Phenom Hoops College Basketball Coverage
Takeaways from Alabama vs. Memphis (Exhibition)
Memphis’ PJ Haggerty looking to be that guy It is seemingly obvious in just two exhibition games for Memphis that PJ Haggerty looks to be the guy for this team offensively, after posting 32 points on 9-for-22 shooting after leading the way vs. UNC not long ago with 24 points. Yes, he did record eight fouls in the game but Haggerty showed how assertive he is offensively in scoring and creating....
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Cooper’s Notes: Duke & UNC Sunday Exhibitions
Duke’s Defensive Intensity From a team perspective, it was impossible to ignore the sheer intensity that Duke played with on Sunday night. They were highly engaged on the defensive end of the floor, often picking up their man at half-court, initiating physicality, and making multiple individual efforts on each possession. Their ability to switch, hard hedge, and rotate on the weak side gave the...
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Takeaways from North Carolina vs. Johnson C. Smith Exhibition
Photo Credit: North Carolina Athletics College Basketball is almost here, as teams are getting an early tune-up in the past few weeks. North Carolina was one of them on Sunday, welcoming Johnson C. Smith to the Dean Dome. Johnson C. Smith battled early in the first 10 minutes of the game but North Carolina really ramped up the offensive attack after that and in the second half, ultimately taking...
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American University building with North Carolina talent
The recruiting world has been heating up in the last few months, as players from the Class of 2025 have been making their announcements around the country. American University has been a hot topic here in North Carolina, as they have targeted and been able to secure multiple commitments from the state. 2025 Chris Eagan, 2025 Madden Collins, and 2025 Kamran Prince have all committed from North...
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Phenom CBB Preview: Charlotte 49ers
Phenom Hoops continues to preview the landscape of college basketball, as the season is coming fast and there is plenty to talk about. We have amped up our coverage for college ball, as talk about teams, players, and programs around the country. Check out our latest preview for the upcoming season and the topics we are focusing on. Charlotte 49ers Last Year’s Record: 19-12Conference...
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Preparing to Take Flight: Will James Headed to Toledo
On Saturday, Will James announced his commitment to Toledo University. This was a proud time for all his supporters and a devastating moment for all the schools who crossed their fingers in hopes of securing the 6-foot-4 guard. It’s been a long, taxing journey for James, but his mentality and approach never wavered. The first three years of his high school career consisted of solid team success...
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Appalachian State looking a bit different but hoping for the same success
College Basketball will be quickly approaching, and Phenom Hoops simply can’t wait as we continue to talk about teams around the country and of interest here locally. The Mountaineers were the talk of the state last year here in North Carolina, as they finished the season 27-7 overall, they went 15-0 at home and made an appearance in the NIT against Wake Forest before falling. This was a...
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The Newest Redbird: Isaac Ericksen Calls it for Illinois State
On Monday, Isaac Ericksen announced his commitment to further his playing career at Illinois State—choosing them over the likes of Mercer, Arkansas State, Furman, Eastern Kentucky, UNC Asheville, and UMass Lowell. The move is significant for a myriad of reasons. On one hand, it removes one of the top available prospects from the recruiting board. However, it also provides the Redbirds with a...
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Breakout Players in the ACC (Sophomores) (Part 3)
Derin Saran with Phenom Hoops 6’4 Derin Saran – Stanford Saran is a very familiar name with Phenom Hoops and one of the few sophomores on the roster, Saran is certainly one that I will have my eyes on. As a freshman at UC Irvine, he played in all 32 games and really flourished with his IQ and feel, his ability to score and facilitate, and he has really good size at 6’4 as a guard. Saran was able...
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Breakout Players in the ACC (Sophomores) (Part 2)
College Basketball will be quickly approaching and Phenom Hoops simply can’t wait, as we are already talking college ball on our platform. There are plenty of players that you will want to watch out for this upcoming season, as we dive into some of the sophomores that could be in for a breakout-type season. We first start in the ACC as these sophomores could make a bigger name for themselves in...
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Breakout Players in the ACC (Sophomores) (Part 1)
College Basketball will be quickly approaching and Phenom Hoops simply can’t wait, as we are already talking college ball on our platform. There are plenty of players that you will want to watch out for this upcoming season, as we dive into some of the sophomores that could be in for a breakout-type season. We first start in the ACC as these sophomores could make a bigger name for...
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UNCG continuing to make North Carolina a priority in recruiting
The Spartans are making a lot of noise this week, as they have been hitting the recruiting trail and securing some big commitments. As of late, UNCG has been able to pick up three big recruits, all of which recently played here in North Carolina. 2024 Sean Birmingham2024 Isaiah Washington2024 Clinton Efinda (formerly at Ellsworth Community College) All three should be big pieces in the...
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Positioning, Producing, and Portal-ing: Five Guys Who Transferred Up
It’s pretty clear that things within college basketball have changed over the last few years. Between NIL, the Covid year, and looser restrictions surrounding transfers, it’s become a situation where kids are forced to adapt. “Positioning” refers to guys putting themselves in the right spots to be successful. “Producing” is self-explanatory and “Portal-ing” is the method in which kids are...
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The Tigers Strike Again: Santana Lynch Calls it for Hampden-Sydney
It probably goes without saying, but the recruiting landscape is drastically different than it was pre-Covid. The introduction of NIL coupled with seemingly every player testing the portal has led to somewhat of an unpredictable situation. Not only has it become a more intense job for coaches, but there are more questions surrounding high school prospects than ever before. Regardless, these...
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The Newest Owl in the Nest: Elijah Gray Commits to Temple
On Thursday, the Temple Owls received a commitment from 6-foot-8 forward Elijah Gray. The North Carolina native and former Fordham Ram is a massive get for Coach Adam Fisher and his staff. For those who are unaware, Gray quietly had a phenomenal sophomore season. His per-game averages of 8.4 PPG and 3.7 RPG (in only 18.0 MPG), might not necessarily explode off the page, but a little bit of...
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