Last weekend, Phenom Hoops hosted our annual Memorial Day Classic in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The event featured a variety of intriguing individuals and teams across all age groups (including an abundance of noteworthy talent in the girl’s division). While the oldest age groups typically receive the majority of the attention, there were plenty of standouts across the board. Among those teams was FBC Reign—a squad that really embraced their structure and identity from start to finish. Let’s take a closer look at some of their pieces…
Everything starts with Porter Dickson and his productive leadership. We wrote about him extensively yesterday, stating, “Although the FBC Reign program has gradually changed over the years, it’s easy to appreciate how Porter Dickson leads their talented group. He’s a smart, skilled, well-rounded guard who reliably runs the team as a focal point. Dickson is a very polished scorer with the ability to consistently create clean looks and mix it up from all three levels. He sets up others whenever possible, but doesn’t shy away from available scoring chances. Dickson handles the ball well to break down defenders off the bounce. He’s able to touch the paint and finish or knock down jumpers at a high percentage along the perimeter. Dickson displays a crafty nature when creating for himself and others, and sees the floor really well when attacking. He possesses nice size with a solid frame and athleticism. Dickson plays with great energy on defense and positions himself well to force turnovers. He’s a quality rebounder for his size/position and understands how to dictate the action in transition. Only entering his sophomore year, Dickson is clearly on the trajectory to being a college player.”
His backcourt mate, Brayden Atwell, is simply a well-rounded piece who knows how to adapt to several different roles. Atwell is comfortable initiating the action or playing without the ball. He scores with efficiency from all levels, moves very well as a cutter, and consistently makes his presence felt as a spot-up threat. Atwell understands how to make the extra pass and outwork opponents for extra possessions. He naturally fills in the gaps to do a little bit of everything, but can expand his production as needed. Atwell is also a solid defender and rebounder who plays with energy on both ends of the floor.
Although their guard play carries most of the offensive load, the 6-foot-5 duo of Tyler Sigmund and JT Allen does an excellent job of occupying the interior. Sigmund is a long, wiry forward who can pass, finish, and knock down an open jumper. His length and motor allow him to make a consistent impact on the glass. Meanwhile, Allen is a strong, stocky, blue-collar big man who can also reliably score around the basket or set up others. He plays really hard and utilizes his body very well to physically battle with opponents no both ends of the floor. Both guys possess great feel and understanding of their respective roles.