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 8 coached by Tim Woods of Word of God.
6’0 ’18 Jomaru Brown of Southern Durham HS (Durham)
Jomaru is a promising young PG that is blessed with open court speed, quickness and athleticism. He is best at attacking the basket and finishing above the rim with punishing dunks. Jomaru is dangerous in the open court and utilizes the hesitation and cross over dribble effectively. In addition, Jomaru has good court vision and is able to make timely passes off the dribble. He does have a solid shooting touch from the perimeter and will need to showcase that skillset more consistently.
6’1 ’18 Tripp Greene of Forsyth Country Day (Lewisville)
Tripp is such a fundamentally sound player that sports a high GPA and basketball IQ. Not the most athletic player on the court, Tripp makes his presence known by doing everything well. He handles, passes and shoots the ball at a high efficiency. Tripp is one of the most unselfish players and may be too unselfish at times. No matter the setting or venue, (high school or AAU) Tripp may be just one of the best team players in the state. He simply knows how to play within a team structure and will be a glue guy at any level. While Tripp won’t make many you tube highlight videos, but one thing is for certain, you win with guys like him!
6’5 ’18 Qon Murphy of Hough HS (Huntersville)
Qon is blessed with tremendous length and an advanced skillset for his age/grade. Not many players with his length/size have the ball handling and passing skills. We’re talking about a young 6’5 PG that is still only scratching the surface of his long range potential. Qon has learned to play with more consistent effort over the past year and is now finding his niche as an upper echelon player in the NC 2018 class. As we have mentioned many times in the past, once Qon understands how good he can truly be, the sky’s the limit. Now, we are starting to see the fruits of his labor.
6’3 ’16 Ray Kowalski of Concord HS (Concord)
Ray is your typical tough as nails player that plays with effort and passion. He’s an excellent perimeter shooter and has the ability to knock down 3-pointers off the dribble in transition which makes him a highly effective player. Shooters translate and there are not many better shooters in the state than Ray. In addition, Ray has improved in creating his own shot off the dribble. While known for a “lethal” perimeter shooter, Ray is often undervalued as a ball handler and passer. The best attribute about Ray is his competitive spirit. Very few players play as hard and values winning as he does!
6’3 ’16 Marshall Lange of Westchester Country Day (Archdale)
Marshall Lange has continued to fly under the recruiting radar, but that should quickly change this summer. He is a high IQ player with advanced fundamentals. He is crafty with the ball and has outstanding court vision. He is a low risk high reward player and seldom makes mistakes or turnovers. Marshall has a workmanlike approach to the game and understands what it takes to win. He is consistently making the right and winning play time and time again!
6’4 ’18 Hendon Hooker of Dudley (Greensboro)
Hendon is a two-sport star on the gridiron and on the hardwood. He already sports ACC offers in football, which is accompanied with an impressive 4.3 GPA. Hendon is a high major QB and has also made his mark on the basketball court with his ability to score from all levels. He has the length and athleticism that is accompanied by a solid skillset. He will have a tough choice down the road concerning which sports he will take to college. Safe bets he could a high profile football player at the collegiate level. That being said, he could also become a solid player on the hardwood as well. In the meantime, we can sit back and enjoy the two-sport star for a few more years!
6’4 ’16 Mike Buckland of Wesleyan Christian (High Point)
Mike Buckland has good size and a solid skillset. He always sports an outstanding attitude on the court and plays with poise and maturity. He plays the game the right way and is an excellent team player. His shot selection is excellent and plays within the confines of the game. Rarely will you see Mike take a bad shot or force things offensively. He simply allows the game come to him and plays within the flow of the offense. We really like his hardnosed approach to the game and always give maximum effort.
6’4 ’17 Telligence Johnson of Terry Sanford HS (Fayetteville)
Telligence is an explosive shooting guard who led his high school team to the NCHSAA 4A state championship. He has a physically mature frame and can create some crowd appealing, “monster dunks” during the course of the game. In addition, Telligence has the ability to create his own shot off the dribble and can stop on a dime in transition. He has excellent elevation on his jumper and can easily score from all three levels on the court. In addition to being physically gifted with a solid skillset, he is a competitor and hates losing. We really like his leadership ability and has shown what it takes to lead a team to a state championship.
6’5 ’17 Tajh Small of Northern Durham (Durham)
Tajh has good length and a soft shooting touch from the perimeter. He can score from all levels on the court, but his ability to get into the lane creates a lot of havoc on opposing teams. Known more for his scoring ability, we were also impressed with his court vision as he made one excellent pass after another. Tajh has become a better all around player and has really improved over the past year enabling them to take his game to another level. His game has matured tremendously and now is allowing the game come to him. We particularly like the fluidness/smoothness of his game. It appears so effortless on the court!
6’9 ’17 Jack Hemphill of Broughton HS (Raleigh)
Jack Hemphill is a fundamentally sound power forward that has passer friendly hands in the post. We particularly like his footwork and movement around the rim. Jack has the ability to step out and knock down the midrange jumper, which allows him to be effective against more athletic players. In addition, Jack plays with energy and passion and excels at running the court. He’s a blue-collar worker that goes about his business in a workmanlike approach. He doesn’t back down from challenges and will battle you for rebounds. Not the flashiest player, but one that gets results!
7’0 ‘ 17 Chris Efretuei of Concord Prep (Concord)
Seven footers don’t come along very often and usually their development takes longer. That too is the case for Chris Efretuei, but the long and slender seven footer displayed a soft shooting touch around the rim. We particularly liked his ability to run the floor in transition and work for position in terms of securing rebounds. Naturally, what you see in Chris is far from the finished product, but the ingredients are definitely there. He has a great attitude on the court and has an impressive 3.5 GPA in the classroom. Chris has a good understanding of the game and it will only be a matter of time before he becomes a more familiar name on the recruiting trail.