On Tuesday night, we had the pleasure of watching one of the top public school matchups in the state as Julius L. Chambers hosted Myers Park.
In the first half, Chambers jumped out to a double-digit lead. Their defensive pressure was key in this run as they were able to force turnovers that led to easy baskets on the offensive end. At one point the lead got up to 18 points, as Chambers’ Maurio Hanson and Daniel Sanford put up eight and seven points respectively in the first half. However, Myers Park was able to cut the deficit down to 12 points heading into halftime.
Myers Park went on a 9-0 run to start the third quarter as Elijah Strong finished at the basket, Nathanael Roberts hit a three-pointer, Sir Mohammed then had a euro step layup, and then Mohammed saved it to Elijah Strong for the layup. And just like that, Myers Park had erased a 12-point halftime deficit.
Myers Park was now back in the game. They were sharing the ball with one another, finding the open man, and giving up good shots for better shots. Chambers was able to hold onto a 48-43 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
After Myers Park cuts the deficit to 48-46, Chambers’ Jaylen Curry comes up with a timely bucket as he drives left towards the foul line, stops on a dime, snatches the ball behind is back and drills the midrange pull-up to put them back up by four. However, Myers Park wasn’t done, as Sir Mohammed comes down and finishes with a strong layup, drawing the foul, and connecting on the free throw. It was now a one point game at 50-49.
With just over four minutes to play, Chambers was holding onto a 52-51 lead. This is when their veteran leaders came up with timely plays. South Carolina commit, Daniel Sanford, came up with two back-to-back steals that led to Antoine Piper finishes on the other end. And during this stretch when Chambers needed a basket in the half court, Jaylen Curry delivered. He was getting to the basket, finishing at the rim, and finding open teammates. Chambers exploded in the last four minutes and went on to win 70-56.
Chambers Stats
Jaylen Curry – 15 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals
Antoine Piper – 14 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Maurio Hanson – 12 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block
Daniel Sanford – 12 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks
Nick Dorn – 6 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
Evan Ashemore – 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals
Kendall Smith – 3 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 2 steals
Jordan Patton – 2 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal
Myers Park Stats
Sir Mohammed – 20 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
Elijah Strong – 17 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assists, 1 block
Nathanael Roberts – 7 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist
Jacob Paraison – 5 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists
Sadiq White – 4 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks
Sam Walters – 3 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals
Standout Players
6’2 2023 Jaylen Curry (Chambers)
Jaylen Curry is in the conversation as the best players in the NC 2023 class. After a somewhat slow first half, Curry took over when it mattered most. In the fourth quarter when his team needed a basket, he delivered. He is electric with the ball in his hands and is tough for anyone to stay in front of. He broke his defenders down off the bounce, finished at the rim, or got to his sweet spot in the midrange and knocked down the pull-up jumper. In addition, he found the open man. In one instance, he was getting trapped, and instead of allowing the trap to dictate what he did, he stepped through the trap strong and found an open Maurio Hanson underneath the basket for the and-one finish. Curry finished with a team-high 15 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals.
6’4 2022 Antoine Piper (Chambers)
Let’s begin this by saying, Antoine Piper is the X-factor for this Chambers team and is worthy of more college interest. He sets the tone for this team, especially on the defensive end. He gets out and pressures opposing ball-handlers and makes it difficult for them to easily initiate their offense. On the offensive end, he attacks the basket strong. He uses his physical, athletic frame, to get downhill and finish through contact. Piper finished with 14 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal.
6’7 2024 Maurio Hanson (Chambers)
Maurio Hanson is a young forward prospect that continues to showcase his skillset and versatility. He utilizes his length and athleticism on the defensive end to clean up the glass and protect the rim. Offensively, he plays with patience in the post and showcases nice touch around the basket, especially with his left hook. In addition, for his size and position, he has excellent passing abilities. He made several passes out of the post to open teammates on the perimeter in post skip situations. More importantly, Hanson is a player who doesn’t mind doing the little things to help his team win. In the second half, he sacrificed his body by stepping over and drawing a charge to prevent a transition layup for Myers Park. Hanson finished with 12 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block.
6’5 2024 Sir Mohammed (Myers Park)
Sir Mohammed led the way for Myers Park and finished with a game-high of both 20 points and 9 rebounds, to go along with his 2 assists and 1 steal. He was vital in Myers Park’s comeback efforts, scoring 16 of his 20 points in the second half. After a slow first half, he became more aggressive in the second half, and didn’t let the defensive pressure from Chambers dictate what he was doing. He utilized his size and ability to create off the bounce to get downhill and finish strong through contact. He showcased his ability to create by finishing crafty moves off the bounce. The spin move to the layup, the euro step, and a nifty behind the back to a floater. Also, he knocked down the catch and shoot three and the midrange pull-up. He displayed all the aspects of his games that he’s capable of. Mohammed is going to have a huge sophomore season.
6’8 2023 Elijah Strong (Myers Park)
Elijah Strong is a skilled and versatile forward, and that was on full display. He finished with 17 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block. Strong was was a force in the interior this game. He was active on the glass, finishing with put-backs. He showcased his ability to face up, create off the bounce, get into the paint, play under control, utilize ball fakes, footwork, and the ability to finish with either hand. On the defensive end, he played well both on the interior and out on the perimeter. He forced opponents to shoot tough shots in the post, and when he had to guard on the perimeter, he slid his feet, kept his man in front, and forced tough shots over his length. Strong is going to have an extremely productive junior season. He holds offers from Wofford, High Point, and Radford, and it is only a matter of time before more D1 schools offer him.