Last week, Phenom Hoops traveled out to Bishop McGuinness in Kernersville, North Carolina for the NC Spartans’ media day. The practice featured their five 17U squads, which allowed us to see the differences in style and roster construction between each team. We’ve seen this program put kids in college on a yearly basis, yet this might honestly be their most talented group from top to bottom. It’s a surefire guarantee that college coaches will be pursuing players across these five teams (Liles, Pittman, Patton, Lindell, and Bell), so let’s take a closer look at their individual makeups—moving on to Daymond Lindell’s group.
6’7 Taky Prosper (Oak Ridge)
There are a lot of appealing prospects within the Spartans program, but arguably none more intriguing than Taky Prosper. His size, strength, and overall fluidity as a long, 6-foot-7 forward makes him immediately tantalizing. Prosper is still developing his general feel and skillset, but truly possesses all the tools to blossom into a notable player. He’s a great athlete with a quality motor and useful rebounding presence. Prosper finishes well around the rim, shows flashes of perimeter ability, and causes problems for opponents with his defensive presence. He’s just beginning to scratch the surface of his long-term upside, so he’ll definitely be one to monitor.
6’3 Frantz Pierre (Oak Hill)
It’s easy to see everything Frantz Pierre will bring to the table. He’s a tough, scrappy two-way guard prospect who will likely operate as a primary creator for this group. Pierre handles the ball well, sets up others, and utilizes his quick first step to get downhill. He’s a quality defender with nice anticipation at the point of attack. Pierre can also knock down jumpers as needed, but typically looks to attack the basket and get others involved. He should be a key piece for this team.
6’2 Jordan Williams (Northern Guilford)
Although he doesn’t have a ton of buzz currently surrounding him, folk should expect Jordan Williams to turn heads this summer. He’s a tough, explosive wing prospect with a high motor and a natural inclination to do the little things on both ends of the floor. Williams is a rugged, physical defender and quality rebounder who thrives in transition. He’s able to consistently finish above the rim, but can also initiate the offense or knock down the occasional jumper. Williams also consistently does the dirty work.
6’5 Caleb Hutchins (Calvary Christian)
The Spartans organization has a lot of shooting in general, and it feels like Caleb Hutchins should emerge as the top shooting threat for this squad. He’s a big, strong-bodied wing prospect with a quality motor and feel for the game. Hutchins moves well without the ball, defends his position, and actively looks to fill in the gaps however necessary. He’s a great spot-up threat with an understanding of how to attack closeouts and make the extra pass.
6’0 Cameron Milton (Northern Guilford)
This group has a variety of useful backcourt pieces, so Cameron Milton’s balanced play from the guard position should be a seamless fit. He’s a sturdy, fairly well-rounded guard prospect with the ability to play with or without the ball in his hands. Milton touches the paint, makes solid passes, and can score the ball in various ways. Add in his defense and capable rebounding presence, and he should be able to do a little bit of everything for this group.
6’4 Amon Griffin (Shining Light)
Given everything Amon Griffin showcased at the practice, it would seem that he’ll carve out a meaningful role as a guy with size, energy, and abilities as a finisher and rebounder. He possesses nice length and mobility with an understanding of how to actively fill in the gaps on either side of the ball. Griffin can also space the floor if needed, but is more effective when making his presence felt inside the arc. He has made steady improvements to his game.
6’5 Aidan Cauthen (Mount Tabor)
In many ways, Aidan Cauthen serves as the main blue-collar guy on this roster. He’s a tough, high-motor forward who plays bigger than his listed height as a defender and rebounder. Cauthen willingly does the dirty work whenever possible, but can also finish, make the extra pass, and find scoring opportunities in transition. He’s a capable scoring option but looks to apply pressure within the team structure. Cauthen naturally sets the tone by example through his overall approach.
6’3 Jonathan Wembolua (East Rowan)
Despite not being in attendance, Jonathan Wembolua will provide a valuable blend of size, athleticism, and two-way energy to this group. He utilizes his length well to finish, rebound, and force turnovers. Wembolua is a physically overwhelming player who makes hustle plays and simply knows how to outwork opponents on both ends of the floor.
5’11 Kareem Osman (Piedmont Classical)
Although Kareem Osman was not in attendance, he will provide this team with a scrappy guard presence. He’s a capable initiator with solid vision, defensive ability, and scoring prowess. Osman is arguably at his best when setting up others and applying scoring pressure within the flow of the action.