Stock Risers & Players To Watch
As the first month of 2018 concludes, it’s important to acknowledge several stock risers & players to watch as the season nears playoff time. Day’Ron Sharpe at South Central, Terence Harcum at Granville Central & Dylan Blake at First Flight have been 3 of the more impressive players in the month of January. Jaden Cooper of Wayne Country Day & Jason Williams of West Carteret are players who could make some serious noise come playoff time respectively.
Day’Ron Sharpe – South Central High School – Class of 2020 – 6’9” F (Ranked 2nd)
First & foremost, it must be noted that South Central HS sophomore forward Day’Ron Sharpe has begun to place himself firmly on the national radar. Standing at 6’9”, he’s improved all across the board since we first spoke about him nearly a year ago. He’s before his time defensively, anchoring one of the better high school defenses in the state, plays strong with his back to the basket and has shown improved consistency from 3-point range. The sky is the limit for this kid & it’s a huge reason why he has jumped into the top 2 conversation in his class.
Terence Harcum – Granville Central – Class of 2021 – 6’1” PG (Ranked 15th)
Freshman guard Terence Harcum has been on a tear lately. He’s a 6’1” combo guard that scores in huge bunches with great efficiency. After several consecutive 30+ point games, it’s apparent that this kid is the real deal. He will have plenty more opportunities to rise up the freshman rankings once the summer hits.
Dylan Blake – First Flight High School – Class of 2020 – 6’0” PG (Ranked 31st)
Most people around eastern North Carolina already knew Dylan Blake is an elite shooter. What has really caught people by surprise is his increased efficiency getting into the paint & his defensive ability. He’s averaging over 24 points per game and a shade over 3 steals per game this season. Don’t expect him to slow down. Colleges are beginning to show interest already.
Jaden Cooper – Wayne Country Day – Class of 2021 – 6’1” PG (Ranked 47th)
This quick & deceptive lead guard at Wayne Country Day could see one of the bigger rises after a breakout week that saw him pour in 33 points in a game. He flat out finds ways to put the ball in the basket. He’s been attacking at a higher rate off the dribble & is beginning to get a really good feel for what type of player he could become down the road. Cooper also looks quite young and may very well continue to grow.
Jason Williams – West Carteret HIgh School – Class of 2020 – 5’11” PG (Ranked 54)
Sophomore guard Jason Williams has been one of the most impressive transfers in eastern North Carolina. He played his freshman year at Parrott Academy in Kinston, NC and has visibly grown several inches. He makes his impact with his ability to shoot the ball either off the catch or off the dribble. He also does a great job dishing the ball & has quick hands defensively. Expect several more 30+ point games and more W’s in the win column with Williams leading the way.
NOTE: (Parentheses Depicts NC Class Ranking. Not A National Ranking)