Prospect Profile: Greg Phelia III (2019)
Greg Phelia III- 6’1 PG-G
Roger Bacon High School- Class of 2019
AAU Team: Cincy Rise
Floor: D-III Ceiling: D-II/NAIA/JUCO
2016-17 Stats: N/A
Roger Bacon High School lost 5 of its top 6 players from a team that went 25-5 and made it to the final four in Columbus last March. For most programs expectations would be low for this season losing all that talent, but not such for the Spartans program. This is a program that has a tradition of winning, and it is a tradition that junior point guard/guard Greg Phelia III is ready to uphold.
“I feel that I can be one of the leaders on this team and have a big role in our team’s success,” Phelia stated. “It’s a challenge that I welcome.”
If you have seen Phelia play anytime throughout the summer and fall, you might feel the same way as well. There are three things that I see when I watch Greg play that really jump out at me. First off is that he does not play at one speed the whole game. He does a good job and changing speeds which can make him very difficult to defend. Second is that he has very good handle and does not over-dribble. He uses his handle to get to his spots on the floor and does not waste time doing unnecessary dribble moves. The last thing that grabbed my attention when watching him play is something he states he got better at watching former Spartan point guard Craig McGee.
“I learned to be a better facilitator watching Craig play,” the junior stated. “He was a very good passer.”
When talking to Greg you also get the sense that he is never satisfied with his game as well, and that that he has room for improvement is all areas of his game. When asked what area of his game he felt needed the most work he stated, “There are always things to work on. Jump shot, passing, I’m always working on getting better.”
To go along with his jump shot (adding range to his jumper), finishing with his off-hand I would say is another area of improvement for Phelia. While he does a good job of penetrating and getting in the lane, he has the tendency at times to make finishes at the basket more difficult by not finishing with his off hand.
At the time that this article was written Greg has not any contact with programs at the next level. But if he can help lead Bacon back to Columbus this season, that will be something he will not have to worry about.