6’4 ’27 QJ Young (Chambers)
Anyone who attended the Chambers game was fortunate enough to witness an undeniably impressive breakout performance from QJ Young. Despite playing against a notable opponent without a key piece (Cameron Thompson), he and the Cougars were simply phenomenal. Young truly showcased the full arsenal. He dictated the action as a main creator, generated clean looks for himself and others, and applied consistent scoring pressure from all levels. Young utilized his length and motor to be a disruptive defender and useful rebounder. His body continues to develop and his game continues to blossom. Young is clearly trending up in a big way, and college coaches should take notice.
6’4 ’27 Zyon White (Chambers)
Similar to the entry above, it’s impossible to say anything other than positives about everything Zyon White highlighted as a focal point. He’s a long, wiry guard with great feel, instincts, and positional size. White is an incredible marksman who already firmly belongs in the discussion as one of the best three-point shooters in North Carolina. He created off the bounce, made smart passes, and scored from multiple levels, but is truly at his best when filling it up from beyond the arc. White basically doesn’t miss open spot-up looks, but is also very effective hitting jumpers off the bounce or coming off movement. Like his teammate above, expect him to warrant buzz over the foreseeable future.
6’3 ’26 Mason Williams (Tennessee Collegiate)
Although we could (and will) talk in-depth about all the enticing pieces from Tennessee Collegiate, Mason Williams always seems to stand out for this group. It’s so easy to be impressed with his IQ, pace, and ability to command an offense. Williams is a brilliant playmaker whose strength, quickness, and crafty handle allow him to get wherever he wants off the bounce. He sees the floor extremely well and consistently makes sharp passes to set up others. However, Williams is more than capable of finishing, attacking the midrange, or knocking down jumpers from distance. Add in his reliable defense, and he’s quietly one of the better floor generals in the country.
6’0 ’27 Walker Montague (Cardinal Gibbons)
It’s probably somewhat unfair to single out just one individual from this extremely balanced Cardinal Gibbons roster, but Walker Montague was simply too impactful to ignore. He’s an unassuming player with a very steady, well-rounded game. Montague does a healthy amount of everything on the court. He’s an excellent passer and natural glue-guy who knows how to fill in the gaps on both ends of the floor. Montague showed the ability to hit shots, attack off the bounce, dictate the offense, and make his presence felt defensively. There are several valuable pieces on the Crusaders’ roster, and Montague clearly shines as an x-factor.
6’6 ’27 Carlos Marshall (Victory Christian)
Before suffering an injury, Carlos Marshall visibly stood out as the clear leader of this group. He’s widely known for his elite rebounding ability and reliable defensive presence as a strong, physical interior piece. However, Marshall was doing everything for this team. He handled the ball, assumed playmaking duties, and mixed it up as a scorer from multiple levels. Marshall hit perimeter jumpers, attacked off the bounce, and applied his usual amount of finishing pressure. He also made hustle plays whenever available.