On Tuesday night, Phenom Hoops traveled to Charlotte to watch Charlotte Skill Factory. Director Lawrence Gordon has done a tremendous job of building a program that emphasizes player development.
CSF players were in for a treat as Pace Academy and USA Basketball U16 and U17 Head Coach Sharman White ran the practice. This was an incredible experience for these young players to have such a successful coach lead their practice. Coach White did much of the same things that he would do with Team USA.
Coach White has compiled an impressive resume including gold medals at the 2023 FIBA U16 AmeriCup, the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup, the 2021 FIBA U16 AmeriCup, in addition to winning six straight state championships in Georgia at Pace Academy and previously winning another six straight state championships in Georgia at Miller Grove. Coach White is one of the most decorated and successful high school coaches in the country.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the players who stood out Tuesday.
2029 Mason Brown
Mason Brown immediately stood out as one of the more physically gifted players in attendance. At 6’2, he has really good size to go along with his guard skills at that age. Brown is at his best when attacking downhill where he can finish through contact at the end of drives. In addition, he is comfortable in the midrange and getting to his spots off the bounce. As he continues to develop, becoming more consistent from the perimeter will make him even more difficult to contain on the offensive end.
2029 Antonio Cureton
Watching Antonio Cureton play, it is easy to see his advance feel for the game and ability to create for others at this age. At the point guard position, he plays with poise, understands change of pace, sees the floor, and makes quality reads. Cureton helps make things easier for his teammates. He picks his spots well, knowing when to create for others and when he needs to score himself.
2029 Huntley Zimmern
Huntley Zimmern has proven all spring that he can shoot that ball extremely well. His perimeter shooting ability was once again on display. Zimmern has the ability to get his shot off quickly and is very effective, especially off the catch. He has continued to expand his game off the bounce and is able to attack closeouts, get into the paint, and make the correct read. He is a high IQ guard who will make the right play.
2029 Dash Holley
Dash Holley has consistently been one of CSF’s top performers all travel ball season. He makes his presence felt with his toughness and physicality on both ends of the floor. He is a strong driver who is able to put his shoulder down and get to the basket through contact. In addition, he puts constant pressure on opponents with his activity on the offensive glass. He is constantly creating second chance opportunities for himself and teammates.
2029 Silas Madison
Silas Madison has his best days ahead of him. He has the tools to really impact the game on both ends of the floor. His length and athleticism allow him guard multiple positions. Offensively, he attacks the basket well, especially in straight line drives, where he can then finish over defenders using his bounce. As he continues to expand his overall skillset, he will begin to reach his full potential.
2031 King Jones
King Jones was one of the younger players in attendance (5th grade) but he made one of the biggest impressions. For such a young player, he really stood out with is activity level and being vocal the entire practice on both ends of the floor. Many times, the youngest players are afraid to speak up, but Jones was more vocal than anyone in the gym. Defensively, he was extremely active on and off the ball where he created steals and won 50/50 balls. He communicated with his teammates, letting them know where their help was coming from. Jones did a lot of the things that you would see from an experience player. These are the type of things that will help young players go really far, especially when you combine that with what their ability on the offensive end.