Last summer, Coach Antonio Lowe shook the grassroots scene upon making his announcement to leave Moravian Prep and return to his former stomping grounds by joining Winston-Salem Christian. He kept guys like Tavis Bridges, Jordan Wildy, Brayden Crump, and Amare Haynie (who was sidelined with an injury), but also made considerable additions. Upon adding Daniel Nixon, Quante Berry, Christ Essandoko, Brandon White, Jarius Northam, Christian Cornish, and numerous others, Lowe had already put together the makings of a top-tier team in North Carolina. However, between the new structure, lack of true cohesion, and injury to Haynie (combined with lack of point guard depth), things didn’t necessarily go as planned. In all honesty, Coach Lowe’s seemingly nonstop success led to the masses’ unreasonably high expectations for these new-look Lions. They were still extremely tough and talented, but showed some flashes of inconsistency throughout their roster. Fast-forward six months, and Lowe might’ve found the missing piece in Zion Collins.
Between the coaching and specified structure, this move should be equally advantageous for both parties. Collins needs to be in a situation where the pressure is going to force him to face adversity and become a star, and Lowe is proven in this practice. Adding Collins to the guard grouping of Berry, Haynie, and Northam should allow him to assert himself at a gradual pace—rather than immediately being thrust into a leadership role. Anyone who has watched him closely over the last calendar year should already know about his obvious appeal. Collins is a smart, tough, heady point guard prospect with sharp vision, craftiness as a creator, and phenomenal defensive prowess. He’s also a quality athlete with size and a visible competitive streak on either end of the floor. In terms of tools and upside, one could argue that Collins is as enticing as any guard within North Carolina’s Class of 2024. The move to Winston-Salem Christian should pay dividends for everyone, as Collins will ultimately be the decider of his own fate.