Phenom Hoops tuned into the Battle at the Rock, one of the premier events in December in South Carolina, as they brought some terrific talent for both girls and boys down to Rock Hill. We checked out all the action on Thursday, bringing you the scores and standouts from each game.
Keenan vs. Rock Hill (Girls)
Keenen: 15 – 21 – 22 – 20: 78
Rock Hill: 12 – 14 – 22 – 16: 64
Standouts:
2023 Milaysia Fulwiley (Keenan): All I can say is wow, Fulwiley is an absolute talent and it is easy to see why she is ranked as one of the top players in the country. Whatever she wanted, she was able to get, as she showed she is a prolific scorer on the court. She knocked down shots from outside with ease and extreme confidence, created for herself and was able to penetrate the defense to score, and got out in the passing lane defensively to turn into transition points. She a natural feel with the ball in her hands and she plays with a high IQ. Very impressed with her game.
2022 Jada Jones (Rock Hill): The point guard played extremely hard and played with a great motor on the floor. Jones really got after it on both ends, led the charge offensively in initiating the offense, showcased good court awareness, and simply battled on the court. Crafty ball-handler on the floor for her team.
2022 Gracie Wilson (Rock Hill): Wilson is one that is a true definition as a perimeter threat. She gets to her spot and you can’t leave her open as she has a ton of confidence in knocking down shots from behind the arc. Has good range on her shot.
2022 Ashari Lewis (Keenan): Fulwiley gets a lot of the attention but Lewis also had a nice showing, staying aggressive on the court, attacking the defense, and finding ways to get inside the paint and score. Showed good touch on her shot and was a nice piece in helping her team win in Rock Hill.
Dream City vs. JL Chambers
Dream City: 16 – 23 – 22 – 27: 88
Chambers: 4 – 7 – 16 – 16: 43
Standouts:
2023 David Tubek (Dream City): Tubek stood out to me personally with what he is able to provide and what he can do on the court on both ends. He already stands at 6’8 and has a good feel down low or with his back to the basket, but he really showed just how fluid he can be in stepping out offensively (knocked down two 3-pointers) as well as defending the perimeter. Tubek also made plays on the glass. Just really liked his growth in his game over the years.
2022 Yohan Traore (Dream City): Traore was the whole package on Thursday night, showing how versatile he can be on the floor with a 6’10 body. He scored in a variety of ways, is a fluid athletic forward that can get to the rim and has a quick first step/ runs the floor well. Also stepped out and was a perimeter threat, as he went for 21 points in the win.
2024 Maurio Hanson (JL Chambers): As I mentioned during the game, I think the best years are ahead of Hanson and his game. You can see he has made strides overall, running the floor and showing his development with his post presence but he should only continue to develop with his feel. Hanson excels in running the floor but also displaying nice footwork in the paint to go along with touch.
2022 Antoine Piper (JL Chambers): Though it wasn’t the best game overall for his team, you have to appreciate the fight that Piper plays with on the court. This kid never gives up, plays with such a physical feel, and brings a nice two-way presence for this team. Plays a big role for this team and is a senior that coaches need to look at more.
Denver Prep vs. Legion Collegiate
Denver: 25 – 15 – 18 – 17: 75
Legion: 15 – 15 – 14 – 20: 64
Standouts:
2022 Marcus Kell (Legion): Kell looked terrific in this game, as the 6’7 prospect was dialed in on offense. He was able to show his ability to move without the ball and create opportunities for himself, scoring over defenders with his jumper, finishing strong around the rim, get out to his spots for his three-point shot, and put the pressure on the defense to get to the line. He was incredibly strong, going for 34 points for his team.
2023 Baye Fall and 2023 Assane Diop (Denver): Legion just didn’t’ have the size to match up with theses two bigs. Both played extremely well and used their size to their advantage, scoring well in the paint and at the rim. These are both two fluid bigs that have terrific mobility and can be impact players as rim-protectors and as players in the paint. Both finished in double-figures in the win.