The Wing Man Report: Week 3
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The Wing Man Report is back with a ton of the latest happenings all across the high school basketball landscape. Here’s a look at some of the latest happenings in the Week 3 edition. 2022 prospects showed off in the…
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Continue ReadingThe Wing Man Report is back with a ton of the latest happenings all across the high school basketball landscape. Here’s a look at some of the latest happenings in the Week 3 edition.
2022 prospects showed off in the Charlotte Hoops Challenge
The Charlotte Hoops Challenge was quite an entertaining event, especially for the 2022 class. 2022 Cannon School guard Jaden Bradley showed why he’s considered a top prospect in his class with two solid performances against Combine Academy and Ardrey Kell.
Bradley put up 27 points including the game-winning 3-pointer in an overtime victory over Combine then the next day, he put up the first triple-double in CHC history with 21 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a comeback victory over Ardrey Kell that saw his squad outscore their opponent 24-13 in the fourth quarter. Bradley has high-major potential and continues to excel on the hardwood.
It also helped that 2022 hybrid forward D.J. Nix played big as well. Nix put up 26 points and seven rebounds against Combine and 26 points, three rebounds and three blocks against Ardrey Kell. He’s a three-level scoring forward that scores with efficiency. He shot 61.3 percent from the field and made seven 3-pointers in the CHC.
Ardrey Kell point guard Evan Smith put together quite the stat sheet battling in the backcourt against Jaden Bradley. He finished the game with 12 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, nearly putting together a triple-double of his own against a tough squad. He’s a true point guard prospect colleges should get eyes on early.
Butler High School sophomore forward Patrick Wessler had quite the performance in the CHC as well with 24 points, 13 rebounds and seven rebounds against Charlotte Catholic. Things came down to the wire in the end but Wessler put many on notice with his ability to run rim-to-rim, protect the rim and finish around the rim.
Concord First Assembly is a talented squad
The Concord First Assembly Academy Eagles are off to a 9-1 start to begin the 2019-20 season led by the efforts of 2020 forward Garrett Hien, 2020 point guard Isaac Boothe, 2021 guard Javian Cannady, 2021 wing Trae Benham and 2020 big man Cheick Traore. Hien had a strong showing in the Charlotte Hoops Challenge with 22 points in a win over Independence High School, showing why he was highly-recruited by Furman University, where he’s headed next season.
All four players mentioned are averaging double-figures in scoring so far this season. Benham leads the way in points per game with 20.3 points per contest. Hien is putting up 14.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. Traore is averaging a double-double with 11.1 points per game and 10.5 rebounds per game. He’s headed to Youngstown State next year.
With notables wins over Liberty Heights and Northside Christian Academy already, they’ve put a lot of teams on notice about just how talented of a squad they are from an overall standpoint.
Terquavion Smith drops 40 at Hoops & Dreams
NC State commit and 2021 wing Terquavion Smith was another prospect that had a big weekend on the high school scene. He poured in 40 points on 16-of-21 (76.2 percent) from the field and 2-of-4 shooting from 3-point range to lift his squad to a 96-83 victory over Greenfield School in the Hoops & Dreams Showcase in Fayetteville. He’s due for a productive junior campaign in the Farmville Central backcourt alongside 2020 point guard Justin Wright, who’s committed to NC Central.
Senior Prospects are balling out
Forward Kevin Kullick didn’t start the game for Charlotte Catholic in the Charlotte Hoops Challenge, but he made his presence felt off the bench. Kullick put up 23 points and five rebounds while shooting 9-of-13 from the field and 4-of-5 from 3-point range in a close 55-54 victory over Butler High School. He’s a 6-foot-5 forward that can score on all three levels and did well to finish strong around the rim.
Another senior who performed big at the CHC was Charlotte Latin point guard R.J. Johnson, who put up an average of 28.5 points per game in two victories while also going 27-of-33 from the free-throw line. He’s a strong, wiry guard that can get to the rim and draw fouls with poise in the paint. College coaches will want to get eyes on him.
Through the first six games of the season, 2020 wing Zach Murphy has posted at least 20 points for Crossroads Christian School and is currently averaging 24.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 2.5 assists per contest. He’s an unsigned senior candidate that’s been making a lot of noise with his abilities on the hardwood this season.
Chase Mebane is another prospect that’s been making waves with his abilities. He’s a 6-foot-7 forward that’s currently producing 29.7 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.8 blocks per contest through the first nine games of the season for River Mill Academy. He’s already posted games of 52 points and 50 points against Roxboro Community and NC School of Science & Math, respectively, as well. He’s another senior prospect that college coaches should get eyes on.
Mebane isn’t the only big man to keep an eye on. Eastern Wayne senior Devin Brown has been one prospect that’s been making waves in his senior season with his ability to finish at the rim. The 6-foot-6 forward is producing 16.6 points and 12.0 rebounds per game on the young season. He’s an inside presence to get out and see.