This upcoming weekend, Phenom Hoops will travel down to Hopewell High School for Underrated Athletes’ second annual The Well Invitational. The event will feature a four-game slate with the first contest starting at 12:00 and final showdown beginning at 4:30. Between West Meck, Corvian Community, Victory Christian, Westminster Catawba, Harding University, Hopewell, West Charlotte, and Ambassador Christian, there’s certainly an entertaining collection of teams. We will preview each game, starting with the opening matchup between West Meck and Corvian Community…
While it probably goes without saying, it doesn’t hurt to reiterate that West Meck has been one of the biggest surprises this season. Coach Chris Ewell has completely transformed the Hawks from winless to a successful program. They currently sit at 11-8 (including four straight wins) with several notable wins under their belt. Quietly playing their best basketball of the season, this group is becoming a problem for opponents. Josiah Bridges stands out as the clear leader who visibly propels this team forward on both ends of the floor. Nasir White provides a very meaningful scoring punch and is capable of heating up quickly. RJ Grier is a scrappy guard who can score within the flow of the action. Rylan Leak dictates the offense, attacks off the bounce, and defends the point of attack well. Arion Walkup might be the x-factor for this squad, as the Hawks are 8-5 when he plays and 3-3 when sidelined.
On the other side, this has been somewhat of a regrouping year for Corvian Community after literally losing their top nine scorers from last season. However, they’ve shown some positive flashes behind this new-look group. Braylon Gray is already a nice piece as a sophomore, showing useful scoring polish and playmaking instincts. Juniors Zion Edwards and Brock Spaulding play critical roles. However, the rest of their main pieces are all seniors. Guys like Brycen Hinnant and Barrington Cook provide valuable offense while Kendall Patel and Maxwell Garvin effectively control the glass. This should be a nice litmus test for both squads entering the last month of the season.