Chick's Event Recap
Phenom's High School Jamboree
2019 Standouts – Part 1
While the Seniors had their moments the Juniors also got the opportunity to stand out and several guys definitely stepped up with stellar performances. Here are a few of these players at Proehlific Park at the Phenom Hoops HS jamboree:
Jalen Lecque 6'4' SG Christ School (Arden, NC)
Lecque was one of the best two players I saw all day and it wasn't that close. He has tremendous hops and a good feel for the game and he can score it in any number of ways from the trey to acrobatic and athletic drives to the cup. In the game I took in he put up 24pts with 6 treys and the threat of his ability to get to the basket saw Concord First Assembly clog the lane frequently only to give up a three ball and then on the next possession try a two man close outs on Lecque only to be burned by a laser pass to the block for a deuce. He moves effortlessly around the court and possesses a very good handle with the court vision to match. He more than holds up his end defensively using his angular frame to force opponents out of their comfort zones and in addition to getting some steals or deflections he also gets his share of rebounds especially at the offensive end. This transplanted New Yorker is a pretty nice addition for an already talented Christ School squad and they are a definite 3A title contender in the NCISAA
Shakeel Moore 6'0' PG Piedmont Classical HS (Greensboro, NC)
This young man was the other top player we viewed on this day along with Jalen Lecque and we were quite impressed with his sheer athleticism and verticality as he could really get up and play at the rim. In the game we watched vs. Caldwell Academy he scored 22pts in a variety of ways and contributed 4 assists to the cause. Moore seems to play in different gears depending on the situation as he can push it in transition with a burst of speed or he can slow it down and pick his spots to drive it, pass it or pull up for the midrange J. He also showed some touch from deep knocking in a pair of threes with a smooth release and good ball rotation. When it came to defending he seemed equally at ease engaging opponents in straight up man to man situations or in full court pressure get after it defenses. His quick hands and great timing netted him several steals or forced turnovers. If this youngster was unknown beyond the southeast region of the country we think it's high time the rest of the U.S. finds out about him don't you agree.
Quest Aldridge 6'3' PG Mount Tabor HS (Winston-Salem, NC)
Of all the players we saw today this young man was the purest PG prospect here as he clearly has a grasp on running a team and setting his teammates up to succeed at the expense of his own offense. He has a deft handle and great court vision and seemingly delivers the ball on a rail for a scoring opportunity with crispness and accuracy thrown in for good measure. Aldridge controlled the tempo of the game something that plagues most young lead guards who want to shoot the ball and run the offense at the same time. He never panics and despite Rabun Gap trying to speed him up he refused to rush or launch bad shots which allowed him to maintain control to the finish in a 6 point win. Defensively he showed some toughness despite his lean frame and while it appears he's not blessed with super quickness looks can be deceiving as he played fine positional defense. With a few guys that can score the ball Mount Tabor should benefit from having a true PG who lives the credo pass first.