By; Bryant McGowan
6'0 2021 Jaquaveon Venable (Royal Knights 16u)
Jaquaveon Venable was a well-oiled offensive machine today for the Royal Knights. Venable showcased his expansive skillset as he was able to get buckets from a variety of different spots on the floor. His explosive first step lead to strong finishes around the rim regardless of the defense surrounding him. Venable was consistently the first player to get out in transition and capitalized on his team's forced turnovers. When the defense sagged off of him expecting a drive, he was not afraid to pull up from deep and displayed a smooth shooting touch upon doing so. He should be a major contributor for Henderson Collegiate this upcoming year as he continues to develop.
6'4 2021 Po'Boigh King (RDC Lakers)
Po'Boigh King has an extremely unique all-around skillset that opposing teams struggled to contain throughout the day. He scored 26 and 27 points in two games today and looked equally dominant in both. King is a stocky guard with the ability to take over games in the paint. He is a walking mismatch, his size allows him to overpower guards and his quickness makes it very difficult for bigs to stay in front of him. King is a name for Division 1 coaches to keep an eye on, as he will be a big name in NC hoops in the coming years.
6'2 2021 Christian Taylor (Carolina Riptide)
Christian Taylor is an imposing physical presence inside the paint. He makes up for his lack of size with hustle and great positioning to out-rebound opposing bigs. Taylor was a rebounding force on the offensive and defensive end of the floor. He always seemed to be at the right place to clean up the offensive glass for easy putbacks. Taylor impressed with a variety of post moves and a strong drop step to finish over taller defenders. He is a very important leader on this Carolina Riptide team and will continue to contribute to their success in a big way.
6'0 2023 Darius Abraham
Darius Abraham was one of the most exciting players to watch on the day. His 32 points in his team's early afternoon game seemed to come effortlessly. Abraham, a rising freshman, has a polished skill set that is very advanced for a player his age. He's an efficient scorer at all three levels, with the ability to expose defenders with his smooth jump shot or from his aggressive drives to the hoop. Abraham can completely takeover games when he gets in a rhythm and college coaches around the country should have him on their radar.
6'1 2023 Dyquavion Short (Team Power Red)
Dyquavion Short has become an efficient scorer who excels playing within his team's offense. He scored 22 points, leading his team, in an afternoon game Short is very creative on the perimeter and knows how to get to the spots on the floor. He attacks hard when he sees a driving lane and boasts a strong repertoire of dribble moves to get defenders on their heels. He made his presence felt from the tip until the final buzzer. Short is only a rising freshman with lots of time to hone his craft; he could soon become the next great prospect out of Wilson.
