On Thursday, Phenom Hoops traveled out to Northern Guilford High School for an exciting open gym session. The Nighthawks should be well-known at this point. They reached new heights last season, arguably having their most success of the decade coming behind Coach Kellen Parrish (who has since taken a new position at Pinecrest) and Nolan Hodge—who is objectively the best player to ever attend the school. Now, newly-appointed Coach Kent Phillips will lead the charge in his first year at the helm. In addition to the coaching change, they lose two significant pieces in Adonijah Whitley and Owen Griffith. However, optimism should be extremely high regarding this group. Let’s look at their pieces…
6’6 ’22 Nolan Hodge (UNCW commit)
Given the aforementioned praise in the opening paragraph, it should come as no surprise to see Nolan Hodge continue to take the reigns as a leader by example for this squad. Everyone wants him to chase massive scoring totals and clap in the face of opponents, but that is simply not his identity. Hodge is an extremely smooth, intelligent 6-foot-6 wing prospect with length, athleticism, and the ability to apply three-level scoring pressure in an efficient manner. He can reliably operate as a primary creator, given his vision, craftiness, and desire to make the proper read on a consistent basis. Hodge is a knockdown perimeter shooter off the catch or bounce, and effortlessly utilizes his length to rise above contesting opponents. He attacks the basket with poise, rebounds at a strong rate, and makes his presence felt as an all-around defensive cog. While he’s already a special talent, Hodge still has clear upside remaining. This team’s success will ultimately hinge on the leadership and production of Hodge. The folks at UNCW should be very excited about his upcoming season.
6’3 ’22 Jackson Helms
Although Hodge is visibly the most talented player in the gym, Jackson Helms truly dominated the practice session from start to finish. His toughness, nonstop motor, and full-throttle approach naturally leads to production in all facets of the game. Helms consistently plays as hard as anyone in the state, but also showcased excellent IQ and instincts on either end of the floor. He’s a definite tone-setter defensively and as a rebounder accompanied by a strong understanding of how to make an impact without necessarily needing to score. Due to his workhorse mentality and well-rounded athleticism, Helms regularly stands out when doing the dirty work or little things. His energy overwhelms opponents and leads to a ton of forced turnovers. He’s the first guy looking to dive on the floor for a loose ball or sacrifice his body for an extra possession. That being said, Helms also made a ton of quality passes and shot the ball at a very impressive percentage from beyond the arc. Roanoke is currently his only offer, but expect Helms to be a priority for all types of D3 programs throughout the season.
5’9 ’25 Chris Mitchell
Despite being the youngest and newest addition to this roster, Chris Mitchell already stands out as a clear x-factor. He wasn’t with the team during the June live period, as he just recently moved into the state within the last month or so. However, it’ll be difficult to envision a scenario where he doesn’t receive significant playing time for this group. Though slightly undersized, Mitchell utilizes his blinding quickness, tight handle, and sharp change-of-direction to get legitimately wherever he wants on the court. For the most part, no one was able to actually shut him down or prevent him from attacking off the dribble. Mitchell typically looks to get downhill and finish or make smart reads with defenders on his hip. However, he looked more than comfortable operating without the ball and knocking down perimeter jumpers with consistency. Mitchell also made a lasting impression with his defensive presence, suffocating opposing ball-handlers and frequently intercepting passing lanes. Between his IQ, playmaking sense, and mature game (especially for his age), folks will definitely know about him sooner than later. Add in the Nighthawks lack of traditional point guard play, and his value is even more self-explanatory.
6’3 ’23 Elijah Cathcart
Quite possibly the biggest surprise of the practice session, Elijah Cathcart has shown considerable improvements since the summer season and should ultimately carve out a useful role for this squad. A ton of his value will come in providing sheer energy off the bench, but he also found ways to score within the flow of the action. The wiry Cathcart made an impact as a defender, rebounder, and transition threat. He should offer meaningful minutes throughout the season.
6’2 ’24 Jordan Williams
Every team needs guys who can fill a role as a gritty, multipurpose player, and Jordan Williams should have ample opportunity to fight for minutes. He’s a strong, physical wing prospect with a strong frame and quality athleticism. Williams is capable of finishing above or through contact while also harassing his assignment on the defensive end of the floor. He’s a strong leaper, but also displays quickness and open-floor speed.
5’8 ’23 Connor Howell
Due to the absence of multiple football guys, Connor Howell was among the other main seniors on display. He’s slightly undersized but should provide useful minutes from the point guard position. Howell looks to set up others, defend with purpose, and play unselfishly as much as possible.
Not in attendance:
6’2 ’22 Manny Elliott and 6’6 ’23 Vance Bolyard
Both guys are currently playing football but will be incredibly important to this group throughout the season. Elliott returns as an electric scoring guard who can fill it up while Bolyard provides their main interior presence as a high-motor hustle player.