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Three Notable Storylines for Tourney Town Showcase
Greensboro Hosts Charlotte: Dudley and Carolina International Arguably armed with their best rosters in recent history, Dudley and Carolina International enter this contest with nice momentum. The Panthers have a quality mix of veteran pieces at all positions and are led by CJ Neely, CJ Jones, Andrew Rogers, and Zion Nichols. Not only do they have balance, but they have a strong depth of talent...
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Players for College Coaches to Watch at Ish Smith Showcase
6’4 ’25 Kevonta’ Martin (Central Cabarrus) 6’2 ’25 Cayden Smith (Central Cabarrus) 6’5 ’27 Infinite Morrow (Central Cabarrus) 6’4 ’26 Henry Smith (Marvin Ridge) 5’10 ’25 Brady Dunn (Marvin Ridge) 6’2 ’26 Marshall Payne (Marvin Ridge) 6’1 ’25 Alex Hutchins (Marvin Ridge) 6’0 ’27 Lenise Joseph (North Meck) 5’8 ’27 Morgan Knox (North Meck) 6’0 ’25 Shanon Hoover (North Meck) 5’7 ’25 Amya Leathers...
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Players for College Coaches to Watch at 828 Showcase
5’5 ’28 Saige Harris (East Rutherford) 5’5 ’26 Zilah Dewberry (East Rutherford) 5’5 ’26 Misa Garris (Queen’s Grant) 5’9 ’28 Za’Miya Bynum (Queen’s Grant) 6’0 ’26 Casey Smith (Queen’s Grant) 5’9 ’26 Emma Montanari (East Lincoln) 5’7 ’25 Taniyah Thomas (East Lincoln) 5’8 ’27 Brooklyn Miller (East Lincoln) 5’10 ’26 Lane Pethel (East Lincoln) 5’7 ’25 Julie Matheson (Watauga) 5’8 ’26 Izzy Torgerson...
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Players for College Coaches to Watch at Tourney Town Showcase
6’3 ’25 Tyren Martin (Page) 6’3 ’27 Chris Gomez (Forsyth Country Day) 5’9 ’27 JR Adams (Forsyth Country Day) 5’9 ’26 Q Williams (Forsyth Country Day) 6’2 ’25 Sacha Geremski (Forsyth Country Day) 6’5 ’28 AD Dalton (Forsyth Country Day) 6’1 ’25 CJ Neely (Dudley) 6’1 ’26 CJ Jones (Dudley) 6’7 ’27 Andrew Rogers (Dudley) 6’4 ’25 Zion Nichols (Dudley) 6’4 ’26 KJ Shouse (Carolina International) 6’0 ’25...
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What to Watch for at Phenom 828 Showcase
Ladies Leading the Way In the second contest of the Freedom 828 Showcase, East Lincoln versus Watauga has the makings of a highly anticipated game. Currently sitting at 3-1, the Mustangs have been clearly making noise behind the insane production of Emma Montanari, who has been averaging video game-like numbers through four games. She’s posting gaudy per-game numbers of 29.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 4.3...
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Three Big Storylines for the Ish Smith Showcase
Two Lady Powerhouses Collide The Charlotte-based area is absolutely loaded with talent on both the men’s and women’s side, and two of the top programs are set to face off this weekend. North Meck ladies enter this contest with an undefeated record (3-0) and a slew of talented prospects. Led by Lenise Joseph, Shannon Hoover, Morgan Knox, Altamise Leach, Kameron Smith, and several others, the Lady...
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Bendel’s Best: Underrated Athletes’ Southeast Invitational
On Saturday, Phenom Hoops traveled out to Reid Ross Elementary School in Fayetteville, North Carolina for Underrated Athletes’ second annual Southeast Invitational. Event Director Chris Ewell put together a lineup of seven games (featuring both men’s and women’s matchups) with a mix of quality local teams. Between the individual prospects and overall competition, there were a lot of takeaways....
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South Carolina Top 80 Camp Evaluations: Team 4
Team 4 Coach: Jay Anderson #6: 5’9 ’25 Nigere Brown (Laurens) Starting off, we look at a player who produced well despite being the smallest camper on this team, Nigere Brown. He’s a smart, skilled guard prospect with smooth shooting ability, useful playmaking instincts, and reliable defensive instincts. Brown is comfortable creating off the bounce and setting up others, but is arguably at his...
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South Carolina Top 80 Camp Evaluations: Team 3
Team 3 Coach: Kelvin Mills #7: 5’9 ’26 Cooper Brzozka (Legion Collegiate) Starting off, we look at a player who did a lot of things well despite being the smallest camper on this team, Cooper Brzozka. He’s a smart, scrappy guard prospect who reliably initiates the offense and shoots the ball at a high clip. Brzozka is a lethal midrange threat who picks his spots well, defers to others, and...
