This past weekend, Phenom Hoops traveled down to Waxhaw, North Carolina, for our second annual Mike Gminski Showcase Presented by Sana Recovery. The three-day event featured 21 total games with a ton of intrigue and excitement from start to finish. It’s common for these post-Christmas tournaments to highlight noteworthy teams and individuals, and this was no different. Among those teams is West Meck, a team that has made incredible strides throughout the season. Let’s take a closer look…
Although this team has a variety of meaningful pieces, everything starts and ends with Josiah Bridges. He stands out as a clear leader through his IQ, motor, involvement, and general understanding of how to impact all facets of the game. Bridges is a well-rounded offensive piece who can initiate the action, operate in the middle of a zone, or create for himself and others off the bounce. He mixes it up well as a scorer, but is at his best when attacking the basket or asserting his presence in the midrange. Add in his rebounding, playmaking, and switchable defense, and it’s easy to see all the ways he sets the tone.
Meanwhile, the junior guard trio of Rylan Leak, Nasir White, RJ Grier, and Thomas Colbert each bring their own wrinkle to this group. Leak shines as a scrappy, unselfish, low-maintenance guard who reliably runs the offense and sets up others in scoring positions. His quickness allows him to mirror opposing guards defensively and routinely break down opponents to touch the paint. White displays the most scoring prowess on this roster, showing the ability to create, play without the ball, and find chances from all levels. He’s capable of heating up and causing problems for opponents. Grier does a nice job of filling in the gaps, particularly as a scorer, and defending with energy. Colbert is a tough, rugged defender who plays very hard and doesn’t need touches to impact a game.
That being said, guys like Josiah Pratt and Kamaree Graham also have the size to be difference-makers for this group. Pratt possesses nice length, mobility, and general upside on both ends of the floor. He’s still improving his overall game but shows flashes of being able to score, rebound, and force turnovers. Graham is long, wiry, and doesn’t need touches to impact a game. He finds success through playing hard and mixing it up as a rebounder and interior defender. Given how much they’ve improved in only a few months, it’s clear that Coach Chris Ewell has the recipe for success.