This upcoming weekend, Phenom Hoops will travel out to Ambassador Christian for our second annual Ambassador Classic. The one-day event features six games with a ton of intriguing matchups and individual prospects throughout the field. As we enter the next stretch of the high school season with conference play, each win and loss holds much more weight. These games will ultimately have playoff implications for the public and private school programs. Outside of the JV game, the showcase will highlight teams like Lab U, Phoenix Montessori, Cannon, Northwest Guilford, Mooresville, Ballantyne Ridge, Gaston Day, West Charlotte, East Meck, and the hosting Ambassador Christian. Let’s take a closer look at the headlining matchup between West Charlotte and Gaston Day…
For West Charlotte (9-2), folks should already know about highly touted prospects like Kaharri Coleman and Chacho Womack, but this team has a slew of meaningful pieces. Coleman is a dynamic, explosive lead guard who can dominate a game through his penetration, playmaking, and general athleticism. Womack is a crafty, cold-blooded scorer with the ability to fill it up from all levels and make plays with or without the ball in his hands. That being said, AC Pressley is arguably the x-factor of this group through his malleable, well-rounded game and understanding of how to produce within the flow of the action. Jkhai Wade provides a strong, physically overwhelming interior presence and plays much bigger than his size. Outside of those four, guys like Major Cross, Sean Johnson, and Carter Sullivan each bring value to this group.
On the other side, Gaston Day (10-6) has found a lot of success in Coach Darrion Holloway’s first year at the helm. Though somewhat young, they certainly have the pieces to compete with anyone in the state. Griffen Simpson is one of the few seniors on the roster. He leads the team in scoring and rebounding as a versatile wing with size, skill, and toughness. Guys like Dyson Britt, Sam Spillman, and Jaylon Bowden have each progressed throughout the course of the season. Britt has the tools to be a notable lead guard with his natural feel, scoring polish, and playmaking instincts. Spillman continues to emerge as a new name to know, and Bowden keeps making strides within his all-around game. Add in pieces like Gavin Fields and Onur Kurucu, and the Spartans have a rotation full of useful contributors. This should be an entertaining contest.