by: Ethan Reece
2024 Devin Sims (Hillside)
While the other guys lulled into their 8:30 game, Devin came out with a lot of energy and put on an impressive display of mixed use athleticism. With their makeup, he plays more inside than his natural position might be, but he got every inch out of his frame, establishing a presence on the offensive glass, unlike any other guard I’ve seen. He still got to play on the perimeter, getting to the basket at will, and personally playing in the post is only going to heighten his IQ and feel for the game to make him more versatile.
2023 Athan Gill (West Rowan)
West Rowan was possibly the most impressive team I saw in the morning session, racking up wins over Grimsley and East Forsyth. And Athan’s play at the point was a big reason why, he’s a tough bigger-bodied guard that leads by example and sets the tone. He attacks the basket fearlessly, plays unselfishly with a chip on his shoulder, and is clearly a guy that hates losing. His role with this team is invaluable as a senior leader holding guys accountable among a really talented junior trio.
2023 Micah Jones (Holly Springs)
There are many ways to run the point and Micah’s is with total control of the gear shift. He’s got elite speed with the ability to balance and control it in explosive bursts, causing defenders to be in constant pursuit trying to keep up. He’s the primary initiator of a heavy portion of the good things they do and has the ability to lockdown guys in an age where guys don’t want to defend. I’d trust him to pick up full court by himself because he moves his feet to stay in front and make you turn.
2023 Gavin Bullock (Central Cabarrus)
There’s no doubt that Gavin has flown under the radar due to the hype around Thompson and the Daniel twins, but he deserves just as much credit for their success over the last year. He plays the role of doing whatever you need and producing in an effective manner far higher than guys of his size normally do playing in the post. It shows how much he cares about winning to willingly play the “5” regularly as basically a 2 or 3 guard. But he’s just got that dog mentality to get things done and have a huge impact without doing anything flashy or lighting up the scoreboard.
2024 Fred Whitaker (Northwood)
There’s a lot of hype around Drake Powell and the Chargers’ two bigs, but let’s not forget who puts a lot of what they do into action. Whitaker is the game manager that gets all these guys set up and squared to stand out at what they do. He’s a smart and tough point that doesn’t need to dominate the ball, which actually plays to his advantage because he’s a dangerous spot up shooter that knocked down 5 threes in their win over Ardrey Kell. And with all the attention focused on the others, there’s good reason to believe he will get countless open looks.
2023 Janhri Luckey (Thomasville)
It’s never mattered that Janhri is the smallest guy on the court because he always makes the biggest plays. He’s a shifty lefty that excels at sneaking through traffic, staying low to the ground and keeping his dribble alive to escape any trouble. He’s a pesky defender that gets his hands in your space and a soft touch scorer that gets to his spots in the mid range consistently after turning the corner. Look for him to end his Bulldog career with a bang, leading a team that returns a lot of their core from their 4th Rd playoff run that saw them lose to state champ Hayesville.