EVENT NEWS
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Establishing a Winning Culture: Coach Baker and The New-Look Cannon
In a time when so many long-tenured coaches become content, Jim Baker is the type who doesn’t shy away from a new challenge. Across 40 years, he enjoyed consistent success coaching in the college (Catawba College) and high school (Central Cabarrus) ranks. Baker spent nearly two decades in the collegiate game before his next endeavor—Central Cabarrus. Following some initial struggles in his first...
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2025 Brett Freeman (Ardrey Kell) playing on another level
Ardrey Kell is having a tremendous season and one of the biggest reasons why is the play of senior guard 2025 6’5 Brett Freeman. Freeman is having his best season ever, as he is posting averages of 28.6ppg, 2.8rpg,3.5apg, and 1.6spg, being the true leader on the court for his team. His play has certainly sparked interest from programs and more eyes his way. Recently, Phenom Hoops wrote...
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Takeaways from the John Wall Holiday Invitational
The Hype is Real with Christ School While they’re already the consensus top team in the state, the Christ School Greenies looked like a team playing on a different level from their peers at the John Wall. They had four players rank in the top 10 of all players in +/-, despite being one of four teams to only play two games in the tournament. Their roster is constructed in an incredibly meticulous...
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Player Standouts at Phenom Ambassador Classic (Part Two)
6’4 ’26 KJ Shouse (Carolina International) Despite Carolina International narrowly suffering defeat, Shouse continues to shine as the all-around focal point for the Comets. He utilized his versatility to set the tone on both ends of the floor. Shouse consistently secured rebounds, defended multiple positions, and produced in several ways offensively. Although he’s shown visible improvement as a...
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Sad Sam’s Weekly Furious 5 for Week Ending 1/4
Greetings HS hoops junkies from across the icy Piedmont! The Great One is back after the holidays to reveal his latest F5 rankings. Unlike usual, he factored in holiday tournament results in his first rankings of 2025. Conference play began for some counties this past Friday and goes to full throttle this week. Some always good showdowns are on the horizon and The Sadster is ready and waiting....
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Phenom Hoops Sets Sights on Williamsburg for Seven Tournaments in 2027
Press Release per Visit WilliamsburgLink: https://www.visitwilliamsburg.com/ Phenom Hoops is bringing its nationally recognized platform to Williamsburg, VA, in a big way. In 2027, Williamsburg will be a hub for seven tournaments at the state-of-the-art Greater Williamsburg Sports Complex. These events will feature a variety of age groups, genders, and skill levels, offering athletes invaluable...
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2026 Trey Thompson recaps Tennessee visit; new SEC interest picking up
2026 6’8 Trey Thompson has been an impressive talent every time he has stepped on the Phenom Hoops platform, and his recruitment has been picking up in a big way. He has landed offers from several schools over the last year including Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Purdue, and others. He recently posted his most recent visit to Tennessee, when the Vols took on Arkansas. We caught up with the...
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Player Standouts at Phenom Ambassador Classic (Part One)
6’0 ’26 Cam Newman (Gaston Christian) Arguably the top performance of the event, Newman was undeniably impressive. Although he offered his usual amount of playmaking and defensive prowess, the 38-point scoring outburst was easily the most memorable part of this showing. Newman applied pressure as a downhill threat and finished well at the basket but legitimately set the nets ablaze from beyond...
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Phenom Ambassador Classic Scores and Stats
Check out all the scores from today's event at Ambassador Christian, as Phenom Hoops continues to bring the best events around the region.
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Ambassador Classic Previews: Young Stars Collide
This weekend, Phenom Hoops travels to Ambassador Christian in Huntersville, North Carolina to host our inaugural Ambassador Classic. The one-day event features six games with a healthy mix of programs from the public, private, and independent sectors. In preparation for the showcase, we will take a closer look at each matchup and overview some of the anticipated storylines… Burlington Christian...
