EVENT NEWS

To filter articles by a specific event, use the dropdown below.

South Carolina Top 80 Player Reacps – Team 8 Jeff Dibattisto of Dreher HS (Columbia)

#7 5’9” 2019 Jalil Bessant of Irmo High School Bessant is a point guard, and there is no questioning that. He displayed a solid understanding of the game and took well to coaching when going through drills and in the huddle. Bessant’s camp coach Jeff Dibattisto stated, “Jalil has a solid basketball IQ and feel for the game.” As Bessant continues forward we would like to see him continue working...

read more

South Carolina Top 80 – Team 7 Head Coach Blake Hall of Goose Creek High School

#6 5’9” 2018 Jermaine Patterson of Bluffton High School Patterson had a good day all around, and showed to be one of the state’s premier point guards for his class. He seemed to enjoy running the show while having a very confident handle and sturdy frame. Patterson’s camp coach Blake Hall stated, “Jermaine had a great attitude and proved to be very capable of being and outstanding lead guard.”...

read more

South Carolina Top 80 Player Recaps – Team 6 Head Coach Josh Staley of AC Flora (Columbia)

Team 6 Head Coach Josh Staley of AC Flora (Columbia) #14 5’11 2019 Khalil Robinson of Gray Collegiate (Columbia) It was a great day, across the board, for Robinson. In fact in our evaluations from all coaches, Robinson received “Excellent” grades in all 25 criteria. He was also give the camps Mr Playmaker award. Robinson’s camp coach Josh Staley stated, “Khalil is a spark at the point guard. He...

read more

South Carolina Top 80 Player Recaps – Team 5 Head Coach Ryan Schmidt of 22 Feet Academy (Greenville)

Team 5 Head Coach Ryan Schmidt of 22 Feet Academy #4 5’9” 2017 Monta Houston of York Prep (Rock Hill) Houston is a tough nosed, gritty point guard. He did is best damage defending the ball for 94 feet. Offensively Houston made some shots when left open, but preferred to get his team mates involved in the play. Houston’s camp coach Ryan Schmidt stated, “Monta is a point guard that competed in...

read more

South Carolina Top 80 Player Reacaps – Team 3 Head Coach Nate Livesay of Beufort High School

Team 3 Head Coach Nate Livesay of Beaufort High School #8 5’9” 2017 Darius Bryant of Lexington High School Bryant came into camp with a reputation as a bucket getter. He led his high school team in scoring as a sophomore. During camp, Bryant showed the ability to run a team. Bryant’s camp coach Nate Livesay stated, “Darius showed a nice handle and was able to penetrated well at times. He knocked...

read more

South Carolina Top 80 Player Recaps – Team 4 Head Coach BJ Jackson of Legacy Charter (Greenville)

Team 4 Head Coach BJ Jackson of Legacy Charter #3 5’9” 2016 Khali Clegg of York Prep (Rock Hill) Clegg is an all effort type of player who leads on the court by example. He took great pride in playing defense and made it a point to do so, for 94 feet, every trip down the court. Clegg’s camp coach BJ Jackson stated, “Khali was a great team player and a high energy, high level on ball defender.”...

read more

South Carolina Top 80 Player Recaps – Team 2 Head Coach Jerome Stewart of Timberland High School

Team 2 Head Coach Jerome Stewart of Timberland High School #2 5’8” 2016 Jackson Hurston of St James High School (Murrells Inlet) Each time Hurston steps onto the floor you can tell he is having fun. He is a bowling ball of energy on both ends of the floor, and carries his football mentality in his pocket each time out. Hurston is very vocal on defense and displayed the ability to, not only take...

read more

South Carolina Top 80 Player Recaps: Team 1 – Head Coach Ricardo Priester

Team 1 Head Coach Ricardo Priester – Lancaster HS #0 7’ 2017 Jason Cudd of Socastee High School (Myrtle Beach) As the old adage goes, you cannot teach size. Only a junior, Jason Cudd is a legit seven footer and seemingly gets better each time he takes the floor. Cudd was able to rebound his position and seemed to relish to role of paint protector. Cudd’s camp coach Ricardo Priester stated,...

