This past weekend, Phenom Hoops traveled to the Raleigh Convention Center to host our annual G3 Live Showcase. The event featured over 280 teams across several age groups. College coaches of all levels were able to attend and extend scholarships to worthy prospects. Among those teams was Stricly Ballas, a squad loaded with next-level pieces for various types of programs. Let’s take a closer look at their core….
Though it goes without saying, quality guard play is critical to having success in travel ball. The very complementary duo of Josiah Currie and Cohen Hyatt both consistently stood out for this group. It’s actually shocking how Currie is able to be so consistently impactful as a low-maintenance piece. He’s smart and athletic with an excellent blend of length, toughness, and instincts on both ends of the floor. In a time when few players want to defend, Currie reliably sits down to contain opposing guards at the point of attack. His quickness and anticipation allow him to legitimately mirror opponents. Currie forces turnovers at a solid rate and makes his presence felt in transition. Offensively, he’s a reliable floor general who excels at getting downhill and applying pressure at the basket. Currie is a quality finisher with craftiness and the explosiveness to consistently play above the rim. He’s also a sharp playmaker with pace and vision. Currie’s incredible impact simply cannot be quantified through his counting stats. Meanwhile, Hyatt is a smooth creator and perimeter shooter who can produce from either guard spot. He hits jumpers from midrange and beyond the arc, but also attacks closeouts and makes quality decisions with the ball in his hands. Hyatt sees the floor well as a passer. His ability to toggle between scoring and playmaking is a massive part of his appeal. Add in his solid rebounding and defensive prowess, and it’s easy to see him finding success at the next level.
Although the duo above has proven their ability to dictate the action, guys like Brandon Solomon and Darrion Ellis are also quite capable with the ball in their hands. Solomon regularly operates as the main creator for this group. At 6-foot-4, he’s long, athletic, and able to get downhill with relative ease. Solomon is a willing passer and capable perimeter shooter, but is simply at his best when attacking the basket. He finishes through contact and above the rim at a constant rate. Solomon moves well as a cutter to find open seams when operating as an off-ball threat. He’s capable of defending multiple positions, securing rebounds at a strong rate, and overwhelming opponents with his transition ability. His cohort, Ellis, has a lot of appeal as a well-rounded wing with size, athleticism, and the ability to operate in various roles. He’s able to create with the ball in his hands or fill in the gaps however necessary. Ellis is a capable scorer from all levels. He’s a physical defender and rebounder with plenty of upside remaining on both ends of the floor.
Rounding out this group, Brandon Hyman, has a variety of appealing tools as an unsigned senior. He’s a big, strong, athletic post prospect who plays with nonstop energy on both ends of the floor. Hyman is a tremendous rebounder whose length, motor, and physicality allow him to control the glass. He protects the paint defensively, altering or blocking shots on a consistent basis, and runs the floor well in transition. Offensively, Hyman doesn’t need touches but is a capable finisher around the basket. He would be an asset for a variety of programs.