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Ambassador Classic Previews: Gaston Day and Carolina International Looking to Get Back on Track
This weekend, Phenom Hoops travels to Ambassador Christian in Huntersville, North Carolina to host our inaugural Ambassador Classic. The one-day event features six games with a healthy mix of programs from the public, private, and independent sectors. In preparation for the showcase, we will take a closer look at each matchup and overview some of the anticipated storylines… Gaston Day vs....
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Bull City Prep Offering Intriguing Prospects to Watch
Bull City Prep has been a program that has produced some good talent over the years, and they continue to take on all competitors, looking to play against the best. This season, we have watched this program on multiple occasions and this year’s roster offers some very good talent that college coaches should be taking a look at more. We dive into a few names that have impressed us so far this...
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Once again, 2026 Dionte Neal Proves Himself on the Big Stage
Talk about a broken record here… This past weekend, Reidsville went to Raleigh for the John Wall Invitational, as they were able to take home the tournament championship again. And once again… 2026 Dionte Neal proved why he should be such a hot target for college programs nationwide. Neal came up huge in so many ways again for his team, as he averaged 30.7 minutes per game, 27.3 points,...
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Ambassador Classic Previews: Major Programs from the Big Cities Collide
This weekend, Phenom Hoops travels to Ambassador Christian in Huntersville, North Carolina to host our inaugural Ambassador Classic. The one-day event features six games with a healthy mix of programs from the public, private, and independent sectors. In preparation for the showcase, we will take a closer look at each matchup and overview some of the anticipated storylines… Gaston Christian vs....
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Ambassador Classic Previews: Oak Ridge Military Travels to Face Charlotte Performance Institute
This weekend, Phenom Hoops travels to Ambassador Christian in Huntersville, North Carolina to host our inaugural Ambassador Classic. The one-day event features six games with a healthy mix of programs from the public, private, and independent sectors. In preparation for the showcase, we will take a closer look at each matchup and overview some of the anticipated storylines… Charlotte Performance...
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Ambassador Classic Previews: Langtree Charter Takes on NC GBB
This weekend, Phenom Hoops travels to Ambassador Christian in Huntersville, North Carolina to host our inaugural Ambassador Classic. The one-day event features six games with a healthy mix of programs from the public, private, and independent sectors. In preparation for the showcase, we will take a closer look at each matchup and overview some of the anticipated storylines… Langtree Charter vs....
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Noteworthy Bigs from New Year’s Bash
2026 Jordan Buzzard (East Meck) Buzzard has been a clear college-worthy prospect for some time now and he showed once again why college programs should be looking his way. Buzzard can be such a tough matchup on the court with his ability to be a threat inside and around the rim, as well as his comfort level from outside. He operates really well from a variety of levels, showing tremendous...
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Harrells Christian having a season to remember
The Crusaders of Harrells Christian Academy are having one heck of a start to the season, and they could be on the verge of having their best season in program history. Starting the season with a 16-2 record, the Crusaders have proven themselves in a big way with some impressive wins and they are looking to continue that winning trend to a title. They have put on an offensive show in some games...
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Reidsville’s Chance at History
With their championship win in the Day’Ron Sharpe bracket of the John Wall Invitational, the Reidsville Rams are now on a 37-game winning streak and have a combined record of 53-1 dating back to the start of the 2022-23 season. The current NCHSAA record for consecutive wins is 91, set by Beaufort high school in the early 1960s. If they run the table this year, the Rams would be looking at a 32-0...
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Biggest Stock Risers from the John Wall Holiday Invitational
6’7” 2026 Trevor Manhertz (Green Level) Manhertz was, in my opinion, the biggest stock riser from the weekend, showcasing his intriguing physical tools and high level shooting ability in a heightened role for the Gators. He was comfortable attacking with his off hand, finished through contact well, and made some really impressive passing reads. He averaged 17.7 PPG on the weekend with shooting...
