Phenom Hoops was on deck for an exciting game around the Charlotte area, getting our first glimpse of Olympic who is off to a great start coming in undefeated. But Berry was looking to spoil the party and secure a big home win.
Berry came out with energy to jump out quickly but Olympic started to get it going in the first quarter behind their leader in 2024 Kameron Taylor and the outside shooting of 2025 Jaydon Terrell, as Olympic went up by double-digits in the first half 18-8. But they started to go cold from the field and Berry got going behind their guard play, slowly ticking away at the lead and eventually finding themselves down two at half, 25-23.
The third quarter was a battle, and both offenses started to get going as it was an up-and-down type feel. Both Berry and Olympic used a balanced attack and get several players involved, as each team was able to score 17 points in the third quarter, and it was a two-point game once again. Coming out into the fourth quarter, Olympic started to get back going on both sides of the ball, eventually increasing its lead to eight points but Berry wouldn’t go away. A few key baskets, critical defensive plays, and shots not falling late for Berry, Olympic was able to escape with a hard-fought victory,
Final: Olympic 61 – Berry 51
Stats:
Olympic: Kameron Taylor 21pts, Jaydon Terrell 14pts, Devin Ragin 9pts
Berry: Xavier Preston 13pts, Emanuel Craig 8pts, Daniel Waritay 9pts
Standouts/Notes:
2024 Kameron Taylor (Olympic): Taylor has been the go-to leader for this team and has really elevated his game to another level. He has great size at 6’5 and is quite long, and he uses that to his advantage along with his athleticism to make a living at the rim. Time after time he was able to get downhill and finish strong, though his outside shot wasn’t quite falling.
2025 Jaydon Terrell (Olympic): He is a name that impressed us, as the sophomore point guard did a nice job in running the offense, facilitating, playing at a nice pace and reading the floor, and was able to really make a strong presence from outside with his 3-point shot. A player to watch out for down the road.
2024 Xavier Preston (Berry): I liked what I saw out of the junior guard, as he was assertive, stepped up for his team offensively, scored in a variety of ways, an came up big in key spots for his team.
Other players that captured my eyes were 2023 Devin Ragin (Olympic), as he was extremely active and was impressed with his presence in the paint on the boards and as a rim-protector. 2023 Emanuel Craig (Berry) did a nice job finding ways to get to the line but also was impressed more with his vision and ability to find his teammates. 2025 Daniel Waritay (Berry) is a young prospect at 6’4 for Berry, as he was able to stretch the floor and knock down big shots throughout the game.