The second annual North Carolina Top 80 was held at Proehlific Park in Greensboro, North Carolina. This event features the top 80 players in the state in the 2018, 2017, and 2016 class. It’s a tremendous platform for players to enhance their resume on a regional and national level. Let’s take a look at the players from each team.
Today, we will take a look at team 4 coached by Bill Boyette of Terry Sanford High School and Jam Patterson.
6’3 ’16 Dennis Smith of Trinity Christian (Fayetteville)
There are not many accolades we can add to the personal resume for Dennis Smith. He’s a consensus top five prospect in the 2016 class nationally and is without question a franchise player at the collegiate level. In addition, there is talk that Smith may be a “one and done” prospect. Without question, Smith combines a unique blend of athleticism and skillset that is not often seen. Simply put, he is on a different level and one of a kind.
6’9 ’18 Jude Akubeze of Prominence Academy (Raleigh)
We first watched Jude Akubeze at the NC Phenom 150 camp. He was simply dominant and earned an invite to the prestigious NC Top 80. Jude has tremendous size and can simply dominate the paint. Offensively, he is a workhorse on the boards and will battle you for every loose ball or rebound. Defensively, he has the ability to block and alter shot. His length and bounce allows him to be a nice rim protector
6’3 ’18 Will Dillard of Greensboro Day School (Greensboro)
Will Dillard is one of the more athletic and gifted players in the 2018 class. He has great energy and finishes strong in traffic and doesn’t mind making the opposition the recipient of a highflying dunk in traffic. While Will is comfortable attacking the rim, he has really improved his perimeter shooting and his midrange has become quite effective. He is a strong defender and one of the more explosive players in the state.
5’11 ‘ 18 Dakari Johnson of Northwood Temple (Fayetteville)
Before we write anything on Dakari, go ahead and put this young man in your SIM CARD. Dakari has athleticism and a matched skill set that will elevate him quickly at the top of the rankings for his class. At the NC Top 80, Dakari demonstrated poise and maturity. He controlled the tempo and got his team into the offense effectively. Dakari made good decisions throughout the day and solidified his status as one of the top PGs in the NC 2018 class.
6’7 ’16 Osinachi Smart of New Garden Friends (Greensboro)
Osinachi Smart is a physical specimen. He is athletically gifted and the strength and length of Smart will quickly pass the eye test once he steps onto the court. Smart is an aggressive rebounder and plays with tremendous passion. Currently, his game is limited to the paint, which is OK. He knows his strength. The next step in his development is to refine his skill set which will only elevate his stock among college coaches.
6’5 ’16 Joshua Howard of Providence Day (Charlotte)
Joshua Howard is a multiple talented player that has advanced ball handling and passing skills for his size/position. He’s a coachable player and his team first attitude will enable him to be a “glue guy” for any team at the next level. Joshua can play on the interior or on the perimeter and his size and skill set will creates mismatches on a regular basis. In our opinion, Joshua is only scratching the surface on how good he can become.
6’2 ’16 Rob Whitfield of Wake Christian Academy (Raleigh)
Rob Whitfield combines athleticism and a matched skill set. He is silky smooth in the open court and his game appears effortless at times. Rob has natural gifts especially on the offensive end of the court. He can score from all levels and can literally take over a game. The next step in his development is to push himself on the defensive end of the court. His length and quickness could be a strong attribute in being an outstanding defender. Rob has outstanding lateral quickness and a quick first step. Right now, he doesn’t quite understand how good he could become.
5’11 ’17 Rayshawn Neal of Garinger (Charlotte)
Rayshawn Neal has the ability to be one of the top point guards in his class. He has all the physical tools especially with his vertical speed. Rayshawn loves to push the pace and is excellent in transition. He can be a blur in the open court and often beats the defense down for easy transition baskets. The next step for Rayshawn is to be more vocal on the court and demand the leadership position on a consistent basis.
6’2 ’18 Trey Wertz of Providence Day (Charlotte)
Before he graduates from high school. Trey has the ability to be one of the elite shooters in the state. He has a quick release and a shooter’s mentality. While he is rather thin, he has good length for possible growth. Trey has a solid understanding of the game and possesses a high basketball IQ. Right now, he just needs to add strength to maximize his potential. In addition, Trey is young for his grade and with strength and maturity watch out!
6’5 ’16 Stephen Misenheimer of North Stanly (Badin)
Stephen has an excellent feel for the game. He allows the game come to him and rarely plays out of his comfort zone. Stephen won’t wow you with athleticism or flashy play, but he will go about his business in a workmanlike fashion. He plays well off the ball and unlike many prospects doesn’t have to command the ball to be effective. Stephen has a high basketball IQ and will do all the little things that are necessary to help his team win.
6’7 ’16 Parker Julian of Charlotte Latin (Charlotte)
Parker Julian was a late addition to the NC Top 80 and he made the most of his opportunity. He has a “ton of potential” to be really good. He plays hard on both ends of the court and is a hardnosed competitor. Parker has tremendous mobility at the high post and could be an outstanding hybrid PF at the high academic D1 institutions. He can knock down the midrange jumper from the elbow, but is fluid in putting the ball on the floor. Once Parker adds strength to his frame, his game can elevate to another level.