This upcoming weekend, Phenom Hoops will travel out to Fayetteville Christian for the inaugural Warriors Classic. The one-day event features seven games and loads of talent across the board. 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. Outside of the Grimsley and Westover girls’ game, the schedule highlights teams like Southview, RJ Reynolds, EE Smith, Grimsley, Westover, Northwood, Trinity Christian, Harrells Christian, Seventy-First, Pinecrest, Fayetteville Christian, and Cresset Christian. Let’s take a closer look at an underrated matchup between EE Smith and Grimsley…
After seeing EE Smith (7-2) at our Hoops and Dreams Showcase, the Golden Bulls have consistently proven to be a tough matchup for opponents. They are a scrappy, physical group led by the trio of Nick Smith, Jackson Williams, and Patrick Barber—who account for nearly 80% of the teams total scoring output. In our last viewing, those three combined for 38 of the team’s 53 points. However, Josh King also provides valuable contributions on both ends of the floor. They do a phenomenal job of playing hard at all times, fighting for extra possessions, and understanding their respective roles offensively. Given how they’ve trended up, the Golden Bulls have the pieces to continue making noise over the coming months.
On the other side, Grimsley (3-5) should hit their stride sooner than later. After being without their football talent for most of the season, they still have plenty of room to grow. That being said, they’ve played a challenging schedule featuring teams like Northeast Guilford, Lee County, West Forsyth, Wesleyan Christian, Bishop McGuinness, and various others. Guys like Henry Trent, Noah Sturdivant, and Trace Dukes set the tone in our last viewing. Trent is a scrappy, high-motor guard who can initiate the offense, apply downhill pressure, and knock down jumpers at a quality rate. The freshmen duo of Sturdivant and Dukes already highlight a ton of enticing flashes. That being said, this squad should only continue to improve as the season continues.