This upcoming Saturday, Phenom Hoops will travel to Carmel Christian School in Matthews, North Carolina, for our annual Carmel MLK Showcase. The one-day event will feature four games with plenty of intrigue throughout the slate. As teams enter the second half of their season, each game carries that much more weight. This will be one of the last stretches before the start of conference play, so any type of momentum is vital during this time. Let’s take a closer look, starting with Wesleyan Christian and Ambassador Christian…
The Trojans of Wesleyan Christian have steadily improved throughout the course of the high school season. The veteran trio of Nick Keith, Noah Dobyns, and Tyson Thompson set the tone for this group. Keith is a balanced lead guard with the ability to create for others, score the ball in several ways, and make his presence felt defensively. Dobyns still has a ton of appeal and upside as a long, wiry, explosive forward who can put pressure on the rim or space the floor along the perimeter. Thompson is arguably their most consistent piece, given his reliable, low-maintenance interior presence on both ends of the floor. That being said, Isaiah Whitsett continues to progress as a notable sophomore guard, Owen Hancock is a knockdown shooting threat, and Josh Young provides solid minutes from the guard spot. Guys like RJ Morning, Julius Hurley, and several others find opportunities for this group.
On the other side, Ambassador Christian has clearly hit its stride following the holiday season, winning six straight to bring their record to 11-10 after a difficult start to the year. They’ve played an extremely challenging schedule, which has clearly prepared them for this dominant stretch. RJ Moore continues to shine as the clear focal point, showing the ability to lead an offense with his incredible polish as a creator and three-level scorer. He has the size, athleticism, and instincts to cause a variety of problems for opponents. However, guys like Judah King, Jeremiah Jones, Nick Haney, and Tyler Brown have each made strides within their respective development. King is a tough, unselfish two-way guard who defends, sets up others, and scores as needed. Jones provides a nice blend of size, strength, and versatility on both ends of the floor. Haney is an adaptable, well-rounded guard who scores the ball effectively within the flow of the action. Brown occupies the paint as a long, wiry, explosive post player who continues to develop his physique and sharpen his feel for the game. Add in guys like Zeke Kelly and Kenan Dixon, and it’s easy to see why this team is trending upward. Expect this to be an entertaining battle.