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Prospects Making Big Noise this Season: Class of 2026
Josiah Hill (HP Central) 2026 Karsten Swinney (Freedom Christian) What a season Swinney has been having at Freedom Christian, averaging an impressive 28.6 points per game this season and has done so consistently throughout. We recently wrote about his impressive junior season here (Click Here), saying “While he is a very talented scorer, he also doubles as a talented basketball player who often...
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Phenom Hoops Middle School Elite Camp Evaluations: Team 6
Team 6 Coach: Michael Wilson #14: 5’3 ’30 Robert Grant (Charlotte Douglas) First up, Robert Grant is a 5-foot-3 prospect in the Class of 2030. He’s a skilled guard who possesses nice vision and useful scoring polish from multiple levels. The next step in his development process is working to get quicker, as it would make him a more reliable defender at the point of attack. Coach Wilson on Grant:...
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Phenom Hoops Middle School Elite Camp Evaluations: Team 5
Team 5 Coach: Marlon Staton #2: 5’0 ’30 Grecyn Lyerly (Table Rock) First up, Grecyn Lyerly is a 5-foot-0 prospect in the Class of 2030. Although he was the smallest camper in his age division, he consistently found ways to impact the game on both ends of the floor. The next step in his development process is working on getting stronger, as it would make him a better finisher through contact....
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Phenom Hoops Middle School Elite Camp Evaluations: Team 4
Team 4 Coach: Obe Gray #11: 5’3 ’30 Ayson Whitmire (Oak Ridge) First up, Ayson Whitmire is a 5-foot-3 prospect in the Class of 2030. He’s a smart, unselfish guard with great athleticism and a nonstop motor. The next step in his development process is working on getting stronger, as it would make him a more physically imposing player. Coach Gray on Whitmire: “Ayson has a high basketball IQ, elite...
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Phenom Hoops Middle School Elite Camp Evaluations: Team 3
Team 3 Coach: Dawkins #3: 4’6 ’31 Landon Norman (Elkin) First up, Landon Norman is a 4-foot-6 prospect in the Class of 2031. He’s a smart, unselfish, high-motor guard with a polished skillset, high motor, and scrappy defensive prowess, In addition to being a reliable all-around scorer, Norman displayed a strong off-hand with vision and creation instincts. The next step in his development process...
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Phenom Hoops Middle School Elite Camp Evaluations: Team 2
Team 2 Coach: Chris Ewell #2: 4’9 ’32 Carter Heath (Rolesville Charter) First up, Carter Heath is a 4-foot-5 prospect in the Class of 2032. He’s a scrappy guard who made solid contributions despite being one of the youngest and smallest campers on display. The next step in his development process is working on getting quicker, as it would make him a better on-ball defender. Coach Ewell on Heath:...
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Phenom Hoops Middle School Elite Camp Evaluations: Team 1
Team 1 Coach: Kelvin Mills #1: 4’3 ’32 Carter Reinhardt-Hull (Indian Land) First up, Carter Reinhardt-Hull is a 4-foot-3 prospect in the Class of 2032. Despite being one of the smallest and youngest campers on display, his nonstop motor allowed him to make a constant impact. The next step in his development process is working on getting stronger, as it would make him a more physically imposing...
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Player Standouts from Phenom Middle School Elite Camp
#51- 5’7 ’30 Justin Jenkins Arguably the best transition player across all age groups, Jenkins turned seemingly every rebound and turnover into a fast-break opportunity. He’s a blur in the open floor and finishes everything he attempts around the basket. Jenkins also displayed a respectable jumper and useful pull-up game off the dribble. Given his ability to impact the game on both ends of the...
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Unsigned Senior Spotlight: JD Bowden
At the beginning of each new year, Phenom Hoops works to assemble a series of articles centered around unsigned senior prospects. Last season, hundreds of players from North Carolina went on to play at the Division I, II, III or NAIA levels, and that number looks likely to continue increasing with the current senior class. Typically, we take a closer look at guys who are overlooked or...