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2026 Will Stevens talks latest offer from Texas Tech and overall recruitment
One of the best big men in the region, 2026 6’10 Will Stevens has been having a strong season in helping lead Davidson Day as they have their eyes on another championship. Stevens has been in command of the paint all season long, being a consistent scoring presence down low with terrific touch as well as being able to step out. Defensively, Stevens continues to thrive as a rim-protector in...
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Sr. Jayden Little Having Another Big Season at Anson
There are plenty of players out in North Carolina having special seasons but 2025 Jayden Little may be one of the most consistent scoring guards in the state as he is having yet another big season. Little has certainly had a tremendous high school season, averaging nearly 22 points per game in his career and has been averaging nearly 30 points per game the last two seasons at Anson High School....
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Could Queen’s Grant be on the verge of a dynasty'
What a year it has been for Queen’s Grant; they have their new coach as we all welcomed back head coach Joe Badgett to North Carolina, as well as a new roster that has been starting to come together this season. Early on, Queen’s Grant had to figure out a few things with this year’s roster, blending in talent, experience, and youth, as well as having a team come together overall with new faces...
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Player Standouts at Gate City Classic (Part Two)
6’4 ’26 Dane Cassada (Calvary Day) It’s easy to appreciate everything Cassada does to assert himself as a focal point and team-oriented leader for this group. He’s a smart, highly skilled guard with great size, feel, and the necessary polish to burden a massive offensive load. Cassada scores from all levels and creates for himself and others with relative ease. He offers the perfect balance of...
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Player Standouts at Gate City Classic (Part One)
6’4 ’25 Will James (Holly Springs) The Toledo commit was nothing short of impressive throughout the weekend. With scoring performances of 40, 34, and 33 points, James was virtually unstoppable in getting what he wanted. Most people naturally assume the point totals translate to an excessive shot volume, but that’s not really the case in this situation. Although James isn’t shy about asserting...
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Golden Eagles Shaping Up as True Title Contender
This past weekend, Phenom Hoops traveled to Ben L. Smith High School for our second-annual Gate City Holiday Classic. The event spanned for three days, featuring both bracket play and showcase games, and led to several noteworthy takeaways. Ultimately, the hosting Golden Eagles were the only team to go 3-0 after battling through Sun Valley, Holly Springs, and Cardinal Gibbons to secure the...
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POB’s Best of the Best: Phenom New Year’s Bash (Showcase Play)
2028 Chacho Womack (West Charlotte) A young but talented guard to watch for, Womack is a skilled guard who plays with poise, operates well with the ball in his hands, plays within the offense really well, makes plays off the bounce while also getting paint touches, and can knock down open shots as well. He will be a name to monitor more and he showed why at the event. 2025 Jordan Watford...
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2026 Tarris Bouie discusses Alabama, Marquette visits; new interest from Michigan
The Chambers duo of 2026 Tarris Bouie and 2026 Markus Kerr certainly have the attention of many, not only fans in the state of NC but also college coaches around the country. Bouie has seen his recruitment take off in the last year along with his national ranking, as he is being recruited by several of the top programs around the country. Bouie sat down with Phenom Hoops recently at the Phenom...
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2026 Justyn Whitfield proving to be a college-worthy prospect
Player: Justyn WhitfieldClass: 2026Position: GuardSchool: Victory Christian The Phenom New Year’s Bash was another premier event that showcased talent from around the region, as players continued to capture the attention of our scouts with their play. One prospect that left a lasting memory from the event was 2026 guard Justyn Whitfield from Victory Christian. Whitfield has been a staple with...
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POB’s Best of the Best: New Year’s Bash (Bracket Play)
2026 Justyn Whitfield (VCCS) Whitfield was tremendous throughout the event, as he has clearly taken over as the leader of this team. The point guard does a great job in leading the offense and showing the ability to score or facilitate to his teammates. Whitfield does a great job in being able to create his own space, showing creativity with the ball in his hands, a good change of speed, and...
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