Phenom Hoops is diving into the upcoming season, and we are bringing several previews and discussions about teams and players to watch out for. We are looking into several conferences to see who could be looking strong early on based on the information we have and from last year’s results. Take a look at these teams below, as we think these could be programs to watch out for in each.
North Duplin
The Rebels of North Duplin finished 9-1 in conference play and 17-10 overall last year, led by 2024 Dujuan Armwood who finished the season averaging 16.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. Now, he will be a big loss from last year with the production he brought but this is a team that could bring back sufficient talent to put them back on top of the conference once again. 2025 Micah Leseane had a good season last year in being a force in a variety of areas, averaging 11.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. He should be one of the catalyst this year once again, along with 2025 Donovan Armwood, who has a chance to take the next step and really make his impact felt in a variety of ways on the court. And that doesn’t mention 2026 Treshawn Ruffin who was a good force offensively and on the boards.
Lakewood
A team that could compete near the top of the conference with North Duplin could be Lakewood, as the Leopards are hoping to build on an 11-19 overall record and return much of the talent they had from last year. 2025 Cameron Williams was really effective last year as a leader, putting on a strong showing with 17.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. He has a chance to really be a big piece in helping Lakewood compete towards the top. But right bight him, the Rebels will be looking for others to step up. 2026 Dashaun Carr was really good on both sides of the court last year, making his presence felt offensively and defensively. And then you have 2025 Jaziah Brunson, 2026 Juan Parker Jr., and others that are looking to contribute much like they did last year.
Others
Hobbton went 5-19 overall and 4-6 in conference play led by their duo of 2025 Ashawd Wynn and 2025 Daivian Murrell who should be back once again to lead the way. Neuse Charter lost some talent from last year with a few seniors and will need new names to take over the reins for the program. Rosewood finished second last year but they were led by several seniors that are now gone. They will also be looking for several new names to step up and replace the production.