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Why is Izzy Eatman Getting Overlooked'
Each year, we see several players who struggle to receive the appropriate level of recruitment from college coaches. Some folks will say an individual’s recruitment reflects their ability. History has shown us this isn’t true. Plenty of players go too high or too low. However, it feels like far more players go where they are wanted, outperform expectations, and either leave a legacy or transfer...
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Unselfish Leadership: Jake Baker Shining as X-Factor for Cannon
There are so many different ways to be an impactful basketball player. Unfortunately, most kids tend to gravitate toward scoring and overemphasize the individual facets of the game. It’s simply uncommon to see a young player who would rather pass, defend, or rebound instead of score. However, they do exist. There are a handful of examples throughout North Carolina, and Jake Baker arguably...
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Paxton Coon’s Incredibly Productive Freshman Campaign
After Wake Christian’s unforeseen roster turnover, the Bulldogs’ direction as a program became quite blurry. Graduating two key seniors and losing their two most productive returners would impact any roster—especially when they account for over 90% of the total offense. However, the negative ultimately became a positive for Paxton Coon. He received playing opportunities as an eighth-grader but...
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What to Watch for at The Well Invitational (Part Three)
Charlotte-Based Teams Meet Entering the final stages of the event, West Charlotte (8-7) will compete against Victory Christian (14-6). The Lions have a veteran-laden roster led by sophomore AC Pressley and freshman Chacho Womack. Their young duo offers meaningful production and will definitely be a pairing to watch going forward, but guys like DJ Williams, Chase Bryson, Christian Coleman, and...
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What to Watch for at The Well Invitational (Part Two)
A Battle Between Charlotte and Greensboro Arguably one of the most intriguing games on this slate, Grimsley travels down to Charlotte to face off against Rocky River. Coach Corbett has been a true model of consistency since returning to the Whirlies in 2019-20. Although largely overlooked, it’s worth noting that Corbett seemingly exceeds expectations with any collection of players. He’s gone...
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What to Watch for at The Well Invitational (Part One)
Lab U Faces Off Against Elevation Prep Leading things off, two tough non-association teams in Lab U and Elevation Prep will battle it out. Despite enduring some struggles, Elevation Prep (4-9) still has a scrappy group headlined by guys like Harvey Bedell, Demarcus Richardson, and Caleb Napier. Meanwhile, Lab U (16-4) has quietly been one of the better independent teams this season. Jaylen...
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Brice Williams Leading the Charge for Nebraska
Photo Courtesy of Nebraska Athletics It didn’t feel that long ago when Brice Williams chose to commit to Charlotte over several ACC programs. The versatile 6-foot-7 wing was always a matchup problem for opponents, but it’s easy to see how he’s continued to develop upon reaching the college ranks. Now, five years later Williams is shining as a focal point for Nebraska. It’s easy to see the...
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Jordan Marsh Having Breakout Season for UNC Asheville
Photo Courtesy of UNC Asheville Athletics While there are several different approaches, it’s fair to say that recruiting has plenty of flaws. Some highly touted prospects are destined to fail while completely overlooked players end up thriving or outperforming expectations. These examples range from all levels and include legitimately every type of player imaginable. That being said, it’s...
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KC Shaw Putting Up Massive Numbers for Maryland Eastern Shore
Photo Courtesy of Maryland Eastern Shore Athletics Life is about opportunity and basketball is no different. Although it’s a sport and game designed for enjoyment, it’s become something greater for many people. We’ve seen countless players advance to the collegiate ranks and yield various results. Plenty of guys need time to progress, physically develop, or simply get acquainted with the new...
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Player Standouts at Carmel MLK Showcase (Part Three)
6’3 ’25 Sacha Geremski (Forsyth Country Day) Although others on this roster might receive more attention, there’s no denying the value Geremski brings to the table. He’s a tough, unselfish, high-motor guard who excels at doing the little things and filling in the gaps on both ends of the floor. Geremski sets the tone defensively through his ability to contain his assignment and regularly force...