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Late Snag for College Program: 2025 Jamie Lawson (Pine Lake Prep)
Player: Jamie LawsonClass: 2025Height: 6’1School: Pine Lake Prep Several memorable performances stood out to us at the Phenom Lakesgiving, but the one that may have been the most memorable was the showing from 2025 6’1 Jamie Lawson from Pine Lake Prep. To put it simply… he was off the charts. He finished against Lincolnton with 38 points, seven rebounds, one assist, and one...
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South Carolina Top 80 Camp Evaluations: Team 2
Team 2 Coach: Angus Anderson #8: 5’9 ’26 Nico Byrd (Legion Collegiate) Starting off, we look at a player who made a lasting impression through his shooting prowess, Nico Byrd. He’s a scrappy, unselfish guard prospect who can initiate the offense and get others involved in the action. That being said, Byrd is quite comfortable at playing without the ball and knocking down perimeter jumpers off...
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South Carolina Top 80 Camp Evaluations: Team 1
Team 1 Coach: Justin Dawkins #9: 5’9 ’25 Nikayle Hodge (Westminster Catawba) Starting off, we look at a player who displayed poise and confidence when running the team, Nikayle Hodge. He’s a smart, scrappy point guard prospect with a quality combination of quickness, scoring prowess, and playmaking instincts. Hodge possesses a crafty handle and sharp penetration sense, which allows him to...
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Saturday Takeaways from Hoops and Dreams
Bull City Prep’s Recruitable Core After seeing them at our George Lynch and then getting another viewing opportunity this past weekend, there’s a lot to like about Bull City Prep. Although they have a variety of meaningful contributors, everything ultimately comes down to their group of Tyrin Graham, Viktor Alao, Ryan Chen, Stephano Farrington, and Kamal Brantley. Graham is a balanced floor...
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Friday Takeaways from Hoops and Dreams
Wilson Prep Continues to Roll Unsurprisingly, Coach Ant Atkinson has another notable squad worthy of attention. They’ve contended every season since 2019-20, but this might honestly be their best group yet. Despite their balanced structure that includes several college players, everything starts and ends with Elijah Newsome. The 6-foot-3 guard possesses length, athleticism, and effortless...
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North Carolina Freshman Forty Camp Evaluations: Team 20
Team 20 Coach: Brant Short #4: 5’6 ’28 MJ Russell (RJ Reynolds) Starting off, we look at a player who has a natural understanding of how to run a team on both ends of the floor, MJ Russell. He’s a smart, scrappy point guard prospect with an unselfish approach and quality motor. Russell displays a great balance between scoring and playmaking, looking to create for others and pick his spots within...
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North Carolina Freshman Forty Camp Evaluations: Team 19
Team 19 Coach: Joe Adams #3: 5’6 ’28 Bryson Phillips (Cardinal Gibbons) Starting off, we look at a player who made a quality impact despite being the smallest camper on this team, Bryson Phillips. He’s a smart, scrappy point guard prospect who showcased an impressive level of scoring polish. Phillips reliably initiated the offense and got others involved, but found consistent success from all...
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North Carolina Freshman Forty Camp Evaluations: Team 18
Team 18 Coach: Evan Neisler #2: 5’9 ’28 Paxton Coon (Wake Christian) Starting off, we look at a player who did a lot of things well despite being the smallest camper on this team, Paxton Coon. He’s a smart, skilled guard prospect who can run an offense or apply lethal pressure as a shooting threat. Coon is a useful creator with the handle, vision, and scoring prowess to make plays with the ball...
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North Carolina Freshman Forty Camp Evaluations: Team 17
Team 17 Coach: Davis Absher/David Broome #1: 5’2 ’28 Anthony Lopez (Thales Academy) Starting off, we look at a player who really stood out on both ends of the floor despite his lack of size, Anthony Lopez. He’s a smart, scrappy guard prospect with a high motor and an unselfish mentality. Lopez is capable of initiating the offense and creating for others, but also finds a lot of success in...
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North Carolina Freshman Forty Camp Evaluations: Team 16
Team 16 Coach: Kelvin Mills #12: 5’9 ’28 Josh Caldwell (West Forsyth) Starting off, we look at a player who did a lot of things well despite being the smallest camper on this team, Josh Caldwell. He’s a smart, scrappy guard prospect with a well-rounded skillset and unselfish approach to the game. Caldwell handles the ball well and effectively creates for himself and others. He’s a useful scorer...
