Given the history of success the Greensboro Day School Bengals have enjoyed throughout Coach Freddy Johnson’s nearly 50 years at the helm, folks naturally assume the on-court product will eventually start to decline. However, they clearly have different plans. Although one could still argue that the 2016-17 crew (JP Morman, Will Dillard, John Newman, Jordan Perkins, Solomon Smith, and several others) is their strongest team ever, this current squad has the chance to be Coach Johnson’s most talented group. Let’s take a look at some of the main pieces…
Guard play is arguably the most important contributing factor to success at the high school level. Controlling the pace, getting others involved, and defending at the point of attack are simply a few of the meaningful things they bring to the table. Fortunately, they have a phenomenal floor general in Micah Gunter. He’s very smart with quickness, unselfishness, and great balance between scoring and playmaking. Gunter primarily looks to get others involved in the action, but is more than capable of asserting himself from multiple levels. He’s simply a reliable all-around guard with an understanding of how to outwork opponents on both ends of the floor. Add in his young age (2028), and it’s easy to see him among the top players in his class.
Although he’s not a traditional point guard, Marty Giant does a lot of initiation for this group. He’s a clear x-factor through his versatile, malleable game. At 6-foot-4, he possesses the size, strength, athleticism, and overall instincts to actively toggle between several roles on the court. Giant is a rugged, physically imposing defender who can guard multiple positions with relative ease. He’s comfortable containing smaller or bigger players and knows how to consistently outwork opponents for extra possessions. Giant rebounds bigger than his listed height and naturally fills in the gaps on either side of the ball. Expect him to attract various college coaches while shining as a senior leader for this group.
Although quality guard play is a requirement for the top teams, interior size is usually somewhat of a luxury. Fortunately, the Bengals have a surplus with guys like Julian Adigun, Mason Robinson, Andrew Juergens, and Grant Duggins leading the way. Adigun is long, athletic, and offers flashes of rim-protection instincts and floor-spacing ability. He has obvious physical appeal and considerable upside remaining. Robinson continues to trend as one of the better big men in his class. He provides an extremely steady two-way presence with touch, mobility, rebounding prowess, and defensive feel. Juergens is a bouncy, inside-out forward who can knock down shots, attack the rim, secure rebounds, and make plays defensively. The youngest of the group, Duggins, has an incredibly appeal blend of size, skill, and long-term potential. He’s already quite productive yet arguably has as much upside as anyone in the state. Guys like Izaiah Drew-King and Jack Lowell should also be able to carve out meaningful minutes for this group.
Despite losing various stretches over the last year or so, Jagger Emerson appears to be back in the mix for the Bengals. As a 6-foot-6 wing with IQ, ball skills, and shooting ability, he has the tools and skillset to be a major piece for this squad. He’s comfortable with or without the ball in his hands and moves well to find open space as a cutter. In a similar vein, guys like Joel Giant and Thomas Bowes should emerge as a difference-maker over the coming months. Giant is a nice utility piece who plays hard and does the dirty work. Bowes displays flashes of versatility, spot-up ability, and useful energy on both ends. Expect each of these pieces to play quality minutes for this team.
Rounding out the roster, seniors like Aydin Wynn and AJ Tenebruso could certainly carve out solid minutes within their respective roles. Wynn possesses a polished skillset with the ability to hit jumpers, make plays off the bounce, and defend his position. Tenebruso provides a useful secondary ball-handling presence with vision, unselfishness, and a scrappy defensive nature. Both guys could appeal to college coaches.
Ultimately, it’ll be exciting if this group can reach the heights of that aforementioned 2016-17 team. Those individuals possessed a unique hunger and chemistry with one another, but this group is possibly the most talented. Only time will tell, but Coach Johnson and Coach Smith certainly have an incredible amount of talent going into the upcoming season.