The final game of day one at Phenom’s Holiday Classic took place between a pair of evenly matched teams in Franklin Prep and H.A. Prep Durham. Franklin Prep came out of the gates and, although they weren’t showcasing their normal offensive firepower, established an early lead behind a fairly balanced attack. H.A. Prep went toe-to-toe for the entirety of the first quarter, but still trailed 8-13 after eight minutes of play. Joshua Tyler stood out as an offensive catalyst for H.A. Prep and allowed them to stay within fighting distance over the second period. Franklin Prep continued to convert and utilize their depth en route to a 15-20 advantage at halftime. Things favored Franklin Prep even more after the break, as they continued to mount their lead and gain separation, finishing the third period with a 26-40 lead. Despite continued fight and a slight comeback from H.A. Prep, Franklin Prep was just too much and ultimately claimed a 43-51 victory in this contest.
Franklin Prep:
6’5 ’23 Shamarrie Hugie
While the Franklin Prep roster doesn’t have a lot of size in the traditional sense, Hugie stood out as a reliable interior piece for this group. He possesses great length and can operate around the basket or along the perimeter, but also consistently shows emphasis as a rebounder and defender. Hugie displays nice touch around the basket but also plays within himself and the team as an offensive cog.
5’10 ’22 Devante Gonzales
Arguably one of the more underrated pieces on this roster, Gonzales finds ways to make plays as a heady, unselfish floor general. He sets up the offense, slices through the defense whenever possible, and offers a quality balance between scoring and playmaking. Gonzales is quick on both ends of the floor, able to regularly beat his man off the dribble while harassing opposing ball-handlers. He’s great in transition and looks to make the best possible play with the ball in his hands.
H.A. Prep:
6’3 ’21 Joshua Tyler
There were many strong contributors for H.A. Prep, but Tyler was arguably their leader, especially on offense. He’s a long, active, unselfish guard prospect with an excellent perimeter jumper and the ability to initiate an offense when necessary. Tyler can mix up his scoring approach with relative ease and displays toughness when attacking the basket or fighting for extra possessions. He can create his own shot or set up others.
6’8 ’24 Davion Guity
Despite being one of only two freshmen on the roster, there’s already a lot to like with Guity. He’s big, strong, physical and possesses excellent size at this stage in his development. Guity displays quality length and positioning as a rebounder, which allows him to regularly overpower opponents around the basket. He doesn’t shy away from contact and should only continue to get better as a rim-protector.