Holiday Classic Standouts Part 2
Westover HS Senior Jalin Thorne: Thorne was solid throughout the tournament and showed flashes of how good he can possibly be. He’s 6’7 with decent hands and athleticism, but what impresses me the most is his skillset. Offensively he can play inside and out, while on the defensive end he can play multiple areas of the floor and is a coachable young man. His stellar play throughout earned him the honor of being named the Cumberland County Holiday Classic MVP.
Terry Sanford HS Senior Wing Gabe Harbison: Gabe has continued to improve and work on his craft, his ability to knock down the deep ball is solid and he rebounds it well. In the Semi-Finals against Jack Britt HS, he had one of his better games of the season scoring 19 points in the blowout win.
Westover HS Junior Guard Tyron George: In the Semi-Final round Tyron played well and was a big part of the reason Westover built a nice lead over 71st. Unfortunately he suffered a nose injury which kept him out of the game for a good amount of the 2nd half. He was able to return for the Championship game and played well once again, taking home All-Tournament honors.
Westover HS Junior Guard Thomas Hendricks: Thomas is a veteran on this squad and has moments of brilliance on the floor. He shot the ball well from deep and applied defensive pressure to force some turnovers.
Pine Forest HS Senior Forward Julian Hill: Throughout the season he is the team’s leading scorer and rebounder at 13 points and 10 rebounds per game. At 6’4 with a nice wingspan, he looks like a basketball player as soon as you set eyes on him. He’s a decent shooter and with some added upper body strength he could score more efficiently inside the paint as well.
Terry Sanford HS Sophomore Wing Yates Johnson: This youngster has a chance to be special if he continues to work and perfect his craft. He can shoot the deep ball at a high percentage, knocks down the midrange shot and can finish at or above the rim when he attacks. He’s 6’5 with a lean physique, a nice IQ and is a player that seems to be coachable, most importantly he’s a great student academically.
71st HS Senior Guard Dontravious Byrd: 71st has always been known for having good guards, and the leader of this year’s pack of guard is Mr. Byrd. He is a very good defender that knows how to use his foot speed and quick hands to cause havoc all over the court. Offensively he does a good job of getting his team in their set and keeping his turnovers low, Juco programs should keep a close eye on him.