What to Watch at Phenom Team Camp
This upcoming weekend, Phenom Hoops will travel down to Rock Hill, South Carolina, to host our annual June Team Camp. The event always features a slew of the most talented teams and individuals within the Carolinas, and this year’s will be no different. Leading up to the event, we will take a closer look at players and subplots to monitor. Grace Christian (18-9) quietly enjoyed a lot of success in Coach Troy Smith’s first year at the helm. Entering year two, the expectations should be even greater. Let’s take a closer look….
Although they graduated college-level seniors in Graham Moose and Jimmy Zimmerman, this roster still has a lot of intriguing talent. Nate Jones returns as their most productive player. The smart, skilled lead guard possesses excellent polish with the ball in his hands. He’s a crafty ball-handler with the quickness and change of pace to consistently generate quality looks for himself and others. Jones is a terrific penetrator with vision, finishing ability, and solid three-point shooting. Grant Jacques is a knockdown shooter and lethal spot-up threat whose blend of energy, adaptability, and low-maintenance identity should make him an extremely valuable contributor. Kaedyn Cole has as much potential as anyone on the roster as a rising freshman with an enticing toolkit and blossoming array of skills. Add in meaningful production from Caleb Ellis, and these four should be the main pieces for this group.
That being said, this roster is still quite young. There are several players who could emerge for the Crusaders. Among those guys is Isaiah Streeter. Between his size, skill, and athleticism, he certainly has the tools to become a real asset for this group. Ultimately, folks should expect this team to take the next step forward. They should eclipse the 20-win mark this year and make noise come playoff time.