This past weekend, Phenom Hoops hosted our annual George Lynch Invitational at Myers Park High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. The two-day event featured a slew of notable teams and prospects, including top programs on both the men’s and women’s sides. There were countless meaningful takeaways for those who attended, and we will take a closer look at several throughout the week. Right now, we will highlight Gaston Christian and their clear, undisputed leader in Cam Newman…
Although he’s the focal point and tone-setter, this group has several meaningful pieces. Jaishawn Woods has quietly been one of the biggest surprises this season, going from a relative unknown to the second-leading scorer for a legitimate title contender. Jeremy Duhon provides valuable perimeter shooting, Kendall Southern does the dirty work, and Allesandro Luparia is a scrappy, heady two-way guard. Guys like Kumbai Makoi and Jordan Makoi offer long, athletic interior presences. Brayden Milner is also capable of hitting shots and playing hard as a bigger forward.
That being said, Cam Newman is clearly the straw that stirs the drink. Few players in North Carolina possess the ability to completely command a team as he does. Newman is incredibly intelligent with the tight handle, sharp playmaking sense, and overall scoring polish to completely dominate a game. It’s always fascinating to watch an individual’s evolvement from talented player to true focal point. Although he’s been their primary option for years now, Newman’s pace and ability to see the game ahead of others only continues to progress. He’s not rushed or bothered by the extra defensive attention. Instead, Newman embraces the challenge and has yet to be bested by any single opponent this season. He displays an amazing balance between playmaking and three-level scoring, consistently making the right play while seizing open opportunities whenever available. Newman is also a very pesky defender with great anticipation to force turnovers by intercepting passing lanes. The Eagles have thwarted over half their opponents thus far so, sadly, Newman’s numbers aren’t nearly as ridiculous as they could be. However, this group is 9-0 with four very impressive wins under its belt. They’ll play a gauntlet in December (Concord Academy, The Skill Factory, Ridge View, and Combine Academy), so it’ll be exciting to see how Newman and his cohorts rise to the occasion.