This weekend, Phenom Hoops will be hosting events in three different locations. Between the Freedom 828 Showcase, Ish Smith Showcase, and Tourney Town Showcase, there’s a ton of quality hoops throughout North Carolina. Now with the season fully underway, folks have a clearer understanding surrounding the “who’s who” in the high school scene. Each event brings its own set of storylines, matchups, and notable prospects on display. Let’s take a closer look at each, moving onto the Ish Smith Showcase…
Rounding out the event, we have the hosting Central Cabarrus set to compete against Cannon School in what should be a highly entertaining contest. Both teams came into the year with high expectations and (albeit some struggles) still have a lot left to showcase. This game should be a huge momentum shift for whoever emerges victorious.
For Central Cabarrus, it’s been somewhat of an uphill battle over the last two seasons. Naturally, this is expected after reaching legitimately unprecedented levels of success during the previous four-year stretch. There should still be a lot of optimism surrounding this group, especially given everything Parker Watkins has highlighted since returning to full health. He’s quietly been one of the most productive scorers in North Carolina. Between his playmaking instincts and three-level polish, Watkins has stood out as their clear focal point. He’s a scrappy defender and capable rebounder who can fill it up in a variety of ways. That being said, guys like Duron Vaughn and Dexter Montague have provided consistent production across the board. Those three carry a massive load for this group.
Ironically, the guy who coached Central Cabarrus during their aforementioned historic run, Jim Baker, will now be on the opposing sideline. After being one of the more high-powered offenses in the state last season, they’ve struggled to start the year. Fortunately, this is due to their brutal strength of schedule rather than their lack of contributing pieces. It’s been another extremely productive year for Sean Nix. He operates as their main creator and overall offensive hub, showing the ability to reliably create for himself and others while mixing it up as a scorer from all levels. Nix is a capable rebounder and playmaker. Guys like Lochlann Brezeault, Tommy Underwood, and Gabe Steinour provide quality minutes in their respective roles. However, it’s been a notable season for DJ Rogers and Braylen Weaks. One glance at Rogers’ impressive production and it’s easy to see his value. He ranks in the top three of points, rebounds, assists, and steals. Meanwhile, Weaks is an eighth-grader who already shows a nice blend of IQ, skill, and ability with or without the ball in his hands. Given the talent on both sides, it’ll be fascinating to see who comes out on top.