Phenom Open Gym Tour “Winston-Salem Prep”
Phenom Hoop Report travelled to Winston-Salem to cover open gym of Winston-Salem Prep. Coach Andre Gould is in his 15th year as head coach and he is quietly building one of the NCHSAA most successful programs in the state. Coach Gould was named head coach back in 2004 when the school opened and only fielded a freshman team. During this time frame, Winston-Salem Prep has played for seven NCHSAA 1A state championships and has won five of them. Last year, Winston-Salem Prep finished with a 23-5 record before losing to conference foe Bishop McGuiness who went on to win the NCHSAA 1A state championship. Now, let’s take a closer look at the impact players for the 2019-20 season.
6’0 2020 Stephen Minor
We have covered dozens of open gyms for the month of September and one thing is for certain, The play of 6’0 senior point guard Stephen Minor was as good of performances we have observed thus far in open gym. To put it mildly, Minor was absolutely dialed in and was completely in the “zone.” He was knocking down 3-pointers one after another and his left hand dribble into the step back 3-pointer was a thing of beauty and a “big time” college ready move. That being said, it is hard to fathom that Minor currently has zero offers. We’re talking about a strong, athletic and super quick guard that has excellent court vision, the ability to score quickly and often, sports terrific vocal and court leadership though-out the scrimmage. And to top it all off, Minor has an impressive 3.7 GPA and has made a score of 18 on his ACT. Last year, Minor averaged 10.2 PPG and don’t be surprised if he doubles that that production for his senior season. Make no mistake about it, Minor is a definite scholarship level prospect and someone at the collegiate level is going to find a hidden gem in this talented and productive scoring point guard.
6’2 2021 Troy Mills
Last season, Troy Mills averaged a solid 12.6 PPG and has a nice blend of athleticism and matching skill set. We’re talking about a highly effective player on both ends of the court, but more importantly we were impressed with the efficiency he deomonstrated throughout the scrimagge. Mills is not a “ball dominant” player and does the majority of his scoring within the frameword of the game. He does have the knack and ability to constantly get into the lane with limited dribbles and also sports a nifty midrange pull-up game.
6’7 2021 Anthony Sellars
The high flying wing had to sit out of open gym due to an ankle injury. That being said, no one player has seen such a dramatic improvement in his game since last year. For the 2018-19 season, Sellers only averaged 4.5 PPG, but his stock quickly picked up steam playing for Team Winston. We have stated repeatedly that Sellers has a world of upside and everything is starting to click. Sellers recently picked up an offer from Tulsa and Charlotte was in to watch him at open gym. Expect a huge season for Sellers and his list of offers will continue to grow.
6’7 2021 Zaire Patterson
Zaire Patterson has the strength, athleticism and length to hold it down in the paint, especially on the defensive side of the court. The 4 Star football star has an enormous wingspan (7’2), but has natural basketball instincts in terms of securing rebounds and blocking shots. Patterson will be the “quiet’ star this season for Winston-Salem Prep. He may not the “highlight” player, but he will be the anchor in the paint and don’t be surprised if Patterson comes close to averaging a double double this season. Simply put, Patterson plays with a tough man approach, works hard in the paint, runs the floor in transition and will battle you tooth and nail for loose balls and rebounds. Any scoring will be icing on the cake, but we expect a huge season for him.