The Phenom Tourney Town Showcase, sponsored by Healthy Blue NC, was a terrific event that brought some terrific talent from around the state all under one building. Several teams and players captured our eyes, but these players listed below really have shown they have elevated their game and are playing at another level this season.
2024 Sean Birmingham (Cannon): Coming from Iceland, Birmingham has quickly entered his name in the Class of 2024 in North Carolina and is quickly rising up the ranks. It wasn’t long when we got our first viewing of Birmingham at the Carmel Christian, and his stock continues to rise each time we see him. In Greensboro, Birmingham showed it all in how effective he can be as a mismatch on the court. He has the intangibles of being a wing prospect or a stretch forward, especially with his ability to pick and pop, find the open spot from the corner, or use his versatility/skill set to get to his spots for his jumper. He was nearly automatic on the court and he is going to be a name that many coaches will be looking at this year and down the road.
2025 Isaiah Henry (Cannon): Another Cannon prospect, you can see that it is really starting to come all together for Henry but what makes him even scarier is that he is still so young as a sophomore; what might he continue to add' Henry continues to be strong figure on the court, but you can see that the green light is starting to go off a lot more. He has shown to be assertive, but Henry is now showing he can help take over a game with his shot-making (which continues to improve), his ability to get to the rim, and his impact in other areas of the court.
2024 Zion Walker (The Burlington School): It seems that Walker is starting to be a regular in our articles but with the way he has played in the last month, he deserves every moment of praise. It was a great weekend for Walker, as he surpassed the 1,000-point mark but he also continued to show his full impact on the court. His strong feel, his balanced playmaking and IQ, his decision-making, and his ability to get to the basket and make plays. Walker has been playing at another level all season long and I don’t see him slowing down any time soon.
2023 Kenan Parrish (Northwood): I’m going to put Parrish on this list because honestly, he is a player that has been playing at a high level this summer and this season but is one that is going under the radar when it comes to his recruitment. Parrish quickly captures your eyes with his 6’11 frame but he only gets better and better with his feel down in the post. He is strong with his back to the basket, being able to score with either hand, has nice feel for where his opponent is, and soft touch in the paint. But he can hurt you also in ways of stepping out a little with his shot. Size can be hard to come by and Parrish is one of those underrated bigs that should be getting more attention.
2023 Will Gray (East Forsyth): Already committed to UNCP, it was great to see Gray back in action and playing at a high level. The senior guard has been consistent with his presence for some time now but he is playing at a high level for his high school team at East Forsyth. Gray is a strong leader for his team and leads by example with his presence on offense and defense; he plays hard, embraces physicality on the floor, and produces extremely well each and every game. Gray continued to play at a high level and get downhill, much as he has done on so many occasions. UNCP has a good player coming in Gray, and he should be a great piece for the future.
2023 Bryce Cash (Carmel Christian): Cash is an absolute difference-maker on the court, there is no getting around it. Cash offensively continues to show his production in his ability to get to the rim, excel out in transition, and really be a bruising prospect against defenders. But there are so many programs that could use a player with how he impacts the game defensively. He can be an absolute force against opponents, showing his ability to wall up, create turnovers, and be an absolute menace on the court. It is easy to see… which is why he is playing at a whole different level on both sides of the floor.