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North Carolina Freshman Forty Camp Evaluations: Team 15
Team 15 Coach: Dre Simmons #11: 5’9 ’28 Grant Locklear (Excelsior Classical) Starting off, we look at a player who did a lot of things well despite being the smallest camper on this team, Grant Locklear. He’s a steady, scrappy point guard prospect who knows how to manage the offense, get others involved, and apply pressure as a shooting threat. Locklear displays great feel and pace with the ball...
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Five Takeaways from Phenom Tip-Off Classic
This past weekend, Phenom Hoops held our annual Tip-Off Classic at Davidson Day School. Between the two days, the event was loaded with talented teams, prospects, and enticing storylines. Several state title contenders performed against noteworthy opponents and the individual matchups brought a lot of intrigue as well. Let’s take a look at some personal takeaways from the event… Freshmen Shining...
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North Carolina Freshman Forty Camp Evaluations: Team 14
Team 14 Coach: Austin Collins #8: 5’7 ’28 Rudd Sutton (Fayetteville Academy) Starting off, we look at a player who showcased nice balance as a floor general, Rudd Sutton. He’s a skilled, unselfish point guard prospect who knows how to consistently knock down perimeter jumpers and set up others. Sutton possesses useful vision, ball-handling ability, and an understanding of how to initiate...
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Being an X-Factor: 2025 Dario Williams (Gaston Christian)
Player: Dario WilliamsClass: 2025Height: 6’5School: Gaston Christian There are so many players out there here in North Carolina that bring true value and can be an x-factor for their team. 2025 6’5 Dario Williams certainly fits that profile at Gaston Christian, as he has clearly elevated his game to help his team this season. When talking about Williams, he is one that has caught the eyes of our...
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North Carolina Freshman Forty Camp Evaluations: Team 13
Team 13 Coach: Steve Mims/Trenton Hancock #7: 5’10 ’28 O’Brian Lowery Jr. (Gaston Day) Starting off, we look at a player who showcased strong polish and feel on both ends of the floor, O’Brian Lowery Jr. He’s a smart, crafty point guard prospect with a lethal penetration sense and reliable creation instincts. Lowery scored the ball from all levels but displayed a clear willingness to set up...
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Standouts from Wesleyan Christian vs. Providence Day
On Tuesday, Phenom Hoops traveled to High Point to watch a notable matchup between Wesleyan Christian and Providence Day. Given the talented, veteran-laden rosters on both sidelines, each team has the ability to contend for a state title. Between the first two quarters, it looked like Wesleyan could cruise to a win without really being challenged. The Trojans led 27-21 at halftime and appeared...
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North Carolina Sophomore Forty Camp Evaluations: Team 12
Team 12 Coach: Jared Grady #50: 5’10 ’27 Preston Scott (Queens Grant) Starting off, we look at a player who showcased an impressive two-way identity, Preston Scott. He’s a smart, heady point guard prospect with a tight handle, quick first step, and lethal penetration sense. Scott knocks down jumpers at a quality rate from midrange and beyond the arc, but is arguably at his best when attacking...
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North Carolina Sophomore Forty Camp Evaluations: Team 11
Team 11 Coach: Jay Anderson/Dree Phillips #53: 5’11 ’27 Daniel Wright (JF Webb) Starting off, we look at a player who showcased his ability to run a team as a leader, Daniel Wright. He’s a smart, high-motor guard prospect with a tight handle and sharp playmaking sense. Wright touches the paint at a high volume, where he’s able to finish or effectively set up others. That being said, he also...
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North Carolina Sophomore Forty Camp Evaluations: Team 10
Team 10 Coach: Curtis Patton #16: 5’9 ’27 Nathan Jones (Grace Christian) Starting off, we look at a player who simply knows how to run a team and lead by example, Nathan Jones. He’s a smart, crafty point guard prospect with a polished scoring arsenal and reliable playmaking sense. Jones shoots the ball at a high level and applies consistent pressure as a downhill threat. He looks to set up...
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North Carolina Sophomore Forty Camp Evaluations: Team 9
Team 9 Coach: Jamal Mitchell #6: 5’8 ’27 JR Adams (Forsyth Country Day) Starting off, we look at a player who understands how to set the tone on both ends of the floor, JR Adams. He’s a smart, tough, scrappy point guard prospect with the ability to dictate the action or find opportunities as an off-ball option. Adams handles the ball with care, sets up others, and scores at an efficient rate....
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North Carolina Top 80 Camp Evaluations: Team 8
Team 8 Coach: David Robinson #1: 5’10 ’26 Beckett Coon (Wake Christian) Starting off, we look at a player who offers an appealing blend of scoring and playmaking, Beckett Coon. He’s a smart, crafty point guard prospect with a tight handle, reliable creation skills, and polished shot-making ability. Coon utilizes his quick first step to break down opponents and touch the paint at a consistent...
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