On Wednesday, Phenom Hoops traveled out to New Light Baptist Church to see the Bobcats of Piedmont Classical. Since their founding in 2016-17, this program has found consistent success through building around the local (mainly Greensboro-based) talent. Now, in his first full season at the helm, Coach Cardes Brown (and Justin Watlington) has all the necessary pieces to have a ton of success. Let’s take a closer look at their roster of college-level pieces…
6’7 ’23 Kahlif Barnes
It’s easy to see the appeal with someone like Kahlif Barnes, particularly with his powerful explosiveness. At 6-foot-7, he’s long, strong, and very mobile. Barnes seems to understand that his value lies within blocking shots, dominating the glass, and being the most athletic finisher in the building. He competes for extra possessions, runs the floor properly in transition, and can knock down the occasional perimeter jumper if necessary. In looking at Barnes frame, he’s actually quite lean and could easily add a lot of muscle—which is somewhat surprising given his strong, physical nature. College coaches should be able to recognize the ability and remaining upside he possesses.
6’6 ’23 Julius Harrison
After being a Bobcat for the entirety of his high school career, Julius Harrison is slightly under-the-radar entering his senior season. He’s a long, athletic, versatile wing/forward prospect with the ability to rebound, defend multiple positions, and make plays with the ball in his hands. Harrison is at his best when getting downhill and attacking the basket, but has also shown enticing flashes as a perimeter shooter. He’s smart and skilled enough to grab boards, push the break in transition, and make quality decisions. Similar to his teammate above, Harrison still has upside remaining. He’s someone who could take another leap upon reaching the next level.
6’3 ’23 Josiah Watkins
The most recent addition to the team, Josiah Watkins, will provide a crafty, polished presence from the guard position. He’s long, smart, and offers excellent balance between playmaking and three-level scoring. Watkins is able to comfortably dictate the action with the ball in his hands or play alongside another primary ball-handler. He mixes up his scoring approach and displays nice efficiency, but also works to get others involved and set up teammates in their ideal spots. Watkins possesses a really tight handle and the ability to get virtually wherever he wants with the ball. He also knows how to overwhelm opponents with his sharp defensive presence. Watkins will be a nice pickup for a scholarship-level program.
6’1 ’23 Nigel Vincent
Often regarded as the unsung hero of this group, Nigel Vincent is someone who should play an extremely valuable role during the upcoming season. He’s a tough, scrappy, high-motor guard prospect who can reliably produce from either backcourt position. Vincent naturally does a little bit of everything on the court. He sets the tone defensively, willingly does the dirty work, and applies constant downhill pressure as a penetrator. Vincent finishes well around the basket, plays through contact, and rebounds nicely for his size/position. His willingness to adapt to any type of role is a massive part of what makes him so useful.
6’8 ’24 Richard Goods
Given the fact that he’s younger than everyone listed above, Richard Goods should be the undisputed leader of Piedmont Classical after the upcoming season. He truly possesses as many tools and appealing traits as any big man in the area, so it’ll be exciting to monitor his expected growth over the coming months. Regardless, Goods provides the Bobcats with another strong, mobile, athletic interior cog. He’s a quality finisher, both above and below the rim, and has clear upside as a post scorer. That being said, Goods is able to piece together most of his offensive production through lobs, putbacks, and drop-off passes. He alters shots, moves well for his size, rebounds effectively on both ends of the floor. Goods can knock down the occasional jumper, but should rarely stray from the paint on offense. He should be a potential breakout candidate.
5’11 ’24 Kareem Osman
Although the above grouping is likely to be their main lineup to start and finish games, Kareem Osman will provide useful guard depth. He’s a scrappy floor general who has shown steady development as a point guard over the last six months. Osman can touch the paint and make solid decisions with the ball in his hands. He’s a capable finisher and three-point shooter, but arguably at his best in the midrange. Osman also provides a scrappy defensive presence. Watch for him to improve throughout the season.
6’5 ’26 Nick Daniel
Rounding out this group, Nick Daniel is a young, developing forward/post prospect with a strong, sturdy frame and clear understanding of his role within the bigger picture. He plays hard, pursues extra opportunities, and doesn’t refrain from the team structure. Daniel has always been bigger than his peers, so it’ll be interesting to see how he develops going forward.