10 Best: Enka HS vs North Buncombe HS
The first round of the Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament was held on Monday at Enka High School in Asheville, NC. The first game was between Enka High School and North Buncombe High School with North Buncombe advancing with a 67-64…
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Continue ReadingThe first round of the Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament was held on Monday at Enka High School in Asheville, NC. The first game was between Enka High School and North Buncombe High School with North Buncombe advancing with a 67-64 win.
MVP: Jake Smith (2019)– The sophomore is one of the best in the WNC area. He has a great shot, good form and a high release. He scores best coming off ball-screens and rising up to hit the long-range jump shot. He scored 23 points on the afternoon and made six three-point shots. He made five in the first half for 15 points before intermission.
Jake Smith (2019)North Buncombe MVP: David Elkins (2017)– The senior guard knows the game and has a high basketball IQ. He scored on a variety of plays and single-handily led North Buncombe to a fierce comeback in the second quarter to keep the game close. He scored 23 points and dished out 7 assists on the evening for the Black Hawks.
Defensive MVP: Jay Walton (2018)– Walton was impressive in my second time seeing him. The 6-foot-5 forward was all over the boards, grabbing rebound after rebounds. His length makes him one to watch in this area that does not see an abundance of the asset. He scored 15 points on the evening and challenged shots from the Black Hawks.
Best Sophomore: Jake Smith– Smith just plays like a veteran, he is head and shoulders above other kids at the same age and takes control of the game and wants the ball in his hands during crunch time. He will be one of the best players in the area over the course of the next few years.
Interesting Note: North Buncombe sophomore Dalton Whitt (4 points and 5 rebounds) is the son of former Erwin High School standout TJ Whitt who played at Chowan. Whitt also played at Erwin with former NBA player Rashad McCants when he was a senior.
Sophmores to Watch: Ren Dyer of North Buncombe is a athletic wing, he has a knack for getting involved on every play and knows where to be at on the floor. Sophomore Devan Bassett for Enka has the look of a player that will have success at the high school level. Has good fundamental shot mechanics and knocked down some crucial long-range buckets yesterday.
Best Big Man: Jay Walton (2019)- The long and athletic forward plays hard, had two big baseline dunks for Enka early in the 1st quarter. Has a soft touch around the basket and uses his length to shoot over smaller opponents.
Moving Forward: This game was a do or die for Enka as their season ended but North Buncombe advances to take on Erwin High School on Wednesday night in the semi-finals.
Senior Commitment: David Elkins of North Buncombe could be ready to go ahead and make his college decision over the next month. A offer from Milligan already might be the one he goes with. I see him as a quality Division II player and Milligan fits that bill.
Next Season: North Buncombe will lose senior scoring guard David Elkins but will bring back a strong sophmore and freshman class. The BlackHawks should be right there in the race for a conference title again next season.