At the beginning of each new year, Phenom Hoops works to assemble a series of articles centered around unsigned prospects in the senior class. Last season, over one hundred players from North Carolina went on to play at the Division I, II, III, or NAIA levels (with several others exploring the JUCO path). That number looks likely to continue increasing with the current senior class. Typically, we try to highlight guys who are under-recruited by college coaches or overlooked by the masses. This edition will feature Cam Flippen of The Burlington School.
We’ve watched Flippen throughout his high school journey, recently stating, “Similar to his cohort above, the Spartans have no chance to compete without Flippen and his silent, steady approach to the game. Per usual, he set the tone with his toughness, defensive prowess, and balance between scoring and initiation. Flippen was as reliable defensively as anyone on the floor. After entering halftime with only three points, he was excellent in the second half and was undeniably important down the stretch. Flippen forced turnovers and consistently applied pressure in transition, where he drew several fouls and converted at a perfect rate at the line.”
Folks should be pretty familiar with Flippen and everything he brings to a team. He’s a tough, physical floor general who understands how to effectively manage the game, pick his spots, and set the tone defensively. Flippen plays with a calm, seemingly emotionless demeanor and simply goes about his business on the court. He touches the paint and finishes around the basket or makes the necessary pass to set up others. Flippen is a capable perimeter shooter but doesn’t really look to force the action as a scorer. He’s comfortable without the ball and finding opportunities as a cutter, but typically operates as a primary creator. Flippen secures rebounds at a strong rate for his size/position and knows how to reliably push the break in transition. Defensively, he does a terrific job of utilizing his physical nature to contain his assignment and force turnovers. Between his steady identity and willingness to do the little things, Flippen should appeal to various programs.