This past weekend, Phenom Hoops traveled out to Methodist College in Fayetteville, North Carolina, for our eighth annual Hoops and Dreams Showcase. The event returned to its original debut spot for a quality two-day stretch of basketball featuring many of the top local teams. Across the 14 games, there were several standouts, storylines, and meaningful takeaways that we will examine closer. Let’s continue by taking a closer look at the variety of intriguing pieces for Freedom Christian…
It should probably go without saying, but everything starts and ends with Karsten Swinney. Between his incredible production and leadership by example, it’s difficult to say anything other than positives. At 5-foot-9, Swinney is an incredibly polished, refined player. He’s smart, quick, and has the ball on a string, which allows him to get wherever he wants off the bounce. Swinney is a reliable creator, both for himself and others, and quality decision-maker with the ball in his hands. He’s a willing playmaker who sees the floor well, yet often needs to apply scoring pressure in order to keep this group at its most competitive. Fortunately, Swinney can do so in several ways. He’s a quality perimeter shooter who can knock down jumpers off the catch or bounce. Swinney does a great job of breaking down opponents and accessing his midrange pull-up or finishing at the basket. He’s a scrappy defender with the ability to force turnovers at the point of attack. Swinney will be one of the most productive players in North Carolina this season.
Meanwhile, James Ferguson continues to blossom as a major asset for this group. He’s a natural glue-guy who simply knows how to produce. Ferguson possesses a very high motor and impressive nose for the ball, which allows him to make a constant impact without requiring a ton of touches. He’s a disruptive defender and phenomenal rebounder who plays much bigger than his size. Ferguson positions himself really well to regularly outwork opponents and secure extra possessions on both ends of the floor. He’s a well-rounded offensive threat who knows how to capitalize on opportunities within the flow of the action. Only a sophomore, Ferguson is certainly a prospect worth monitoring.
Rounding out this roster, guys like Bryce West, Malachi Caldwell, and Jose Castellanos provide a ton of value for this squad. West is a tough, scrappy guard with a high motor and lethal shooting ability. He showed the ability to heat up and catch fire from beyond the arc. Caldwell is a nice scorer who knows how to cut, spot up, and generally find success with or without the ball in his hands. Castellanos is a capable shooter and pesky defender.