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Player Standouts at Carmel MLK Showcase (Part Two)
6’8 ’25 Kaden Hammond (The Burlington School) Given our numerous viewings of Kaden Hammond over the recent months, it’s fair to say he should have more action within his recruitment. His combination of size, skill, and physicality allow him to cause matchup problems for opposing big men. There are times when it looks like Hammond could score from the block every trip down the floor. He secures...
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Player Standouts at Carmel MLK Showcase (Part One)
5’9 ’26 Q Williams (Forsyth Country Day) Although there were several notable performers from the Furies, Q Williams clearly stands out as the leader of the Furies. He’s an incredibly smart, methodical point guard who controls the game with pace and unselfishness. Williams consistently breaks down opponents off the dribble, gets to his spots, and generates clean looks for himself or others. He...
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One of the Last Undefeated Teams Remaining: Swansboro
Every year, there are a few teams that have the right recipe of talent, veterans, and overall chemistry to contend for a state championship. These teams can emerge in a variety of different ways, but we’ve become accustomed to seeing squads go undefeated for large stretches of the season. Right now, North Carolina only has three association teams without a loss: Christ School, Reidsville, and...
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West Bladen Making Lots of Noise
While it’s common for folks to pay more attention to teams from the major cities in North Carolina (Charlotte, Raleigh), it’s proven there’s a ton of talent across the state. Some of the best college and professional players emerged from smaller schools or less-populated areas. That being said, it feels like West Bladen isn’t receiving enough attention for their highly successful season. The...
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Abijah Franklin Having Dominant Senior Season
Each year, several prospects from South Carolina burst onto the scene and start quickly capturing attention. Although we know the Palmetto State is loaded with prospects, people still tend to generally overlook the talent it produces. Abijah Franklin is a prime example. Our first viewing of the 6-foot-5 wing came last April during the Phenom Rise Showcase. He played with Team USC and clearly...
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Harrell’s Christian Poised for Best Season in School History
After nearly 20 years of being established, Harrell’s Christian is set to have their winningest season ever. Currently sitting at 20-2 and winning the last seven games, the Crusaders legitimately have the ability to win the remainder of their schedule. What’s been the secret to their success' Between Dashaun McKoy, Zicareian McNeil, Amir Moore, and the clear breakout season from Antonio McKoy,...
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Maintaining Perfection: Reidsville Continues to Roll
There are so many factors that go into winning at the highest levels. Talent is an obvious requirement, but coaching, discipline, structure, and countless other variables play a massive role. It’s almost underappreciated when teams figure out the recipe, as dominance simply becomes the expectation rather than an unlikely occurrence. This sentiment feels somewhat applicable to Reidsville—a team...
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Leading the Charge: Kaharri Coleman Producing at a High Level
There’s a lot of talent in North Carolina’s Class of 2028. Many of these young prospects have already established themselves as meaningful contributors or primary options at the varsity level. While team success is undoubtedly important, individual production (specifically at this stage) can reveal a lot about a player’s ability and mentality. Quietly having one of the most productive seasons...
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Target for College Coaches: Rylan Parkins Having Big Senior Year
Every year, there are tons of high school prospects who get overlooked despite checking all the boxes. It’s pretty common to see coaches take a likening to a player and then (with or without reason) nothing happens. However, it feels like more college programs should be pursuing someone like Rylan Parkins of McDowell High School. He was a favorite amongst coaches during his travel ball season...
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Chase Smith Quickly Putting It All Together
Every year, there is a new batch of incoming freshmen. Typically, expectations from the masses vary based on reputation, production, and translatable long-term ability. North Carolina’s Class of 2028 has many talented players and intriguing prospects. Although he entered the high school ranks as prepared as anyone, it’s clear that Chase Smith is rapidly making strides within his progression. The...
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Balance Leading the Way for NCGBB
Despite some ups and downs this season, it’s easy to appreciate the adversity NC GBB has faced. Between injuries and general absences, they’ve managed to stay the course and currently sit at 5-4 with several challenging opponents throughout their early schedule. Coach Zimmerman consistently gets this group to compete and has a variety of next-level pieces within his roster. Let’s take a closer...
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