2019 Elijah Harris
Harris might be the best pure shooter on the team, bringing deep range and incredible quickness to the table as a combo guard. He’s going to play a lot of big minutes for this team, providing another versatile guard that’s willing to do whatever it takes to get his team to the promised land. He’s another kid in this group that possesses excellent leadership qualities and definitely someone for D3s and D2s to watch closely as the season gets going.
The Youth Movement
6’7 2021 Josiah Dow
Dow is an incredibly skilled young player, oozing with potential, and he’ll play a big role for this West Charlotte group this season. Dow is a true three level scorer and will really help Williams as they form one of the most unique ball handler/screener duos I’ve ever seen. He has a sturdy frame and has clearly hit the weight room since this picture was taken, getting stronger and stronger every day to make him more of a force on the low block. As Dow continues to develop physically and athletically, expect his recruitment to blow up in a major way. If he keeps working there’s no reason why he can’t become a mid-major+ level kind of kid IMO.
6’0 2022 Marcus Magnus
Ladies and Gentlemen, there’s another crazy talented guard in the FLAT OUT LOADED 2022 NC Class, and he might be the quickest of anyone in that elite group. Coach Davis told me about him right before workouts started and I’m going to be completely honest when I say I didn’t really see it in the drills, but oh my goodness this kid flat out took over during the scrimmage with a level of fearlessness and tenacity seldom seen in a kid before he plays a high school game. He’s incredibly quick, with a super tight handle, and incredible vision, making him a real asset considering the pieces around him. He looks and plays like a young Cat Barber, which is a lofty comparison for a young player, but he really does have that feeling when watching him play. He’ll be competing for a starting spot on varsity and should play a lot of minutes whether he’s in the starting five, or coming off the pine.