Last Wednesday, Phenom Hoops made it out to Greensboro to watch the Bengals of GDS have Open Gym. They’re two years removed from their last state championship and are coming off a season where they went 24-13 and made an appearance in the NCISAA 3A Quarterfinals. They come into this season with arguably the deepest rotation in the state, thus requiring this article to be split into two parts. Part one will include their upperclassmen, while part two will include the lowerclassmen. You can read part one here.
6’8” 2027 Mason Robinson
Robinson is a new member of the 2027 class after transferring from Orange HS and reclassifying over the summer. This move saw him debut at #10 in the state in the opening Phenom Hoops 2027 rankings. He’s a rangy, explosive, and high upside big man who should blossom on a bigger stage and with an extra year to develop. He understands how to rebound, protect the rim, and run the floor. His skill set and athleticism should be a nice compliment to the rest of their front court.
6’5” 2027 Jagger Emerson
Emerson is a highly intriguing prospect who earned big minutes as a freshman for the Bengals last year. He’s an explosive athlete with good positional size and versatility. He should be able to slide into a handful of positions and roles this season and his low-maintenance approach to the game should prove valuable around the many other talented pieces on this roster. Look for Emerson to be a monster defensively for this group while filling in the gaps at a high level offensively.
6’1” 2027 JJ Short
Short has developed into one of the more reliable and steady point guards in his class. He’s quick with the ball, plays well off two feet, and makes consistently unselfish decisions. He’ll provide crucial depth at the lead guard spot with the ability to play off the ball as needed. He plays with great pace and understands how to push the tempo while keeping himself under control. He’s a quality decision maker and is comfortable running the GDS system to a T. Look for him to play consistently in important games as his reliability and unselfishness will be held in high regard within this program.
6’6” 2028 Andrew Juergens
Juergens is an impressive prospect thanks to his athleticism, motor, and positional size. He’s prone to explosive plays at the rim and is an underrated outside shooter as well. He can play virtually every front court position on both ends and is looking more and more comfortable as he transitions into a full time wing. His explosiveness, willingness to do the dirty work, and overall motor should see him contribute meaningfully this year.
6’2” 2028 Isaiah Whitsett
Whitsett is a versatile guard prospect with a well-rounded skill set. He’s a quality shooter, ball handler, and finisher, able to score at all three levels and create for others as needed. He’s crafty with the ball in his hands and is comfortable playing either guard spot right now. He’s a dynamic player and is one of the more intriguing prospects in his class. He’ll be one to watch over the next few years as he gets older and moves towards the top of the Bengal’s rotation.
6’0” 2028 Micah Gunther
Gunther will be one to watch as he continues to mature physically. He’s a good shooter and decision maker and has the potential to provide good spot minutes this year within that role. He’s still growing into his frame and has already grown noticeably since my last viewing of him back in November. He’s a great spot shooter and that will be his path to minutes early in his GDS career. Long term however, his positional size, shooting, and creation skills should allow him to make a real impact within this program.
6’7” 2029 Grant Duggins
Despite being the youngest prospect in the article, it’s incredibly easy to appreciate Duggins’ upside and ability to produce within a variety of roles. He’s a legitimate shooting threat at 6’7” and will spend much of his time on the wing because of it. He’s an overlooked athlete who’s explosiveness surprises a lot of defenders. He’s a savvy cutter and passer, especially against tilted defenses. His feel and size alone make him an incredibly intriguing prospect, but his skill set at this early in his career is what makes him one of the more highly regarded members of his class in the early stages of the game.