This past weekend, Phenom Hoops traveled out to Rise Indoor Sports in Bermuda Run, North Carolina, for another exciting two-day stretch of competition. As always, there was a ton of talent in the gym and lots of impressive performers gearing up for the upcoming Live period. We’ve entered the stage when unsigned seniors should be approaching a decision for next year while rising seniors should be receiving offers from college coaches. Obviously, the landscape has changed and next-level opportunities have become increasingly scarce, but the talent pool remains loaded with worthy prospects. Let’s take a closer look at a few personal favorites…
6’5 ’29 Jeremiah Fredlaw (CSF Select)
There were a lot of intriguing young prospects on display, and one could legitimately argue that Jeremiah Fredlaw highlighted as much appeal as anyone. He’s largely unknown to the masses right now, but that’s certainly going to change over the next few months. He’s an incredibly long, fluid athlete whose frame and general movement immediately stand out for a player of his age and size. Fredlaw naturally overwhelms opponents with his athleticism and array of physical tools, particularly as a defender and rebounder, and is capable of posing real matchup problems on both ends of the floor. His ability to create advantages for himself through his size, length, and athleticism is appealing on its own. However, Fredlaw is rapidly developing his overall skillset. He showcased a crafty handle with the IQ and change of pace to consistently break down opponents off the bounce. Fredlaw consistently got to the basket with ease and finished above the rim or through traffic. He sees the floor well as a passer and showed the ability to knock down perimeter jumpers at a solid rate. Furthermore, Fredlaw is capable of wreaking havoc with his motor, physicality, and nose for the ball. He displays a strong rebounding sense and sharp defensive instincts for forcing turnovers. Fredlaw is still getting stronger and improving his consistency as a shooting threat, but all the tools are in place for a potentially special player to emerge.
6’2 ’27 Travien Williams (1 of 1 Elite)
No matter how much the recruiting landscape has changed over the recent years, there is no justification for the lack of offers being extended to Travien Williams right now. We’ve reached the point where too many coaches are overthinking it. Williams is an obvious Division I talent who would be an immediate asset at a ton of different programs. He’s a strong, intelligent floor general with the tight handle, sharp vision, and overall scoring polish to reliably lead an offense. Williams utilizes his pace and quickness to effortlessly break down opponents off the dribble and touch the paint. He absorbs contact really well when attacking the basket, bouncing off defenders, and finishing through contact. Williams sees the floor to consistently make the right play and put others in scoring positions. He’s terrific at getting to his spots in the midrange and converting, but can also knock down three-pointers at a respectable rate. Williams is a quality defender and rebounder for his position. He contains opposing guards at the point of attack and anticipates well to force turnovers in the passing lanes. Williams knows how to grab and go to effectively push the break in transition. His recruitment should skyrocket over the next few months.
6’6 ’27 Dillon Mason (1 of 1 Elite)
After hearing a lot of high praise about Dillon Mason recently, it was exciting to see what all the hype was about. In all honesty, the general buzz might be too conservative, as Mason clearly looks like a top-ten player in North Carolina’s Class of 2027. He has basically everything you want in a prospect. At 6-foot-6, Mason legitimately showcased a complete game. He’s a big, strong, physically imposing athlete with lateral burst, vertical explosiveness, and an impressive frame. Given his adaptable identity and natural ability to create matchup problems, Mason is comfortable in all types of roles. He’s a powerful finisher who scores through contact and above the rim, but also displays smooth perimeter shooting and an understanding of how to make plays with the ball in his hands. Mason is a capable creator and initiator who knows how to cut, spot up, and attack the basket with force. He’s a tough, switchable defender who can comfortably guard multiple positions and rebound at a high rate for his size. Mason is also a real problem for opponents in the open floor. Given everything he highlighted, Division I programs would be wise to get involved early.
6’9 ’29 Grant Duggins (Team CP3)
Arguably the most impressive prospect in attendance, Grant Duggins was showcasing all the makings of an extremely high-level player before being sidelined by injury. This is already common knowledge to most people in this space, as he’s been a notable player for quite a while now, but it’s easy to see how his game continues to trend upward. Duggins is such a polished, refined player with exceptional feel, skill, and fluidity for a prospect at his age and size. He’s a monster on the block and utilizes his blend of soft touch, precise footwork, useful vision, and finishing instincts to find constant success. That being said, Duggins is very comfortable spacing the floor and operating along the perimeter. He shoots the ball well for his size, yet also appears more comfortable attacking closeouts and making plays off the bounce. In addition to making strides within his overall skillset, Duggins also highlighted toughness and welcomed physicality on both ends of the floor. He finished well around the basket and looked to dunk on opponents lurking around the rim. Add in his consistent rebounding and useful timing as an interior defender, and it’s easy to see why he’s making noise as one of the top prospects in the country.
6’3 ’26 Terrance Badio (Elite One)
Rounding out this group, it’s quite shocking that Terrance Badio doesn’t have more next-level opportunities. After a highly productive senior season, he transitions into being one of the top unsigned seniors throughout North Carolina. Badio is a tough, dynamic guard with great size, quickness, and the ability to overwhelm opponents on both ends of the floor. He was able to effortlessly get downhill and put seemingly nonstop pressure on the rim. Badio finished through contact and above the rim while setting up others and knocking down jumpers at a consistent rate. He’s a rugged defender with the feel, motor, and physicality to wreak havoc on that end of the floor. Badio forces turnovers, makes hustle plays, and consistently finds ways to make his presence felt in transition. He rebounds well for his size and is comfortable dictating the action or operating without the ball in his hands. Badio should definitely appeal to a lot of programs, as many are still in search of meaningful pieces like him.