This weekend, Phenom Hoops will officially begin our annual Hoopstate Fall League. Previously, games were hosted at Cox Mill and JD Lewis Center, but Rise Indoor Sports will also be added to the mix this year. Between three separate venues, kids from several different areas will have the opportunity to compete against other notable programs as they prepare for the upcoming high school season. Leading up to the preseason contests, we will preview some of the teams registered to attend—looking at East Mecklenburg High School.
Coming off a solid year in 2023-24, the Eagles should have even higher expectations for the upcoming season. Sure, they lost a key senior who provided quality production. However, this group will return nine of their eleven players. Ahmari Hicks should be the clear focal point and senior leader. Not only should he collect college offers, but his production should also see an uptick across the board. Add in another year of development for Jordan Buzzard, and there should be a lot of optimism surrounding this group. Guys like Vance Johnson, Derrick Rupert, James McIver, and various others should play a role.
Key Returners:
6’2 ’25 Ahmari Hicks
Junior Stats: 16.0 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.7 SPG
6’7 ’26 Jordan Buzzard
Sophomore Stats: 9.7 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.9 BPG
5’9 ’25 Vance Johnson
Junior Stats: 6.4 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.3 SPG
6’4 ’25 Derrick Rupert
Junior Stats: 4.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG