Phenom Hoops was able to get back and tune in to some of the action on Wednesday night, as we watched Northwood and Panther Creek battle it out on the court. They are two very good teams that you should certainly start paying attention to if you haven’t, as they have had strong starts to the season but only one team could walk away with a victory. Panther Creek jumped out early to build an 8-0 lead and was able to maintain that cushion throughout much of the first half, ultimately leading 31-21 at halftime. Amari Odom helped lead the charge for Panther Creek, with others stepping up and making plays. Drake Powell was the go-to player for Northwood, as he had a strong first half, scoring 13 of his team’s 21 points. Second half, Northwood was able to outscore Panther Creek 19-8, eventually taking a one-point lead at the end of three, as it looked like we had a big-time battle on our hands. Northwood was able to maintain that lead for much of the fourth quarter, leading by three with just over a minute to go. But Panther Creek was able to hit a big three to tie it up at 49 and get to the free-throw line late, as Chris Uwayo hit six big free throws to ultimately seal the deal. Northwood had one final chance at the buzzer but was off, as Panther Creek secured the strong 56-53 victory on the road.
PC: 16 – 15 – 8 – 19 : 56
NW: 10 – 11 – 19 – 13 : 53
Stats:
PC: James Daly 12pts, 5blks/ Jesse Powell 9pts 5rbes, 4asts/ Chris Uwayo 8pts Amari Odom 6pts, 4asts, 5rebs, 4stls
NW: Drake Powell 26pts, Frederico Whitaker Jr. 12pts, Kenan Parrish 6pts
Standouts/Notes:
- The best player on the court was once again ’24 Drake Powell. Ranked as one of the top prospects in the state, he was incredibly impressive and put his team on his back in hopes of securing the win. Finishing with 26 points, Powell is one of the best in the state with his pull-up game; it is ELITE! He gets to his spots, rises over defenders with great touch and lift, and can score from all levels of the floor. It is one of the reasons why he is being recruited at such a high level.
- 2023 Amari Odom is fun to watch for sure. This is our second viewing of him this season and the 6’3 junior is just a playmaker on the court. He can score the ball well at times but really just fills up the stat sheet with his vision and passing, using his length to get on the boards, and his defensive presence in creating turnovers. Really like his game and what he provides.
- 2022 James Daly, a 6’8 prospect for Panther Creek, continues to intrigue me. If there is a program that is looking for a long, lengthy forward that runs the floor well, finishes at the rim, and can be a rim-protector, Daly could be a nice late find. He will still need to develop and get stronger at the next level, but he should be attracting some eyes his way.
- There were several other players that really stepped up on the floor that don’t always get the spotlight. For Panther Creek, 2023 6’6 Tyler Thompson just seemed to make several plays on the floor, especially with his motor and activity on the boards. 2022 Jesse Powell II stepped up on the offensive end, as well as be an all-around impact type of player as well. For Northwood, continue to keep an eye on 2024 Fred Whitaker, a young guard with tremendous speed and scoring capabilities; he should be a nice 1-2 piece with Powell for this program down the road. Lastly, 2024 6’5 Jake Leighton just seemed to make a ton of plays and was very active on the boards in this one while 2023 Max Frazier, a 6’8 long forward, continues to show how he can be a rim-protector on the court.