read more

Battle Is Just Naturally Talented…At A Lot

Some kids are just blessed with the natural ability to do a lot, well. Joseph Battle appears to be one of these kids. He is the starting quarterback on the football team, the leading scorer on the basketball team, and he carries a 3.5 GPA in the classroom. Battle started to make some noise last year on the basketball court. The rising senior at Abbeville High School exploded onto the scene and...

read more

D1s Dont Miss Out: 6’8″ 2016 Ladarius Williams (Laurens HS)

Our first time seeing Ladarius Williams was over the summer at Furman’s team camp. Prior to walking into that camp we had not heard of the rising senior. As we sat and watched him play that day, we continued to wonder how the 6’8” skilled four man from Laurens High School could have fallen through the cracks. Over the summer Williams played for Upward Stars Upstate. This was the a secondary team...

read more

Frankie Johnson Is a Winner…A Productive Winner

There has been a recent run of smallish point guards that have seen success at the D1 level. 5’6” Saah Nimley won Big South Player of the Year last season at Charleston Southern. Winthrop’s Keon Johnson (5’7”), Richmond’s Kendell Anthony (5’8”), UMass Chazz Williams (5’8”), and Creighton’s Marcus Watson (5’9”) have all experienced recent college hoops success at a high level. However, for some...

read more

2015 SC TOP 80 Official Recap

This is the Official SC Top 80 Event Recap presented by the Phenom Hoop Report. The PHR held its 1st annual SC Top 80 at Spring Valley High School in Columbia, SC last weekend. This was a prime-time event loaded with the consensus “top 80” high school players in South Carolina. Headliners included a trio of freshman, all soon to be ranked in the Top 100 (DJ Burns, Christian Brown,...

read more

South Carolina Top 80 – Quick Hitters – 2018 Class

2018 Quick Hitters We put out a full report on each kid who attends camp. That will be a week or two out, so here are some quick hitters from the South Carolina Top 80. From the 2018 Class Juwan Moody 5’9” of Conway HS (Conway) Moody is a quick on quick type of guard who likes to get downhill. Right now he plays at one speed, but displays good touch and range. Jermaine Patterson 5’9” Bluffton HS...

read more

South Carolina Top 80 Breakout Performers: Part 2

SC Top 80 Breakout Performers – Part 2 Whenever you bring together a grouping of the best players in an area people will play at their best, the true competitor comes out in people. The South Carolina Top 80 was no different this year. We had kids that were known who showed up and showed out during the event. However, there were also some breakout performers who enhanced their stock with...

read more

South Carolina Top 80: The Stars Came out to Shine

The Stars Just like in any Phenom event you attend, you will have proven names, who go out to prove their hype. They are eager to take on all comers, at any expense. Here are the names of the higher rated guys who lived up to their hype at the South Carolina Top 80. Darius Hicks 6’7” 2016 22 Ft Academy (Greenville) Hicks, a former Mississippi St commitment, is a man’s man on the court. When the...

read more

South Carolina Top 80: Quick Hitters – 2017 Class

2017 Quick Hitters We put out a full report on each kid who attends camp. That will be a week or two out, so here are some quick hitters from the South Carolina Top 80. From the 2017 Class Jason Cudd 7’ Socastee HS (Myrtle Beach) Cudd is big, there is no denying the fact he is the largest guy in most gyms he walks into. His game is developing quickly as well. Cudd has good hands and solid...

read more

South Carolina Top 80 Coaches – Team 6 Jeff Dibattisto

2014-current Dreher High School- Columbia, SC Head Boys’ Basketball Coach/Teacher · Currently oversee the administration of all facets of the basketball program including game/practice preparation, scheduling, budgeting, fundraising, strength and conditioning, and academics. · Advanced SCHSL Playoffs Final 8 in both 2013-14 and 2014-15 · 2014-15 Record 19-8. · 2013-14 Record 19-7, Region IV...

