New Life Christian Academy Season Preview and Open Gym Recap
We have seen quite a bit of the New Life Monarchs in the offseason as they are preparing for the upcoming season. The team has gotten better year by year and they have a squad this year that can flat out play! With a nice amount of young talent and a few veterans the Monarchs will be a team that has a chance to do some major damage. The schedule they have this season will be competitive as usual with matchups against teams from all over the state and region, The Monarchs are hosting an open gym for college coaches to come watch on September 25 from 12-2 and the 26th from 3-6
NLCA 2018 Forward Arshon King: Arshon or ‘‘ KK’’ as he known by many, showed his talent throughout the scrimmage game, at 6’5 with nice wing skills , he clearly is a player that catches your eye. He has impressive athletic ability and did a good job of finishing above the rim in the 1st half, once he gets into top shape, he will turn a lot of heads and college coaches will definitely be in to see him.
NLCA 2019 Forward Isaiah Royster: At about 6’3 with a solid frame and a smooth game, Isaiah played pretty well throughout. He didn’t get a ton of touches but he made the best of the opportunities that he got, he can shoot the ball well, is a crafty finisher and can defend multiple positions.
NLCA 2019 PG Reggie Walton: Walton is playing with an even higher amount of confidence than before and is a tough matchup. He gets nice elevation his jump shot and is a very good ball handler, gets better each time we see him play, his intensity is what sets him apart. He plays with the mentality of wanting to destroy any player he steps on the floor against.
NLCA 2020 Wing Reggie Raynor: Showed his ability to be a versatile player, scored the ball off the dribble and made plays for others on the perimeter. Is a nice athlete that finishes offensively above the rim and blocks shots on the defensive end, just scratching the surface of how good he can be.
NLCA 2019 Forward Latrell Jones: Jones is built like a football player but has a skillset that clearly shows that he belongs on the floor. He can play inside by using his frame but where he really shines is in situations where he can stretch the floor. He can knock down the deep ball but also has the ability to put it on the floor and knock down the midrange shot or finish with the floater.
NLCA 2018 Deonte Beckham: He’s a player that doesn’t necessarily pass the eye test but the energy he plays with every time he steps on the floor makes you love to have him on squad. He’s constantly grabbing rebounds, diving for loose balls and running the floor on the break with dunks.
NLCA 2021 Guard Farrell Davis: Very high potential in this young man, he still growing but already has a long wingspan and the skills to be an outstanding defender. On the offensive end of the floor he was pretty quiet but once he gets more comfortable with his team then we expect to see him produce more on that end.
NLCA 2020 Guard Chance Poole: A silky smooth guard that is still growing into his frame, this young man has a chance to be a very special player before it’s all said and done. He has a flair about his game that will bring the crowd to his feet as well as a lot of moves in his arsenal to keep defenders guessing.
NLCA 2020 Guard Dahaun Jones: One of the quickest players on the court, he got to his spots early and often. He did a solid job of getting teammates involved but you could see his ability to score the ball and the confidence he played with.
NLCA 2021 Guard Jovon Harbin: Slowly but surely you can see him getting better and better, he’s playing with more confidence and you can tell that he’s putting in more time in the weight room. He still has the smooth jump shot that we saw from him this summer but he’s improving with his ball handling and ability to take contact.