Southwestern 4-A Conference Preview
Southwestern Conference 4-A Preview: Butler High School (Matthews) Butler High School is coming off one of the best seasons in the history of the school. The Bulldogs are 47-10 since Head Coach Myron Lowery has taken over two years ago.…
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Continue ReadingSouthwestern Conference 4-A Preview:
- Butler High School (Matthews)
Butler High School is coming off one of the best seasons in the history of the school. The Bulldogs are 47-10 since Head Coach Myron Lowery has taken over two years ago.
They have have won the Conference Championship both years and reached the Sweet 16 and went to the Elite 8 (farthest in school history). Butler went 30-1 this summer and have a experienced core coming back from their 24-6 record last year.
The Bulldogs will be well balanced with plenty of shooting and power from their big men. Butler has four players with college offers.
6’5 Senior Power Forward Jah’Lil Carter has been starting since his sophomore year and was All-Conference last year. He has an incredible motor, blocks shots and led the conference in rebounding. He has an offer from Queens University.
His counterpart is 6’5 Junior Power Forward Gerrale Gates, he provides the team with low post scoring as well an improved outside shot. Gerrale is an extremely smart player and has an offer from the University of New Orleans.
Zane Rankin is a 6’4 Senior wing and a human highlight reel with an array of athletic dunks and deadly three point shooting. He is able to guard all five positions and is the team’s best perimeter defender.
D.J. Little 6’1 junior shooting guard is player who loves the big games. He has hit six and seven three pointers in a game, one which won a big conference game at the buzzer and he hit a free throw with .2 seconds to propel Butler into the Elite 8. D.J. was All-Conference last year and has an offer from Winthrop.
Butler lost two guards from last year but believe guards (all seniors) Tarique Stowe, a 6’0 2017 Point Guard, Omega Stitt, a 6’0 2017 combo guard and Chase Morrissette-Barnett, a 6’2 Senior Combo Guard are more than capable of picking up the slack. The guards are tough, athletic and play to win. They have plenty of experience, shoot the ball well and play excellent pressure defense.
Butler has a newcomer in 6’4 senior Combo Guard Justin Rivera who has three years of varsity experience in New Jersey. He has 812 career points and will add athleticism and versatility to the Bulldogs.
Season outlook:
Butler will strive to win it’s third consecutive SW 4A Conference Championship and will be a serious State title contender. Butler has great team chemistry, athleticism and shooting to make a deep run in March to Chapel Hill.
2. Independence High School (Charlotte)
Independence High School should contend with other Charlotte area teams this season as a state title contender for a 4-A championship. Big man Justyn Hamilton is 6-foot-10 with a wingspan of 7-foot-6, colleges have begun to see what all of the fuss is about in Charlotte. Hamilton has the ability to run the floor as good as any big man in the country, has elite level shot blocking ability and now can consistently knock down a mid-range jumper. He has a great skill set when it comes to rebounding and has a high basketball IQ.
Top Returners: 2017 6’10 F Justyn Hamilton (#8 in PrehoopsNC 2017 Class) has committed to Temple University.
2017 6’0 PG Chea Johnson
2017 6’3 SG Matthew Statile
2017 6’5 F Victor Tshiona
2019 6’5 F Matthew Smith
Top Newcomers: 2018 6’5 G Jamarius Burton (#19 in PrepHoopsNC 2018 Class) has offers from East Carolina, VCU, Penn State, Old Dominion, Kent State, LaSalle and Hampton University, 2019 6’3 CG Andra’ McKee, 2019 6’0 PG Raja Milton. Rising junior Jamarius Burton is blessed with elite athleticism, the big point guard is a beast in transition that can punish the rim. He averaged 14 points and 8 rebounds this past season at Berry Academy. Burton describes his game as “I am a strong point guard who can get to the rim and make the necessary plays . I am a relentless defender and I compare my game to former Providence College star and NBA player Kris Dunn due to the similar size and style of play.”
3. Rocky River High School (Mint Hill)
Rocky River High School features PrepHoopsNC #7 ranked 2019 prospect Raquan Brown. The 6-foot-3 Brown is a scoring machines on a team that also features one of the top freshmen in the country, Jaden Springer. Springer is ranked as the #3 prospect in 2020 by PrepHoopsNC. The Ravens finished last season at 10-16 overall and 6-6 in the Southwestern 4-A conference. Head Coach Jermaine Walker has been around the Charlotte preps area for some time now and is one of the best coaches in the state. The sophomore Brown averaged 13 points and nearly 5 rebounds per game last season. The Ravens also return Anthony Salley III, a 6-foot-3 wing who averaged 6 points and 3 rebounds and 6-foot-5 forward Tyrek Haywood who averaged 5 points and 5.1 rebounds.
4. Myers Park High School (Charlotte)
The Mustangs finished last season at 15-12 overall and 7-5 in the conference. Long time head coach Wes Helper left after this past season to be closer to home and Myers Park hired Scott Taylor, who was previously at Providence High School in Charlotte. Returning players for Myers Park High School are 2017 guard Zailan Peeler who averaged 10.4 points, 4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game last season. Also returning is Kevin Alford, a 5-foot-8 senior guard who contributed 4.5 points, 3.8 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game last season. The loss of key junior Isaac Suffren, who transferred to Providence Day will be a big hole to fill.
5. East Mecklenburg High School (Charlotte)
The Eagles finished 9-15 last season overall and 4-8 in the Southwestern 4-A. East Meck returns some senior leadership with 6-foot-4 senior Charvis Jones who averaged 15 points and 5 rebounds per game last season. Also returning for the Eagles is 6-foot-3 senior wing Seth Bradbury who averaged 12 points and 6 rebounds and 1 assist. Another senior, 5-foot-11 guard Jordan Richard averaged 5 points and 2.4 assists per game last season.
6. Garinger High School (Charlotte)
Jordan Yawn is the Wildcats new boys basketball coach taking over for Carlton Anthony who is now the head coach at Anson Senior High School in Wadesboro, NC. Yawn was head coach at Kennedy Charter last season. Garinger finished 9-13 overall last season and 4-8 in the Southwestern 4-A. The loss of Rayshawn Neal (transferred to Legacy Charter in South Carolina) and the loss of two other key players to Vance High School will make for a rebuilding year for the Wildcats.
7. Porter Ridge High School (Indian Trail)
Last season was a long season for the Pirates who finished 2-22 overall and 1-11 in the Southwestern 4-A conference. Returning players for the Pirates are seniors 6-foot guard Noah Taylor who averaged 12.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, Jamius Stevenson, who averaged 9 points, 3 assists and 3 rebounds last season and 6-foot-1 guard Damon Brown who averaged 9 points and 4.4 rebounds per outing. Two sophomores to watch for this season are Cameron Stitt and Clayton Boone.