read more

South Carolina Top 80 Coaches – Team 5 BJ Jackson of Legacy Charter

B.J. Jackson is entering his fourth year as both Athletic Director and Head Boys’ National Basketball Coach at Legacy Charter School in Greenville, SC. Coach Jackson arrived at Legacy during the 2012-2013 school year after an eight year stint as Southside High School in Greenville, SC where he worked under Hall of Fame Coach Louie Golden. As an assistant coach, Coach Jackson was a part of three...

read more

South Carolina Top 80 Coaches – Team 7 Jerome Stewart of Timberland HS

Education Bachelor of Science, Physical Education South Carolina State University – 1991 Member of the South Carolina State University Men’s Basketball Team 1987 – 1991 Presidential Scholar (Highest GPA on Basketball Team) 1988 – 1991 Master of Education, Education Administration The Citadel – 1999   Work Experience Timberland High School, 1996 – Present...

read more

SC Top 80 Leading Scorers

Ht Class Team No. First Name Last Name School Average 6’4 2016 9 54 Deshaun Leftwich Legacy Charter 23.0 6’5 2017 4 61 Jalen Cameron West Florence 20.3 6’2 2016 7 37 Brevin Galloway Seneca 20.3 6’5 2019 3 60 Juwan Gary Gray Collegiate Academy 20.0 6’5 2017 2 59 AJ Oliver DW Daniel 17.0 6’7 2018 1 82 Sam Tyner-Tarhouni Easley 15.3 6’0 2019 5 21 Tommy...

read more

South Carolina Top 80 – Breakout Performances (Part 1)

SC Top 80 Breakout Performers – Part 1 Whenever you bring together a grouping of the best players in an area people will play at their best, the true competitor comes out in people. The South Carolina Top 80 was no different this year. We had kids that were known who showed up and showed out during the event. However, there were also some breakout performers who enhanced their stock with...

read more

South Carolina Top 80 – Quick Hitters – 2019 Class

2019 Quick Hitters This is probably the most talented class to come through South Carolina in over 20 years. It carries multiple Top 100 guys and depth across the D1 landscape. We put out a full report on each kid who attends camp. That will be a week or two out, so here are some quick hitters from the South Carolina Top 80. We will start with the loaded 2019 class Jalil Bessant 5’9” of Irmo HS...

read more

South Carolina Top 80 Coaches – Team 3: Frank Hamrick of York Prep

Personal Statement Players don’t exist for the program, rather, the program exists for the players. The player is all that matters for me. I don’t measure success with W’s and L’s. I measure success by the number of kids who come through our program and say, “I had the time of my life.” I want kids to love the game and remember their playing days as the best...

read more

South Carolina Top 80 Coaches – Team 4: Blake Hall of Goose Creek

Experience: Head Basketball Coach, Goose Creek High School, Goose Creek, SC June 2012-Present Led teams to an average of 20+ wins per season, three region titles, and two state championship game appearances in four seasons as head coach. Led Boys Basketball Team to 2012-2013 & 2013-2014 Region VII-AAAA Championship. Led Boys Basketball Team to 2012-2013 AAAA Championship Game Appearance,...

read more

South Carolina Top 80 Coaches – Team 1: Josh Staley of AC Flora

15 years experience total basketball coaching. 12 years of experience as head coach of highly competitive High School Girls & Boys basketball programs. A successful track record for graduating student-athletes (99%) and over 65% moving on to the collegiate level on basketball scholarships. Primary responsibility is managing athletic programs, and developing talent at the high school and...

read more

South Carolina Top 80 Coaches – Team 2: Ricardo Priester of Lancaster

PLAYING EXPERIENCE Pro 2003 Ostromecko Astoria Bydgoszcz Bydgoszcz, Poland 2002 Accor Hotels Basketball Cup Bonn, Germany Achieved top honors in assist for the USA Stats for the season were as follows: PPG=12.5; RPG=3.5; APG=3.5; 3-Point Total=13 2002 XBA, Union County Slamm Charlotte, NC Named Rookie of the Year 2nd Team ALL XBA, 2002 Averaged 21 ppg and played a variety of roles for the team...

read more