York Prep “Building for the Future”
York Prep 67 High Point Academy 65
Phenom Hoops travelled to Rock Hill, South Carolina to cover the matchup between High Point Academy and York Prep. High Point Academy is the defending South Carolina Region 1A state champion while York Prep is building for the future. York Prep came into the contest with a 14-4 record. Coach Larry Davis has a team built on youth and starts one freshman and three sophomores with 6’8 Aaron Johnson being the lone senior starter.
From start to finish, it was a close and exciting game. Both teams are well coached and focus on good defensive pressure. For three quarters, the lead exchanged hands several times and the teams went into halftime with a 22-22 tie. Midway through the fourth quarter, York Prep extended the lead to seven points before High Point Academy rallied in the final minute to put some anxious moments for coach Larry Davis. Now, let’s take a look at the game’s standout players.
5’10 2022 Kory Davis (York Prep)
Kory Davis and his twin brother already have offers from Washington State and ETSU. Kory finished with a team high 24 points; however, it was his speed, quickness and outstanding defensive play that impressed us the most. Kory has exceptional lateral quickness, active hands, and great anticipation of passing lanes. Kory’s “man to man” defense was textbook. He sat low, moved his feet, played with his hands/arms wide and took two big time charges in the game.
5’10 2022 Kendall Davis (York Prep)
Like his brother Kory, Kendall also sports offers from Washington State and ETSU. He too has the same characteristics such as speed, quickness and athleticism. Kendall has good range and touch and can knock down the occasional 3-pointer. Kendall has incredible hands and ability to change directions extremely well in the open court. In addition, he has his head up constantly surveying the floor to make the pitch ahead pass. Kendall finished with 12 points.
6’8 2020 Aaron Johnson (York Prep)
Johnson as only been played organized basketball for two years. That being said, the wide body Johnson impressed us with his hands and footwork in the paint. He’s a quality two-handed rebounder that does a really good job of keeping his arms/hands high above his head. Johnson finished with 13 points, but is a steady and reliable scorer in the post. In addition, Johnson had a monster 21 rebounds for the game.
6’2 2020 Isayah Owens (High Point Academy)
Isayah Owens came into the contest with a 23.9 PPG scoring average and he didn’t disappoint with his play on the offensive side of the court. We’re talking about a slender, yet strong scoring guard that can score from all three levels. He has good range with sound shooting mechanics and has the ability to create his own shot off the dribble/bounce. Owens finished with a game high 26 points. He has tremendous speed and the ability to change directions quickly off the dribble.
6’1 2020 Jayden Byrd (High Point Academy)
Jayden Byrd came into the game averaging 22.4 PPG and he too showed tremendous touch and range. He has a high arching shot and does a good job of getting his feet set which are vital components in a good shooter. Both Byrd and Owens should be on the radar for D2 and D3 schools.
Larry Davis is a class act
Larry Davis was a high-profile basketball player when he played at Denmark-Olar High School where he averaged 44 PPG and was named Mr. Basketball his senior season. He played two years at UNC and was a member of the 1993 NCAA national championship team. Davis later transferred to the University of South Carolina and finished out his playing career. Recently, he was inducted into the South Carolina Basketball Hall of Fame. Now, he is the head basketball coach at York Prep and we got a chance to watch him first hand and up close. First of all, we’re talking about a high-profile basketball coach that has decided to make a different on the local high school level. In the game against High Point Academy, coach Davis is a true professional and class act on the sideline. The soft-spoken Davis understands the game, but most of all, understands all aspects of being a great role model on the sidelines. There were several “block/charge” calls that went against his team, but instead of arguing his case, he simply replied “good call” to the official. That alone, spoke volume and exemplified the professionalism and class by Larry Davis.