By: Cooper Hart
Chris Crudup – 2024 – Garner
Chris had 26 points and 9 rebounds in the Trojans consolation round win over Broughton. He is a low maintenance scorer that doesn’t need a lot of touches to score in bunches. He’s a great spot shooter and shot 3/7 from outside in today’s game. Chris has started to emerge in the Raleigh area as a volume scorer but what was more impressive today was his rebounding ability. Chris has always shown a willingness to get on the glass, an attribute that allows him to score as easily as he does, and he secured 8 offensive rebounds today. His calling card right now is as a low-risk volume scorer that can impact winning in the gray areas. He’s got potential to grow elite in that role as he continues to develop as a shot maker off the bounce.
Isaiah Washington – 2024 – Winston-Salem Christian
Isaiah scored 21 points and shot 8/14 from the field in his semifinal loss to Word of God. Isaiah showed off his effortless ability to score, something that the Lions desperately needed today. His role on this team is as a secondary creator and volume scorer, it’s essential to their success that he gets into the flow of the game early and is aggressive, today he was both. He has a great frame that helps him when getting downhill, allowing him to stay on his line and finish through contact. His shot creation ability is what’s most impressive at the moment. He’s a great off the dribble scorer and that’s his calling card at the moment.
Tyran Stokes – 2026 – Prolific Prep
Tyran had a huge performance against Combine Academy in the TJ Warren semifinals. He scored 17 points on 8/10 from the field and grabbed 7 rebounds. He’s one of the most impressive athletes we’ve seen so far in this event. He has great size and body control for his age, able to take hits from older defenders and still finish at the rim. He excels in slashing situations, specifically when catching lobs and finishing in traffic. The freshman will be a highly coveted recruit over the coming years and given the size and athleticism, has a ton of room to grow.
Collin Tanner – 2023 – Combine Academy
Collin had an efficient night, scoring 16 points and grabbing 8 boards while shooting 6/11 from the field and 4/7 from deep. The Richmond commit plays an incredibly calm game, never getting sped up and rarely making a bad decision. On this team, he mainly operates as an off-ball, low-maintenance scorer, and he plays as well as anyone in that role. He has smooth movement patterns and similar to Word of God’s Mayar Wol, he’s a great 0-2 dribble scorer.
Gabe Cerda – 2023 – Millbrook
Cerda had an outstanding opening game, scoring a career high 24 points and leading Millbrook to a win against Southern Durham. Tonight, he followed up that performance with an outstanding effort in the loss to Farmville Central. He scored 16 points and had 5 assists and 3 steals. He’s an ultra-aggressive player on both sides of the ball and he’s really stepped up his offensive production this week on the big stage. I’m also a big fan of his on-ball defense because of his active hands and great instincts. He’s one of the best uncommitted senior guards in the state right now and like Southern Durham star Jackson Keith said, “Everyone needs a Cerda.”