NAME TO KNOW:
6’4” Sophomore Hayden Mann (Eastern Alamance- NC)
PLAYER: Hayden Mann
CLASS: 2018
HEIGHT and WEIGHT: 6’4″ & 180 lbs
HIGH SCHOOL TEAM: Eastern Alamance (Mebane, NC)
AAU PROGRAM: Mid State Magic
GPA: 3.5
THOUGHTS ON MANN:
With such a large abundance of raw talent in grassroots basketball, it’s sometimes difficult to give everyone the recognition that they deserve. Week after week, thousands of teams and players battle against top-tier competition all across the country in hopes of attracting attention from a few college coaches and scouts. After thousands of miles of travel, and a long summer of evaluation, our Phenom Hoops team learned a great deal of information about North Carolina’s Class of 2018. The Tar Heel State prospects are strong, hungry, and eager to make their names known on a national scale. But, one thing we noticed that several kids lacked' Consistency.
At such a young age, it can definitely be challenging to consistently perform at such a high level. With countless amounts of people in attendance at each event, it’s typical for some players to struggle and let their nerves get the best of them. It takes a special type of warrior to continuously get the job done game after game in an efficient manner. One player in particular that fits the role and separates himself from the rest of the pack' Rising sophomore Hayden Mann from Eastern Alamance High School.
When we first discovered this stud at Summer Havoc back in late July, we immediately fell in love with his overall game. Mann wasn’t exactly the flashiest player, and didn’t necessarily have that “wow” factor that blew us off our feet, but he fought hard, stayed determined, and proved to us that he definitely has what it takes to develop into an absolute monster here in the coming years. Standing at 6’3”, this young gun made it apparent that he came to Greensboro that weekend to gain the maximum exposure he deserves.
Offensively, this hoss was flat-out electric. Throughout the course of the event, Mann created endless opportunities for his squad. He distributed the ball well, displayed phenomenal court vision, and knocked down bucket after bucket from all over the floor. Whenever his squad needed a big time play, the lefty was there to deliver. Mann posted three 20+-point performances during the early stages of tournament play, and knocked down a full-court lob in an elimination game as time expired to send his squad into OT. His handles were sharp, his basketball IQ was extraordinary, and his leadership ability soared through the roof. On defense, he’s the type of player that all coaches desire to have on their roster. Mann was a scrappy, fierce defender who wasn’t afraid to get a little rough when needed. He attacked the glass strong, forced several TO’s, and used his long arms and freakish athleticism to give himself a slight advantage on many occasions.
With the 2015-2016 regular high school season just around the corner, people can expect Mann to play a BIG role for his squad this year. If he can successfully improve his speed a tad bit, and work on a few minor aspects of his defensive game, we wouldn’t be surprised if he developed into one of North Carolina’s most lethal guards in the entire ’18 class. Last year, Eastern Alamance High School finished 23-5, and fell one game short of the 3A Final Four. Although they lost seven players due to graduation last spring, the Eagles will have a few big time names returning to their roster this fall. Look for HC John McPherson to have his boys fighting for a title come March. Did we forget to mention that Mann plays QB for the football team too' The future is definitely bright in Mebane.