It’s officially November, bringing around the most exciting time of the year, the start of a new high school basketball season. And with the Blue Chip Fall League concluding this past weekend with the Ragsdale Tigers capturing the championship, it’s time to take what was displayed and look ahead to this season. The fall is a great time for teams to build chemistry, new names to emerge, and to get a sneak peek of what is to come ahead in the winter. The Triad area is loaded with talent year in and year out, so there’s of course a lot to be excited about. Here are a few of my main takeaways from the Blue Chip Fall League.
Mount Tabor looking Stout with more on the way
Like many teams in the fall, there were key pieces absent for the Spartans due to football such as JP and Snook Peterkin (2023 and 2025). However, there’s no shortage of talent or depth on this roster, as they displayed a sound, balanced attack every time out that led them to the championship game. Starting with the senior duo of 2023s David Peral and Campbell Scurry. Peral checks off so many boxes when looking at the ideal characteristics of a two-way forward. He’s long, mobile and coordinated to operate off the bounce with a steady face-up game in the short corner, be really useful in the pick ‘n roll option, and can operate the block with patience in his moves without stalling the offense. Defensively he’s capable of hedging or switching out on the perimeter and going after every shot around the rim as swat patrol. Moving to Scurry, he’ll be a reliable glue guy that impacts the hidden levels of the game that don’t show up in the scorebook. He showed a steady playmaking presence this fall knowing when to penetrate, make the extra pass, or directly set up the offense. He has an opportunistic scoring quality that will prove vital in balancing the offense and keeping the defense honest with his outside shot, simply being a notable leader that knows the system.
Next, there’s 2024 Bryce James, who was one of my top new names to follow. Although slightly undersized, he’s a commanding floor general and a pesky defender. He has the quickness to get all up in your area and annoy you as a ball handler while utilizing that same quality to create offensively with a shifty attack that capitalizes on his soft touch around the basket and ability to get to his spots. Whether facilitating and controlling the game, or rattling off buckets from inside and out, expect an impressive season at the helm.
Finally, we have the freshman duo of 2026s Victor Peral and Andrew Phillips. Peral is already as long as his older brother and showed the ability and awareness to be involved in everything around the rim. He’ll provide some valuable minutes giving board security, a patient presence that won’t force shots, and a noted rim runner that could earn solid opportunities. Phillips also displays a similar young length, however, he’s more suited for the wing. All fall he knocked down open shots at a high rate, filled in gaps for spacing the floor and patiently working the offense, and defended with a respectable prowess against older guys.
Calvary Day: 3A Dark Horse
Every year there’s a team that will come out and surprise teams with the “bigger names.” Taking what they did at the end of last season, and the additions to the roster, I think this may be that team. There’s a lot to like with the makeup of this roster as it offers a healthy blend of young and older talent with length and an array of options that could pop off for big games. Starting with the senior trio of 2023s Jaydin Spillman, Isaiah Ramanazi, and Micah Hudnall, they’ll be the mature voice of reasons for the young guys to follow and set the tone as a unit. Spillman is well regarded as one of the top skilled forwards in the area, providing a mismatch against the slower bigs or smaller guards that he lines up across. He stretches the floor and is versatile in his scoring approach, getting to the basket or operating the mid-range and offers distribution services with his passing skillset. Ramanazi and Hudnall will split the point guard duties, both playing the position in opposing ways but both proving productive. Ramanazi will carry scoring responsibilities with a smooth playmaking sense, quick handle, and bouncy take-off for finishing or rising up on his shot. Hudnall has the pass-first mindset with a high IQ and unselfish nature that will boost the offense and help set up looks for a lot of the other weapons they have. They both are worthy defenders and guys that will provide quality numbers across the board that will ultimately lead to winning.
Now taking a look at their younger backcourt that will give a lot of depth, we have 2025s Asher Tolbert, Bryson Mickey, Owen Calvert, and 2026 Dane Cassada (all playing together year around with great chemistry). Tolbert is the longest of the group, offering the most utility defensively in playing bigger, giving a real two-way wing option that will keep expanding within the 3 and D profile. Mickey and Calvert are deceivingly quick playmakers with sound fundamentals, crafty skill sets based on their IQs, and can both catch fire from deep as fast as anyone. Cassada does a mix of all of the above with a tough competitive edge and style that finds him frustrating opponents with his control of pace and consistency in efficient production. He will be one of the top freshmen in the state this year.
Rounding out the roster, the 2024 duo of Emory Blackwell and Gavin Williams show a ton of upside and potential as they keep filling in their roles. They have bounds of length to take advantage of in multiple areas, with them always looking to make the right plays, and their developing skillsets inside will balance the post options with low maintenance. Rebounding and protecting the rim will be their priority one duties they fulfill, but the reps they get this year will be key in filling the void of Spillman come next year.
Making You Earn It: Surry Central
Regardless of talent, it was easy to enjoy watching this Surry Central team simply because of how hard they played each and every possession. There were no easy buckets against them, and they bring a notably settled attack on offense with several intriguing new names to keep track of in Surry County. It’s also worth mentioning that they travel with a crowd, so expect a tough outing home or away with this crew and the noisy environment they’ll have with them.
Looking at their roster, everything starts with 2023 point guard Adam Hege. He is the textbook definition of the position: he carries primary ball-handling duties in setting up the offense, breaking up the defensive pressure, and being the ultimate decision maker that facilitates looks to others. He makes his teammates better and simply doesn’t make mistakes with the ball in his hands, making him an x-factor that doesn’t even need to score to be the key piece to their success.
Next, there’s 2024 Ayden Wilmoth, who was by far the best shooter I saw this fall. He had a methodical approach to getting his looks, not needing to overdribble to find openings, but simply always being ready on the catch and having a quick trigger as well as staying moving to find the holes on the perimeter to get his up. He opened the fall with a 9 three pointer game and kept that groove going as he torched any lazy closeout. He also plays with a continuous high motor that leaves him on the floor diving for balls and constantly being in the right position running the floor on both ends.
Closing with a trio of longer inside-out guys, there’s 2023s Josh Pardue, Jacob Mitchell, and 2025 Tripp McMillen. Pardue and Mitchell will serve as suitable paring in the paint, both having the fundamentals in posting up and making efficient moves, operating and connecting with one another, and of course, embodying the team mojo of all out hustle which likely fits how they run the floor and work on the boards. McMillen has similar length to the two seniors, however, he’s a better fit on the perimeter, being able to use that length to stride out drives, defend, and take care of the ball. He more than just “filled in” in the absence of PG Hege one weekend, showing he can carry a burden of the decision-making and pressure as well. The upside for him will make it very intriguing to see where he will be as a senior as he keeps growing and fine tuning his skill set.
Young Star in the Making: King Gibson
In a high school fall league, it’s certainly significant when you can make note of an eighth grader. Not only that, but 2027 King Gibson was rather dominant this fall, laying the foundation and setting the stage for what should be a highly successful high school career in the Triad. Gibson is fully blessed when it comes to the athletic department, he’s got the long frame, coordination, speed, and high-flying bounce to produce in a big way offensively and put on a show while doing it. His playmaking ability in the open court is dynamic, he has the ability to get to the basket and finish at will and is already catching lobs for throwdowns over guys. But he also has that understanding and poise to still excel as a player without the flash. Defensively he has good anticipation and length to be everywhere in the passing lanes or wall up against guys trying to back him down. Needless to say, be ready for his name to be a hot topic in the area very soon.