By Benji Oxman
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2024 5’8 PG Christian Anderson (Lovett)
The undersized PG has the ability to score in bunches and that’s exactly what he did against Walton. Anderson has deep range and doesn’t need much daylight to get his shot off resulting in 6 made 3s and a total of 33 points against Walton. Although Christian is small he has great change of pace which allows him to penetrate into the lane and make smart decisions from there. Interested to watch Christian’s progression over his high school career.
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2024 6’1 PG Luke Flynn (Walton)
Luke Flynn is the definition of a high IQ point guard that every coach would love to have. Luke seems to rarely turn over the ball or make a wrong read. He doesn’t force anything and lets the game come to him. Luke is a deadly three-point shooter off the bounce or catch to go along with being a really good defender & rebounder. Luke just has a feel to the game on both sides of the ball that’s hard to teach. Luke currently holds one offer to Western Carolina but expect that list to grow over the summer.
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2022 6’7 F Jake Mooney (West Forsyth)
The Georgia College commit has had a strong start to the season posting 22 points and 8 rebounds against Blessed Trinity. At 6’7 Jake has the ability to slash from the perimeter along with hit catch and shoot 3s. Jake knocked down 3 3s against BT along with throwing down a huge poster dunk in transition. When Jake plays physical and rebounds the ball at a high rate he’s a matchup nightmare for opponents.
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2023 6’4 PG Isaiah Collier (Wheeler)
As good as advertised is the best way to describe Isaiah Collier’s game. The 5-star PG had Cincinnati HC Wes Miller in the building to watch and he put on a show posting 23 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Collier’s quickness and change of pace to go along with his strength makes it an impossible task to keep him out of the paint. However, if you sag off too much or go under ball screens he’s now shooting the 3 with great confidence and smooth mechanics. Collier also has that killer instinct and ability to hit big time shots. Last night Wheeler trailed Grayson by as much as double digits in the second half and Collier just made big play after big play to keep Wheeler in the game including hitting the tying and go-ahead buckets.
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2022 6’10 F Chauncey Wiggins (Grayson)
The Clemson commit has improved every time I have seen him since the beginning of last travel season. Against Wheeler, Wiggins had his full arsenal on display knocking down a 3, hitting mid-range jumpers, finishing strong through contact in the paint and even making some plays off the bounce. At 6’10 Wiggins’s mobility and shooting ability makes him unique because he’s capable of running off screens or playing on the perimeter. When Chauncey’s playing aggressive he’s another guy who’s tough to guard.
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2023 6’6 PG Stephon Castle (Newton)
Even better than advertised is the way to describe Stephon Castle’s performance against Norcross. The 5-star UCONN commit had his full package going finishing with 22 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. At 6’6 the point guard’s athleticism and vision are an extremely uncommon combination. Stephon was kicking the ball ahead in transition, hitting deep 3s, & catching lobs all night. If Stephon gets into the paint you can go ahead and guarantee somebody is getting an open shot whether it’s a teammate or himself. Newton is among the most talented teams you’ll watch and Castle is the leader that makes them go.
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2023 6’4 G Jakai Newton (Newton)
Jakai Newton is a pure scorer who’s always in attack mode. The Indiana commit finished with 17 points & 5 rebounds but his 17 points were all loud buckets that got the crowd on their feet. Newton’s ability to breakdown defenders off the dribble and hit contested shots is what separates him from other scorers. Jakai has the ball on a string and able to make quick moves in tight spaces to get his shot off. Newton’s athleticism and ability to play off two feet allows him to finish through contact in the paint as well.
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2023 6’3 G Mier Panoam (Norcross)
Even though Newton got the best of Norcross Mier Panoam fought from start to finish to try to keep his team in the game. Mier’s athleticism is off the charts and showcased that with multiple dunks and high-flying finishes off two feet throughout the game. Panoam was attacking all game resulting in multiple trips to the free throw line. Mier also knocked down a 3, showing his improved shooting ability. Mier finished with 21 points and 3 rebounds in Norcross’s loss to Newton. Mier currently holds one offer to DePaul but I expect his list to grow throughout his junior season.
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